Big Debate: How they’ll line up on the night, plus latest betting

All seven lecterns for (left to right) Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, Liberal Demorcrats leader Nick Clegg, Ukip's Nigel Farage, Labour leader Ed Miliband, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, Scottish National Party's Leader Nicola Sturgeon and Conservative leader David Cameron

In the only opportunity for other leaders to go head to head with the Prime Minister during the campaign, a plum spot next to the Tory leader would have been high on the Ukip leader’s wish list.

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Instead, the draw for places has left the eurosceptic party’s figurehead sandwiched between Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband towards the middle of the seven-podium line-up, with Mr Cameron right out at one end, party sources revealed.

In Thursday’s night’s clash on ITV, the Green Party’s Natalie Bennett will take the left-hand position followed, from left to right, by Mr Clegg for the Liberal Democrats, Mr Farage, Mr Miliband, Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood, Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon and Mr Cameron.

After years of wrangling over whether and how to repeat the TV debates which pitted the three main party leaders against each other three times in 2010, Mr Cameron agreed to appear in a single seven-way debate.

He shunned a direct head-to-head with his Labour rival - who followed him into the studio last week for separate grillings by Jeremy Paxman and a studio audience.

Mr Cameron, Mr Miliband and Mr Clegg will also feature separately in a BBC Question Time special on April 30, just a week before the nation goes to the polls.

MediaCityUK, Salford, where the ITV Leaders' Debate 2015 will take place

The only other true debate of the campaign will take place on ITV on April 16, and pit Mr Miliband against Ukip’s Nigel Farage, Natalie Bennett of the Green Party, Nicola Sturgeon of the SNP, and Leanne Wood from Plaid Cymru.

Bookmaker Paddy Power has Mr Farage as the 7/4 favourite to emerge as the “winner” of the debate - with the Tory and Labour leaders on 10/3, Ms Sturgeon 6/1, Mr Clegg 9/1 and the Green and Plaid leaders 16/1.