Kristin Scott Thomas's John Lewis Christmas advert is branded 'awful' over 'spoilt' grandchildren and a wealthy gran

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas stars as wealthy grandmother Gloria in the John Lewis 2026 Christmas ad, which has drawn a furious backlash within hours of its release for depicting rude grandchildren who only warm to their gran after she splashes out on expensive gifts. Piers Morgan called it 'possibly the worst advert I've ever seen for anything' and said it would 'actively dissuade' him from shopping at John Lewis. Julia Hartley-Brewer condemned it as 'basically an advert for buying gifts for ungrateful kids with terrible parents', while Sarah Vine savaged its 'useless, weak parents' and 'terrible mauling of the Rolling Stones'.

On YouTube, dislikes are running at five times the number of likes — and the comments section has been turned off.

Allison Pearson branded it 'disgusting', saying it was 'hard to think of a more unChristian message for Christmas'.

Mick Jagger approved Sam Fender's Rolling Stones cover used in the ad, but the feel-good soundtrack has done little to save it from one of the worst public receptions in the campaign's 20-year history.