Is this the darkest Christmas advert ever?

A hugely provocative Christmas TV advert has been released in an effort to spark conversation around festive eating habits.

PETA UK released their advertisement that shows a family tucking into a traditional Christmas dinner of turkey and ham.

However, just as the group begin discussing everyday topics, the scene soon turns into one of horror.

As each person begins eating their meal, blood splatters across their faces.

But despite the ghastly scene, the diners remain oblivious and continue laughing and eating as more and more blood covers the table.

The 60-second ad then ends with a message that says ‘more than 180million animals are slaughtered in the UK each festive season’.

The campaign for PETA, which stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, will run in cinemas throughout December.

It aims to make viewers consider what they are eating on their Christmas plate.

Commenting on their ad, PETA said that all of the food featured in the video was vegan to show that ‘there’s an animal-friendly version of everything these days’.

PETA vice president of programmes Elisa Allen said in a statement: ‘Behind every trussed-up turkey, holiday ham, or beef wellington was an individual who felt pain and fear and didn’t want to die.

‘PETA urges everyone to choose compassion over carnage this Christmas by tucking into a savoury vegan roast.’

So far this year, viewers have been given some heartwarming content by supermarkets in stark contrast to PETA’s shocking and discomforting campaign.

Relying on warmth and humour, John Lewis has potentially dropped the best so far.

Their latest offering focuses on a music loving father and son and explores how a thoughtful gift can help you express all the things you can’t find the words to say.

Alongside being thoughtful and emotional, it featiures the 1990s’ banger Where Love Lives. What’s not to love?

However, among the deluge of Christmas TV ads, the fly-on-the-wall advert footage of the families of seriously ill children spending Christmas at Great Ormond Street Hospital has been described as the one that will truly move you to tears.

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