Waitrose serves up a joyous Christmas ad 'cheesier than its deli counter...'

The John Lewis Christmas ad may have proved to be a turkey. But its sister brand, Waitrose, is on course to save the festive season by bringing home the beef – the beef Wellington, that is. 

The pastry-wrapped dish shares star billing with Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson, both reprising their roles in a follow-up to last year's ad that saw Wilkinson play a glum widower, Phil, who bumps into Knightley at the cheese counter in their local Waitrose. 

Titled The Perfect Gift, the ad 'His Wellington lands at her feet' proved so popular with customers that the supermarket chain decided to release a six-minute sequel this year. 

And what a sequel it is. Forget Casablanca: nothing tugs the heartstrings like one of the greatest love stories never told – an A-list actress who falls in love with a 'normal' person.

After 12 months of waiting to see what happens next, will Keira finally have her happy ending? Will this be the Christmas that Phil finally gets his girl? 

The story starts promisingly enough, with Knightley in a wedding gown. But wait, what cad in yonder distance lies? It's Hugo Bunty Griffin, played by Alex Hassell in full Rupert-Campbell Black-in-Rivals mode.

Before you can say 'Sussex charmer', the unexpected couple are at the altar, exchanging vows. 

The vicar asks Hassell whether he plans 'to honour and remain faithful'.'

Wedding wows: Keira Knightley returns for this year's Waitrose Christmas advert

Love Rival: Hugo Bunty Griffin, played by Alex Hassell, appears to have stolen her affections

Got beef: Joe Wilkinson returns as widower Phil who is desperate to win Keira back

Even the messaging on the relish jar is desperate to pull Keira away to her true love

I'll give it a go. Perhaps. No. Deffo,' he says, with a mischievous wink. 

Just as the vicar is about to pronounce them cad and wife, in bursts Phil, clutching a home made beef Wellington. 

It turns out that marrying an A-list celebrity isn't pie in the sky after all. Instead, it's pie in the aisle, as Phil is tackled to the ground by the groom's best men, dropping his Wellington, which lands neatly at his beloved's feet alongside a homemade jar of 'Marry Me Instead' relish. 

Ejected with force from the wedding, Phil walks home despondently, realising he doesn't stand a chance against his handsome Rival. But a rom-commercial wouldn't be a rom-commercial without a happy ending. 

The story concludes with Keira in Phil's kitchen, a stripy John Lewis apron over her wedding gown, lovingly making him a cheese plate. 

To the soaring chords of Jennifer Rush's 1984 ballad, The Power of Love, the couple kiss.

Yes, the ad is cheesier than the Waitrose deli counter. But when it comes to 'winning' Christmas, The Perfect Gift 2 is on course to give Marks & Spencer a run for its money. 

Happy ending: The Perfect Gift 2 is on course to give Marks & Spencer a run for its money

Different as the ads are, their similarities are striking. Both draw on references from well-loved festive films: M&S's plot is loosely based on Elf, while Waitrose's draws on Love, Actually. 

Both also star well-loved TV characters who essentially reprise their roles, with actress Lucy Punch channelling BBC sitcom Amandaland's Amanda in the same manner as Alex Hassell reprises Rupert Campbell-Black. 

Both even feature beards as a plotline. 

Directed by Bafta-winning Molly Manners, it has all the ingredients for a festive hit, including a love triangle, a car chase and cameos from This Morning hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary. 

Although the main ingredient, of course, is food. You'd have to have a heart of stone not to be cheered by the message that, even in the age of Ozempic, the key to a woman's heart is grub, actually.