Justin Bieber backs NHS Choir for Christmas number one

Justin Bieber has publicly backed the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir to be this year’s Christmas number one.

Both artists are currently in a close race to take this year’s festive top spot.

The choir’s charity single A Bridge Over You is currently 662 sales behind Bieber’s Love Yourself.

The Canadian singer has tweeted: “Let’s do the right thing and help them win. It’s Christmas.”

Bieber was around 7,000 sales ahead on Tuesday but that lead was reduced over the course of 24 hours. Yesterday it was less than 700.

“I can’t believe we’re actually in the charts competing for number one,” choir member Liz Steele told us.

The choir is made up of NHS staff, including doctors, physios, porters and nurses. Liz, 28, is a physio in the stroke unit at Lewisham Hospital.

“We’ve got some pretty tough competition so to be in this position is amazing… anything could happen.”

The Christmas number one is based on a combination of sales and streaming and will be announced on Radio 1 on Christmas Day.

The choir took the early lead in the race, before Bieber’s Love Yourself nudged ahead on Monday.

“We’re in a Justin Bieber sandwich!” Liz joked. “He’s sold millions of records around the world and has millions of fans – it’s just a bit bonkers.”

The Canadian singer is also at number three in the midweek singles chart with Sorry.

A Bridge Over You is a mash-up of two songs – A Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel and Coldplay’s Fix You.

“It [the song] celebrates what the NHS is all about in terms of us being there for people, helping people get better and recovering.

“It was supposed to be something that signifies us.”

The song was actually first released in 2013, but a campaign to get it to this year’s Christmas number one was started in October during the junior doctor contracts row.

Money made from the single is going to health charities, including Carers UK and Mind.

“I think it could be anyone’s, anyone who is in that top 10 and has that momentum behind them,” said Liz.

“We’ve had a bit of radio play but not as much as everyone else in the chart, so to get as far as we have got already is mind-blowing.”

“We’re very aware of all the people who are selling records, getting loads of downloads and streams and climbing up the charts.

“We’re keeping our eyes peeled.”

The Christmas number one will be announced on the Official Chart on Radio 1 with Greg James between 10am and 1pm on Christmas Day.

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