Christmas seems to have come early this year, with a first glimpse at Marks & Spencer’s upcoming advert for the festive period.
The Christmas advert scene has become something of a battleground over recent years, with retailers like Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Waitrose all fighting it out for festive supremacy.
Last year’s M&S Christmas advert featured Dawn French, who came face-to-face with a Christmas fairy (also played by herself) who helped the French and Saunders icon put on a spread for her friends and family.
With the year now in its back end, filming is underway for M&S’s next offering, which stars White Lotus actress Aimee Lou Wood as the face of Christmas 2025.
While fans still have a few months to go until the finished product makes its debut, a series of snaps have previewed what the retailer has up its sleeve… or stocking, as it were.
These new images have feature the Sex Education star looking festive on set in a picturesque English town… in spite of the raging heatwave it was shot under.
In these images, Aimee Lou can be seen wearing a heavy fur coat as she stands in a fake snow-covered English village, decorated with festive greenery and Christmas accoutrements.
Other images show Aimee Lou with other members of the cast, including a man, another woman and young child, as they wander through the snowy scene.
In the background of another picture, a fluffy dog can be seen wearing a pair of reindeer antlers.
‘It’s not just a dog, it’s an M&S dog,’ Aimee Lou is said to have joked, referencing the supermarket’s famous slogan.
Where is the M&S Christmas ad filmed? Location revealed
This year’s advert was filmed in the Hertfordshire town of Hatfield.
Earlier this week, Hatfield local Chloe Granger shared some insight into what the retailer had planned when she shared a series of pictures from the shoot to her TikTok account.
‘M&S have filmed their Christmas TV ad in my home village 🎅🏼🎄’ she wrote in the caption to her post.
‘It looks so festive, walking around really got me in the mood for Christmas, even though this was happening in the middle of a heatwave 😂
‘Can’t wait to see the ad!’ she, uh, added.
The accompanying montage of pictures showed how the streets of Hatfield had been transformed into something out of a Charles Dickens novel.
Fake snow lined the streets and pavements, while the pictured houses were decorated with festive wreaths and Christmas presents.
The local pub – The Eight Bells – had ‘never looked so good,’ according to Chloe, with three Christmas trees straddling the door and windows, while greenery adorned the rest of the building.
Another of Chloe’s snaps showed a group of topless lads walking through the ‘snowy’ streets, highlighting the contrast between Christmas fantasy and the reality of recent weather.
In the comments below Chloe’s post, followers were getting into the Christmas spirit, with TikTok user Jodi Gardner writing: ‘This actually gave me goosebumps. It looks amazing 🥰’
‘It’s making me crave winter so much,’ said Laura.
‘Simply stunning,’ said jodixo.
Jamie Dear said: ‘Omg my heart!!! This makes me so happy🥹😭’
M&S shared last year’s Christmas video in November 2024, so there are still a few months to go until we get to see the advert in full.
It remains to be seen how they’ll fare against heavy-hitter John Lewis, who have stirred the nation into a frenzy ever since their beloved 2011 effort ‘Waiting,’ which told the story of a young lad and his long wait for the big day.
Meanwhile, Tesco managed to score the most emotional Christmas advert of 2024 with their gingerbread-themed tear-jerker.
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