SHE is tubby, started life as a man and hardly has the best singing voice in the world.

But that won’t stop Geraldine McQueen — otherwise known as Peter Kay — in her audacious bid to snatch the Christmas number one slot from under the noses of X-Factor chiefs. Today, battle commences for the coveted position, with more than a dozen artists and groups fighting it out.

And Geraldine is predicting great things for her catchy number — co-written with Take That’s Gary Barlow — called Once Upon a Christmas Song.

She said: “Simon Cowell is the Grinch that stole the Christmas single.

“I’m stealing it back for the people of Britain — and the NSPCC.”

Geraldine’s Christmas single will go head to head with the favourite, X-Factor winner Alexandra, who is 1/8 on to win.

The other two singles in the top four favourites list are Terry Wogan and Aled Jones, with their version of Little Drummer Boy (8/1), and Leona Lewis, with her version of Snow Patrol’s Run (8/1).

Pam Gallagher, who works at Ladbrokes in Bolton town centre, said: “I do think Peter can take the top spot.

“I’m a fan and I’m sure local people will support him as they always do.

“He is very popular and his single is a bit of fun. There are some unusual ones in the outsider list, including Bob the Builder. We will be taking bets all the way up to Christmas Eve.”

Transsexual former dinner lady Geraldine was unleashed on the public in Peter’s show — Britain’s Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice — which was shown on Channel 4 on October 12.

The roly-poly wannabe won the competition, was catapulted to stardom and then released a single, The Winner’s Song.

It reached No 2 in the charts, just 4,000 sales behind Pink, who claimed top spot, but ahead of a new tune by last year’s X-Factor winner, Leon Jackson.

Last night, the video for the new song was premiered on Channel 4 after the original show was repeated. The festive backdrop is Mossfield Court, Halliwell, where the residents are famed locally for their brilliant annual display of Christmas lights.