Biggest chart battle in years as Shakira set to STOP Sam Fender and Olivia Dean scoring longest running No1 of all time

SHAKIRA has sparked the biggest chart battle in years by attempting to topple Sam Fender and Olivia Dean from the top spot. The pair are on course to have the longest-running No1 of all time – but not if Shakira has her way. Shakira has sparked the biggest chart battle in years by attempting to topple Sam Fender and Olivia Dean from the top spot Credit: Getty Sam Fender and Olivia Dean at the Brits Credit: instagram/polydorrecords I can reveal that the Colombian singer’s official World Cup anthem, Dai Dai, with Burna Boy, is currently leading the race and is 609 copies ahead of Rein Me In after two days of sales. If Shakira does make it to the summit, rising one place from last Friday, it would be her first No1 since Beautiful Liar with Beyonce 19 years ago. Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter Thank you! If Sam and Olivia stay in the top spot, they will overtake Frankie Laine and his 1953 song I Believe. They drew level with him last week when they scored their 18th week at No1, over a year after their song was released and five months after it topped the charts for the first time. New figures from Spotify show that Rein Me In was streamed 381,000 times on Friday, compared to 314,000 plays for Dai Dai, although the latter has been riding far higher in the download chart. It’s been a steady climb for Shakira, who released the track back in May. With a 12-night residency at her own purpose-built stadium in Madrid coming up in September, the timing couldn’t be better. Steve Hemsley and Aly Cranston in Blood Me Up Marjorie! Credit: Supplied AFTER causing a stir in local theatre across the UK, the brilliant play, Blood Me Up Marjorie!, is on its way to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Most read in Showbiz I caught this hilarious behind-the-scenes look at a murder mystery – written and performed by Steve Hemsley and Aly Cranston – last year and it’s brilliant. It runs from August 7 to 15 and tickets, a steal at £10, are on sale now. SAM EYES JUST FOR CHRISTIAN Sam Smith has dedicated new album Hazel Eyes to boyfriend Christian Cowan – but made a major mistake with the title Credit: Getty SAM SMITH has dedicated new album Hazel Eyes to boyfriend Christian Cowan – but made a major mistake with the title. The Stay With Me singer chose the title as a nod to fashion designer Christian’s peepers but now realises he got their colour wrong. Sam, who will release the record on August 21, revealed on Radio 2: “The worst part is, I wrote this whole album, Hazel Eyes, this beautiful, romantic, devoted record to him – and then the other day he said to me, ‘You know, I don’t have hazel eyes’. “I thought hazel was the colour of hazelnuts but it’s like a greeny yellow.” YOU MUST BE MAD, GEORGE George R. R. Martin’s Game Of Thrones stage play, The Mad King, has suffered a big hiccup Credit: Getty GEORGE R. R. MARTIN’s Game Of Thrones stage play, The Mad King, has suffered a big hiccup after its first preview performance was cancelled with just three hours’ notice. The performance, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon was cancelled at 4pm on Saturday. Organisers told disappointed fans of the writer that they would receive a full refund for the inconvenience but many had already travelled to the town. A preview is now planned for tomorrow, ahead of the official opening night on August 8. Cat’s out of bag, Ricky Ricky Gervias is finally launching his animated sitcom Alley Cats on Netflix on August 7 Credit: Courtesy of Netflix. HE’S a self-confessed grump but this cartoon cat has brought a huge smile to Ricky Gervais’ face. The comedian is finally launching his animated sitcom Alley Cats on Netflix on August 7, and my exclusive photo shows him holding the character he voices, Gus. He’s roped in chums including Kerry Godliman and Natalie Cassidy to voice other characters and said he hopes it will be a success, as it’s his dream job. Ricky said: “I can see myself just making this show until I die. The cats won’t age and it doesn’t matter how fat and old and bald I get. “Someone can just put me in a chair with a microphone, surrounded by the rest of the cast, and off we go. “It won’t really matter when senility kicks in as I’m usually talking b*ks anyway. It’s the dream job.” Of the series, which consists of six 15-minute episodes, he added: “I’ve been obsessed with cats my entire life. They’re cool, funny, cuddly, violent and indifferent – often all in the same minute. “I want everyone to love cats as much as I do. So I made this show.” MADONNA ON RECORD Madonna is breaking records with her latest album Confessions II Credit: Shutterstock Editorial MADONNA is breaking records with her latest album Confessions II. It has landed the pop queen four No1 singles in three months on the UK’s Music Week Commercial Club Chart. Danceteria is currently at the top spot, after Bring Your Love, I Feel So Free and Love Sensation also hit the same position. This is the first time in 20 years that an artist has scored so many in quick succession. THE WEEK IN BIZNESS TODAY: It’s time to find out whether they really are each other’s types as the final few couples battle it out to be crowned the winners of Love Island UK 2026. See it on ITV2 from 9pm. WEDS: Spider-Man: Brand New Day has its UK film premiere on the same day it hits cinemas, with Zendaya and Tom Holland attending the launch in London’s Leicester Square. THURS: All the hipper artists will be hoping to hear their name as the shortlist is announced for the Mercury Prize. It will celebrate the 12 best UK and Irish albums of the year, with Lily Allen and FKA Twigs expected to get nods. FRI: Ariana Grande makes a return with her eighth studio album Petal, dropping two weeks before she kicks off her ten-night residency at London’s O2 Arena. Comment now