X Factor champion Alexandra Burke will have to overcome Leona Lewis, a former winner of the talent show, to claim this year’s Christmas number one.

Burke’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ is 1/12 favourite to take that top spot.

But Lewis, who won the programme in 2006 and is currently at number one, is second favourite at 6/1 with a cover of Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’.

Other acts in contention for the coveted Christmas number one include Terry Wogan and Aled Jones, whose rendition of Bing Crosby and David Bowie's song ‘Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth’ is 10/1 third favourite.

Peter Kay’s female comedy character, Geraldine McQueen, is at 12/1 while Take That are 25/1.

As previously reported, Burke was crowned the winner of The X Factor last night.

The London-born singer beat boy band JLS to claim the first prize of a lucrative recording contract.

Like past winners of the talent contest, the song is all but assured chart-topping success.

Burke’s cover is available as a digital-download now, and will be released on CD next Wednesday (December 17th).

(by Jason Gregory)