John Lewis has released its 20th Christmas advert, featuring Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and a pull-along wooden dog voiced by Paul Whitehouse. The advert is set to a Sam Fender cover of You Can’t Always Get What You Want by The Rolling Stones.
Proceeds from the sale of the single, backed with Fender’s 2020 cover of Winter Song, will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity selected by the artist, and Action for Children, John Lewis’s charity partner for its Building Happier Futures programme.
A Beloved Tradition Continues
Rosie Hanley, marketing and loyalty director at John Lewis, said: "The John Lewis Christmas advert is a beloved tradition, but for its 20th edition we wanted it to feel extra special."
Hanley added: "Bringing in the sparkle of Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and Sam Fender has helped bring this story to life beautifully. It’s a storyline that so many of our customers will relate to; I’ve definitely resorted to putting cash in an envelope for fear of getting it wrong."
She concluded: "But our message this year is simple: ‘Don’t give up on giving.’ We hope this restores the nation’s gift-giving confidence and encourages customers to rediscover the joy of choosing something truly thoughtful for the people they love."
Premiere Details
The ad premieres on John Lewis social channels, including YouTube and Instagram, from 7.30am on November 3 before running on ITV and Channel 4 between 8pm and 9.15pm.
To mark the occasion, the ECHO has taken a look back at all of their previous Christmas adverts.
Full List of Previous Adverts
Shadows (2007) – Music: Prokofiev’s Morning Serenade from Romeo and Juliet. The advert features a cast bringing gifts into a studio, putting them together in a way that their shadows make a woman and her dog in the snow.
Clues (2008) – Music: From Me to You - John Lewis Partners. This was the first advert to feature a cover, kick starting a much-loved tradition. The advert features a cover of From Me to You by The Beatles, sung by John Lewis Partners. As actors appeared, they are closely followed by the perfect gift, from an older couple with a satnav to a baby with a toy mouse.
The Feeling (2009) – Music: Sweet Child O’ Mine - Taken By Trees. This was the first of 14 adverts from agency Adam & Eve. A child finds joy in a new camera, morphing into her adult version, feeling the same excitement at the gift.
A Tribute To Givers (2010) – Music: Your Song - Ellie Goulding. Directed by Sundance Film Festival award-winner Eric Lynne, this advert focused on the rituals of gift giving, seeing different people wrapping and hiding gifts for loved ones.
The Long Wait (2011) – Music: Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want Slow - Moving Millie. A young, anxious boy waits for Christmas morning to arrive, wanting to give his parents their Christmas gift.
The Journey (2012) – Music: The Power of Love - Gabrielle Aplin. A heroic snowman sets off to buy his snow-wife the perfect gift, facing many obstacles. Aplin's cover reached number one in the charts.
The Bear And The Hare (2013) – Music: Somewhere Only We Know - Lily Allen. Allen's version of Keane's song gave her a third number one. The advert follows a hibernating bear and his best friend, a hare, with the bear waking on Christmas morning.
Monty The Penguin (2014) – Music: Real Love - Tom Odell. John Lewis claims that customers rate the advert among one of its best. It follows a boy's pet penguin who wonders about finding a mate, with the boy ordering a bride for Monty, revealed as a cuddly toy.
The Man On The Moon (2015) – Music: Half the World Away - Aurora. A girl discovers a lonely old man on the moon using a telescope and gifts him one of his own. The advert was a partnership with charity, Age UK.
Buster The Boxer (2016) – Music: One Day I’ll Fly Away - Vaults. Buster the dog becomes frustrated watching other animals bounce on a new trampoline, getting his chance on Christmas morning.
Moz The Monster (2017) – Music: Golden Slumbers - Elbow. The story of Moz, the monster under the bed, and the boy who befriends him, with a nightlight putting a stop to their adventures until rediscovered by a switch.
The Boy And The Piano (2018) – Music: Your Song - Elton John. Elton John sings his own classic, celebrating his journey to stardom, from stadium performances to a young boy unwrapping the piano that starts his career.
Edgar The Dragon (2019) – Music: Can’t Fight This Feeling - Bastille. Edgar is the village dragon, unable to control his excited fire-breathing, destroying the village Christmas tree and melting an ice rink. A young girl gives him a Christmas pudding, which he lights for the villagers.
Give A Little Love (2020) – Music: A Little Love - Celeste. The 2020 advert broke from the tradition of a cover, featuring eight random acts of kindness.
Unexpected Guest (2021) – Music: Together in Electric Dreams - Lola Young. An alien crash lands on Earth and falls in love with the boy teaching her about Christmas, gifting him a light-up jumper and his first kiss.
The Beginner (2022) – Music: All the Small Things - Postmodern Jukebox featuring Puddles Pity Party. A man learns to skateboard, persisting despite injuries, to find something in common with his new foster child.
Snapper: The Perfect Tree (2023) – Music: Festa - Andrea Bocelli, written and produced by Le Feste Antonacci. Snapper is a venus fly trap, loved by his new owner Alfie, though his family aren't as impressed.
The Gifting Hour (2024) – Music: Sonnet - Richard Ashcroft. Sally races to a John Lewis store for a last-minute gift for her sister Lauren, falling through a rack of dresses on a journey through her thoughts and memories.
Where Love Lives (2025) – Music: Where Love Lives - Alison Limerick. Last year's advert told the story of a dad and son, with the dad gifted a vinyl of Where Love Lives, transporting him back to the 90s and his youth, where he spots his teenage son in the crowd.
