Sunday, 16 March 2003, 6.43 PM
The single in the sky

Spirit in the Sky by Gareth Gates, the official Comic Relief single, has entered the UK Top 40 singles chart at number one, shifting 273,508 copies.

The song was originally a #1 hit in the 70s for Norman Greenbaum and again in 1986 for Doctor and the Medics.

Pop Idol Gareth's last number one was Stupid Mistake (Anyone of Us) and now he and The Kumars round off a hugely successful Red Nose Day campaign.

This is the 7th Comic Relief single to make it to the chart summit, joining recent Comic Relief pop gods the Spice Girls, Cher/Chrissie Hynde/Neneh Cherry, Boyzone and Westlife.

Nine-year high

The single in the sky

The Chamber opens