Waitrose 2026 Christmas advert with Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson, Digi Mart USA News: Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson are back together for Waitrose’s Christmas advert, but the festive couple’s unlikely romance is facing its biggest test yet. With Christmas advert season fully in swing, John Lewis has already released its divisive effort, and Barry from EastEnders has given it his all for Lidl.
For Waitrose’s The Perfect Gift 2, a six-minute festive rom-com, Joe and Keira’s love story takes a dramatic turn after their on-screen romance began in last year’s campaign. This time, Rivals star Alex Hassell joins the picture as Hugo Bunty-Griffin, a dashing groom-to-be set to marry Keira at three o’clock.
Phil, played by Joe, is not about to give up without a fight.
The story picks up after last year’s advert, when Keira and Phil first found a spark over the Waitrose cheese counter. Joe, who plays Phil, hopes a beef Wellington is enough to win back Keira, but his efforts may be in vain.
While Keira appears to have found her perfect match in Hugo, it soon becomes clear that the groom’s real rival is himself.
Alex said: “I play Hugo, a man in love… but really only with himself!” He added: “And the idea of being a part of a celebrity power couple. I loved The Perfect Gift last year, so it was an honour to join the cast for another episode in the story, and all the gorgeous, silliness that went with it.”
Nursing a broken heart at home and sporting an enormous beard, Phil spends his days in a dressing gown, watching TV as This Morning’s Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond celebrate Keira’s upcoming nuptials. After encouragement from his friends, Phil becomes determined to win Keira back, making the beef Wellington of his life before dashing to stop the wedding.
The journey is not smooth. Phil has to deal with a flat tyre, a dog with a nose for food, and a country house full of seemingly endless corridors and stairs.
Phil eventually makes it to the ceremony, bursting in just as his carefully prepared Wellington slides down the aisle to Keira’s feet. He follows it with a final romantic gesture: a jar of homemade sauce bearing the message “Marry Me Instead?”
Although Keira is left speechless, the advert delivers a happy ending. The Love Actually star swaps the wedding aisle for Phil’s house, running through the Waitrose aisles in her elegant gown.
Keira eventually gets down on one knee with a cheeseboard ring and asks Phil to marry her. Directed once again by Molly Manners, Jennifer Rush’s The Power of Love brings the festive love story full circle as Keira and Phil share a passionate kiss in the kitchen.
Keira said: “I absolutely loved the chance to revisit our relationship this Christmas, although I wasn’t expecting to find myself caught between two men and a beef Wellington!” Wilkinson added: “If a beef Wellington doesn’t win back the heart of a Hollywood A-lister, nowt will.”
Waitrose chief customer officer Nathan Ansell said the sequel was created after customers wanted to know what happened next. He revealed the retailer made the film two minutes longer than last year’s advert, making it a six-minute production, which Waitrose describes as the longest advert produced by a UK supermarket.
The full film is available online.
