Waitrose Christmas Advert 2026: Keira Knightley Returns in Six-Minute Romcom Sequel The Perfect Gift 2

10th November 2026

Updated 10 Nov 2026, 09:28 · First published 10 Nov 2026

Waitrose has brought back Keira Knightley and comedian Joe Wilkinson for The Perfect Gift 2, a six-minute romcom sequel that is the longest Christmas advert the supermarket has ever made.

Last year’s hit ad ended with Phil (Wilkinson) winning Keira over at the Waitrose deli counter. This time she is about to marry someone else, and Phil has one shot, and one beef Wellington, to stop the wedding.

Waitrose Christmas advert 2026

TitleThe Perfect Gift 2

LengthAbout six minutes – Waitrose’s longest ever

StarsKeira Knightley (as herself), Joe Wilkinson (Phil)

Also featuringAlex Hassell, Dermot O’Leary, Alison Hammond

The foodBeef Wellington and a festive platter

FollowsThe Perfect Gift (2025)

What happens in the Waitrose Christmas advert?

Keira is about to marry Hugo Bunty-Griffin, played by Rivals star Alex Hassell. The character is a send-up of Rupert Campbell-Black, and it soon becomes clear that his vanity makes him the wrong man for her.

Phil, now single and sporting a beard, watches the wedding coverage on This Morning, where Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond have a laugh at his expense. His friends rally round, turning up with Waitrose bags full of everything he needs to make a beef Wellington.

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Cue a race to the church, complete with a flat tyre and a tumble. Phil hands Keira the Wellington and a jar with a simple message on it: “marry me instead?”

Hugo is left standing at the altar. Back home, Phil finds Keira in his kitchen, still in her wedding dress, putting together a celebration platter. They kiss, and the proposal is accepted.

Spot the Notting Hill nod

Film fans will catch the cheekiest line of the ad. Keira borrows from Julia Roberts in Notting Hill: “I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy.”

There is also the silent plea Phil makes with his eyes, summed up in the ad as: “don’t marry this handsome cheat, be my wife and shop at Waitrose with me for ever more.”

Who is in the cast?

Actor	Role
Keira Knightley	Herself
Joe Wilkinson	Phil
Alex Hassell	Hugo Bunty-Griffin, the groom
Dermot O’Leary	Himself, presenting This Morning
Alison Hammond	Herself, presenting This Morning

Keira has been busy with Christmas this season. She has also been talking about how little it means to her when fans quote her famous Love Actually scene back at her.

How does it compare with the other Christmas adverts?

Waitrose has gone long while most rivals stick to one or two minutes. You can see every big UK Christmas advert released so far in our round-up, from M&S to Arsenal.