Driving Home for Christmas singer Chris Rea dies aged 74

Source: BBC

Live Reporting
Edited by Jack Burgess

22 December 2025

'Chris’s music has created the soundtrack to many lives'
Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Singer Chris Rea, widely known for the festive hit Driving Home for Christmas, has died aged 74, his family confirmed today.

A somewhat reluctant popstar, the Middlesbrough native was shy of the spotlight, and even admitted rallying against the record label's decision to release his biggest hit - though accepted he was thankful when they eventually did in 1986.

The drive-time anthem came to exist while Rea was on a driving ban - more on that in our earlier post.

Reluctant or otherwise, he even resisted a more marketable name swap, the fame the track brought Rea is indisputable; nearly 40 years on, the single took a spot at 30 in this year's UK Christmas top 40.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c0q5g3v02qjt