Chart-topping NHS singers now have an album in their sights

The hospital singers who became Christmas chart-toppers are still coming to terms with their moment in the spotlight.

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir clinched the top spot on Christmas Day after its track A Bridge Over You achieved 127,000 combined sales to beat competition from Canadian megastar Justin Bieber.

The choir, which has several nurses in its ranks, owes much of its success to a publicity campaign overseen by communications manager Joe Blunden.

He told RCNi.com: ‘Everyone is still completely elated and there’s a continuing sense of shock. Every day brings a new surprise. We’ve heard the song is being played in Canada, Australia and South America.

‘We are listed on Spotify’s Christmas number one playlist alongside the Beatles and the Spice Girls. It is unreal.’

Referring to a tweet by Justin Bieber, in which he urged his 72 million followers to ‘do the right thing’ and let the choir win, Mr Blunden added: ‘Justin was the difference, I don’t think we would have done it without him.

‘He’s such a gentleman and after we got the number one, he tweeted again to wish us congratulations. Naturally we are responding by all buying his songs, so we would be pleased to see him in the number one spot this Friday.’

Proceeds from the song will be shared between the charities Carers UK and Mind, and a percentage will be distributed among smaller organisations in the new year.

Asked if the choir intended to aim to repeat the feat, Mr Blunden said it was unlikely.

‘I don’t think we would go for it again, but it would be great to have a charity single at number one every year,' he said. ‘We really hope another organisation follows our lead and tries for it.’

Looking to the coming year Mr Blunden said: ‘There’s not been a public performance since we achieved top spot as we’ve all been working hard or have been with our families for Christmas.

‘But we are looking at the possibility of releasing another song, as well as an album and we could even do a concert in late March or early April.’