Sam Fender and Olivia Dean's 'Rain Me In' sets UK chart record
The song 'Rain Me In' by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean has become the longest-running number one single in UK chart history, breaking previous records.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Sam Fender and Olivia Dean have made UK chart history. Their duet 'Rain Me In' has become the longest-running number one single of all time, spending 19 weeks at the top of the Official Singles Chart.
The record was previously held by Frankie Laine, whose 1953 hit 'I Believe' spent 18 weeks at number one. That mark had stood for 73 years. Over the decades, other songs came close: Wet Wet Wet's 'Love Is All Around' managed 15 weeks in 1994, and Bryan Adams' '(Everything I Do) I Do It for You' spent 16 weeks at number one in 1991. But 'Rain Me In' has now eclipsed them all.
Both Fender and Dean are Brit Award winners. In a statement, Fender thanked his collaborator and the fans: 'I personally want to thank Olivia... it wouldn't have happened without Olivia, obviously. I feel like it belongs to the fans, you know, they've made it.'
The song's unprecedented run has broken a record that had stood for more than seven decades. Whether 'Rain Me In' will hold the top spot for another 73 years remains to be seen, but for now, Fender and Dean have secured their place in UK pop history.
On screen
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Key Claims
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Channel Perspectives
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This broadcast leads with a local fire service story before moving to the music record. The tone is straightforward and factual, treating the chart achievement as a notable but not lead item. The segment ends with a weather update, reflecting a typical local news format.
- “The longest-running ever official number one in UK chart history Sam Fender and Olivia Dean The two Brit Award winners duet the first ever single to spend 19 weeks at number one”
- “I personally want to thank Olivia by the way as well just while we're here It wouldn't have happened without Olivia obviously kind of I feel like it belongs to the fans, you know, they've made it”
This segment is part of a sports and weather focused programme, opening with a Commonwealth Games update before the music story. The report is identical to the other BBC West broadcast, but the surrounding context emphasises a lighter, entertainment-news slot. The weather segment follows immediately.
- “The longest running ever official number one in UK chart history, Sam Fender and Olivia Dean. The two Brit Award winners duet, the first ever single to spend 19 weeks at number one.”
- “I personally want to thank Olivia, by the way, as well just while we're here because it wouldn't have happened without Olivia, obviously. Kind of, I feel like it belongs to the fans, you know, they've made it.”
This national news broadcast places the music story after a political item about a mayoral election and before a FIFA story. The tone is neutral and factual, treating the chart record as a significant cultural milestone. The report is identical in content to the BBC West versions, but the broader news context gives it a more national, less local feel.
- “The longest running ever official number one in UK chart history, Sam Fender and Olivia Dean. The two Brit Award winners duet, the first ever single to spend 19 weeks at number one.”
- “I personally want to thank Olivia, by the way, as well, just while we're here, because it wouldn't have happened without Olivia, obviously. It's kind of, I feel like it belongs to the fans, you know, they've made it.”
Broadcast Timeline
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