Samuel L. Jackson has become the latest Hollywood celebrity to declare his love for Bolton as he stars in the new Warburtons TV advert.
Now, who the heck saw this coming? We’ll bet no one – and you’re likely lying if you claim you did.
The beloved Bolton-born bakery is absolutely no stranger to whipping up viral marketing campaigns featuring unexpected superstars, with acting titans George Clooney, Robert De Niro, and Sylvester Stallone having all fronted the company’s TV ads in the past.
And now, it seems to be Samuel L. Jackson’s turn, by the looks of things, as Warburtons has shared its latest commercial with the world this morning, and the legendary actor appears in the starring role.
The nation’s leading baked goods manufacturer says the new TV advert, which is titled Mad About The Bread, celebrates its “dedication” to making “the best quality loaf” of bread.
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The ad opens in the company‘s home town of Bolton, with Samuel L. Jackson seen taking over Jonathan Warburton’s office dressed in the current chairman’s office attire of blue shirt and orange tie, before he turns to camera and delivers the opening line – “Hi, I’m Jonathan Warburton, chairman of the UK’s largest family bakery.”
What follows next can only be described as an unexpectedly-incredible montage of moments showing Samuel L. Jackson – sorry, we mean ‘Jonathan Warburton’ – going on a quest to prove to a doubting bread-lover why Warburtons‘ legendary Toastie loaf is the best there is on UK shop shelves.
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Samuel L. Jackson is the star of the new Warburtons TV advert / Credit: Warburtons
‘Jonathan’ can be seen furiously-recalling the effort that goes into making the perfect Toastie loaf, that he emphatically declares is “packed full of the bakery’s unique blend of wheat and 147 years of baking expertise”, and is then shown testing the bread for “softness, butter-ability, and bounce-back-ability”, before he finally knocks the door down of Jonathan’s office, only to be met with the real Jonathan Warburton.
“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” the actual Warburton comments – and neither could we.
Samuel L. Jackson said it was “a pleasure” to star in the new advert and to meet “the man at the helm of Britain’s biggest family bakery”, adding that it was “an honour” to follow in the footsteps of other famous ‘Bolton alumni’.
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“We had a lot of fun on set, so I hope people enjoy the finished product – the ad AND Toastie Loaf,” Samuel L. Jackson concluded.
The legendary actor is the latest in a long line of the company’s unbelieveable collaborations / Credit: Warburtons
Jonathan Warburton said the new ad is “a real celebration” of the company’s passion.
“Inviting the big-screen hero of Samuel L. Jackson into the business was a uniquely memorable experience,” he added of the new advert, “And we hope to bring some light-hearted humour to viewers at home.
“All while reminding the nation that our Toastie truly offers our customers the best of the best.”
Featured Image – Warburtons
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The cheapest Christmas Markets in the world for mulled wine have been revealed
Daisy Jackson
The most affordable Christmas Markets for drinking mulled wine have been revealed – and Manchester is nowhere in sight.
With Christmas markets across Europe preparing to welcome millions of visitors, festive fans looking to enjoy a warming cup of glühwein without breaking the bank might want to take note of the latest findings.
Festive experts at Christmas Tree World have analysed mulled wine prices at Christmas markets around the world to discover where visitors can enjoy the seasonal favourite for less.
Topping the rankings is Brussels’ Winter Wonders, where mulled wine is available for as little as £2.14 – about a third of the price of a mulled wine at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
Cologne Cathedral Christmas Markets and Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik share second place, with starting prices of just £2.56.
Other European favourites also feature prominently in the rankings. Budapest’s Christmas Market at the Basilica takes fourth place, with mulled wine costing £3.19, while Prague’s Old Town Square Christmas Market comes in sixth at £3.55.
Germany makes another strong appearance, with Dresden’s Striezelmarkt and Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt (which handily just launched new direct flights from Manchester) both offering mulled wine for £3.85.
Meanwhile, Vienna’s Christmas World rounds off the European entries in ninth place, with prices starting at £4.28.
For those planning a festive adventure further afield, Tokyo’s Christmas Market also makes the top five, with mulled wine costing £3.22.
However, not every destination offers such a bargain. Across the Atlantic, New York City’s Winter Village takes the title of the most expensive market in the study, with mulled wine costing a rather less festive £11.74. Chicago’s Christkindlmarket isn’t far behind, charging £8.80.
Manchester Christmas Markets start on Friday 6 November – we’ll see how our prices stack up then.
Sir Ian McKellen pays emotional tribute to long-time friend and fellow northern actor Sir Patrick Stewart
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has paid an emotional tribute to his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Patrick Stewart, following his death.
Sir Patrick Stewart – who was born and bred in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, and is best-known for his theatre work alongside an illustrious 60-year screen career, taking on prominent roles in franchises such as Star Trek and X-Men – sadly passed away at the age of 86, with his death being announced publicly yesterday evening (29 October).
And now, his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Ian McKellen, has paid tribute.
Sir Patrick and Sir Ian shared the stage together countless times over their decades-long careers, but also famously starred alongside each other in the X-Men franchise, and subsequent Marvel movies, as Charles Xavier/Professor X and Magneto.
The tribute, shared across Sir Ian’s social media platforms, reads: “Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.
“We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions.
“My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in ‘Star Trek’. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”
“Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did, for not just his devoted Trekkies, but film and theatre audiences who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes (‘X-Men’ of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway.
“America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin.
“But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.”
Emily Sergeant -
20th September 2023 
