McDonald’s unveils its feel-good Christmas advert – and it will be VERY familiar to fans of festive film Love Actually

• The advert is set to premiere on TV during ITV’s The Voice on 11 November 
• READ MORE: Battle of the Christmas ads! Watch all the festive offerings so far

McDonald’s UK has released its Christmas advert for 2023 – and it might look a little familiar to fans of Richard Curtis’s festive film Love Actually. 

The 60-second clip, called Fancy a McDonald’s? and set to Van Halen’s 80s smash hit Jump, echoes the famous scene from the 2003 Christmas film when Andrew Lincoln’s character appears at the front door of Keira Knightley’s character and declares his love for her. 

It kicks off with two people singing karaoke at a work party before one of them, a lady decked out in a snowman costume, receives a message on her phone inviting her for a trip to McDonald’s. Without hesitation, she makes a swift exit, accompanied by a man in a shark costume and a few other colleagues. 

But as the group continues to build and the McDonald’s fans pick up more people heading to the golden arches, the scene is reminiscent of another clip from the 2003 Christmas film, when Colin Firth’s character marches through the streets of a Portuguese town to find his love, Aurelia. 

A playful nod to the movie Love Actually is made as one man holds up queue cards on another man’s doorstep, while hoards of people rush past in the background in the 60-second clip 

The advert even includes a modern-day children’s nativity scene as spectators watch a Christmas production – much like the stage production in the film.

A long-running joke in Richard Curtis’s Christmas classic is that the nativity play put on by the children of Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson veers from tradition in casting a lobster and an octopus.

In the 2023 advert, the group of McDonald’s fans march through the streets as they head to the fast food restaurant after being faced with train cancellations.

They stroll through a festive Christmas market, showcasing various stalls glowing under the twinkling lights. 

The Fancy A McDonald’s? advert kicks off with two people singing karaoke at a work party

A busy train station is filled with hundreds of people eagerly awaiting their rides. Faced with the cancellation of all trains, the crowd makes a collective decision to head outdoors

As they hurry down the street, they catch the attention of a local Father Christmas, who abandons his grotto to join their group

Upon reaching the fast food restaurant, the cheerful staff eagerly attend to the influx of customers. Suddenly, as if by magic, it begins to snow. 

The camera then pans to the sky, framing the iconic logo and Fancy A McDonald’s? slogan as it bounces across the screen.

The advert comes after the launch of McDonald’s Festive Wins promotion, providing customers the chance to get their hands on incredible food offers and exclusive merch – including a jazzy pair of branded Christmas socks.

There will be a total of 18 chances to grab your favourite menu items for as little as 99p, available exclusively on the McDonald’s app. 

The feel-good Christmas advert is set to premiere on TV during ITV’s The Voice on 11 November.

The cast of a school nativity play, along with their parents, are seen running out of Cheamford School Hall as soon as the final song is sung

Diverse communities from various parts of the UK and Ireland come together outside, en route to the Golden Arches 

The influx of customers approach the fast food restaurant as it magically begins to snow

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