The Official Charts Company Midweek Sales Flash is in, and Gary Barlow is pulling away from Steps at the top of the albums chart as a close race hurtles towards its climax.

Music Played By Humans has 37,327 sales for the Take That man, while Steps’ What The Future Holds has 30,589. Tuesday’s Spotify and YouTube data is yet to be counted. Michael Ball & Alfie Boe’s Together At Christmas (26,378 sales), Miley Cyrus’ Plastic Hearts (11,682 sales) and AC/DC’s ...