Commercials selling us the dream of a perfect Christmas

'Tis the season to be bombarded with festive advertising

- by Kate Wobschall

Wallace and Gromit starring in the Barbour Christmas advert.

Question: When is a Christmas advert not a Christmas advert? The answer is, obviously, when it's a four-minute long miniature romantic comedy.

That's this year's festive offering from Waitrose, starring actress Keira Knightley and comedian Joe Wilkinson.

Under the watchful eye of Bafta-award winning director Molly Manners, viewers see the pair's relationship develop over a shared love of food.

Meeting for the first time at a Waitrose cheese counter, eventually Wilkinson-reprising his role as Phil, from the grocer's 2024 'whodunnit' campaign - winning Keira's heart by recreating her Nan's turkey pie recipe.

According to Waitrose's chief customer officer Nathan Ansell: "Our four-minute Christmas film - an industry first