M&S ‘shredded Santa’ James Norton takes on John Lewis in Christmas ad battle
The race to win Britain’s Christmas advert crown is on — and this year Marks & Spencer is taking on John Lewis with a youthful, shirtless Santa.
John Lewis has long owned the “Christmas advert moment” with emotional storylines and piano ballads. But M&S has hit back with a cheeky campaign starring James Norton and Lucy Punch as a young Mr and Mrs Claus, The Guardian reported.
M&S goes for laughs
In the ad, Norton plays an undercover Santa who shaves off his beard so he can enjoy the run-up to Christmas without being recognised. Punch plays a snobbish Mrs Claus. The pair crash a dinner party, drop in on a children’s carol service and discover “picky bits” — with the message that Christmas is about shared moments, not just big presents.
One shot in particular has gone viral: Norton wearing nothing but a white M&S cotton towel. Men’s Health magazine called him a “shredded Santa”.
Norton said he was drawn to the “playful, funny and reverent script” and praised director Shannon Murphy, whose work includes Killing Eve. Punch was blunter: “I don’t want any more Christmas tearjerkers. I want fun and joy. Life is enough of a tearjerker.”
It is the first time since 2017 that M&S has combined its food, fashion, beauty and homeware into one festive campaign. Every item on screen — down to that towel — is available to buy.
John Lewis and the “gran cave”
John Lewis’s 2026 advert, titled Don’t Give Up On Giving, stars Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as Gloria, a glamorous grandmother who turns a room in her large townhouse into a fun “gran cave” for her grandchildren. Its message is to give real gifts rather than cash.
Not everyone has warmed to it. Some critics said its sprawling house and ungrateful grandchildren felt out of touch, according to the Guardian. Retail consultant Jonathan De Mello said the casting was smart because it targets affluent older shoppers, but warned the lifestyle shown could feel “unattainable” to younger viewers.
And a flying reindeer
Another festive ad is also getting attention. The National Lottery’s biggest-ever Christmas campaign, tells the story of a reindeer who dreams of flying after watching a robin take to the skies, with National Lottery ambassador Claudia Winkleman delivering the closing line. It was launched by operator Allwyn UK.
Behind the tinsel, the stakes are high. M&S is still recovering from a 2025 cyber attack that shut its website for more than six weeks and cost it over £100m, while John Lewis faces higher costs and weaker consumer confidence. Whichever ad wins hearts, both retailers need it to win shoppers too.
