The first No...Elt
SIR ELTON John and Ed Sheeran have launched a Yuletide glitz blitz – a song packed with just about every Christmas cliche in the book.
The Merry Christmas video includes tributes to previous festive hits, including Wham’s Last Christmas and East 17’s Stay Another Day.
It also pays homage to films The Snowman and Love Actually with Ed, 30, wearing a Christmas jumper and holding up giant cue cards. Sir Elton, 74, then greets him, wearing his trademark starry specs and velvet dinner jacket.
The video also features Mr Blobby, Jonathan Ross, rapper Big Narstie, comedian Michael McIntyre and rockers The Darkness. Ed has said of the project: “If we’re going to do it, we have to chuck the kitchen sink at it and it has to tick every single box.
“I’ve never actually thought of making a Christmas song. It’s always been the type of thing that I thought I’d do when I was 60. If it wasn’t with Elton, I wouldn’t be doing it. I’ve always wanted to work with him.”
Ed also revealed he nearly cracked Sir Elton in the head with a bell during the video. He said: “I’m dressed up as Santa Claus and kick a present – but the present had a big metal bell on top of it.We slowed [the footage] down and the bell flew past his head.”
Profits from Merry Christmas will go to Ed’s Suffolk Music Foundation and the Elton John Aids Foundation.
But the duo face stiff Christmas No 1 competition in the charts from Adele and LadBaby.
Ed already has one to his name, the 2017 Perfect duet with Beyonce.
Sir Elton’s 1973 song, Step Into Christmas, only peaked at No 24 in the UK charts, but has returned to the UK Top 40 every year since 2017.