Olly Murs makes chart-topping return with album Marry Me

Olly Murs said it “hadn’t sunk in” after securing his fifth UK number one album with Marry Me.

The singer-songwriter, 38, went straight to the top after six years, despite being criticised heavily on social media this week for the lyrics on one of his tracks which were branded “controlling”.

Murs said: “Wow, it’s been six years since I had a number one, so thank you so much to all the fans, you lot have been absolutely amazing!

“Thanks to my wonderful team, to the Official Charts Company, I’m just so excited to have a number one album. Marry Me is number one this week!

“It’s so amazing, I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. It’s a lot of hard work that’s gone into this, thank you so much!”

The album success follows criticism for his song I Hate You When You’re Drunk, with online users drawing a link to his fiance Amelia Tank.

Addressing the condemnation on BBC Breakfast this week, he said: “It’s obviously upsetting to think that people took it that way because it was not that intention.

“When you listen to the song and you understand the type of artist I am, it was just more in a cheeky fun way.”

Murs, who finished second on the X Factor in 2009, fought off stiff competition for the top spot from pop megastar Taylor Swift with her album Midnights.

Meanwhile on the singles chart, Mariah Carey made a glittering return to number one with All I Want For Christmas Is You ending Swift’s six-week reign at the top with Anti-Hero.

Carey’s track has only been number one in the UK charts once before, reaching the top in 2020 – 26 years after its release.

Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran’s Merry Christmas has also made an appearance in the top 10, alongside Michael Buble’s It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas and Last Christmas from Wham.