John Lewis advert 2026: Kristin Scott Thomas is the glamorous gran on a gift hunt

Kristin Scott Thomas goes on a last-minute Christmas shopping mission

The campaign marks the 20th anniversary of the retailer's festive adverts and centres on Gloria, who is struggling to find a gift that feels more thoughtful than simply giving cash. 

Her unlikely helper is Pickles, a wooden toy dog voiced by Paul Whitehouse, who decides she needs a little inspiration.

After challenging Gloria to “do better than cash”, Pickles takes her on a last-minute shopping trip. 

Several shops fail to offer anything suitable, so the pair eventually hop into a tuk-tuk and head to John Lewis. 

There, Gloria finds disco balls and fairy lights, which she plans to use to create a “gran cave” where her grandchildren can have their own disco.

The story is built around this year's campaign message, “don't give up on giving”, encouraging shoppers to put some thought into finding presents that mean something to the people receiving them.

John Lewis bets big on Christmas advert as Black Friday approaches

John Lewis has also increased its spending on the production to mark the campaign's milestone year. 

Marketing director Rosie Hanley told The Guardian that the retailer wanted to “push the boat out” for its 20th advert, despite the higher costs involved.

She said the creative direction was also chosen with the current financial pressures on households in mind. 

With energy bills and housing costs continuing to affect families, the team wanted the advert “to be more joyful” this year, “because things are tough for lots of families”.

Despite the pressure on household budgets, Hanley said she was expecting “a really strong return on our investment” ahead of Black Friday.

The annual John Lewis advert has become one of the UK's most recognisable signs that Christmas is approaching, traditionally kicking off the festive shopping season weeks before Black Friday. 

Its arrival gives retailers an early opportunity to capture shoppers' attention as they begin planning their Christmas spending.

Anyone already looking for presents can also browse early offers, including this Apple Watch deal, which promises savings of up to 79%.