Robbie and Nicole face chart battle
Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman were facing some unexpected competition as they launched their bid for a prized Christmas number one single today - from an ageing crooner who wrote his song during a shopping trip to Safeway and produced it for £200.
Williams duets with Hollywood star Kidman on the Frank and Nancy Sinatra cover Something Stupid, which pundits predict will go straight to the top of the charts.
If it holds on until Christmas, he could become the first star since the Spice Girls five years ago to have a number one album and single over the festive period.
However, the surprise entry in the No 1 race comes from 55-year-old Gordon Haskell, whose How Wonderful You Are has now become the most requested song on Radio 2, having been championed by DJs Johnnie Walker and Ken Bruce.
Haskell, who was a member of the band King Crimson and also played with Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding in the 60s, has recently become more used to playing pub gigs.
He wrote his new song during a shopping trip with his 82-year-old mother Kathleen.
Haskell, from Ashmore, Dorset, said: ‘‘I wrote part if it at home but finished it off while I was walking around Safeway with my mother.
‘‘It takes Mum an hour to do her shopping so I had time to scribble the music on my pocket diary.’’
Radio 2 fans have already pre-ordered 150,000 copies, and the success has won him a £2.8m recording contract with East West Records.
Ladbrokes have tipped Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman to be Christmas number one.
But How Wonderful You Are was ranked fourth by the bookmakers, ahead of singles by S Club 7 and Cliff Richard.
Other competition comes from Emma Bunton, children’s TV favourites The Lampies and both Janet Jackson and her brother Michael.
