Johnny Depp

Waitrose may be one of the last retailers to unveil its Christmas adverts but it has produced a cracker, with Actress Keira Knightley and comedian Joe Wilkinson making an unlikely match

Actress Keira Knightley and comedian Joe Wilkinson star as the unlikely pairing in a romantic Christmas advert for Waitrose.

The festive offering, directed by Bafta-award winning director Molly Manners, follows Knightley and Wilkinson as their relationship blossoms over a shared love of food.

It begins with Wilkinson’s character, forlorn ‘Phil’, sitting in a pub with mates who are urging him to move on in love. He says of his lost love that “the only person I could move on with was Keira Knightley”, to which his friend replies “good luck with that mate.”

As luck would have it, a downcast Phil pops into a branch of Waitrose and standing at the cheese counter when he asks – at the same moment – for the identical ‘Sussex Charmer’ variety as Knightley. Phil plucks up his courage and asks her out, to which Knightley agrees. From there love slowly blooms. But it all appears to go wrong when Phil finds a present to what he assumes is a love rival. Using his culinary skills, Phil vows to win her heart by recreating Keira’s Nan’s turkey pie recipe.

Knightley, whose big screen hits include Bend It Like Beckham through to Pirates of the Caribbean alongside Johnny Depp, said: “I love food, and so when I received this script where I get to fall head over heels in love over a shared love of cheese, I couldn’t turn it down. I adored working on this silly, fun and delicious film with Joe, and I hope those watching it fall in love too.”

Wilkinson, fresh from starring in hit BBC show The Celebrity Traitors, said: “As you can imagine, it was tough having to eat the delicious Waitrose food and falling in love with Keira, but I just got on with it, like the trooper I am.”

Wilkinson reprises his role as Phil from the grocer’s 2024 ‘whodunnit’ festive advert. The soundtrack features the song She’s A Star by British band James.

Waitrose chief customer officer Nathan Ansell said: “Our four-minute Christmas film – an industry first – pays homage to the seasonal romantic comedy tradition, celebrates the exciting and elevated Waitrose festive food offering, and adds a little more of that warm, fuzzy feeling to the holiday season.”

Ms Manners said: “We had such a great time making the perfect miniature romcom with food as a love language deep at its heart. The combination of Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson is magical in such an unexpected way. I hope they knock your socks clean off, as they did mine.”

The biographical crime drama starring Hollywood heavyweights Johnny Depp and Christian Bale is airing on Film4 tonight where fans can watch the thrilling true-story unfold.

Fans of crime dramas are in for a massive treat tonight as a star-studded gangster film is set to air on Film4.

The 2009 biographical crime drama, directed by Michael Mann and starring Hollywood heavyweights Christian Bale and Johnny Depp, will transport viewers back to the American Depression-era with a thrilling story based on true events. Public Enemies will be broadcast tonight, November 10, at 10:50pm on Film4. The film’s screenplay was co-written by Ann Biderman and Ronan Bennett, adapted from Bryan Burrough’s 2004 non-fiction book titled Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34.

The plot centres around the charismatic Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger, who becomes a folk hero to much of America’s downtrodden public, but also a major headache for J. Edgar vacuum and the fledgling FBI. In a desperate bid to capture the elusive outlaw, vacuum makes Dillinger his first Public Enemy Number One and assigns his top agent, Melvin Purvis, the task of bringing him in dead or alive.

Joining Depp and Bale in the stellar cast are Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Billy Crudup, Channing Tatum, Stephen Dorff, Stephen Lang, and Giovanni Ribisi, among others, reports the Express.

Discussing his role as Melvin Purvis in a 2009 Collider interview, Bale revealed: “I recognize of course that it’s very much a supporting role in this movie, but I just couldn’t help but become really fascinated with the character and became very affectionate and fond of him. I just wanted to know as much as I could and it’s all out there as well. He was somebody who was unique.”

Public Enemies arrived in cinemas on July 1, 2009, and subsequently earned $214million worldwide at the box office. Boasting a 68 per cent critics approval rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, Public Enemies garnered largely favourable reviews from both critics and moviegoers.

One reviewer described it as: “A thinking man’s gangster film, less about thrills than the mechanics of Dillinger’s heists and Purvis’ investigation, which [director Michael Mann] executes with his usual precision.” While another critic wrote: “Mann depicts the giddy excesses and fearsome violence of Dillinger’s raids with his customary savage grace.”

A third reviewer deemed it “easily one of 2009’s most satisfying action dramas for adults”, whilst another critic declared: “The lush sets and gorgeous costumes coupled with the grainy cinematography make for a totally immersive experience, pulling a modern audience into a bygone era of fast cars, tommy guns and femme fatales.”

One fan of the film said: “Wonderful film – great performances from all lead actors and remarkably true to what really happened.” While another added: “One of the best gangster movies about depression-era criminals and crimes. Brilliant performances from Depp, Bale, and Cotillard. Micheal Mann makes really good crime films. I loved it.”

Public Enemies is set to air tonight, November 10, at 10:50pm on Film4.