Happy Valley's James Norton is Santa as M&S unveils star-studded Christmas advert
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Happy Valley’s James Norton takes on the role of Santa in this year’s M&S Christmas advert.
After a little encouragement from Mrs Claus, Santa goes incognito so he can experience Christmas himself without being recognised.
He swaps his red suit for a Christmas jumper and shaves off his beard, suddenly looking a little younger and a lot less familiar, Santa, played by James Norton, leaves the North Pole behind and heads out into the world to experience Christmas from a different perspective.
His Christmas adventure takes him through the moments that make the season special: getting dressed up, gathering around a table of brilliant food, choosing gifts people will genuinely love and transforming the home for Christmas.
James said: “It’s not every day you get asked to play Santa, let alone a Santa who immediately shaves off his beard!
"M&S has been such a familiar part of Christmas for as long as I can remember, so getting to be part of its Christmas campaign feels really special. I loved that this story takes such an iconic character and lets us see him differently.
"He gets to experience Christmas like the rest of us, discovering that the real magic is in the food, traditions and moments we share with the people we love.
"It’s warm, funny and full of Christmas spirit, and I’m very happy to have been briefly trusted with the red suit.”
Alongside him is Amandaland’s Lucy Punch as Mrs Claus.
It is Mrs Claus who encourages Santa to lose the beard, leave the North Pole behind and experience for himself the Christmas magic being created in homes across the country.
Lucy Punch said: “M&S and Christmas just go hand in hand, so it was an absolute joy to become part of that tradition this year.
"I loved that Mrs Claus is the one who gets this story moving.
"She gives him the nudge so he can get out there incognito and experience the magic of Christmas for himself.
"There’s something very sweet and fun about their dynamic, and something quite lovely about the idea behind it: this idea that the magic you’re looking for is actually happening all around you.”
For more from M&S visit www.marksandspencer.com.