Peter Kay Vs Leon Jackson - Will Fake Reality TV Star Beat The Real Thing To No.1?

I’m not normally that interested in the singles charts, as they mean less now than ever, being dominated, as they are, by whichever pop artist has the most record label money behind them. But this week sees an interesting little battle between a certain reality television star and a fake one.

The X Factor is just one of the many reality TV shows which are clogging up the airwaves. Sure, it’s one of the good ones along with Big Brother, but there’s also Britain’s Got Talent (barely), Strictly Come Dancing, and a whole host of celebrity specials.

This trend lead comedian Peter Kay to spoof the shows in a one-off called Britain’s Got The Pop Factor… And Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Superstar Strictly on Ice. And as well as TV programme, Kay released a single from “the winner” of the show, Geraldine McQueen, really him in drag.

It’s actually not a bad song, written by Gary Barlow from Take That, and Kay’s voice is also decent (unless Barlow is singing?), and probably less engineered than most current pop stars’ voices. And it’s currently on course to take the number one spot in the British singles chart on Sunday, beating a certain Leon Jackson in the process.

Jackson is the winner of The X Factor 2008, and pretender to Leona Lewis‘ crown as most successful British reality TV artist. His single, Don’t Call This Love, the first we’ve heard of him in almost a year, is fighting Kay’s The Winner’s Song for the top spot.

Geraldine McQueen – The Winner’s Song

Leon Jackson – Don’t Call This Love

Faced with seeing his comeback single fail to reach the top spot, Jackson has shown his bitter side, telling The Daily Record:

“I think a lot of people will assume Peter Kay’s song is for charity, but it’s not. People will be deceived to an extent. At the end of the day I’m just glad my song and my music is finally out there and I’m getting to share it with people. I want people to buy my single if they like it and if everyone who likes it buys it, then great.”

Yeah right Leon, whatever. If your song gets beaten to number one by a spoof, Simon Cowell is likely to drop you faster than he dropped his waistline when he made it big in America. And I think most people realise it’s not for charity as no-one has ever said such a thing.

I’m not impressed by Jackson’s new song, especially when it took his huge team of songwriters and advisors almost a year to manufacture. Kay probably wrote his song with Barlow one Sunday down the pub. I know who I want to succeed, but I’d like to hear which song you prefer.

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]