Take That's supremacy in the UK market extended into the pre-Christmas sales charts published yesterday. In the penultimate survey before the holiday, the group's single, "Patience" (Polydor), started a fifth week at No. 1, while the album Beautiful World leads the way for a third week.

Take That

The durability of "Patience" was enough to prevent Cliff Richard from achieving the remarkable feat of a No. 1 single in six different decades, as "21st Century Christmas" (EMI), twinned with a remake of his first chart-topper from 1958, "Move It," entered at No. 2.

Richard is unlikely to reach the top, nor Take That to stay there for a sixth week, after this Wednesday's rush release by Sony BMG of "A Moment Like This" by London singer Leona Lewis, the winner of Saturday's final of the X Factor talent series. The track, a cover of Kelly Clarkson's 2002 US chart-topper, was prerecorded by both Lewis and her rival for the crown, Ray Quinn, and Lewis' version is odds-on favorite (as it has been for weeks, before her identity was even known) for the Christmas No. 1 spot announced next Sunday.

Gwen Stefani's "Wind It Up" (Interscope) became a top three hit, climbing 8 to 3, and no fewer than four singles climbed into the top 10 after initial download sales. Cascada's cover of Savage Garden's "Truly Madly Deeply" (All Around The World) jumped 17 to 4 and Chris Cornell's Casino Royale theme "You Know My Name" (Interscope) rose 12 to 7. "Tell Me" (Bad Boy) by P. Diddy featuring Christina Aguilera improved 20 to 8, and the Pogues' perennial "Fairytale Of New York" (Warner Bros.), featuring Kirsty MacColl, became a top 10 hit for the third time, and second year in a row, climbing 23 to 10.

Take That also dominate a largely static album chart, as sales of Beautiful World climbed within touching distance of 600,000 units. The entire top six held their positions, with the erstwhile boy band trailed by Oasis, Westlife, Il Divo, U2, and the Beatles. Snow Patrol's indestructible Eyes Open (Fiction/Polydor), which is set to be the UK's bestselling album of 2006 with sales of close to 1.3 million, climbed again 14 to 7 in its 33rd week.

Take That also enjoyed a 36 to 21 climb with last year's Never Forget--The Ultimate Collection (RCA), while MCA/Universal Island's new Best of Neil Diamond set jumped 45 to 30.

On the pan-European charts, the Beatles continue to spread Love (Apple) throughout Europe, as the set is in a third week at No. 1 on European Top 100 Albums. Take That's "Patience" is into its third week at No. 1 on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles roundup.