Who might be Christmas number one after Lad Baby pull out?

LadBaby are ending their five-year streak of Christmas number ones by not competing for the top spot this year, it has been confirmed (Official Charts Company/PA)
LadBaby are ending their five-year streak of Christmas number ones by not competing for the top spot this year, it has been confirmed (Official Charts Company/PA)

The competition for this year's Christmas number one is wide open now that LadBaby have declared themselves to be out of the running.

The duo is stepping aside to allow others a chance after having the last five Christmas number-one songs, dating back as far as 2018.

"After five amazing years we’ve decided to pass the baton over to the Great British public and we’re not going for Christmas number one this year," Mark Hoyle told the Metro.

Some of their Christmas singles included witty remixes of famous songs, such as We Built This City on Sausage Rolls (a take on Starships’ classic hit from 1985) and Don’t Stop Me Eatin’ (a parody cover of Journey’s hit Don’t Stop Believin’).

The Pogues, who lost out to Pet Shop Boys' Always on My Mind for the Christmas number-one spot in 1987, appear to be the favourites to top the Christmas chart in 2023.

Many will be hoping to break the good news to Shane MacGowan and his family this Christmas, perhaps because of his hospitalisation last year.

Ace Odds has the latest odds for this year's Christmas number one. Here's a closer look at them.

What are the odds?

The Pogues

5/4 - 44.4 per cent

Ed Sheeran

8/1 - 11.1 per cent

The Beatles

8/1 11.1 per cent

Taylor Swift

9/1 - 10 per cent

Adele

9/1 - 10 per cent

Sam Ryder

10/1 - 9.1 per cent

JVKE

10/1 - 9.1 per cent

Sidemen

12/1 - 7.7 per cent

Wham!

12/1 - 7.7 per cent

Lewis Capaldi

16/1 - 5.9 per cent

Dua Lipa

16/1 - 5.9 per cent

Cliff Richard

16/1 - 5.9 per cent

Mariah Carey

20/1 - 4.8 per cent

Harry Styles

20/1 - 4.8 per cent

Slade

25/1 - 3.8 per cent

The Kunts

25/1 - 3.8 per cent

Justin Bieber

25/1 - 3.8 per cent

Coldplay

25/1 - 3.8 per cent