How much mileage can you get out of a sausage roll?
More than enough to get two Christmas number ones according to bookmakers, who have installed LadBaby (real name Mark Hoyle) as their hot favourite to top the UK single charts over the Festive period for the second year running.
The British blogger and self-confessed lover of most things pastry has released a cover version of Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll and has again included an homage to his favourite calorie-filled high street snack. He hopes it will emulate his version of Starship’s 80s anthem We Built This City, which went to number one last year. It’s rubbish but it’s for charity and that may well persuade enough people to buy or download the single and hold off competition from the likes of Stormzy and Lewis Capaldi.
LadBaby is bidding to become only the third act in UK music history to have successive Christmas number ones but you are advised to take advantage of William Hill’s 1/2 if you think it’s a good thing. This year, however, seems to have spawned an above-average collections of Festive offerings – some not bad, others truly terrible and more with little to do with Christmas.
Another charity record, six-year-old Lyra Cole’s version of When A Child is Born, is a general 14/1.
Stormzy’s Own It features Ed Sheeran and Burna Boy and is from the grime star’s recently-released and much-anticipated second album Heavy Is The Load. He is 12/1 with Paddy Power but Tone And I’s Dance Monkey seems to have been at the top of the charts forever and may have shot its bolt as far as being still top of the Christmas tree on the 25th – that’s drifted out to 10/1 with Paddy Power.
There are the usual old standards out there, of course. Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You is 25 years old but a general 33/1 to steam back to number one. Wham’s Last Christmas is the title track of a new festive film but 33/1 is available.
Lewis Capaldi is a more current act and has had a brilliant year. Before You Go headlines a number one album and is the type of ballad that was always popular at Christmas but the buying public seem to go more for the novelty acts nowadays. Capaldi is a possible at 14/1 with Bet365, however.
Christmas Number One Current Best Odds
LadBaby 1/2
Tones And I 10/1
Stormzy 12/1
Lewis Capaldi and Lyra Cole 14/1
Adele 20/1
Celebrity X Factor Winner and Robbie Williams 25/1
Mariah Carey and Wham 33/1
Dan Smith 40/1
Taylor Swift and Arizona Zervas 50/1
Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa 66/1
(Odds correct at 3.30pm December 13)
