Shakira: Outsold by 12 to one

To have broken records with my debut single is incredible.

"All I can say is the biggest thank you to everyone who voted for me and to everyone who has bought the single - thank-you so much."

Young's single beat the number two single, Whenever Wherever by Shakira, by 12 to one - the biggest ever margin between the top two records.

'Demands'

However, there is every possibility that Young will not appear in person on BBC One's flagship chart show Top of the Pops on Friday.

The programme objects to the demands of his record company, BMG/S Records, that he be allowed to sing both sides of his single.

We would love to have Will on the show if the record company drops its unreasonable demands

Michael Kelpie, producer on Top of the Pops

A BBC spokesperson said: "BMG and Simon Fuller have made what we consider to be unreasonable demands and tried to interfere with the editorial policy of the show by insisting that Will performed two songs - effectively taking up a quarter of the show.

"We believed this was unfair to other artists and their fans and had never had this demand made by any other star in the 38 years of Top of the Pops."

Young's video will be played on the programme, although which track it will feature remains undecided.

The show's producer Michael Kelpie said: "We would love to have Will on the show if the record company drops its unreasonable demands. At the end of the day it's the fans that will miss out."

Competition

Young's record company had high hopes for his success and pressed 1.2 million copies of the single - the highest ever shipment for a debut single.

But many retailers sold out after around 385,000 copies were snapped up during its first day.

Rik Waller was forced out of Pop Idol because of a throat infection

This overtook Hear'Say's first day debut record of 160,000. The Popstars band went on to set a first week record for a debut single by selling 549,823 copies.

Young now faces the prospect of a future battle for supremacy with Gareth Gates, his rival for the Pop Idol crown.

Gates is releasing his version of Unchained Melody on 18 March.

Another Pop Idol star hoping to take some of Young's glory is Rik Waller who releases his debut single - a version of Dolly Parton/Whitney Houston hit I Will Always Love You - on 4 March.

Young won ITV1's Pop Idol after he beat 10,000 hopefuls in the nationwide search, with more than 4.6 million votes.

Industry insiders believe Young stands to make �5m within the next year through record sales, merchandising and endorsements.

He also looks set to make his record company BMG, headed by Pop Idol's "Mr Nasty" Simon Cowell, more than �100m.