Exclusive: Katherine Jenkins on her new Christmas single, the party-season beauty treatments she swears by and the festive tipple she'll be drinking for the foreseeable

Fake snow! Vol-au-vents! A briefly topless James Norton! Festive high street adverts are a quintessential part of the nation’s Yuletide warm up and M&S didn’t disappoint with its highly anticipated, star-studded show reel that hit screens today.But whilst this year’s ad is a feast for the eyes, it’s also a total treat for the ears, as the world-renowned classical singer and co-founder of Cygnet gin, Katherine Jenkins OBE, sings us into the festivities, whilst starring as the ‘fete’ singer with her fabulous new hit; a reimagining of the iconic Heaven Is A Place On Earth single, first released by the American songstress Belinda Carlisle in 1987. Katherine Jenkins stars in the M&S 2026 Christmas advertOn her debut as the voice of Christmas, Jenkins tells YOU how it feels to release the soundtrack of the season, as well as behind the scenes secrets from the M&S film set, her top party-season beauty tips and how she’ll be celebrating with her own family this December.On re-recording a classic hit (with her kids!)‘The song is nearly 40 years old and it’s one people really know and love. But we needed to give it some serious Christmas magic, so we really went for it with two different choirs (one adult, one children's), a string orchestra, lots and lots of bells; tubular bells, sleigh bells. The whole lot! Katherine Jenkins recording her Christmas single, 'Heaven is a place on Earth'‘I asked my daughter Aaliyah (age 11) and my son Xander (8) if they wanted to sing in the children’s choir and I was thrilled when they did. What I found amazing was that they've both been in recording studios with me since they were literally babes in arms, so they're used to it, but they really understood how important it was. It was the first time I've ever seen Xander nervous, because he really wanted to give his best. It was lovely to have their voices be part of this because with M&S it does feel like a big family affair.’ Katherine Jenkins and various members of the choir on the new single 'Heaven is a place on earth'‘I couldn't believe that I got Fraser T. Smith, the producer behind Adele's Set Fire to the Rain and Tom Howe, who is celebrated for Ted Lasso, Daisy Jones and the Six, the Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, which is a personal favourite in our house, to produce this together.At the core of it, the song’s sentiment is about giving, forgiving, loving, being together, and how we find a little heaven here on earth.’ Katherine Jenkins with producers Tom Howe (left) and Fraser T. Smith (right)On starring in M&S’s advert‘We've been working on this since July, so I'm well and truly in the spirit. I’m ready to put the tree up! My in-laws are all American, and I was explaining to them that our Christmas ads are like their Super Bowl commercials in terms of excitement and creativity. So to be asked to create the soundtrack for it felt like such an honour and also for such an iconic British brand.’On BTS stories from the M&S set‘We filmed it in the heatwave in August. I was lucky because I was wearing as short, gorgeous sparkly black dress and I had my legs out. But poor James was in a polo neck, leather jacket and scarf! They had industrial fans out trying to cool us down. It's not all glamour, but everybody on the shoot was in such good spirits. And James’ dad was actually one of the extras in the fete scene.’ The 2026 M&S Christmas advert featuring James Norton, Lucy Punch and Katherine JenkinsOn cooking the Christmas dinner‘Andrew [Levitas] and I will cook the Christmas dinner together, which I get really excited about. I love having old school Christmas songs on and just working around the kitchen together. I don't eat meat, so he does the turkey and then I do all the trimmings. I'm all about the roast potatoes, the stuffing and endless veggies.’On her 25th year anniversary tour‘It was my first tour in 5 years. It's a few months of all encompassing work and you can't do it halfheartedly. I had to make sure it was the right time for our family, but it also coincided with the anniversary. I was really upset when we came to the end of it, as it was as much a reunion as it was a celebration. I cried at the end most nights because it was quite overwhelming to look back over the 25 years and see people's reactions to the music across the albums.’On life in her forties‘I think people talk about confidence in their 40s, but now I’m 46, I think the main driver of that is you know who you are. I feel like I know who I am. I know what I want. I know who I want to be around. And I know what's important and having that conviction in those beliefs, is what gives you the confidence. I've enjoyed every decade of my life but now I’m in a position where I can choose more what I want to do.’On her top party-season beauty tips‘Looking great and feeling good is all about hydration. As a singer, I have to drink a lot of water because my voice needs to be hydrated. But weirdly my dad was the one that talked to me about looking after my skin when I was growing up. He’s the reason I have always looked after mine.’‘I love sticking on a mask. The Biodance Bio-collagen masks are the best and I put them on before I do my makeup. I'll always do some vitamin C and some zinc before I go out, too.''I am also quite a fan of hair oiling before I shower to get it nice and shiny. I use Bur Bur hair oil which is so good I always recommend.’On her favourite at-home beauty gadgets‘I've got a Face Gym Pro, which is great for on the go and uses electrical impulses to tone and give a lifted look. I also have LYMA Laser, which is one of my favourites for keeping skin looking healthy. For me it’s about trying to maintain what I have, and just trying to age in a natural, graceful way.’On her gin empire‘Cygnet gin is like my baby. I love gin. My husband Andrew and I founded it together out of a personal need; there wasn't a gin that I could drink that didn't affect my voice. I was working with a distiller and he was asking me for botanical ideas and I asked if we could use manuka honey because that's what I use for my voice. And he was like, “well, I don't think you can do that.” And said, “can we try?” The result is very, very smooth and I'm really proud of it.We're now in the US, the UAE, Singapore, Australia, and Italy, and of course the UK. It’s lovely to use it as another way to fly the flag for the amazing things that we can do in Wales.’On her favourite TV show‘I've loved watching traitors. Especially because I think Michael Sheen is amazing. I always look in awe at what Michael does and I think he's just such a wonderful person. I feel like his motivations are always in the right place. I always believe in what he's doing and I felt even when he was trying to work out who the Traitors were and break it all down, I was like, “yeah go, Michael!”'On her top festive tipples‘On Christmas morning if you're wanting something, I mix our Welsh 75 Cygnet gin, with champagne and lemon. But I have also made a special cocktail for M&S this season: the Claus-mopolitan. It’s made with zingy Clemencello Liqueur (rather than Lemencello) and it smells divine. We designed it for parties!’On her New Year plans‘After Christmas, I'm going to Australia, to do a big concert with Jose Carreras for his 80th birthday. And then on to Bucharest. Then in January I'm singing in Brazil.And then there's already a lot of work that has been done on a new album, but people will be able to hear that next year…’Keep your ears peeled in 2027! Read on to find out how to make Katherine’s Claus-mopolitan... Katherine Jenkins' Claus-mopolitan Katherine’s Claus-mopolitan recipe:Ingredients (serves 1):50 ml Cygnet Welsh dry gin25 ml M&S clemencello liqueur50 ml M&S cranberry juice drink½ lime, juiced1 Orange, peeled for garnish1 sprig of fresh rosemary to garnishMethodStep 1Add the Cygnet gin (50 ml), clemencello liqueur (25 ml), cranberry juice (50 ml) and lime juice (1/2) to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake for 10-15 seconds to chill.Step 2Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a twist of orange peel (1) a sprig of rosemary sprig (1) to serve.