Stars of The Only Way Is Essex to release "Last Christmas" (Wham cover)

Stars of ITV2's The Only Way Is Essex bring festive cheer in true TOWIE-style with their charity single Last Christmas, which is released through Globe Records on 18th December, 2011.

The single is a cover of the timeless Christmas classic, Last Christmas, made famous by Wham and written by George Michael.

It made #2 in 1984 and has become one of the biggest selling Christmas singles of all time.

The TOWIE guys and dolls have truly made this version their own and they take no prisoners as they stake their claim on the coveted Christmas number one spot.

And it's already proven to be a worthy claim with Ladbrokes backing the TOWIE cast with odds of 6/1 to hit number one with Last Christmas - before even hearing the track.

With X-Factor front-runner Marcus Collins the current favourite to take it at 3/1, it looks like TOWIE are closing in on Nirvana's [4/1] campaign to deny X-Factor a Christmas number one. Let the chart battle commence!

The cast members have also recorded their own unique version of The Only Way Is Up for the B-side. The chart-topping single for Yazz and The Plastic Population spent five weeks at number one in 1988 and is of course, the catchy theme tune to The Only Way Is Essex.

100% of the profits from the single will go to Text SANTA, a major new charity initiative set up by ITV, which aims to raise money and awareness for a group of well deserving charities, including Crisis, Samaritans and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

"It's really exciting. I love singing, it's always been one of my dreams," says Jessica Wright. "Everyone's getting in the Christmas spirit. And it's for the Text Santa group of charities."

"It's something different for us and the cast is all together," said Joey Essex. "It's a lot of fun. If it goes to number one… well, it's gonna be crazy."

The BAFTA Award-winning show, The Only Way Is Essex, which follows the complicated lives and loves of Mark, Kirk, Harry, Sam, Joey, Chloe, Gemma, Lauren, Jessica, Lydia and 'Arg', has been one of the most popular and successful shows on television since they burst onto our screens in October 2010.

It's hugely entertaining cast, and their family and friends, have become celebrities in their own right and have quickly built up a huge fan-base and following, with over 655,000 likes on Facebook and over 222,600 followers on the official Twitter page alone.

The Only Way Is Essex on itv.com

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