Halloween is over, which can surely only mean one thing – Christmas is coming, Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé are defrosting as we speak and the John Lewis Christmas advert will be unveiled any day now.
The department store’s annual adverts have been a tradition in British culture since they began in 2007, and have seen the nation tear up over excitable dragons, a young Elton John and even the monster under the bed.
They’ve had stiff competition in recent years from the likes of Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and even McDonald’s – but we’re sure John Lewis’s usual mix of a slowed-down cover song and an emotional climax will still mark the official start of Christmas.
Here’s everything we know about the John Lewis Christmas Advert 2021.
When is the John Lewis Christmas Advert 2021 released?
The John Lewis Christmas advert is usually released on a Thursday or Friday in mid-November, with last year’s community-inspired tale released on 13th November.
However, Christmas may come early for John Lewis fans this year, as several clues have appeared in UK cities teasing some sort of reveal on Thursday 4th November.
#unexpectedGuest pic.twitter.com/HL1Tzrustb
— Lighting up Apsley (@lightingapsley) November 2, 2021
What appears to be a UFO crash landing has appeared in both London’s South Bank and Newcastle’s Northumberland Street, with a sign reading: “Christmas is landing 04/11/21 #UnexpectedGuest”
Despite some theories that this is actually promotion for fellow department store Fenwick, speculation is rife that this is John Lewis taking their Christmas advertisement to the next level.
John Lewis is yet to officially confirm whether the installations are for their upcoming promotion – but strongly hinted that was the case, after a spokesman for John Lewis told Radiotimes.com: “Speculation about our Christmas adverts is always out of this world.”
#unexpectedguest Can't wait until tomorrow! ???? pic.twitter.com/Couv0GcxMh
— Flamingo Family (@GeordieFlamingo) November 3, 2021
Expect some sort of reveal then on Thursday 4th November – and even if the full trailer is not released then, it will likely be unveiled a week later on 11th or 12th November.
John Lewis Christmas Advert 2021 theme and rumours
!["John]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2019/11/john-lewis-advert-7ed083f.png?quality=90&crop=100px%2C0px%2C1612px%2C1074px&resize=620%2C413" "\"john-lewis-advert\"")
Going by the UFO installations, it is highly likely that the John Lewis 2021 advert will be alien or at least space-themed.
The promotional hashtag #UnexpectedGuest also suggests that the advert will follow an alien visitor who crash-lands on Earth during the Christmas period, and will perhaps follow his struggles to fit in.
This is not the first time the John Lewis Christmas advert has gone intergalactic – the 2015 instalment memorably followed a little girl attempting to catch the attention of an elderly man living alone on the moon.
This advert was used to raise funds for Age UK, with subsequent promotions also having a charitable element, so it remains to be seen what charity a space theme could link to.
Last year’s advert, titled Give a Little Love, was inspired by the community spirit that emerged during lockdown – so this year’s offering may also reference the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
John Lewis Christmas Advert 2021 song
!["Adele"]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/11/GettyImages-1229269763-2334427.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413" "\"Adele\"")
A now-traditional slowed-down cover song has featured in the adverts since 2009, and they’re now just as anticipated as the ad itself. Several of the songs have become UK number ones, and the 2019 advert even had Elton John both performing and starring in it.
However, the 2020 advert broke with tradition and featured a newly-commissioned song rather than an emotional cover, with Celeste both writing and singing A Little Love.
Adele is overwhelmingly the favourite to sing the 2021 John Lewis advert song, with Betfair offering odds of 2/1 for the Someone Like You singer. It would be awfully good timing considering Adele is now releasing new music, and it’s safe to say the singer-songwriter nailed it when she was hired for the James Bond theme song – surely she’d be perfect for an emotional, haunting Christmas cover?
However several other established artists and up-and-comers are popular choices – so we’ll have to wait and see whose voice will surely be stuck in heads – and the charts – all Christmas…
Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: “Having teased her new song, Adele is hot favourite to be John Lewis’s choice to sing in their iconic Christmas advert.
“However, the British songstress has stiff competition from the likes of Anne Marie at 5/1, Arlo Parks at 7/1 and Freya Riding at 12/1. Established names such as Ed Sheeran and Coldplay are 14/1 and 33/1 respectively, while Oasis are an outside shout at 100/1.”
If you’re looking for something to watch, see our TV Guide.