X Factor finalists past and present rule Official Singles Chart

This year’s X Factor Charity Single, which features the X Factor 2011 finalists alongside boy band superstars One Direction and JLS, themselves X Factor alumni (of 2010 and 2008 respectively), flies straight to the top of the new Official Singles Chart with a cover of the 1970s classic Wishing On A Star.The original version by Rose Royce peaked at Number 3 in 1978.

The single is the fourth charity release from X Factor, all of which have gone straight to Number 1, and follows last year's cover of David Bowie's Heroes supporting Help For Heroes, 2009's cover of Michael Jacksons's You Are Not Alone, which supported Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital and 2008's cover of Mariah Carey’s Hero, again for the Help For Heroes charity.

This year, all profits from the sale of the single will be donated to Together For Short Lives the only charity in the country to support the estimated 23,500 children and young people who are not expected to reach adulthood.

The finalists performing on the single are: the boys, Craig Colton, Marcus Collins and James Michael; the girls, Janet Devlin, Amelia Lily, Sophie Habibis and Misha Bryan; the groups, Nu Vibe, Little Mix, The Risk and 2 Shoes; and the overs, Kitty Brucknell, Johnny Robinson, Jonjo Kerr and Sami Brookes.

JLS said: "It's an absolute pleasure to have been invited by Simon to feature on the new X Factor charity single. It's all for a great cause.”

One Direction said: "We're really excited to be singing on the X Factor charity single for a second year in a row. Together For Short Lives is an amazing and important charity and we're honoured to be asked by Simon to help raise lots of money for them."

There is just one other new entry in today’s Official Singles Chart Top 10; Jessie J’s Who You Are, taken from her debut album of the same name which peaked at Number 2 in March this year, climbs to Number 8 from last week’s 37.

See this week’s Official Singles Chart in full here.