The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York has been tipped to soar to the top of the charts – after the sad passing of frontman, Shane MacGowan.
The singer-songwriter died at his home in the early hours of Thursday morning, November 30.
The late 65-year-old was only released from hospital, after he had been treated for an infection he contracted back in June.
According to RTÉ Entertainment, British bookmakers Coral, have tipped the song to become this year’s Christmas number one.
The bookmakers said that there was an interest in the Christmas hit, following the news of the Irish singer’s passing.
Coral’s John Hill said: “Punters think there is going to be a wave of support behind The Pogues landing the Christmas number one single this year following the sad passing of Shane MacGowan.”
“We make Fairytale Of New York odds-on to top the official singles charts on Christmas Day, 36 years after it was released,” he added.
The bookmaker has cut the odds of the song reaching number one this Christmas to 1-4 from 5-4.
The festive single enters the UK’s single chart’s every Christmas, however bookmakers think the song could be a real contender this year.
Martin Talbot, Chief Executive of the Official Charts Company, told The Daily Telegraph: “While it is too early to give an indication of the scale of the streaming surge, we would very much expect it to rise back into the Top 20 over the coming days, perhaps even higher.”
He added: “It has become a genuine contender for this year’s Christmas number one. What a fitting tribute to Shane that would be.”
The Christmas number one for 2023 will be named on the last Friday before Christmas, December 22.
Picture: Andres Poveda
This comes after the sad passing of Shane, who required a wheelchair and a full-time carer, after breaking his pelvis in 2016 before breaking his knee and tearing his ligaments in 2020.
He had been treated for viral encephalitis, a condition in which the brain becomes swollen, since December 2022.
Shane then contracted shingles while in hospital, where he remained for just over a week before returning home in time for Christmas.
Read the tributes for The Pogues frontman here.
