Reverend and the Makers star's family tragedy as he reveals sad wish during Xmas No1 bid

The frontman of Reverend and the Makers is bidding for Christmas number one with Late Night Phone Call - but he is more keen on raising awareness for the Samaritans, a charity very close to his heart

As the run-up to Christmas begins, the countdown the the official number one tune is heating up - and there's a surprise in store.

Reverend and the Makers have took charge on the bookies' list with their Late Night Phone Call offering taking on the likes of the new Band Aid song and Mariah Carey. However, for frontman Jon McClure, his song is more than just a bid to top the charts. The band is proudly supporting the Samaritans with their song - a charity Jon, 42, holds close to his heart.

Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Jon admitted he has dealt with a number of suicide tragedies throughout his life, including his uncle Mo, who was also his godfather. And he revealed that if his tune can help just one person to reach out, then he will be happy. Anything else, he says, including a Christmas number one, is simply a bonus.

Speaking of the song and it's video, Jon said: "It was a bit of a joke [releasing alongside John Lewis' Christmas advert], but everyone is like, 'this should be the advert. It's class.' But obviously the real message is for the Samaritans and that's kind of why I wanted to do it; because I've lost a bunch of people to suicide. Obviously the Samaritans are there and I don't like the idea of folk being on their own at Christmas."

The cover for Late Night Phone Call sees a throwback picture of uncle Mo alongside Jon's dad and his relative Enrico, who both also sadly passed away this year from different causes. Speaking on the affect suicide has had on him, Jon said: "I've had a disproportionate amount of people die to suicide in my life. Like my uncle Mo, who was also my godfather. He was like, very different to other people. Nobody really understood him, but I stood him on some next level because me and his brains work in the same way."

He added: "My dad's sister, my auntie Gloria, a bunch of mates who've done it [died by suicide], my mum's mate, old Dot did it. You know what I mean? I just think, especially in music, and all the people in music who are struggling with mental health super bad. I've been in a bad place myself truth be said over the years, like at one time or another. There's something about those dark nights [around Christmas] isn't there?"

He continued to say that while he certainly doesn't begrudge the excitement around Christmas time, it's sometimes a case of just thinking about others, especially those who aren't as fortunate. He added: "You can still enjoy your Christmas. Go to the pub, eat your Sunday dinner, open your presents, whatever, right? Watch Only Fools and Horses. Have a sprout. Have a fart, nice one. You know? But sometimes you've just got to think about other people."

"My mum and dad always used to do soup kitchens for the homeless. And my brother does stuff like that. He's always helping folk. And I kind of thought, what can I do? Because I'm not cut out in the same way as they are. They're from nursing backgrounds, whereas I thought, what's my talent or ability? What can I offer? And I thought, I can offer my music and my time and try and raise a bit of awareness for people and that kind of thing."

Jon also revealed the amazing gesture he offers up every Christmas to try to help spread some cheer - and how it helped snowball his latest idea. "For 10 years, I've Zoomed people on Christmas Day," he confessed. "Only five, because I have kids and my missus and my mum and whatever to think about. So, at night, about seven o'clock on Christmas Day, I Zoom people and play them a tune and try and put a smile on their face. And I thought I could go one step further and raise a bit of awareness for Samaritans because they are there 365 days a year.

"I think some of the people I've lost, if they'd have rang Samaritans then maybe they could have sorted them out. So, it's just letting people know, because it's a hard time of year for a lot of people."

And he admitted the tune is also a way to honour his uncle's memory. "He was such a deep guy," Jon said. "In some way, I kind of want to honour his memory. There's a bit of that. And my cousin, who I also lost to suicide. I've lost that many people. I'm just trying to do something to honour these people a bit because I view it as a depression and mental health issues as a disease like cancer. It's a disease and we need cures and remedies for that and one of them is Samaritans.

"They'll come on the phone for a chat to you, get a bunch of solutions about how you can start going forwards and whatever. That's powerful that and it saddens me a bit that it's 2024 and we have to rely on charities to do it. It should be the government, shouldn't it really?"

He also admitted that it's good to talk, and he is hopeful the stigma of not being able to open up can continue to fade. "I'm a six foot six unit with a gold tooth, and if I can talk about it, everybody can, right? The thing I like about the Samaritans is there is an immediacy to it. If you're feeling awful in that moment, they'll talk to you straight away...The problem is when people feel like s***, they feel like s*** in that moment there and that's when you have to get them, not in three weeks time. Something awful could happen in the time in between. So I think Samaritans are there, immediately, on the phone, sat there - Christmas Day included."

He ended by urging people to continue to raise awareness of the Samaritans service, by sharing and listening to his video and donating where possible. "Nobody has to be alone this Christmas," he concluded.

If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch