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FESTIVE TOP NOT

Ed Sheeran set to miss out on Christmas Number One as bookies’ shun X Factor winner’s single for top spot

Bookies' overlook song penned by pop superstar for tribute to murdered MP Jo Cox

FOR the second year running the X Factor winner’s single is not the favourite for Christmas No1.

This year’s single, which has been written by pop superstar Ed Sheeran, is on sale today meaning it will need to sell and stream well for two weeks to reach the festive top spot on December 23.

 Bookies' have shunned Matt Terry's song for the festive top spot
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Bookies' have shunned Matt Terry's song for the festive top spotCredit: Splash News
 Pop superstar Ed Sheeran wrote the winner's single
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Pop superstar Ed Sheeran wrote the winner's singleCredit: Getty Images

The bookies’ favourite for the Christmas chart-topper is a cover of The Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want by Friends of Jo Cox in honour of the MP, who was murdered this year.

Louis Tomlinson has also entered the race after his emotional performance dedicated to his mum Johannah on Saturday night’s X Factor show.

Just Hold On, a collaboration with DJ Steve Aoki, has odds of 3/1 with SunBets to scoop the prize.

 A tribute song dedicated to Jo Cox is the bookies' favourite to top the charts
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A tribute song dedicated to Jo Cox is the bookies' favourite to top the chartsCredit: Getty Images
 Louis Tomlinson's emotional tribute to his late mum has shot up the singles chart
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Louis Tomlinson's emotional tribute to his late mum has shot up the singles chart
 Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik's surprise single along with Mariah Careys Christmas classic are also in the running
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Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik's surprise single along with Mariah Careys Christmas classic are also in the running

Louis’s former band mate Zayn Malik is also in the running after releasing a surprise single with Taylor Swift called I Don’t Wanna Live Forever last week.

Clean Bandit, Mariah Carey and the London Hospice Choir are also part of the race which is set to be one of the tightest in years.

Last year the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir beat Justin Bieber to scoop the Christmas No1 with song A Bridge Over You.

The last X Factor winner to bag the festive top spot was Ben Haenow in 2014 with Something I Need.

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