The as yet unchosen boy band resulting from upcoming TV series Popstars is set to top the Christmas charts, bookmakers have predicted.

Popstars: The Rivals will pick both a boy band and a girl band from thousands of hopefuls, who will then compete for chart success.

This could be one of the most exciting Christmas chart battles in a long time

Gennaro Castaldo HMV

It is the first time bookmakers have placed a band not even in existence in the running for the coveted chart placing.

Hard on the heels of the boy band are the girl group, currently second-favourite to hit the festive number one, while Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates is third.

Popstars: The Rivals, which is first broadcast on Saturday, will see producer Louis Walsh and ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell joining svengali Pete Waterman on the judging panel.

They will whittle the thousands of youngsters down to 20 hopefuls, who will live in a house together and be voted on by the public in a manner similar to Big Brother.

Geri Halliwell is on the panel

Ladbrokes spokesman Sean Boyce said: "We haven't seen them, we certainly haven't heard them, but having had our fingers seriously burnt by both Will and Gareth topping the charts.

"We've got no choice but to make the boys red-hot favourites to blitz their rivals in the race for Christmas number one."

Ladbrokes has the planned boy band as evens to be number one at Christmas and the girl group at 4-1, while Coral puts the boys at 5-4 and the girls at 5-2.

'Novelty'

Hear'Say, created by the first incarnation of Popstars, had two number ones before their star faded and Pop Idol finalists Gareth Gates and Will Young are currently enjoying chart success.

Pop Idol followed Popstars and produced Gareth Gates (left) and Will Young

chart expert Gennaro Castaldo of retailer HMV added: "It won't just be down to the hype and the novelty factor - what's just as crucial is the timing.

"Bringing out a release as close to the Christmas chart week as possible will ensure that it is not hijacked at the eleventh hour by another band who have a similarly huge fanbase.

"This could be one of the most exciting Christmas chart battles in a long time."

The boys have stronger odds because they are thought to fare better with the young, female sector of the record-buying public that likes manufactured pop.