Waitrose Christmas advert 2026: Watch festive romcom-style ad starring Keira Knightley in full

Waitrose have released their 2026 Christmas advert - a six-minute festive romcom starring Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson.

In The Perfect Gift 2, the longest ad ever created by a UK supermarket, Knightley reprises her role as herself, alongside Wilkinson as Phil ‘Phil Phil’, the lovelorn everyman who won her heart last Christmas.

This time, however, there’s a new rival in the picture: Hugo Bunty-Griffin, played by Alex Hassell, a suave groom-to-be with charm to spare.

With Keira seemingly destined for a life with Hugo, Phil is left heartbroken and in need of a grand gesture. Enter his best friends, a selection of Waitrose ingredients and a plan to win her back with a homemade beef Wellington.

What follows is a festive race against the clock, with a few twists, a troublesome dog and one very pointed jar of sauce labelled, “Marry Me Instead?”

Again directed by Molly Manners, through Biscuit Filmworks, the film gives Phil’s increasingly desperate mission the full Hollywood treatment. Snow-dusted stately home, sweeping tracking shots and an original score recorded by the world renowned Prague Philharmonic Orchestra give the story cinematic ambition, while keeping the focus firmly on the food and the emotions that surround it.

Wonderhood Creatives Jennifer Ashton and Oli Short created the campaign, and the partnership with Keira Knightley, Joe Wilkinson and Alex Hassell was orchestrated by Anne Batz and her team at Talent Republic.

Molly Manners, Director, said: “It’s been an absolute joy to extend the Waitrose cinematic universe and whole heartedly embrace the Rom and the Com this year. I love this team and this cast and am so excited to see the curveball of Alex Hassell as Phil’s love rival unleashed.”

Jack Croft and Stacey Bird, Executive Creative Directors, Wonderhood Studios, said: “It’s been wonderful to return to our festive romcom this year. We always felt that Keira and Phil’s love story had more to give, and we hope the love, time and craft we’ve poured into this sequel has made it every bit as entertaining as the first film, if not more.