Soccer pundit Chris Kamara got in on the novelty record game by releasing a Christmas record in 2019. Born on Christmas Day in 1957 in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, Kamara started out as a soccer player, first in the Royal Navy, which he joined straight out of school. Later he turned professional as a midfielder for lower-division clubs like Portsmouth and Swindon Town before making his way up to the Premier League with Leeds and, later, Sheffield. He retired as a player in 1995, becoming a manager for Bradford and then Stoke, before switching to a TV pundit, where he earned a comical reputation for his excitable nature, propensity for gaffes, and coining the catch phrase "Unbelievable, Jeff!" He also presented the game show Ninja Warrior and appeared as a guest on numerous other TV shows. Kamara always enjoyed singing and released a charity single, "Sing 4 England," for the Euro 2012 championship. In 2019, at the age of 61, he recorded a Christmas album, Here's to Christmas, with the title track written for him by frequent Robbie Williams collaborator Richard Scott. Recorded in a classic big-band/swing style, it showcased his smooth, light, agreeable tenor and was a surprise hit, entering the U.K. charts at number eight. One year on, he followed this up with ...And a Happy New Year, which included a guest appearance from Roy Wood, on the lead single "I Wish it Could Be Christmas Every Day." ~ John D. Buchanan