Robbie Williams on course for first Number 1 in eight years with Candy

He’s back! According to today’s Official Singles Chart Update, Robbie Williams is on course to claim his first Number 1 in eight years this Sunday with Candy.

The track, which was co-written by his Take That bandmate Gary Barlow and performed on last weekend’s X Factor results show, looks set to give Robbie his highest charting single since Radio, which reached Number 1 in October 2004. As of midnight Tuesday, Candy has sold over 73,000 copies, and looks set to become one of 2012’s fastest selling singles if it maintains its current performance.

This news must come as a relief to Robbie’s fans as he’d previously threated to quit music if Candy does not become a hit.

"I don't want to emotionally blackmail the whole nation but if Candy's not a hit, I am not touring,” the singer told Radio 1’s Official Chart Update host GregJames. “I'm gonna stay in and look for UFOs. And I'm gonna get all beardy and all fat again!”

Reigning chart champ Labrinth is down one place to Number 2 with Beneath Your Beautiful FT Emeli Sande, while Wiley’s follow-up to his Number 1 summer smash Heatwave, Can You Hear Me? (Ayayaya) FT Skepta, JME and Ms D, looks set to debut at Number 3. Swedish House Mafia’s Don’t You Worry Child FT John Martin is down two places to Number 4, while Adele’s Bond theme, Skyfall (Number 5), climbs two to complete today’s Top 5.

New entries and high climbers

In addition to Robbie Williams’ Candy (Number 1) and Wiley’s Can You Hear Me? (Ayayaya) FT Skepta, JME and Ms D (3), there are two other new entries on this week’s Official Singles Chart Update.

Hot Natured – Welsh-born DJ and producer Jamie Jones and Lee Foss, who hails from Chicago – have teamed up with London singer / songwriter Ali Love who rose to fame in 2007 providing guest vocals on the Chemical Brothers’ Number 12 hit, Do It Again - for their new single, Benediction, which enters at Number 31 today. Calvin Harris’  Drinking From The Bottle looks set to make its Official Singles Chart debut at Number 39. The track is the sixth single taken from Harris’ latest album, 18 Months.

Following their performance on Sunday night’s X Factor results show, US rockers Fun. claim the Official Singles Chart Update’s two highest climbers: We Are Young is up 41 places, breaking back into the Top 20 at Number 11, and Some Nights rises 18 places to Number 20.

After reaching Number 1 in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Switzerland over the summer, the DJ Wankelmut remix of Israeli folk band Asaf Avidan & The Mojos’ One Day / Reckoning Song climbs 12 places from 48 to make its Top 40 debut at Number 36.

The Official Singles Chart Update Top 40 is as follows:

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