'Fairytale of New York' favourite for Christmas No.1 after Shane MacGowan health updates
It has overtaken LadBaby
The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s festive classic ‘Fairytale of New York’ is favourite for the UK Christmas Number 1 in the wake of updates about Shane MacGowan’s health.
65-year-old Shane MacGowan has been receiving inpatient care at hospital since June due to his continued ill health.
The Irish singer was previously diagnosed with viral encephalitis, an uncommon and potentially life-threatening condition that causes the brain to swell, in December 2022.
On Tuesday night (14th November), Shane MacGowan’s wife Victoria Mary Clarke shared a photo of MacGowan in his hospital bed, and she thanked his Pogues bandmates Spider Stacy and Terry Woods for visiting him.
In an earlier Instagram post, Clarke posted a picture of her kissing her husband while in hospital, along with a lengthy caption addressing her “terrifying fears of loss.”
According to bookmakers William Hill, The Pogues’ ‘Fairytale of New York’ has overtaken LadBaby as the favourite for Christmas Number 1 in the wake of the sad Shane MacGowan health updates.
The band’s odds to claim this year’s festive top spot have shrunk from 18/1 to even-money.
Spokesperson for William Hill, Lee Phelps, said: “With Shane MacGowan’s wife publicly sharing news of her husband’s health on Tuesday evening, we’ve seen a lot of support for The Pogues to claim this year’s Christmas Number One with their iconic festive hit, Fairytale of New York.
“The band were a 18/1 shot with us to top the charts at the start of the week but are now our even-money favourites to achieve their first ever Christmas number one.”
AC/DC fans have also launched a campaign to get the band to Number 1 this Christmas to mark their 50th anniversary.
Everyone at Absolute Radio’s thoughts are with Shane MacGowan and Victoria Mary Clarke at this very difficult time.
The first 40 UK Christmas Number 1s:
1952
Al Martino - 'Here in My Heart'
1953
Frankie Laine - 'Answer Me'
1954
Winifred Atwell - 'Let's Have Another Party'
1955
Dickie Valentine - 'Christmas Alphabet'
1959
Emile Ford and The Checkmates - 'What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?'
1958
Conway Twitty - 'It's Only Make Believe'
1957
Harry Belafonte - 'Mary's Boy Child'
1956
Johnnie Ray - 'Just Walking in the Rain'
1960
Cliff Richard and The Shadows - 'I Love You'
1961
Danny Williams - 'Moon River'
1962
Elvis Presley - 'Return to Sender'
1963
The Beatles - 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'
1964
The Beatles - 'I Feel Fine'
1965
The Beatles - 'Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out'
1966
Tom Jones - 'Green, Green Grass of Home'
1967
The Beatles - 'Hello, Goodbye'
1968
The Scaffold - 'Lily the Pink'
1969
Rolf Harris - 'Two Little Boys'
1970
Dave Edmunds - 'I Hear You Knocking'
1971
Benny Hill - 'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)'
1972
Little Jimmy Osmond - 'Long Haired Lover from Liverpool'
1973
Slade - 'Merry Xmas Everybody'
1974
Mud - 'Lonely This Christmas'
1975
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
1976
Johnny Mathis - 'When a Child is Born'
1977
Wings - 'Mull of Kintyre/Girls' School'
1978
Boney M - 'Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord'
1979
Pink Floyd - 'Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)'
1980
St. Winifred's School Choir - 'There's No One Quite Like Grandma'
1981
The Human League - 'Don't You Want Me'
1982
Renée and Renato - 'Save Your Love'
1984
Band Aid - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
1985
Shakin' Stevens - 'Merry Christmas Everyone'
1986
Jackie Wilson - 'Reet Petite'
1987
Pet Shop Boys - 'Always on My Mind'
1988
Cliff Richard - 'Mistletoe & Wine'
1989
Band Aid II - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
1990
Cliff Richard - 'Saviour's Day'
1983
The Flying Pickets - 'Only You'
1991
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives'