Yes, Waitrose has done it again. The supermarket released its 2026 Christmas advert in the early hours of Tuesday, November 10, 2026, and it is a six-minute sequel called The Perfect Gift 2. Keira Knightley returns as herself, Joe Wilkinson returns as Phil, and this time Phil has to win her back before she marries someone else. The film premiered on YouTube and Waitrose.com, and fans were already reacting to it on YouTube the same morning. Waitrose says it is the longest advert ever produced by a UK supermarket, two minutes longer than last year.
Quick Facts
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Film title | The Perfect Gift 2 |
| Length | Six minutes |
| Release date | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 |
| Where to watch | YouTube and Waitrose.com |
| Stars | Keira Knightley, Joe Wilkinson, Alex Hassell |
| Also appearing | Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond |
| Director | Molly Manners |
| Created with | Wonderhood Studios through Biscuit Filmworks |
| Media planning | MG OMD |
| Last year film | The Perfect Gift, four minutes long |
What Happens in The Perfect Gift 2
The story picks up where last Christmas left off, but the happy ending has not lasted. Phil, played by Joe Wilkinson, won Keira Knightley over last year after the pair met at a Waitrose cheese counter. This year, things have gone wrong, and Knightley is set to marry another man.
That man is Hugo Bunty-Griffin, played by Alex Hassell, the star of Rivals. Hugo is wealthy, polished and very sure of himself. The wedding is set for three o’clock, and Phil has very little time to change the ending. Phil is no grand romantic hero. He is an ordinary man, a little awkward and very much in love, and his friends persuade him he cannot just sit at home and let the wedding happen.
So Phil cooks. His plan is a homemade beef Wellington. He cannot compete with Hugo on money or polish, so he competes with care, putting his time and his heart into a dish he hopes will remind Knightley why she fell for him. The film plays out like a short romantic comedy, with snow-dusted country houses, a soaring score, and a nod to Notting Hill for film fans.
The Cast of the Waitrose Christmas Advert 2026
Keira Knightley plays herself, just as she did last year. She is not playing a made-up character with a made-up name. She is Keira Knightley, a film star, falling for an ordinary man in a supermarket. The joke works because it is so unlikely, and the romance works because both actors play it straight.
Joe Wilkinson returns as Phil, sometimes called Phil Phil, the lovelorn everyman who won her heart last Christmas. Wilkinson is best known as a comedian, and he brings that timing to the role, but he also plays Phil with real feeling. The audience has to believe Knightley could love this man, and Wilkinson makes that easy to believe.
Alex Hassell joins as Hugo Bunty-Griffin, the new love rival. Hassell is known to television viewers from Rivals, and he plays Hugo as smooth, confident and a little too pleased with himself. He is the perfect contrast to Phil. Where Phil is warm and a bit messy, Hugo is neat and polished. Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond also appear, adding to the sense that this is a proper Christmas television event.
Why Waitrose Made a Sequel
Last year The Perfect Gift was a big success for Waitrose, and the supermarket has been open about why it wanted to return to the story. Nathan Ansell, Waitrose chief customer officer, said that last year showed emotional, entertainment-first storytelling cuts through the festive noise, builds brand affinity and creates genuine cultural momentum. The sequel aims to build on that connection and bring the story full circle.
That thinking explains the six-minute length. Most Christmas adverts run for one or two minutes, so a six-minute film is a bold choice. Waitrose is betting viewers will watch because last year they did more than watch. They talked about the film, shared it, and came back to it. A sequel gives those viewers a reason to return, and it gives new viewers a story that is easy to pick up.
The campaign is also built around the idea of a film release, rather than a normal advert launch. There are trailers, cinema advertising and romcom-style posters, just like a real movie. The full film sits on Waitrose owned channels, supported by 60-second and 30-second trailers. It is a smart move in a crowded season, when every supermarket competes for the same attention, and a sequel starts with an audience that is already invested.
Fans who enjoy this kind of festive comeback can also look at the Google Holiday 100 trending gifts for 2026 to see what shoppers are searching for this year, and at the Aldi Kevin the Carrot Christmas advert for 2026 to compare how another supermarket is handling its own festive favourite.
The Food at the Heart of the Story
For all the romance and comedy, this is still a Waitrose advert, and the food is never far from the centre of the story. The beef Wellington is not just a plot device. It is the dish that Phil cooks to win Knightley back, and it carries the whole emotional weight of the film. A homemade meal, made with care, matters more than anything money can buy. That is a message that fits Waitrose and its Home of food lovers positioning very well.
The festive range features throughout the film. Viewers will spot No.1 Handmade Polar Bear Bao Buns, No.1 Ham and Cheese Croissant Stacks, and No.1 Pistachio and Sour Cherry Frangipane Mince Pies. These are the products Waitrose wants shoppers to talk about and try over Christmas, and placing them inside the story makes them feel like part of the celebration.
There are also separate product adverts featuring the cast alongside items from the Christmas range. In these shorter films, the cast members lose themselves mid-conversation, distracted by the food in front of them. Christmas is a time when many people cook for the people they love, and Phil beef Wellington is an ordinary man trying his best in the kitchen, which many viewers will recognise.
How the Campaign Will Roll Out
The launch is bigger than a single film. MG OMD led the media strategy, planning and buying, and the activity runs across TV, video on demand, cinema, print, outdoor, audio, social and online channels. There is also PR and in-store marketing, so shoppers will see the campaign in the supermarket as well as on their screens.
The film-release style rollout is a key part of the plan. The 60-second and 30-second trailers will run on television and in cinemas, teasing the twists of the longer film and sending viewers to watch the full six minutes online. The romcom-style posters add to that feeling, making the campaign look like a film that happens to be about Christmas.
The launch is also supported by a press junket, behind-the-scenes footage and bloopers. That extra material gives fans more to watch after the main film, and it gives the cast a chance to talk about making it. There is cooking content with @whatwillycook, which ties the film back to the food at its heart, and a partnership with Meet Cutes London, which fits the romantic comedy theme.
For readers who enjoy big entertainment moments at this time of year, the Johnny Depp Ebenezer London premiere is another festive season story worth a look, with a very different take on Christmas on screen.
Where to Watch The Perfect Gift 2
The full film premiered on Waitrose channels including YouTube at 6.30am on November 10, and it is also available on Waitrose.com. Fans were already leaving comments on YouTube the same morning, which suggests the sequel has landed well with the audience that loved the first film.
If you have not seen last year The Perfect Gift, it is worth watching first. The sequel stands on its own, but the first film explains how Phil and Knightley met, and why their reunion matters so much. Together, the two films run for ten minutes, a perfect short watch for a cold November evening. There is no confirmed news yet about viewing figures for the new film, and it is too early to say how it will compare with last year.
FAQs
Is The Perfect Gift 2 a real sequel to last year Waitrose advert?
Yes. The Perfect Gift 2 follows on directly from last year The Perfect Gift. Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson return, and the story continues their romance. The new film is six minutes long, two minutes longer than the four-minute original, and it introduces Alex Hassell as a new love rival.
Who plays the love rival in the Waitrose Christmas advert 2026?
Alex Hassell plays Hugo Bunty-Griffin, the wealthy groom-to-be who Knightley is set to marry. Hassell is best known to many viewers from Rivals. Hugo is polished and confident, and he is the main obstacle standing between Phil and Knightley before the three o’clock wedding.
How long is the Waitrose Christmas advert 2026?
The full film runs for six minutes. Waitrose says it is the longest advert ever produced by a UK supermarket. Shorter 60-second and 30-second trailers will run on television, video on demand and in cinemas, while the full six-minute film sits on Waitrose owned channels including YouTube and Waitrose.com.
What food features in The Perfect Gift 2?
The most important dish is the homemade beef Wellington that Phil cooks in his attempt to win Knightley back. The wider festive range also features throughout, including No.1 Handmade Polar Bear Bao Buns, No.1 Ham and Cheese Croissant Stacks, and No.1 Pistachio and Sour Cherry Frangipane Mince Pies.
SOURCES
Final Thoughts
The Perfect Gift 2 is a warm and confident follow-up to a film that many viewers already loved. It keeps the same stars, the same director and the same gentle humour, and it adds a wedding deadline, a love rival and a homemade beef Wellington to raise the stakes. The six-minute length is a bold move, but it gives the story room to breathe in a way a short advert never could.
Whether Phil wins Knightley back is something viewers should discover by watching the film for themselves. What is certain is that Waitrose has once again made a Christmas advert that feels like entertainment first and advertising second, and that is why people are talking about it on the morning of its release. For a supermarket at Christmas, that kind of conversation is the perfect gift.
