Steps: 12 consecutive top five hits before split

"A lot of our punters felt the Steps split had been on the cards for some time, especially with them releasing their Greatest Hits album, Lee hinting at a new career in acting and the others getting married," said William Hill's Serena Momberg.

Number one

Besides offering odds on a Hear'Say split, William Hill is giving odds on the following break-ups: Westlife 5/2, S Club 7 6/1, and outsiders Tweenies on 33/1.

Robbie Williams is being offered as having a 20/1 chance of retiring from the music industry before the end of year.

The bookmaker is already offering odds on the Christmas number one for 2002.

Robbie Williams and Westlife are the joint favourites at 5/1, followed by S Club 7 at 7/1, Robbie Williams/Nicole Kidman and Blue at 8/1, Bob the Builder at 9/1 and Kylie Minogue (solo) at 10/1.

Tweenies are again outsiders at 16/1 - and the odds on Steps achieving the number one have been lengthened from 10/1 to 33/1.