John Lewis defends Kristin Scott Thomas Christmas advert after Piers Morgan calls it 'possibly the worst advert I've ever seen'

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas stars as Gloria, a grandmother whose "Gran Cave" gift experience earned John Lewis's highest System1 rating since Excitable Edgar in 2019.

John Lewis has hit back at a wave of criticism over its 2026 Christmas film 'Gloria and Pickles', insisting the three-minute ad celebrates the "true spirit of Christmas" by encouraging thoughtful gifting over cash handouts. Dame Kristin Scott Thomas plays Gloria, a grandmother who springs to life with her childhood toy dog Pickles, voiced by Paul Whitehouse, on a last-minute shopping adventure set to Sam Fender's cover of 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'.

Critics including Edwina Currie and Mike Graham piled in alongside Morgan, with some branding the spoiled grandchildren's behaviour a reward for rudeness.

The advert has been called "tone deaf" amid the cost-of-living crisis, with its luxurious London-home setting seen as jarring with struggling families.

Creative testing firm System1 scored it 5.6 stars — John Lewis's highest-rated Christmas ad since 'Excitable Edgar' in 2019.

The TimesJohn Lewis wishes you a cold, hard Christmas Daily MailJohn Lewis defends under-fire Christmas advert and insists campaign conveys the 'true spirit of Christmas' after critics accused it of 'pandering to spoiled kids'MetroThe John Lewis Christmas advert proves everything wrong with modern Britain The TelegraphJohn Lewis’s Christmas ad is a bleak chronicle of family fracture Evening StandardGlamour gran and ‘ungrateful kids’ – John Lewis Christmas ad splits opinion The IndependentJohn Lewis Christmas ad slammed for ‘out-of-touch’ portrayal - The Independent Evening StandardJohn Lewis unveils Christmas advert starring Kristin Scott Thomas LBB - Little Black BookJohn Lewis Christmas Advert Scores 5.6 Stars, Its Highest Rating Since Excitable Edgar in 2019 — LBB - LBB - Little Black Book

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