The Wanted have entered the race for Christmas Number One, with bookmaker William Hill counting them among the serious contenders for this year’s festive chart-topper.

The five, one of Britain’s biggest boy bands, got back together last month – seven years after their split – after Tom Parker revealed he was living with terminal cancer.

It is reported that the heartthrobs now have their hearts set on a festive single, but they will face stiff competition from the likes of Adele, LadBaby, Abba, Ed Sheeran and Elton John, Gary Barlow and Leona Lewis.

With smash hits such as All Time Low and Glad You Came under their belt, William Hill makes them a 7/2 third favourite.

Adele, one of the most successful artists of the 21st century, gave her fans their first taste of new music last week, and it is no surprise that the 33-year-old is 2-1 favourite to land the 70th Christmas Number One.

Adele’s comeback single, Easy On Me, has already broken a plethora of records, including most streams in a day, and the full album, titled 30, is due for release on November 19.

Ed Sheeran has already confirmed that he and Sir Elton John are to collaborate on a new Christmas single this year, with William Hill pricing the pair at 7-1 to finish top of the tree.

Apparently Elton ‘reached out’ on Christmas Day after discovering his Christmas song ‘Step Into Christmas’ had reached the top 10 for the first time ever.

Elton told NME: “He let the cat out of the bag didn’t he? I was sworn to secrecy and then big-mouth Sheeran goes to the Netherlands! It’s supposed to come out – we haven’t finished it yet, so there’s still work to be done.

“We’ve got the sausage roll man to deal with. He seems to have the monopoly on Christmas records. Good for him.”

The ‘sausage roll man’ Sir Elton was referring to was LadBaby, fresh from a hat-trick of Christmas Number Ones, and with that equalled the Beatles’ record of doing so consecutively.

The Beatles, however, have four Christmas Number Ones and William Hill is giving odds of 3-1 that Lad Baby land the biggest present of the year for charity Trussell Trust, and with it equal that long-standing record.

Lad Baby’s latest effort ‘Don’t Stop Me Eatin’ followed We Built This City and I Love Sausage Rolls. Elton clearly isn’t a fan!

Speaking exclusively to William Hill, LadBaby, real name Mark Hoyle said: “Wow, I’ve been hearing all these megastars announce they’re going for Christmas Number One this year! The thought of Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John releasing a song gives me the ‘Shivers’ and if we do decide to release I hope Adele will ‘Go Easy on Me’!”

Abba’s comeback album Voyage also includes a Christmas song – their first festive number – and they are 11-2 to become the latest icons to join the Christmas music hall of fame, which includes the likes of The Beatles, Queen, Cliff Richards and The Spice Girls.

Gary Barlow is 25-1 with a full festive album said to be ready, while Leona Lewis, who has been working hard in the studio to create a follow-up album to her 2013 record Christmas With Love, is 33-1.