Waitrose teases return of Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson for Christmas advert sequel

Waitrose is getting into the festive spirit early, teasing the return of Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson for this year’s Christmas advertising campaign.

Entitled The Perfect Gift 2, the new advert will reunite the unlikely romantic pairing, following last year’s festive love story which saw the two characters find romance in the aisles of the upmarket supermarket.

A new teaser has already given viewers a glimpse of what’s to come, showing Knightley running down a Waitrose aisle wearing a wedding dress. But whether wedding bells are about to ring remains to be seen.

The supermarket has confirmed that the full advert will be released on Tuesday, 10 November, at 6.30am.

In its press release, Waitrose said: “Keira Knightley reprises her most personal role to date, playing herself, alongside Joe Wilkinson as Phil ‘Phil Phil’, the lovelorn everyman who won her heart last Christmas.

“This year, Keira swaps the wedding aisle for the man she met in the Waitrose aisle. But will their festive love story have a happy ending?”

Knightley, known for films including Love Actually and more recently the Netflix thriller Black Doves, returns alongside Wilkinson, whose television credits include After Life.

The campaign represents another attempt by Waitrose to establish a memorable festive advertising tradition, with the retailer clearly hoping audiences will be just as invested in the couple’s latest chapter as they were in their unlikely romance last year.

There will also be an added incentive for the supermarket to deliver a hit this Christmas. Its parent company, John Lewis Partnership, has faced a wave of criticism from advertising industry commentators and consumers over this year’s John Lewis Christmas campaign, putting further attention on the group’s festive marketing efforts.

Waitrose will also be looking closely at the reception for rival Marks & Spencer’s latest Christmas offering, which was released this morning.

Starring James Norton and Amandaland actress Lucy Punch, the M&S campaign is another high-profile contender in what is always one of the most competitive periods in the UK advertising calendar.

With the return of Knightley and Wilkinson, Waitrose is hoping that a little festive romance will prove to be the perfect recipe for Christmas advertising success.

The Perfect Gift 2 premieres on Tuesday, 10 November at 6.30am on wheretowatch.tv.

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