John Lewis Christmas ad music 20-1 in epic race for festive top spot

• Lola Young’s soundtrack to John Lewis’ cute Christmas curtain raiser 20-1 for Christmas Number One.
• Sir Elton John & Ed Sheeran clear favourites for the first time at 11-8. 
• LadBaby, Adele, Abba, and Gary Barlow & Sheridan Smith’s pending duet are all considered to be among the frontrunners for the 70th Christmas Number One.
• William Hill was the first bookmaker to take bets on the festive chart-topper, ever since Mull of Kintyre topped the festive charts in 1977.

Rising star Lola Young has today been added to William Hill’s Christmas Number One market, as a 20-1 shot to land this year’s festive chart-topper.

The London-born singer is the voice of John Lewis’ cute Christmas curtain raiser, and joins music royalty from Ellie Goulding and Elbow, to Celeste and Lily Allen, who have delivered 12 years of official singles being released in conjunction with the advert. It is hoped that 2021’s extra-terrestrial offering hits all the right notes.

Ever since 2007, John Lewis’ sentimental Christmas advert has sign-posted the start of the festive season and the cover of Together In Electric Dreams is a 20-1 chance of finishing top of the tree.

Another new addition, to a market instituted by bookmaker William Hill over 40 years ago, is Sir Cliff Richard. Sir Cliff will release a completely re-recorded version of Mistletoe and Wine, 1988’s Christmas Number One, at the end of the month, having teamed up with Britain’s Got Talent winners Collabro. William Hill has priced Sir Cliff, who has enjoyed a 60-year and hundred-album career, at 40-1 – so not beyond the realms of possibility

Meanwhile, a whole pantheon of artists will, this year, bid to become the latest icons to join the Christmas music hall of fame, which includes the likes of The Beatles, Queen, Sir Cliff and The Spice Girls.

Chart superstar Ed Sheeran has teamed up with friend and mentor Sir Elton John to create three new Christmas songs, the first of which will be released at the beginning of December, and is called Merry Christmas. The pair’s upcoming festive collaboration is now 11-8, and crucially clear favourite for the very first time.

LadBaby, who continues to remain tight-lipped about the prospect of contesting a potential, history-making, fourth successive Christmas Number One, is 15-8, while powerhouse songstress Adele, who recently secured a third UK number one, shattering all manner of records in the process, with her first new music in six years, is 11-5 third favourite with William Hill.

Abba, who recently released their first studio album in 40 years, in what was billed as the reunion of the century, have been cut from 9-1 with the third track on the album revealed to be a twinkly Christmas tune, Little Things.

And they keep on coming, with Gary Barlow and Sheridan Smith’s pending duet of How Christmas Is Supposed To Be 16-1, and recently reunited boy band The Wanted setting their hearts on securing the top festive single at 18-1.

While festive frequents Wham! are 18-1, and Mariah Carey primed for another Last Christmas at 25-1, Westlife (33-1), who have just released new single My Hero, and Leona Lewis, who has announced a repack of her 2013 festive album, now titled Christmas, With Love Always, at 40-1, represent interesting propositions. 

Elton John and Ed Sheeran 11-8

LadBaby 15-8

Adele 11-4

Abba 9-1

Gary Barlow and Sheridan Smith 16-1

The Wanted 18-1

Wham! 18-1

Lola Young 20-1

Dua Lipa 22-1

Mariah Carey 25-1

Westlife 33-1

Michael Buble 33-1

Leona Lewis 40-1

Coldplay 40-1

Cliff Richard 40-1

The Lathums 150-1

The 70th Christmas Number One will be announced at 17:45 on Friday December 24.

To view the Christmas Number One market, please visit: https://sports.williamhill.com/betting/en-gb/tv-specials/OB_EV21915074/uk-christmas-number-one-2021