Uptown Funk: Mark Ronson on track for first number one after Fleur East's X Factor rendition

The song's release was brought forward by five weeks after Fleur's performance

Mark Ronson has had two UK number two singles but never a number one...yet (Getty Images)

Mark Ronson may have had to release “Uptown Funk” five weeks early after Fleur East sang it on The X Factor, but now, the producer is heading for his first UK number one.

Bruno Mars takes the vocal lead on the upbeat soul track which, according to the Official Charts Company, is holding the top spot in the midweek charts.

Bookmakers have made “Uptown Funk” a strong contender for this year’s Christmas number one after the song shot to the top of the iTunes chart following Fleur’s popular weekend performance.

Ronson previously peaked in the UK singles chart at number two in 2007 with both “Stop Me” and “Valerie”, the latter featuring Amy Winehouse.

Chasing “Uptown Funk” is Band Aid 30’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, up from 12 to two following its physical release this week, while Oliver Heldens has entered at three with “Last All Night (Koala)”.

“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran is currently at number four with Take That’s first single as a trio, “These Days” completing the top five.

Christmas songs are beginning to rise the ranks with the nation’s favourite “Fairytale of New York” at number nine and potentially on track for its first Top 10 entry since it reached number four in December 2007.

Fleur will compete against Andrea Faustini and Ben Haenow in the X Factor final this weekend after 17-year-old Lauren Platt was sent home on Sunday night.