• Somerset cider maker Thatchers unveils its first-ever Christmas TV advert, created in partnership with award-winning animation studio Aardman

• The festive film brings together two South West institutions known for their creativity, quality and craftsmanship.

• A snowed-in Myrtle Farm calls for some festive ingenuity as Martin Thatcher finds an unexpected way to bring his cider tasting team together

• The advert launches on Monday 2 November, marking Thatchers' debut in the Christmas advertising season

Monday 2 November 2026: Christmas has come to Myrtle Farm! Thatchers Cider has unveiled its first-ever Christmas TV advert, created in partnership with the world-famous animation studio Aardman.

Marking a festive first for the fourth-generation, family-owned cider maker, the new advert brings together Thatchers' Somerset roots and Aardman's unmistakable creative charm to tell a heartwarming Christmas story.

When heavy snowfall threatens to derail the Friday 12.30 cider tasting at Myrtle Farm, Martin Thatcher comes up with an ingenious solution. With a little inspiration from Myrtle the dog, he takes to the skies in a hot air balloon to bring the cider tasting team together, ensuring no cider leaves the farm unless it's perfect.

The advert, titled Saving Tasting Time, celebrates the lengths Thatchers goes to in pursuit of the perfect pint, bringing a little festive magic to screens across the UK.

Created at Aardman's Bristol studios, just over 20 miles away from Thatchers farm, the advert combines traditional stop-motion animation and puppetry with CGI; blending the studio's signature handcrafted charm with innovative production techniques.

Behind the scenes, hundreds of hours of craftsmanship have gone into bringing the festive film to life, with everything from bespoke costumes to snow-covered sets carefully created by hand, recreating a wintry Myrtle Farm, as a miniature replica.

The attention to detail extends to the characters themselves. Martin Thatcher's miniature coat took Aardman costume designer an entire week to make by hand, complete with an internal armature allowing it to move during animation. Meanwhile, Myrtle the dog was given a makeover, with extra flocking to create more natural movement, and a darker nose to make her expressions more noticeable on camera.

Martin Thatcher, 4th Generation Cider Maker at Thatchers Cider, said:

"At Thatchers, we work to make sure every pint is perfect, and that doesn't stop for Christmas. We loved the idea of bringing that commitment to quality to life in a fun, festive way, and Aardman have done a brilliant job of capturing it, with a tasting time Christmas mission.

"Working with the talented team at Aardman to bring our first Christmas advert to life has been incredibly exciting. We're both proud of our South West roots and share a real passion for craftsmanship, and getting every last detail just right.

"We hope the advert brings a smile to people's faces and becomes a little part of their Christmas cheer!"

Will Studd, Director at Aardman, added:

"Working with Thatchers again was a real privilege and as always a lot of fun. The team and I relished the opportunity to bring the real-life members of the Thatchers team and family to life again through their animated puppet counterparts, and adding a festive touch to Myrtle Farm.

"It’s a relationship we value a lot, and it’s always such a treat to work so closely with another well established and well-regarded West Country business. The team put in so much love and care into the project, we’re all immensely proud of how the film came out and can’t wait to see it on TV."

The Christmas advert will air from Monday 2 November across media including ITV, Sky, Netflix and Channel 4, and is also available to watch online.

Watch the full Christmas advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saxLP0OTUHE

ENDS

Notes to editors

About Thatchers Cider

Down on the Thatchers family farm the team are all slightly obsessed perfectionists, making cider with nothing but love. That’s why they don’t just grow 8 types of apple, they grow 458, and turning those juicy apples into a refreshing pint of cider is a craft they’ve spent 122 years and four generations perfecting. It’s their dedicated attention to detail that delivers the perfect pint of Thatchers, every time.

About Aardman

Aardman is an employee-owned company, based in Bristol (UK) and co-founded in 1976 by Sir Peter Lord and Sir David Sproxton. An independent, multi-Academy Award® and BAFTA® award winning studio, it produces feature films, series, advertising and interactive entertainment.

Its global productions are renowned for their uniquely entertaining and brilliantly crafted characters. The studio’s work – which includes the creation of much-loved characters including Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Morph – is often imitated, and yet the company continues to lead the animation field producing a rare brand of visually stunning, comedic content for cinema, broadcasters, digital platforms and live experiences around the world.

2026 sees the studio celebrate its 50th anniversary with a roster of events and celebrations highlighting the craft and legacy of Aardman and the launch of a new movie, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom.

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