Good golly, Holly! Your place in the M&S Christmas ad has gone to a US model turned MeToo firebrand
BEING a quintessentially British brand, Marks & Spencer has traditionally hired home grown talent for its Christmas adverts.
But The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Holly Willoughby, Olivia Colman and Dame Helen Mirren, who have all appeared in the past, will be absent from this year’s campaign – and a top American model and activist will take on the lead d role instead.
Colorado-born Madisyn Ritland, 32, a former catwalk k star for US lingerie company y Victoria’s Secret, has been n signed up for the advert, which h will hit screens from November.
Her previous jobs also include modelling for Chanel, Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, and leading a 2018 campaign for Italian drinks brand Martini.
As well as holding down a modelling career, Miss Ritland has transformed herself into an activist, setting up her own New Yorkbased modelling agency, The Lions, to fight against models being mistreated.
She is also vice-president of a campaigning organisation called the Model Alliance to fight for the rights of those working in the industry.
The staunch feminist is vocal in America’s Time’s Up movement, which was set up to support victims of sexual harassment. In 2018, she found herself in a war of words with US reality star Kendall Jenner, who in an interview said she is ‘super-selective’ about the catwalk shows she takes part in, adding: ‘I was never one of those girls who would do, like ,30 shows a season or whatever the f*** those girls do.’ A furious Miss Ritland hit back, saying: ‘Not everyone is a social media titan and reality TV show royalty – a lot of people have to use other means. I took it personally. I got defensive of all my friends who work so hard.’
She also accused Victoria’s Secret photographer Karl Templar of forcibly kissing her, prompting him to reply: ‘I’ve never abused my power or position. I never forced any model to do anything.
‘I always took the Victoria’s Secret girls to my editorial work to make the brand look more modern.’
The M&S campaign, which insiders say is expected to be‘ much more glossy and highend’ than those of recent years, will be directed by American Autumn de Wilde. She was behind last year’s Oscar-nominated big-screen adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma.
She and Miss Ritland are understood to be friends – de Wilde directed the 2018 Martini advert. They also regularly comment on one another’s social media platforms.
The M&S campaign, which was filmed last week at a West London studio, comes just months after the high street giant formed a new inhouse marketing communications team. M&S said it was designed to give the retailer a more hands-on approach to its creative projects.
Huge rivalry has emerged in recent years as top chains compete for the most talked about Christmas campaigns, with Marks & Spencer and John Lewis often vying for the top spot.
Since it began making big-budget adverts in 2007, John Lewis has featured soundtracks by pop stars such as Sir Elton John.
M&S declined to comment.