{"id":150213,"date":"2025-11-20T13:55:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T13:55:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/150213\/"},"modified":"2025-11-20T13:55:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T13:55:10","slug":"kate-winslet-fans-campaign-for-what-if-to-reach-christmas-number-one-as-2001-festive-movie-track-becomes-a-surprise-hit-on-tiktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/150213\/","title":{"rendered":"Kate Winslet fans campaign for What If to reach Christmas number one as 2001 festive movie track becomes a surprise hit on TikTok"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com\u00a0<\/p>\n

By JOANNA CRAWLEY, DEPUTY SHOWBIZ EDITOR (NEWS)<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 03:25 EST, 20 November 2025 | Updated: 04:29 EST, 20 November 2025 <\/p>\n

Kate Winslet<\/a>‘s short-lived singing career has been resurrected thanks to TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Back in 2001 the Titanic star, 50, released the ballad What If, which was on the soundtrack for her animated movie Christmas<\/a> Carol.<\/p>\n

The tune reached a respectable number 6 in the UK charts, beaten to the Christmas number one by\u00a0Somethin’ Stupid by Robbie Williams<\/a> and Nicole Kidman<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since then, it has returned to the charts only once: in 2010, when it appeared at number\u00a076 after being performed on Britain\u2019s Got Talent and\u00a024 years on loyal Millennials have launched a campaign to finally get Kate to the top spot.<\/p>\n

TikTok has been flooded with videos of fans miming along to the emotional lyrics and declaring justice for the noughties festive favourite.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many have pointed out that the likes of Ireland, Belgium and Austria ‘got it right the first time’ when it hit number one and now the UK needs to follow suit.<\/p>\n

\"Kate <\/p>\n

Kate Winslet’s short-lived singing career has been resurrected thanks to TikTok who have launched a campaign to get her 2001 song What If to number one<\/p>\n

\"24 <\/p>\n

24 years ago the tune reached a respectable number 6 in the UK charts, beaten to the Christmas number one by Somethin’ Stupid by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman<\/p>\n

Others have hailed the iconic mark of any noughties power ballad – the key change, which considering the song was written by Westlife hitmakers Steve Mac and Wayne Hector is hardly a surprise feature.<\/p>\n

Kate might not be too happy with the attention though, after previously admitting she is haunted by the song.\u00a0<\/p>\n

During an interview with Radio 1’s Greg James in 2017, the Hollywood star revealed the story behind her reluctant foray into music.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘I provided the voice for an animated version of A Christmas Carol, and the producers come to me, and they said, “Oh, we\u2019d like to give your character a song.”‘<\/p>\n

‘I said, “That\u2019s a nice idea,” and they said, “Would you like to sing it?” I said, “Well, I can sing a bit, I\u2019ll give it a go, and if you think it\u2019s c**p, I really don\u2019t mind, if you just ditch it and get a proper person to do it.”‘<\/p>\n

Kate eventually agreed for the song to be released as a single, which she agreed to on the condition that all the proceeds would go to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Sargent Cancer Care for Children.<\/p>\n

Awkwardly Kate explained that everyone then misinterpreted the project as her launching a music career, but she insisted it was only ever going to be a one off.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"TikTok <\/p>\n

TikTok has been flooded with videos of fans miming along to the emotional lyrics and declaring justice for the noughties festive favourite<\/p>\n

Her husband,\u00a0Edward Abel Smith, won’t let her forget the song either, with Kate admitting that he plays it ‘just for a laugh when we’re on family holidays and I least want him to do it, this is the kind of s**t he does to me.’<\/p>\n

She also admitted that ‘I\u2019ll sometimes go into restaurants and the restaurant will think, “Surely she\u2019d love it if we played either that or [Celine Dion\u2019s \u2018My Heart Will Go On\u2019]. [\u2026] I just expect it.”‘<\/p>\n

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