LadBaby has made history by becoming only the third act, after The Beatles and the Spice Girls, to achieve three consecutive Christmas number one singles in the UK. The YouTuber, whose real name is Mark Hoyle, topped the chart with 'Don't Stop Me Eatin'', a parody of Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'' that raises funds for The Trussell Trust food bank charity.
The song fended off competition from Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You', which had been number one for the previous two weeks, and a protest song about Prime Minister Boris Johnson by an Essex synth-pop outfit. LadBaby's latest offering became the fastest-selling UK single in over three years, since Artists For Grenfell's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'.
LadBaby, whose real name is Mark Hoyle, described 2020 as 'our most important year yet' due to the impact of coronavirus. He told BBC News that he and his wife Roxanne changed their minds about attempting a third number one after previously ruling it out, saying they wanted a song that people love and can sing to. 'Don't Stop Believin'' was chosen for its karaoke popularity and fitting sentiment for the year.
In the album charts, Sir Paul McCartney topped the festive list with 'McCartney III', his first number one LP in 31 years. Taylor Swift's 'Evermore' came in second. Meanwhile, PPL announced that The Pogues' 'Fairytale Of New York' is the most-played Christmas track of the 21st century in the UK, despite BBC Radio 1's decision to stop playing the original version due to potentially offensive lyrics.
