Christmas ad 'shock' for Fender's old school choir

15 hours ago

Evie LakeNorth East and Cumbria

Sam Fender sings a Rolling Stones cover in the 2026 John Lewis Christmas advert

Melissa Gardner Sam Fender looking into the camera with a straight face. He has short, brown hair which is longer on the top and light stubble. He is wearing a black and red sports jacket over a white t-shirt and a thick silver chain around his neck. He sitting on the edge of a double bed leaning forwards slightly. There is a large window behind the bed covered by a sheer white curtain. — Sam Fender sings a Rolling Stones cover in the 2026 John Lewis Christmas advert

A chance encounter with an old music teacher ended with the "real shock" of Sam Fender's old school providing vocals for the John Lewis Christmas ad this year.

Without telling them Fender enlisted the help of current pupils at John Spence Community High School in North Shields to re-record the choir for his cover of the Rolling Stones classic You Can't Always Get What You Want.

Head of music at John Spence, Damien Grazzer, said the invitation was a "real shock" but it was an "amazing experience" for the children involved.

The singer also reunited with the Easington Colliery Band for the track after they worked together on his last album.

Fender said: "In the spirit of Christmas, we re-recorded the children's choir with the kids from my old school... and we arranged a brass section with the Easington Colliery Band."

Proceeds from the sale of the single, which includes Fender's 2020 cover of Winter Song, will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust and Action for Children.

Easington Colliery Band made Fender an honorary member when they worked together in 2025

Easington Colliery Band Dozens of brass band members are sitting in a U-shape with their instruments and smiling at the camera. Sam Fender, also in the red and navy band uniform, sits at the front alongside Peter Lawson. — Easington Colliery Band made Fender an honorary member when they worked together in 2025

Grazzer, who has worked at the school for more than 20 years, said the latest scholars became involved after he bumped into old boy Fender in the summer holidays.

"It came as a real shock to be honest," he said.

The pupils were not told what the recording was for and only had a day to rehearse, but Fender made an emotional appearance towards the end of the recording session.

"He even said just looking at the tie and the uniform really brought back his fondness for high school and his teachers," Grazzer said.

"What an amazing experience for those students, it's something that they'll never forget, it'll be there forever."

"Just to give something back like that I think is absolutely incredible."

Easington Colliery Band, who feature on the track Remember My Name on 2025's People Watching album, performed with Fender during his stadium tour last year.

Principal cornet player Dan Robson said the hardest thing was not being able to tell anyone about the latest collaboration.

"It's turned into a relationship more than just that kind of one job," Robson said.

"So when we got this phone call it was kind of like 'oh brilliant here we go again'."

He described the experience as "unbelievable", saying Fender "puts everything into everything".

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