Tom Holland stars as Percy Pig in Marks & Spencer Christmas advert

The actor says getting the character’s snort right ‘was a challenge’

Marks & Spencer has launched two new Christmas campaigns, one of which sees Tom Holland as the voice of the retailer’s famous “Percy Pig”.

On Thursday, 4 November, the supermarket released adverts showcasing its Christmas food collection and festive clothing range.

In the M&S Food advert, the brand’s iconic “Percy Pig” is brought to life, 29 years after the character was first created.

Voiced by Spiderman actor Tom Holland, Percy finds himself free to wander around the supermarket’s Stratford, London store after a Christmas fairy (voiced by Dawn French) accidentally drops her wand onto the gift he was wrapped up inside.

Percy Pig appears in supermarket’s new Christmas advert (Marks & Spencer)

Emerging from the box, he exclaims, “Christmas! I’ve never had a Christmas before.”

As he runs around the store, he discovers several of the supermarket’s Christmas food selections, including smoked salmon, a triple chocolate panettone and a golden blond Christmas pudding – of which he says he has “never seen anything so beautiful in [his] 23 seconds of life”.

Holland said it took him “less than a second” to say yes to voicing Percy. “I’ve loved Percy Pigs for as long as I can remember,” he said.

“Getting the snort right was a challenge, but I hope I nailed it and you all like what you hear! I did consider asking for a lifetime supply of Percy Pigs but I figured I’ve got to save room for all of that amazing M&S Christmas food!”

Dawn French voices a tiny Christmas fairy (Marks & Spencer)

In its 2021 “Family Matters” report, an annual study that aims to understand what families across the UK care about the most, M&S found that 39 per cent of people plan to have a bigger Christmas this year than they did before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sharry Cramond, director of marketing for M&S Food, said: “The M&S Christmas Food range this year is better than ever and who better to tell customers about our delicious Christmas food range than the national treasure and much-loved M&S icon himself, Percy Pig.

“Of course, he couldn’t have just any voice and having Tom Holland give Percy Pig his first words is about as exciting as it gets. Added to that the voice of the one and only Dawn French as the Christmas fairy – it’s the stuff of Christmas dreams!”

The supermarket has also created a new campaign to promote its festive clothing collection.

The short advert sees actor Madisyn Ritland dancing through a whimsical, musical world, celebrating Christmas with her family and friends as she goes.