Specials betting: FHM sexiest woman of the year

The New Year may only just be under way but we thought we might as well help banish the post Christmas blues by reviewing the runners and riders in the 2008 FHM Sexiest Woman of the Year Awards.

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Reigning champion Jessica Alba leads the way in the betting as the 7/4 favourite with Paddy Power. Now Alba may not be a candidate for the more high-brow film awards that occur around this time of year but anyone who has had the good sense to view her golden globes in Honey, Into The Blue or Sin City will agree she would appear in most red-blooded males' Fantastic Four.

Second favourite is 3/1 Page 3 girl Keeley Hazell, whom the Sun have already launched a campaign to have, ahem, mounted on a plinth in Trafalgar Square. Not as a replica, you understand, but as a real-life model, just standing there to be admired in all her glory. Of course there are certain other websites you can do that on but that's another story…

'Film buffs' still wrapt by the image of the fair Scarlett Johansson in her smalls during the opening scene of Lost in Translation might be tempted to back the American actress at 4/1, while I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here flop Gemma Atkinson (6s) and Cashley Cole's missus Cheryl Tweedy (10s) make up the top five.

The aptly named Angelina Jolie – that's French for pretty - (16s) looks good value for money to this seasoned 'observer', while 33/1 Kelly Brook, who when she isn't appearing on dancing programmes must be paid a retainer by the tabloids to cavort semi-naked with Billy Zane every week on the tropical beach of her choice, is a comely-shaped and well-priced candidate indeed.

However, with the delectable Keira Knightley set to appear on a big screen near you in a number of eye-catching (and draws-dropping) films this year – prepare for some saucy scenes in the Duchess – the Atonement star is worth a cheeky flutter at 12/1.

Verdict: 2pts Keira Knightley @ 12/1 (Paddy Power)

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