Newcomer beats Hear'Say to top spot

Daniel Bedingfield: "It would be amazing to work with Madonna"

Unknown singer Daniel Bedingfield is top of the UK singles chart, having fought off stiff competition from Hear'Say.

The 21-year-old, who recorded Gotta Get Thru This in his bedroom, managed to knock S Club 7 from the top spot.

New Zealand-born Bedingfield, who now lives in London, became a favourite on the Ayia Napa club scene this summer with the song.

Kate Winslet beat Geri Halliwell

The singer, who also writes and produces, recorded the dance track in his bedroom with a computer and microphone costing £1,000.

He is believed to have earned £400,000 after releasing the single through garage-music label Relentless Records.

Several record labels are now interested in taking him on, including Madonna's company Maverick.

Earlier this week he said: "It would be amazing to work with Madonna."

S Club 7 have had two number one singles in 2001

Hear'Say's Everybody, their first single from their new album, also called Everybody, charted only at number four.

The group, who were formed from ITV1 talent-search programme Popstars, had previously enjoyed two number one singles.

Meanwhile in the rest of the chart, Dance band PPK were a new entry at number three with Resurection, becoming the first Russian act to break into the UK top 10.

Actress Kate Winslet debuted at number six with What If, from the upcoming children's animated movie A Christmas Carol.

The song had been tipped as a potential Christmas number one.

Robbie Williams: Favourite for Christmas number one

Winslet came in ahead of chart veteran Geri Halliwell, whose single Calling charted at number seven.

And new dance single Where's Your Head At by Basement Jaxx's reached number nine.

Other new entries in the top 20 include garage act Oxide & Neutrino with Rap Dis at number 12, with dance group Alcazar at number 13 with Crying at the Discoteque.

Robbie Williams remains firm favourite to have the Christmas number one with his duet with Nicole Kidman - Somethin' Stupid.

He faces strong competition from an unlikely source, an undertaker.

Alan Swinden, who runs five funeral director businesses in London and Surrey, is the voice behind BBC children's show The Lampies.

The show is about lamppost-dwelling creatures who are responsible for making sure all the lights in the world shine brightly.

Swinden's record is a 12/1 shot according to the bookies, but he was confident of success, saying: "We'll either make it or go to the grave."

In the album charts, Robbie William still reigns supreme, and Swing When You're Winning held off the challenge of boy band Blue, who's debut album All Rise entered at number two.

Harrison

Another group with two chart topping singles under their belt in 2001, S Club 7, saw their third album, Sunshine, come in at number three.

There was only other new entry in the top 20 with Anastacia's Freak of Nature at number 14.

The death of former Beatle George Harrison on Thursday has not yet made an impact on the charts.

But it is expected that sales of Beatles albums and his solo projects will increase.

The Beatles' compilation album One has re-entered the charts at number 73.