Actor planning to pip pop stars this Christmas

A song which holds the record as the UK’s longest chart-topper could be heading back to number one for Christmas.

A spoof version of Love Is All Around from new movie Love Actually is to be released the week before the festive chart is announced.

The track will compete with artists such as Sir Cliff Richard, Blue and retro rockers The Darkness for the coveted top spot.

The Love Actually track, renamed Christmas Is All Around, is being sung by actor Bill Nighy.

He plays a washed-up musician, Billy Mac, who performs the track in the movie.

Love Is All Around was originally recorded by The Troggs, but found a new lease of life when Wet Wet Wet recorded it for the movie Four Weddings And A Funeral.

It enjoyed an astonishing 15-week run at number one which left millions of people scratching their heads wondering who was still buying it.

The band, led by Marti Pellow, asked for it to be deleted to end its run at the top.

Bookmaker William Hill puts the track at 12-1 to top the charts on December 25.

Other contenders for the number one include Blue, who have teamed up with Stevie Wonder to record his hit Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

And finalists of Pop Idol are rumoured to be releasing a cover of the Plastic Ono Band hit Happy Xmas (War Is Over).

But bookmaker William Hill puts the Darkness as favourite with their release Christmas Time (When Will The Bells End?). And Avid Merrion of Channel 4’s Bo Selecta is fancied with his single Proper Chrimbo!

Chart expert Gennaro Castaldo of music retailer HMV said: “This could shape up to be one of the tightest races for the Christmas number one seen in recent years – a lot of big names like Robbie aren’t in the mix, so it’s really wide open.

“The favourites have got to include the Pop Idol finalists, who are rumoured to be bringing out a cover of John & Yoko’s Happy Xmas (War is Over), although it will be interesting to see whether reality TV shows are beginning to lose their appeal, and The Darkness, who have had an absolutely storming year with their own distinct brand of glam rock.

“This year’s boy band challenge is more likely to come from Blue, who are covering a Stevie Wonder classic, with the great man also featuring on the recording.

“Novelty records either sink without trace or, like we saw in the 90s with Mr Blobby, can come from nowhere to become the office party favourite and have a real chance of pricking a few pop egos to claim the top spot.

“The dark horses this Christmas are likely to be Avid Merrion’s irreverent TV character, Bo Selecta, and the equally fictitious Billy Mac – a washed-up musician in the forthcoming film Love Actually, played by the actor Bill Nighy.

“In the movie, Mac releases the song with the aim of getting to number one so we could have a real case of life imitating art this year.

“The Sugababes are also releasing a track from the film on December 15, so they might have a good chance, and of course, Christmas is never truly complete without an offering from Sir Cliff – his single Santa’s List is out on December 6 and has all the ingredients of a Christmas number one.”