James Norton, Lucy Punch and Katherine Jenkins will star in Marks & Spencer's 2026 Christmas advert, which makes its TV debut on ITV's This Morning on Friday (November 6).
Norton, known for his roles in Happy Valley and Grantchester, plays an undercover Santa in the festive film, alongside Amandaland's Lucy Punch as Mrs Claus. In the video, Norton goes incognito to experience Christmas himself without being recognised, swapping his red Santa suit for a Christmas jumper and shaving his beard.
A Santa Who Experiences Christmas for Himself
He leaves the North Pole and heads into the world to experience many of the moments that make Christmas special, including getting dressed up, gathering around a table of brilliant food and choosing gifts people will love. Along the way, Norton also realises that Christmas magic doesn't just come from the North Pole, but from homes across the country.
On the role, James Norton said: "It's not every day you get asked to play Santa, let alone a Santa who immediately shaves off his beard! M&S has been such a familiar part of Christmas for as long as I can remember, so getting to be part of its Christmas campaign feels really special."
"I loved that this story takes such an iconic character and lets us see him differently. He gets to experience Christmas like the rest of us, discovering that the real magic is in the food, traditions and moments we share with the people we love."
Mrs Claus and the Soundtrack
Lucy Punch takes on the role of Mrs Claus, encouraging Santa to lose the beard, leave the North Pole behind and experience Christmas across the country for himself. She said: "M&S and Christmas just go hand in hand, so it was an absolute joy to become part of that tradition this year."
The advert is soundtracked by a reimagining of Belinda Carlisle's iconic Heaven Is a Place on Earth, performed by Katherine Jenkins. Following the launch of the advert on Friday, Jenkins' cover will also be officially released to audiences.
Katherine Jenkins added: "For me, Christmas has always been about coming home. It's about family, traditions and creating memories with the people you love most, and music is such a big part of that."
A Cross-Category Campaign
The advert is the first time that M&S has brought together its food, fashion and home and beauty outlets under one campaign since 2017. On the launch, Sharry Cramond, Marketing Director at M&S, said: "Customers don't think about Christmas as one meal, one gift or one outfit."
"They think about all the moments that make the season special. As the only retailer with a truly cross-category offer spanning Food, Fashion, Beauty, Gifting and Home, M&S plays a unique role in helping customers create Christmas from start to finish."
Andrew Hicks, Marketing Director at M&S Food, added: "Christmas is made up of countless moments, traditions and rituals that mean something different to every family. For generations, M&S has been privileged to play a part in those celebrations, helping customers create a Christmas that feels uniquely their own."
M&S's 2026 Christmas ad launches on social media from 7am on Friday (November 6) before making its TV debut on ITV's This Morning later in the day.
