Chart-topping singer launches bid for Christmas No1 as he teams up with Amazon for festive track

WHAM! finally managed to score the festive No1 in 2023 with Last Christmas — but Tom Grennan will be hoping he can wrestle that title off them.

I’ve learned the singer-songwriter has signed a deal to be the voice of Amazon’s Christmas ad campaign — and recording a song specially for it.

That’s a big deal considering Sam Ryder's tune You’re Christmas To Me last year, which was also exclusive to Amazon, narrowly missed out on the top spot and finished at No2.

Ellie Goulding’s cover of Joni Mitchell's River, which was used by Amazon in 2019, also topped the charts.

The shopping giant will play it to users who have its Alexa devices, so streams go through the roof.

I would love to hear a festive song from Tom and I’m sure he has what it takes to go all the way.

It’s a canny move by Amazon, who will have seen the viral success of Tom’s Gillette song, The Best A Man Can Get, which has become so popular that he now sings it as his gigs.

A source said: “Tom and Amazon signed their deal last month for him to be the voice of their big Christmas ad campaign.

“As with Gillette, Tom is recording a song for the adverts, which fans will be able to hear when they kick off the campaign.

“It’s really catchy and will definitely become an ear worm for anyone who listens to it.

“Amazon are still signing up stars to appear in the ad which will feature his song.

“The song should be out next month, so there will be plenty of time for people to learn the lyrics by the time December 25 comes around.

“They think they’re on to a winner with Tom and he is chuffed, as it could mean big things for him this Christmas.”

A No1 would be the perfect gift to end his year.

Ash the circus gown

ASHLEY ROBERTS was among celebrity guests as the circus rolled into town.

The former Pussycat Dolls singer wore this sleek red gown at the launch night of Come Alive! The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular at Empress Museum in West London on Wednesday.

It has a series of awe-inspiring circus performances mixed with songs from the Hugh Jackman hit movie musical.

One showbiz guest who took a particular interest in the topless acrobats was Sir Ian McKellen.

My exclusive snap right, shows the actor with binoculars to get a closer look from the sixth row.

I can’t blame him. Who wouldn’t want a closer look at rippling abs?

A Wicked Cyn?

WICKED actress Cynthia Erivo is having a big sense of humour failure about fans playfully making memes of posters for the film musical.

It is expected to be one of the biggest films of the year when it arrives next month.

Cynthia, who plays witch Elphaba, saw one edit with the brim of her character’s hat lowered slightly to cover her eyes.

She then ranted on Instagram: “This is the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen, equal to that awful AI of us fighting.”

That was a reference to a video of Elphaba and Ariana Grande's character Glinda having a scrap, which was obviously ridiculous but also entirely fictional.

Has Cynthia forgotten these characters aren’t real people?

She added: “None of this is funny. None of it is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us.”

Fans had lowered her hat in the original poster to mimic an illustrated image that was used to promote the musical when it launched on Broadway in 2003.

But Cynthia raged: “I am a real-life human being, who chose to look right down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer, because without words we communicate with our eyes.

“Our poster is a homage not an imitation. To edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful.”

Blimey. I hope she’s brightened up by the time of the premiere next month.

Sophie returns

SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR is launching a comeback today, jumping on her pop renaissance thanks to Murder On The Dancefloor being in movie Saltburn.

She is back in favour and has pulled out all the stops for a belting tune called Freedom Of The Night, posing for this photo to promote it.

If that isn’t enough to quench your appetite for fabulous tracks, Kylie Minogue is back with her album Tension II.

Rising J-pop group F5VE have dropped their new single UFO, while Aussie singer Ruel has shaved his head and returned with a track called Cats On The Ceiling.

For a rockier vibe, Irish four-piece Really Good Time have released their song My Brother and announced a huge tour, while Charles Costa, who was previously known as King Charles, has put out his song Nothing At The Most.

Pele gift to Paul

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY was given a shirt signed by late football great Pele, ahead of a second show in Sao Paulo on his Got Back tour.

It had a message from the Brazilian footballer, who died in 2022, and was meant as a gift for Paul five years ago. But the icons never had a chance to meet.

It read: “Paul, keep the ball rolling. I love you. Pele.”

It was handed to him at the Allianz Parque stadium.

Paul grinned as he posed with it.

His team said he would “treasure” the gift.

Rita up to her gold tricks

RITA ORA is back doing what she does best – shining on stage.

She looked Hot Right Now in gold crop top and mini-skirt for her Tokyo show and even had a silver hood to complete the outfit before the performance.

Despite playing countless festivals over the summer, this concert in Japan was Rita’s first full gig in more than a year.

Last night she played a second headline concert at Zepp Namba, in Osaka.

The shows are certainly good practice for Rita, who is supporting Kylie Minogue on the North American leg of her Tension world tour in the spring.