X Factor star tops chart with comeback single

James Arthur is back at the top of the UK singles chart, almost four years since his last number one.

The former X Factor winner, who reached the top spot in 2012 with Impossible, said it felt “incredible” to reach number one with Say You Won’t Let Go.

“I wasn’t in any way expecting it,” the 28-year-old said after climbing one place from last week’s number two.

Arthur was dropped by Simon Cowell’s Syco record label two years ago but was re-signed earlier this year.

The singer was involved in a series of controversies after winning The X Factor, among them a row involving homophobic lyrics.

“I knew [Say You Won’t Let Go] was a good song and I thought some people might like it,” Arthur told the Official Charts Company.

“But if you’d said to me it would be this well received, I would have thought you were pulling my leg.”

Arthur’s song notched up 85,000 combined sales - made up of 41,000 downloads and 4.4 million streams - to knock Closer by The Chainsmokers off the top spot.

The top three is rounded out by Canada’s The Weeknd, who scores the week’s highest new entry with Starboy, his collaboration with Daft Punk.

Further down the chart is Ted McDermott, an 80-year-old man with dementia whobecame an internet celebrity when his son posted videos of him singing in the car.

The former Butlin’s Redcoat who records as The Songaminute Man - has made his chart debut at 43 with his version of You Make Me Feel So Young.

Top five singles

1) James Arthur Say You Won’t Let Go

2) The Chainsmokers feat Halsey Closer

3) The Weeknd feat Daft Punk Starboy

4) Calvin Harris My Way

5) DJ Snake feat Justin Bieber Let Me Love You

Top five albums

1) Passenger Young As The Morning, Old As The Sea

2) Bruce Springsteen Chapter And Verse

3) Shawn Mendes Illuminate

4) Marillion FEAR5) Bastille Wild World

This week’s album chart sees half of its top 10 filled by new releases, with the top four places all new entries. They include Passenger, who has reached number one for the first time with his fourth release, titled Young As The Morning, Old As The Sea. Passenger real name Mike Rosenberg - said it was “unbelievably exciting” and “a huge surprise” to beat Bruce Springsteen’s Chapter and Verse compilation to the top spot.

Shawn Mendes’ Illuminate has made its debut at three - one place ahead of Marillion, who have achieved their first top 10 album in more than a decade with FEAR.

Australian rockers Airbourne have made their own debut at nine with their fifth album Breakin’ Outta Hell.