M&S has pulled an outtake post from its 2023 Christmas advert after being hit with strong backlash for showing burning paper hats that resembled the Palestinian flag.
The retailer has also publicly apologised and addressed the controversy in an official statement.
As the distressing Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East – which began on 7 October after a deadly Hamas attack on Israel, and has since led to ongoing military action – continues to escalate by the day, with more than 1,400 Israelis and upwards of 9,000 Palestinians said to have lost their lives as a result of the conflict, official sources have declared, M&S has found itself in hot water over an outtake shared from its 2023 Christmas campaign.
With its slogan for the festive season being #LoveThismasNotThatmas, the retailer’s TV advert this year seems to be centred around the theme of encouraging customers to focus on enjoying themselves, rather than conforming to Christmas traditions they’re not so keen on.
People blowtorching Christmas cards, whacking a toy elf with a baseball bat, and shredding silver hats are just some of the scenes in the 2023 advert – which is fronted by Ted Lasso star, Hannah Waddingham.
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To give customers a glimpse behind the scenes at the advert – which also features singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, actress Zawe Ashton, Queer Eye’s Tan France, and more – M&S took to social media to share an outtake image from the advert to tease its imminent release.
The image depicted red, silver, and green Christmas paper hats being tossed into a burning fireplace.
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Hannah Waddingham in M&S’s Christmas clothing and home advert for 2023 / Credit: M&S
The post was accompanied on social media with the caption: “This Christmas, do what you love… like saying no to paper hats” – with the hashtag #LoveThismasNotThatmas at the end.
Given the current contentious climate, people subsequently began to point-out on social media that the choice of colours of the paper hats resembled the colours of the Palestinian flag – leading to M&S making the decision to pull the post, and addressing the situation in its defence in an official statement.
The retailer has palso issued a public apology “for any unintentional hurt caused” alongside its statement.
Once again taking to social media, M&S’s statement reads: “Today we shared an outtake image from our Christmas Clothing and Home advert, which was recorded in August.
“It showed traditional, festive coloured red, green and silver Christmas paper party hats in a fire grate.
“While the intent was to playfully show that some people just don’t enjoy wearing paper Christmas hats over the festive season, we have removed the post following feedback, and we apologise for any unintentional hurt caused.
Featured Image – M&S
TV & Showbiz
A TV channel playing Christmas films 24/7 is now back on air in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Do you think it’s too early for the ‘C word’? Never mind, you’ve already clicked on this article.
Sure, we may only be into our second full week of September, but given the fact the weather these past couple of days hasn’t exactly screamed summer, it already feels like the festive season is around the corner – but whether or not you think it’s too early to be talking about Christmas, it’ll soon be too tricky to escape from.
Especially not when the famous TV channel showing festive film favourites non-stop is now back on air in the UK.
Yes, you heard that right – Christmas films, 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
If you’re ready to wave goodbye to summer, and in welcome autumn and winter with open arms, then there’s arguably no better way of getting into the festive spirit than with the long-awaited and highly-anticipated return of the TV channel that’s charmed audiences for over half a decade now.
GREAT! Christmas the UK’s biggest seasonal channel, and it’s now live on Sky, Freesat, Freeview and Virgin Media.
You can expect almost four months of back-to-back seasonal movies.
The 24-hour feel-good and free-to-air channel will be bursting with non-stop Christmas spirit, and will be showing a heartwarming lineup of festive films – including some absolute fan-favourite classics that make it to screens every year without fail, alongside some cheesy Hallmark classics, new channel premieres, and so much more.
Viewers will find GREAT! Christmas on Freeview channel 51, Sky 319, Sky (Glass/Stream) 317, Virgin channel 424, and Freely channel 47.
The channel will run until early January.
Featured Image – Freestocks (via Unsplash)
TV & Showbiz
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it
Emily Sergeant
Erling Haaland has answered the all-important question.
The question heard around the world, the question on everyone’s lips, a question that has absolutely nothing to do with football whatsoever… that’s right, he’s answered Letterboxd’s famous question of ‘what are your four favourite films?’.
If you’re unaware of what Letterboxd is, it describes itself as being an ‘online diary platform and app for film lovers’ and it gives users the chance to display their four favourite films at the top of their profile for all to see (and judge).
An extension of this has then been Letterboxd asking celebrities in press junket interviews and on red carpets what their ‘four faves’ are – and it’s gone on to become something of a phenomenon in the film world.
Everyone from massive A-list movie stars, to indie darlings and up-and-coming names have answered this question before, and now (it appears) to be Erling Haaland’s turn.
He’s not the first footballer to be tasked with question though, as the entire Spurs team was ambushed with it by former player – and famously massive cinephile – Alfie Whiteman last year, but it’s fair to say that after the summer he’s had with Norway at the World Cup, achieving international fame in the process, that Haaland is one of the most high-profile to answer it in a long while.
So, what’s on Erling’s list then?
Well, to self-confessed ‘film bros’ out there, you’re not going to find any deep cuts in this selection unfortunately, and you’re probably not going to get any recommendations for movies you haven’t seen before either, but come on, he is only a footballer after all.
Erling Haaland has named his four favourite films… and fans have a lot to say on it / Credit: Letterboxd
First up for the Manchester City striker is a pretty common pick by straight white men, it’s The Wolf of Wall Street, and he doesn’t give much of a reason for it, other than just suggesting: “I think you understand why”.
He then follows that up with Ridley Scott’s classic Gladiator, calling it ‘amazing’, before naming 2004’s epic Troy, and then rounding it out with a Christmas favourite for many, Home Alone, adding that he ‘watched it a lot as a kid, and then again now’.
As for fan reaction to Haaland’s four favourites, let’s just say it’s been mixed.
Among the 1,000+ comments on the Instagram video, you’ll find just as many people called him ‘king’ and saying he has ‘goated’ taste, as you will comments like this: “He has the most male gazed top four in history of Letterboxd.”
Emily Sergeant -
3rd November 2023 
