Marks & Spencer has reportedly dropped actress Aimee Lou Wood from its Christmas advertising campaign, despite paying a substantial fee for her involvement. The White Lotus star, 31, was initially chosen to front the festive advert, following in the footsteps of Hannah Waddingham and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
However, M&S later changed direction, opting for a series of festive films and influencer content rather than a single-hero advert. A spokesperson said: "We really enjoyed working with Aimee Lou Wood during the early stages of this year’s Christmas campaign... As the campaign evolved, we started to embed a new product-focused strategy under new leadership."
The Stockport-born actress rose to fame in Netflix's Sex Education and recently appeared in The White Lotus. Despite the setback, she continues to be in demand.
Meanwhile, the John Lewis Christmas advert has received mixed reactions. The emotional ad, featuring a father and son, has been criticised by some viewers as "depressing" and "not very Christmassy". Others praised its message about communication.
