Robbie Williams joins Band Aid 3

Robbie Williams will record his vocals by satellite from Mexico

Singer Robbie Williams will join artists including Coldplay, Damon Albarn and Dido on a new Band Aid charity Christmas single.

Williams will record his part by satellite because he will be in Mexico when the other artists perform the track, his label Chrysalis confirmed.

The acts will re-record the 1984 smash hit Do They Know It's Christmas?

Organiser Midge Ure hopes to record the single on a Sunday in early November at London's Abbey Road Studios.

No bets

The Darkness, Noel Gallagher, Keane, Travis and Beverley Knight are also signed up, while Jamelia, Radiohead and Katie Melua are among other possible participants.

The original Band Aid featured artists including Duran Duran, U2, Sting and George Michael, selling 3.5 million copies in the UK alone to raise money for the Ethiopia famine.

Band Aid featured the cream of British music

It was subsequently re-recorded in 1989 by artists including Kylie Minogue, Cliff Richard and Bros.

Ure aims to get the new single released in early December - in time to propel it to the Christmas number one spot.

Bookmakers have already stopped taking bets on it topping the festive chart because it is already a "virtual certainty" to be the best-seller.

Last week Ure said they would not try to recreate the spirit of the original single.

"I'm desperate to hear Keane and Coldplay just open that tune up with their pianos and then The Darkness play the harmony guitar bits at the end - it should be great fun," he said.