Elton’s Christmas gift from John Lewis
ELTON JOHN has been signed up for one of the biggest gigs of his 50-year career – the John Lewis Christmas TV advert.
The flamboyant singer is being paid an astonishing £5m for the one-off appearance of the British department store. The multi-million pound signing is a dramatic bid by the chain to win the annual festive TV campaign battle against High Street rivals Marks and Spencer.
Last week Elton, 71, spent four days filming the Christmas advert. He had just returned from France, where he and husband David Furnish had been holidaying with David and Victoria Beckham and their family.
Viewers will see Elton playing piano at the climax of the ad. In earlier scenes, actors play him as a boy opening presents with other family members. His much-loved 1970 chart hit Your Song is the soundtrack.
Insiders said Elton’s fee is ‘substantial’ and makes up half of a total production cost of £10m.
A source on the set said: ‘John Lewis thinks having Elton on board will guarantee the ad’s popularity and blow Marks and Spencer out of the water. It’s a tear-jerker but also very sweet, and follows Elton from a child, through his teenage years, into how he is today. The end will be Elton playing his famous piano.’
The John Lewis Christmas ad has become a much-anticipated event since its first year in 2007. Last year it featured the story of a boy who befriends the monster under his bed. But Marks and Spencer was deemed to have won the ratings war by featuring Paddington Bear in its campaign.