Supermarket choir two-dozen strong sing at Abbey Road in TV treat

The made Abbey Road famous back in the 1960s. And now, a Fab 26 of supermarket ­workers have graced the recording studio.

The choir of butchers, bakers and checkout staff followed in the Beatles’ footsteps as they belted out You Give A Little Love from the musical Bugsy Malone for the chain’s ad – assisted by singing oven gloves.

The was invited to watch the supermarket’s especially assembled choir recording the soundtrack for the campaign, directed this year by Michael Gracey, also behind 2017 hit movie The Greatest Showman.

The aim of this year’s Morrisons’ campaign, entitled The Greatest Show At Home, has been to showcase in true musical theatre style the supermarket’s specialist Market Hall counters’ finest festive produce and food experts, and how they can offer a helping hand in ever stressed kitchen across the nation this Christmas. Serenaded, naturally, by 52 singing oven gloves - the ultimate helping hands.

“I can’t believe I’m at Abbey Road,” says checkout operator Sandra Burrows, 77, perched in front of a nondescript piano with yellowing keys. It turns out to be the one on which Sir Paul McCartney recorded Lady Madonna.

READ MORE:

All Morrisons’ staff were invited to audition for the 26-strong festive choir by submitting a video of themselves singing. The soprano, who has worked for the supermarket in Derby for 20 years, was encouraged to try out by her friend Gayle Haines, from the salad counter. She’s here today in the sound room lending moral support.

Sandra explains: “I’m a huge Beatles fan, we have all the LPs. It’s mind blowing doing this here. I feel so proud to be part of this advert. It’s been very difficult to keep schtum, I can’t tell my customers - but I will once it’s on air!”

Graeme Mackay, 44, who manages a Morrisons’ cafe in Glasgow, admits he was “a wee bit nervous” as he arrived via the world-famous zebra crossing outside - where The Beatles were photographed for the cover of their 1969 album, Abbey Road. He’s been singing the track all week to himself as the group, from across the country, have only rehearsed together once before today. “Christmas adverts are so huge, you don’t imagine ever doing this in your life. It’s a real honour,” he says.

Morrisons first introduced singing oven gloves in their 2023 Christmas advert. The feel-good offering was so successful, this year they’ve run with the concept, says creative director Gareth Butters, from creative agency Leo Burnett. He explains: “There are a lot of Christmas adverts and it’s become a bit like the superbowl, where brands get celebrities involved. So it’s endearing to have something as charming as an oven glove as the integral character instead.”

He adds: “Last year’s idea was about helping out the host. This year the theme is putting on the greatest show at home, and how Morrisons’ experts are there to help with all your worries. Because Christmas is the big one. Christmas dinner is arduous. You put your heart and soul into it, and that’s one of the reasons this song resonates.”

He explains he came up with the oven glove character while sitting in his kitchen last year, and even videoed his own mitts miming to music to pitch the idea. Now the original striped and ‘cat face’ gloves have been boosted to a cast of 52, each with their own voice, singing around tables piled high with Morrisons’ British turkey, salmon and party food from The Best range.

A puppeteer performed over “four long days” with each glove separately to singing character voices, before film of all the gloves was edited together and the choir’s rendition added.

“This year we wanted a crowd and we wanted a song they could join in with very much like The Muppets would,” explains Gareth. “This is the British version of The Muppets - only with oven gloves!”

The Beatles may have recorded 190 of their songs at Abbey Road, with Shirley Bassey, Massive Attack, Oasis and following in their footsteps. But Studio Two never dreamed of this…

READ MORE: