A charity single recorded by wives of British soldiers on Sunday claimed the country’s prestigious Christmas number one spot, outselling its nearest rival by almost five to one. The Military Wives choir, which was formed for BBC entertainment programme The Choir, marched to the peak of the chart after their song ‘Wherever You Are’ sold 556,000 copies, the Official Charts Company revealed. Profits from the single are being given to military charities the Royal British Legion and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA). Gareth Malone, the BBC presenter who formed the group, said the honour was well deserved.
“This is so surreal,” he said. “Who would have guessed in those first rehearsals that we could take Christmas Number 1? It’s testament to the Military Wives’ hard work and the nation’s support of them, as well as the power of choral singing.” The Military Wives outsold second-placed ‘X Factor’ winners Little Mix by nearly five to one, while Lou Monte’s ‘Dominick the Donkey’, which was originally released in 1960, placed third after a campaign by BBC radio DJ Chris Moyles.
