Robbie Williams’s new festive collection The Christmas Present takes the Number 1 spot on this week’s Official Albums Chart, matching a UK chart record held by Elvis Presley.

After missing out on the top spot to Coldplay last week, The Christmas Present lifts 2 to 1 with 53,000 chart sales. With a thirteenth Number 1 album under his belt, the Official Charts Company can confirm that Robbie Williams has now equalled Elvis’s chart record as the solo act with the most Number 1s in UK chart image006.pnghistory. The overall record is still held by The Beatles with 15.

However, add in the four Number 1 albums he achieved during his time in Take That, and it brings Robbie’s impressive career total to 17; outside of members of The Beatles, no other act in Official Chart history has scored as many UK Number 1 albums across their career. The all-time record holders with the most career Number 1 albums are Paul McCartney (22 across The Beatles, Wings and solo), John Lennon (18 across The Beatles and solo), and Robbie is now joint third with George Harrison (17).

Robbie Williams pictured with his Official Number 1 Award from the Official Charts Company for The Christmas Present, picture credit Leo Baron.

Meanwhile, Rod Stewart’s You’re In My Heart - an album of Rod’s classic vocals newly arranged with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – lifts 3 to 2, and last week’s Number 1 Everyday Life by Coldplay drops two places to 3.

Christmas has arrived: Michael Bublé’s Christmas album, first released in 2011, leaps seven places to Number 7, returning to the Top 10 for the eighth year.

Cliff Richard & The Shadows are new at Number 11 with The Best of Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneers, marking Cliff’s 65th Top 40 album; Chilled Classics by Pete Tong, The Heritage Orchestra & Jules Buckley enters at Number 20; and Christmas With The Stars by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra lands just behind at Number 21.

Further down, actor and singer John Barrowman clams his sixth Top 40 album with A Fabulous Christmas at 23; JME’s fourth studio album Grime MC - available only on physical format – opens at Number 26; and Pink Floyd retrospective The Later Years: 1987 – 2019 enters at Number 32.