Marks and Spencer has released its long-awaited Christmas ad to much fanfare – but it hasn't won over everyone.

The festive offering features celebrities like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Hannah Waddingham and Zawe Ashton doing what appear to be some rather anti-Christmas things. And some people have suggested it's a bit "dark" for a Yuletide advert.

It opens with the stars doing traditional festive things like decorating cakes, hanging ornaments on the tree and playing party games, to the sound of Meat Loaf's I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That). But one by one, they start giving up and doing whatever it is they really want to do.

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Singer Sophie sets fire to Christmas cards she didn't get around to writing, whiled Hannah tosses her party hats into a wood chipper and a board game ends up in a fish tank. Zawe heads to the roof of her house with a roll of wrapping paper, where she bats a toy elf into the night.

"This year’s ad is about recognising that we all have different Christmases and reminding people that it doesn’t matter how you celebrate, just do what makes you happy," M&S explained as it shared the ad on X, formerly Twitter.

Lots of viewers loved the idea of being true to yourself at Christmas, with one person posting that they "loved it" and another calling it "fabulous". "Love it, too much pressure trying to please everyone," said someone else., as another called it "genius".

"Do what you like for Christmas not what you’re told to like," said one person. Another agreed: "I love this! We are so often told we have to do this and that."

However, others were really unimpressed, with some calling it "dreadful" and saying that it was "depressing". "This ad is a bit weird," one person said on X. "Creepy too. Showing people's darker side at Christmas. 3 out of 10 M&S."

"The worst M&S Christmas ad I’ve seen – shame, they used to be great," sniped someone else. Another person remarked: "Absolutely disgraceful. As if the world isn’t already messed up."

Another viewer suggested that setting fire to Christmas cards sent the wrong message. "Not exactly responsible viewing that’ll be seen by kids on TV adverts," they added.

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