Marks & Spencer has unveiled its 2026 Christmas advert, featuring James Norton as Santa and Lucy Punch as Mrs Claus, with Katherine Jenkins OBE providing the soundtrack. The campaign launched on social media at 7am on Friday, November 6, and covers M&S's food, home, beauty and fashion ranges under one campaign.
Santa Goes Incognito
In the festive storyline, Santa, played by Happy Valley star James Norton, swaps his red suit for a Christmas jumper and shaves off his beard after encouragement from Mrs Claus, played by Amandaland star Lucy Punch. This transformation allows Santa to experience Christmas himself without being recognised.
Leaving the North Pole behind, Santa heads out into the world to see Christmas from a different perspective. His adventure takes him through the moments that make the season special, including getting dressed up, gathering around a table of food, choosing gifts and transforming the home for Christmas.
Discovering the Real Magic
Along the way, Santa discovers that Christmas magic doesn't just come from the North Pole. It is created in homes across the country, around tables, under trees and in the moments shared with the people we love.
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."
He added: "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. It's warm, funny and full of Christmas spirit, and I'm very happy to have been briefly trusted with the red suit."
Creative Team and Campaign Rollout
Lucy Punch said: "M&S and Christmas just go hand in hand, so it was an absolute joy to become part of that tradition this year. I loved that Mrs Claus is the one who gets this story moving. She gives him the nudge so he can get out there incognito and experience the magic of Christmas for himself. There's something very sweet and fun about their dynamic, and something quite lovely about the idea behind it: this idea that the magic you're looking for is actually happening all around you."
Katherine Jenkins OBE provides the soundtrack with a reimagining of Belinda Carlisle's Heaven Is a Place on Earth. The campaign will appear across TV, video on demand, cinema, outdoor, social media, radio, digital display and print.
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. Bringing those categories together allows us to tell one connected Christmas story and celebrate all the ways our customers make the season their own. That's why we're proud that customers call M&S The Home of Christmas."
