‘Don’t give up on giving’: John Lewis and Saatchi & Saatchi unveil 2026 Christmas campaign starring Dame Kristin Scott Thomas 

• The 20th edition of the iconic Christmas advert is a story of rediscovering the joy in gifting, and serves as a reminder not to give up when finding the right gift feels difficult. 

• Award-winning actress Dame Kristin Scott Thomas stars alongside ‘Pickles the dog’ voiced by TV royalty, Paul Whitehouse 

• Renowned singer-songwriter Sam Fender provides the soundtrack with his brand-new single, a cover of The Rolling Stones’ classic, ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’.

John Lewis has today revealed its 2026 Christmas campaign, “Gloria and Pickles”. The 20th edition of the retailer’s much-loved Christmas advert issues a heartwarming call to the nation to make festive gifting personal, joyful and meaningful once again.

The campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, launches with a three-minute film which follows Gloria- played by Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning actress Dame Kristin Scott Thomas -and her faithful companion and childhood gift, Pickles the dog. Set against the festive tagline “Don’t Give Up on Giving”, the story touches on a relatable modern truth: the fear of not finding the “perfect gift” can overshadow the simple pleasure of giving something thoughtful this festive season. The iconic Christmas advert focuses on a new familial relationship; the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren.

The 2026 John Lewis Christmas advert follows a wider, all-year round gifting campaign from John Lewis and Saatchi & Saatchi, including the newly launched Gift List vod-cast with Angela Scanlon, and the newly opened Box Studio in John Lewis’ flagship Oxford Street store.

Chart-topping singer-songwriter Sam Fender has provided the soundtrack for the film with his brand-new single, a cover of The Rolling Stones’ classic, ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’. 

It’s Christmas Eve, and Gloria is putting the finishing touches on her beautiful home, ready to welcome her family for the big day. The doorbell rings, ushering in her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, Freddie & Maggie. The kids are restless from the long journey, so Gloria retrieves her old toy collection from the attic to keep them entertained. She introduces her grandchildren to ‘Pickles the dog’, a vintage Little Snoopy Pull-Along Toy, but they’re not impressed with the nostalgic toy and are quickly distracted by shouts for lunch, leaving Gloria feeling that she doesn’t know what they really want. 

Whilst alone, Gloria writes their Christmas cards and places cash inside each envelope.. She wants to feel close to her grandchildren, but doesn’t feel confident in her ability to choose gifts they’ll genuinely love. Suddenly, the toy dog springs to life, voiced by acclaimed actor, writer and comedian, Paul Whitehouse, and berates her lack of effort: “You can do better than cash”. 

Pickles drags Gloria out of the house on a gifting mission. As they start to give up hope, they hail a cab to go home, but a TukTuk arrives in its place. Pickles convinces her to go for one last ride, shouting “Lighten up Grandma!” as they fly through the streets of London. The bright and vibrant TukTuk sparks a gifting epiphany, so she calls it to a halt outside John Lewis. 

On Christmas morning, Gloria hands Freddie & Maggie their Christmas cards. Expecting cash, the children are surprised to find the envelopes empty – instead, their grandmother holds up a single key. Unlocking her home office door, they discover the ‘Gran Cave’ – a magical wonderland filled with sparkling lights, disco balls, and music inspired by her TukTuk adventure. Delighted, Freddie and Maggie throw their arms around their grandmother, as the thoughtful surprise bridges the generational gap through a moment of pure joy. 

The campaign was directed by Lucy Forbes through Smuggler. Lucy is a BAFTA-winning director known for her work on This Is Going to Hurt, The End of the F*ing World, Eric, and has just wrapped on the hugely anticipated HBO Harry Potter series. Her rare ability to craft offbeat, distinctive humour, and marry it together with deeply resonant human storytelling made Forbes the definitive choice for the 2026 campaign. Post-production was handled by Selected Works.

Rosie Hanley, Marketing & Loyalty Director, “The John Lewis Christmas advert is a beloved tradition, but for its 20th edition, we wanted it to feel extra special. Bringing in the sparkle of Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and Sam Fender has helped bring this story to life beautifully. It’s a storyline that so many of our customers will relate to; I’ve definitely resorted to putting cash in an envelope for fear of getting it wrong. But our message this year is simple: ‘Don’t give up on giving.’ We hope this restores the nation’s gift-giving confidence and encourages customers to rediscover the joy of choosing something truly thoughtful for the people they love.”

Franki Goodwin, Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, “This year has been a joyful collaboration with a series of icons; a Dame, a record-breaking artist, and an enduring wooden toy. I would also add our director Lucy Forbes to that list, who was for us, the only person to bring this powerful intergenerational story to life. Finding the perfect balance between relatable family dynamics and proper magic gave us the opportunity to create this glorious celebration of giving. This one really does have something for everyone.”

Kristin Scott Thomas said, “I simply couldn’t resist the opportunity to lead a John Lewis Christmas advert – it’s such a cherished part of the festive season. Plus, Gloria’s journey captured my heart straight away. She represents so many parents and grandparents who want nothing more than to create lasting memories with the younger generation. Working alongside Pickles to create the ‘Gran Cave’ was an absolute joy, and I hope the ad brings a big smile to families across the UK this Christmas.”

Physical copies of Sam Fender’s ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ are available on 7” and CD from the John Lewis website. The single is backed with Sam Fender’s 2020 cover of Winter Song, available physically for the first time. All John Lewis profits from each record sold will be donated to UK leading charity Action for Children, John Lewis‘ charity partner for its Building Happier Futures programme, which supports those who have grown up in care to build brighter futures. 

Sam Fender said, “It was a privilege to rework such an iconic song by such a legendary band. In the spirit of Christmas, we re-recorded the children’s choir with the kids from my old school, John Spence Community High School, and we arranged a brass section with the Easington Colliery Band.”

Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger said, “I’m a fan of Sam’s work, so I was pleased to hear he was covering one of my songs. I think he’s done a great job with it.”

The film will premiere on Johnlewis.com, John Lewis social channels, including YouTube and Instagram from 7.30am on 3 November. The advert will also be available to watch on ITV, Sky and C4, with appearances across on-demand including Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.

Source: Saatchi & Saatchi

  “Don’t give up on giving”, 2026 Christmas campaign, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, John Lewis, Saatchi & Saatchi