Who is in the running for Christmas number one?

It's nearly Christmas and that means you will be hearing a LOT of old favourites on playlists and on the radio.

But it's also traditional at this time of year for singers and groups to release songs with a Christmassy vibe to try and get the prized Number One slot in the UK charts at Christmas.

With only one day left to go until the official Christmas Number One is decided, what could reach the top spot on Friday, 22 December?

Let's take a look.

Ladbaby

LadBaby (Mark and Roxanne Hoyle) with their Official Christmas Number 1 Award for I Love Sausage Rolls in 2019

Well, we can tell you it won't be Mark and Roxanne Hoyle, otherwise known as LadBaby.

The fundraising couple have dominated the Christmas chart for the last five years with their singles, "We Built This City (On Sausage Rolls)", "I Love Sausage Rolls", and "Sausage Rolls for Everyone", but have said they won't be entering the race this year.

They set a new record becoming the first artist to record five consecutive Christmas number ones, but said they have decided to "hand the baton over".

But to who?

Fairytale of New York

Shane MacGowan was the lead singer of The Pogues. They had a huge hit with Kirsty MacColl called "Fairy Tale of New York"

Some people are hoping a hit song from 1987 will claim the number one spot this Christmas after the man behind the song, Shane MacGowan from the Pogues, passed away his year.

The festive song "Fairytale of New York" reached number two in the charts in it's original release year.

In a poll in 2012, it was voted the UK's favourite Christmas song of all time. Will this be its year?

Sam Ryder

Sam Ryder has been busy performing his single You're Christmas To Me in the hopes of it becoming the Christmas number one for 2023

Eurovision Song contest runner-up Sam Ryder is hoping it will be his single You're Christmas To Me.

It was released by Amazon and is being played by the company on its Christmas music playlists and the soundtrack of its film Your Christmas Or Mine 2.

"We've done 26 performances in the last six days, doing everything we possibly can to make this Christmas miracle come true - because it's not often you find yourself in a chart race against the almighty Wham!" he said.

Wham

Wham's first ever TV appearance was on Saturday morning children's show Saturday Superstore

Which brings us on to a Christmas classic first released in the 1980s, Wham's Last Christmas.

It has reached number one before in the charts but never in Christmas week.

Cher, the Beatles and, er, a cat?

Snow falls on a statue of The Beatles - the iconic Liverpool four-piece

The "awesome foursome", as they were known, of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon, are arguably the biggest band in music history.

Having released their 'last' song "Now and Then" in November, fans are keen for the song to reclaim the crown of most Christmas number ones ever.

Cher was seen performing on the final of Strictly Come Dancing

They will also have to contend with another bona-fide icon of pop, Cher, who after decades of success in the music industry, has decided to release a Christmas album.

You might recognise her as the singer on the Strictly Come Dancing final.

She hopes DJ Play a Christmas Song will be declared the Christmas number one.

Nala is a regular visitor to Stevenage station where she gets fussed over by passengers

Sadly for cat fans, a charity single from Nala the Station Cat seems to have fallen away in recent weeks. Her song "Check Meowt" had its followers though.

Nala is a four-year-old ginger cat, who is a local celebrity at Stevenage train station around 30 miles north of London.

She released a trance record, with all the proceeds going to the RSPCA and to a homeless charity close to the cat's home.