Ex-Boyzone star tipped to stay on screen

Bookmakers are tipping Keith Duffy to stay in television after he announced today that he was quitting Coronation Street.

The ex-Boyzone star has played the role of Ciaran McCarthy for the past two and a half years on the show.

With his decision to leave, bookmakers Boylesports are offering odds of 2/1 that he will become a TV presenter and 3/1 that he will join another soap in 2005.

Boylesports also think there’s a chance that Duffy will make a break into film, with 10/1 odds that he will fill fellow Irishman Pierce Brosnan’s shoes as the next James Bond.

They are even offering odds of 66/1 that the actor will win an Oscar.

With Duffy’s background in music, the bookmakers have him at odds of 6/1 to sing on a Number 1 in the UK, and 10/1 that he will write a song that gets to the top spot in the UK.

Talking about his decision to leave Coronation Street, Duffy hinted at what might be in store in the future.

“I talked with the producer and we both felt that the character of Ciaran had run its course and at the same time I was being offered new projects in Ireland,” he said.

“I am very excited about the future and can’t wait to get my teeth into some of the roles I have been offered.”

During his time on the show the 30-year-old actor has spent Monday to Friday in Manchester before returning home to his wife Lisa and children Jordan, eight, and Mia, four, in Dublin.