JOHN LEWIS UNVEILS 2026 CHRISTMAS ADVERT STARRING KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS

John Lewis has released its Christmas advert for 2026, starring Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as a grandmother called Gloria, with Paul Whitehouse voicing a pull-along toy dog named Pickles. The advert is set to a cover of The Rolling Stones' You Can't Always Get What You Want, performed by Sam Fender. Dame Kristin said: "I simply couldn't resist the opportunity to lead a John Lewis Christmas advert – it's such a cherished part of the festive season. Plus, Gloria's journey captured my heart straight away." She recently appeared in the television series Slow Horses. The advert follows Gloria as she searches for a meaningful gift for her grandchildren rather than giving them cash.

In the advert, Gloria welcomes her family to her London home on Christmas Eve, where her grandchildren Freddie and Maggie disrupt her immaculate study out of boredom. She fetches an old pull-along toy dog from the attic, a vintage Little Snoopy named Pickles, hoping to keep them entertained. Pickles springs to life and criticises Gloria for losing confidence in choosing a gift the children will appreciate, telling her: "You can do better than cash." The toy then drags Gloria out of the house on a last-minute mission, and the pair travel through London by tuk-tuk to a John Lewis shop.

On Christmas morning, Freddie and Maggie open their Christmas cards to find no cash inside. Gloria instead gives them a key, which opens the door to her study. The room has become a "Gran Cave", with sparkling lights, disco balls and a turntable, where the family dances together. The advert was unveiled on 3 November 2026.