John Lewis's 2026 Christmas advert has drawn heavy criticism, with Piers Morgan calling it "possibly the worst advert I've ever seen for anything" and saying it would put him off visiting the shop.
The festive campaign, which stars Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as wealthy grandmother Gloria welcoming her family into her large London home on Christmas Eve, has divided viewers. While some praised its nostalgia and star-studded cast, others condemned the behaviour of the two grandchildren featured in the clip.
Celebrity critics weigh in
Kirstie Allsopp said: "Not sure I'm such a fan, not giving Granny a hug is not a good start." Another viewer complained that the children "completely disrespect their grandmother" and branded the pair "absolute brats".
Columnist Sarah Vine also criticised the advert on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing: "I can't express how much I hate this John Lewis advert. Spoilt, entitled, rude and overindulged children. Useless, weak parents. Terrible mauling of the Rolling Stones."
She added: "Yet again ANOTHER cliched out-of-touch grandparent we are all supposed to roll our eyes at. Urgh. It's as bad as that 'get consent to hug your grandkids' one."
Piers Morgan responded: "Totally agree. It's possibly the worst advert I've ever seen for anything. Would actively dissuade me from going to @JohnLewisRetail - what on earth were they thinking?"
Mumsnet reaction
Parenting website Mumsnet has been almost united in its irritation at Gloria's two "awful" grandchildren, who at one point are visibly disappointed at not receiving cash in their Christmas cards.
One member commented: "It didn't make me feel Christmassy and to be honest if they were my kids they wouldn't be getting any presents they were so rude."
Another wrote: "Basically the grandchildren are absolute brats; they completely disrespect their grandmother, and their mother just shrugs her shoulders and blames grandma. Grandma then goes to the ends of the earth to buy s*** to make them love her. Even the fact they shake the card expecting money is shocking. Awful ad."
A further post read: "If I were Kristin Scott Thomas I'd be wafting around my gorgeous house in a selection of tasteful scarves and telling my ungrateful brat grandchildren I'd sponsored a donkey in their names."
Analyst view
Analysts at Kantar said the ad reminded consumers of the "joy" of the festive season, but suggested it lacked the "emotive punch" of previous campaigns.
Lynne Deason, head of creative excellence at Kantar, said: "What to get the grandkids in the age of AI? John Lewis taps into a classic Christmas dilemma and reminds us of the joy of giving. The dash of humour supplied by Pickles the Dog and the earworm track lift the ad overall, although it lacks the emotive punch of previous years.
"We know that campaigns can fall down on celebrity spots, but Kristin Scott Thomas's star turn is well done. The branding could have been stronger, so it will be interesting to see how they bring the campaign to life across socials."
The advert has also drawn comment about its appropriateness at a time when households are struggling to make ends meet. However, one Mumsnet post offered encouragement for John Lewis: "Kristin Scott Thomas's skin looks lovely though, if they sell whatever she's using in JL I'll buy that."
