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‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the charts, several artists were stirring, to be Top Of The Pops.

Festive classics are battling it out with more modern hits in the most competitive Christmas chart in years – and the final cut-off for sales and streams to count is midnight tonight.

Wham!’s Last Christmas was the early leader, but with a new mid-week vinyl release of The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s Fairytale Of New York, following the death of frontman Shane MacGowan, there could be a change ahead of Friday’s big reveal.

There has also been hype building around fellow contenders Sam Ryder and Mariah Carey.

With LadBaby dropping out of the running after five years at the top at Christmas, it is all to play for.

Whoever is number one in the Official Singles Chart on Friday, they will join some British musical icons who have previously secured the festive top spot, including The Beatles and the Spice Girls – as well as more unlikely chart-toppers such as Mr Blobby and Bob The Builder.

Here, Sky News looks at this year’s contenders.

Wham! – Last Christmas

Wham pictured in September 1984, three months before Last Christmas was released
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Wham! in 1984

The 1984 hit was number one in last week’s chart – securing the top spot for the second week in a row.

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley’s melancholy tale of a scorned lover is one of the favourites for the Christmas crown.

If it succeeds, it will be the first time it has been Christmas number one – it was famously kept off the top spot in 1984 by Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?.

Last Christmas has hit the top of the charts several times previously – but not as Christmas number one – in 2021, 2022 and January 2023.

Sam Ryder – You’re Christmas To Me

Sam Ryder
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Sam Ryder

Sam Ryder is in the running after a late surge with his song You’re Christmas To Me.

His single was released exclusively through Amazon Music (so isn’t on Spotify or Apple) but he is now in a “tight scuffle” with Wham! for the Christmas number one, according to the Official Charts Company.

After finishing in second place in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, could Ryder go one better this time and top the festive charts?

Creator Universe – I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

Creator Universe – a collection of more than 30 TikTok stars – is in the race for Christmas number one with a cover of Wizzard’s 1973 track I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday.

The song was only released on 15 December, with profits from the single to be donated to The Trussell Trust, which runs around 1,200 food banks across the UK.

Some of the online influencers who recorded the cover at London’s Abbey Road Studios were Rosie McClelland, The Famileigh and Amy-Jo Simpson.

Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas

In this Dec. 3, 2014 file photo, Mariah Carey performs at the 82nd Annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony in New York. Caesars Palace announced Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, that the pop icon would launch a residency May 16 at The Colosseum in Las Vegas. Carey has announced 18 performances so far. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
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Mariah Carey in 2014

The US superstar missed out on Christmas number one to East 17’s Stay Another Day when both songs were released in 1994.

But Carey is in with a shot this year, charting at number three in last week’s chart.

The song broke UK chart records when it hit number one in December 2020 – 26 years after its release.

It has been in the top 40 for the festive season every year since 2007.

The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl – Fairytale Of New York

Singers Kirsty MacColl and Shane MacGowan collaborated on the controversial Pogues' Christmas song 'Fairytale in New York' which is now considered offensive by some
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Kirsty MacColl and Shane MacGowan

After the death of The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan last month, an online campaign has gathered momentum to get their gloomy yet hopeful 1988 Christmas classic to the number one spot for the first time ever.

MacGowan’s wife Victoria Mary Clarke said previously the song “should be the Christmas number one, it absolutely should. I’m very much in favour of that”.

She added: “I don’t think [getting to number one] was ever that important to him, because I think that he really appreciated the fact that so many people love it and it means so much to so many people, and being number one isn’t really all about being appreciated.”

MacGowan’s partner on the song, Kirsty MacColl, died in a boating accident in Mexico in December 2000.

Jack Harlow – Lovin On Me

Jack Harlow attends the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., February 5, 2023. REUTERS/David Swanson
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Jack Harlow at the 2023 Grammys

The first non-festive contender is US rapper Jack Harlow’s Lovin On Me.

It is the 25-year-old’s fourth top five single in the UK.

The song was previously in the number one spot for three consecutive weeks in November and December – making it Harlow’s first chart-topping song in the UK.

A snippet of the song went viral on TikTok before its release.

Noah Kahan – Stick Season

OAKLAND, CA - MARCH 26: Noah Kahan performs live in concert at the Fox Theater on March 26, 2019 in Oakland, California. Photo: imageSPACE/MediaPunch
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Noah Kahan performing in 2019. Pic: AP

The US singer’s breakthrough UK hit climbed to the second place position on last week’s chart after 11 weeks in the chart.

The popularity of the 26-year-old’s song was boosted by a cover performed by pop star Olivia Rodrigo.

Kahan, from Vermont, first hit the charts in October, and has been in the second spot for two non-consecutive weeks.

Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John – Merry Christmas

Undated handout photo issued by Official Charts Company of Ed Sheeran (right) and Sir Elton John who's festive collaboration Merry Christmas has gone straight to the top of the UK singles chart. Issue date: Friday December 10, 2021.
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Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran in 2021 when they secured the number one spot on the charts

Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John‘s 2021 offering was pipped in the Christmas charts that year by a remix of itself – LadBaby‘s Sausage Rolls For Everyone.

However, it was number one for three non-consecutive weeks that year, and reached a high of number three on last year’s Christmas charts.

An outside contender for 2023, it was in sixth position in last week’s chart.

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Fourteen children arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over Gateshead fire released on bail

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Fourteen children arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over Gateshead fire released on bail

All 14 children arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after a boy died in a fire have been released on police bail, officers said.

Layton Carr, 14, was found dead near the site of a fire at Fairfield industrial park in the Bill Quay area of Gateshead on Friday.

Northumbria Police said on Saturday that they had arrested 11 boys and three girls in connection with the incident.

In an update on Sunday, a Northumbria Police spokesman said: “All those arrested have since been released on police bail pending further inquiries.”

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Teenager dies in industrial estate fire

Firefighters raced to the industrial site shortly after 8pm on Friday, putting out the blaze a short time later.

Police then issued an appeal for Carr, who was believed to be in the area at that time.

In a statement on Saturday, the force said that “sadly, following searches, a body believed to be that of 14-year-old Layton Carr was located deceased inside the building”.

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David Thompson, headteacher of Hebburn Comprehensive School, where Layton was a pupil, said the school community was “heartbroken”.

Mr Thompson described him as a “valued and much-loved member of Year 9” and said he would be “greatly missed by everyone”.

He added that the school’s “sincere condolences” were with Layton’s family and that the community would “rally together to support one another through this tragedy”.

A fundraising page on GoFundMe has been set up to help Layton’s mother pay for funeral costs.

Pic: Gofundme
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Pic: Gofundme

Organiser Stephanie Simpson said: “The last thing Georgia needs to stress trying to pay for a funeral for her Boy Any donations will help thank you.”

One tribute in a Facebook post read: “Can’t believe I’m writing this my nephew RIP Layton 💔 forever 14 you’ll be a massive miss, thinking of my sister and 2 beautiful nieces right now.”

Detective Chief Inspector Louise Jenkins, of Northumbria Police, also said: “This is an extremely tragic incident where a boy has sadly lost his life.”

She added that the force’s “thoughts are with Layton’s family as they begin to attempt to process the loss of their loved one”.

They are working to establish “the full circumstances surrounding the incident” and officers will be in the area to “offer reassurance to the public”, she added.

A cordon remains in place at the site while police carry out enquiries.

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Football bodies could be forced to pay towards brain injury care costs of ex-players

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Football bodies could be forced to pay towards brain injury care costs of ex-players

Football bodies could be forced to pay towards the care costs of ex-players who have been diagnosed with brain conditions, under proposals set to be considered by MPs.

Campaigners are drafting amendments to the Football Governance Bill, which would treat conditions caused by heading balls as an “industrial injuries issue”.

The proposals seek to require the football industry to provide the necessary financial support.

Campaigners say existing support is not fit for purpose, including the Brain Health Fund which was set up with an initial £1m by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), supported by the Premier League.

But the Premier League said the fund has supported 121 families with at-home adaptations and care home fees.

From England‘s 1966 World Cup-winning team, both Jack and Bobby Charlton died with dementia, as did Martin Peters, Ray Wilson and Nobby Stiles.

Neil Ruddock speaks to Sky's Rob Harris outside parliament
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Neil Ruddock speaks to Sky’s Rob Harris outside parliament

Ex-players, including former Liverpool defender Neil Ruddock, went to parliament last week to lobby MPs.

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Ruddock told Sky News he had joined campaigners “for the families who’ve gone through hell”.

“A professional footballer, greatest job in the world, but no one knew the dangers, and that’s scary,” he said.

“Every time someone heads a ball it’s got to be dangerous to you. You know, I used to head 100 balls a day in training. I didn’t realise that might affect my future.”

A study co-funded by the PFA and the Football Association (FA) in 2019 found footballers were three and a half times more likely to die of a neurodegenerative disease than members of the public of the same age.

‘In denial’

Among those calling on football authorities to contribute towards the care costs of ex-players who have gone on to develop conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia is Labour MP Chris Evans.

Mr Evans, who represents Caerphilly in South Wales, hopes to amend the Bill to establish a care and financial support scheme for ex-footballers and told a recent event in parliament that affected ex-players “deserve to be compensated”.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who helped to draft the amendment, said the game was “in denial about the whole thing”.

Mr Burnham called for it to be seen as “an industrial injuries issue in the same way with mining”.

In January, David Beckham lent his support to calls for greater support for footballers affected by dementia.

One of the amendments says that “the industry rather than the public should bear the financial burden”.

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A spokesperson for the FA said it was taking a “leading role in reviewing and improving the safety of our game” and that it had “already taken many proactive steps to review and address potential risk factors”.

An English Football League spokesperson said it was “working closely with other football bodies” to ensure both professional and grassroots football are “as safe as it can be”.

The PFA and Premier League declined to comment.

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Terror arrests came in context of raised warnings about Iran, with ongoing chaos in its own backyard

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Terror arrests came in context of raised warnings about Iran, with ongoing chaos in its own backyard

These are two separate and unrelated investigations by counter-terror officers.

But the common thread is nationality – seven out of the eight people arrested are Iranian.

And that comes in the context of increased warnings from government and the security services about Iranian activity on British soil.

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Counter terror officers raid property

Last year, the director general of MI5, Ken McCallum, said his organisation and police had responded to 20 Iran-backed plots presenting potentially lethal threats to British citizens and UK residents since January 2022.

He linked that increase to the ongoing situation in Iran’s own backyard.

“As events unfold in the Middle East, we will give our fullest attention to the risk of an increase in – or a broadening of – Iranian state aggression in the UK,” he said.

The implication is that even as Iran grapples with a rapidly changing situation in its own region, having seen its proxies, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, decimated and itself coming under Israeli attack, it may seek avenues further abroad.

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The government reiterated this warning only a few weeks ago, with security minister Dan Jarvis addressing parliament.

“The threat from Iran sits in a wider context of the growing, diversifying and evolving threat that the UK faces from malign activity by a number of states,” Jarvis said.

“The threat from states has become increasingly interconnected in nature, blurring the lines between: domestic and international; online and offline; and states and their proxies.

“Turning specifically to Iran, the regime has become increasingly emboldened, asserting itself more aggressively to advance their objectives and undermine ours.”

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Anybody working for Iran in UK must register or face jail, government announces

As part of that address, Jarvis highlighted the National Security Act 2023, which “criminalises assisting a foreign intelligence service”, among other things.

So it was notable that this was the act used in one of this weekend’s investigations.

The suspects were detained under section 27 of the same act, which allows police to arrest those suspected of being “involved in foreign power threat activity”.

Those powers are apparently being put to use.

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