While Kylie Minogue recently secured the official UK Christmas Number One with her hit ‘XMAS’, the North East has been busy casting its own tactical votes. Durham OnAir, the local radio station for County Durham, has concluded its annual poll to find the region’s definitive festive favorite. After weeks of voting from listeners across the region from Wolsingham to Pelaw, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle and Gateshead, the results are ready to be unveiled.
Since 2020, The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl have dominated the top spot with Fairytale of New York. However, show producer and presenter Sam Lupton suggests a shift in the region's musical palate may be underway.
"The Pogues have been unbeatable for years, but we’re seeing huge shifts in listener tastes," says Lupton. "Michael Bublé has been climbing the ranks, while John Lennon’s ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ has been sliding down the chart year-on-year. With Wham And Mariah Carey seeing a resurgence in the official national charts recently, it’s anyone’s guess who will take the 2025 North East crown."
The countdown will be hosted by local presenting duo Sam Lupton and Joe Purcell, who have worked together since 2009. Lupton, a professional actor recently seen playing Del Boy in the UK tour of Only Fools and Horses The Musical alongside Paul Whitehouse and Vinnie Jones, and Purcell, a broadcaster and educator, are both Durham natives.
"We’re both Durham born and bred," says Purcell. "We love the opportunity to celebrate the songs the North East loves. It’s a chart for our region and we love being given the opportunity to host it!”
The North East’s Top 30 Christmas Songs will be counted down live on Durham OnAir on Christmas Eve from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, and repeated on Christmas Day between 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Listeners can tune in via DAB Digital Radio across the North East, via the free Durham OnAir smartphone app, or by asking Alexa to “Enable the Durham On Air skill.”
For more information, visit www.durhamonair.com
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