THE late Shane MacGowan will not bag this year's Christmas No1, according to the bookies.
The Christmas favourite Fairytale of New York featuring Kirsty MacColl has been knocked out of the running by a group of TikTok stars.
The UK influencers have formed a collective known as the Creator Universe and they've recorded a cover of Wizard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday".
All profits raised by the group will be donated to the Trussell Trust, which is working to stop hunger and poverty in the UK.
Despite being a festive staple, The Pogues have never landed Christmas Number One.
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After the passing of Shane MacGowan last month, fans thought this might be the year for the punk band.
The 65-year-old died last month after he was hospitalised in 2022 with viral encephalitis - resulting in him spending several months in intensive care.
A family statement described him as "our most beautiful, darling and dearly beloved".
His wife Victoria Mary Clarke wrote in a statement: "Shane will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life…
"I am blessed beyond words to have met him and to have loved him and to have been so endlessly and unconditionally loved by him.”
Piers Morgan launched a campaign to get The Pogues to the top spot this Christmas.
Shane had been due to celebrate his 66th birthday on Christmas Day.
Paying tribute today, Piers wrote: “RIP Shane MacGowan, 65. Irish punk legend, genius Pogues singer/songwriter, and hell-raiser extraordinaire. His favourite joke was: ‘I was given six weeks to live, about 25 years ago!’
“Let’s make Fairytale of New York the Christmas No1 as a tribute. (He was born on Xmas Day).”
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But bookies now think that the TikTok clan will secure the number one spot, rather than The Pogues.
A spokesperson for William Hill said: “The Pogues were previously considered a shoo-in to claim their first ever Christmas Number One after Shane MacGowan’s passing last month, but have seen their place at the top of the betting snatched from them by the TikTok Creator Universe.
“The band were 1/6 to top the Christmas charts with us as early as last week but are now the second favourites at 5/4, with the Creator Universe our narrow 8/11 frontrunners.”
Fairytale of New York spent five weeks at Number 1 in the Irish charts, when it was released in 1987.
