On a mission to deliver joy this Christmas, Sophie Ellis-Bextor has joined Ocado – the UK’s largest dedicated online supermarket – to celebrate the nation’s unique festive food traditions through the magic of song.Ocado brought together a fleet of their singing delivery drivers and employees, supported by Soul Choir, to launch a fresh take on an iconic Christmas carol. ‘Season’s Eatings’ takes the traditional lyrics of Jingle Bells and revamps them to celebrate modern-day festive food favourites.
But all was not as it seemed, as during a recent rehearsal the unsuspecting singers were surprised by pop princess Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who revealed she would form part of the choir ahead of a live performance together on 12th December.
Behind-the-scenes footage captures the heart-warming moment Sophie surprised the Ocado and Soul Choir singers, having secretly been admiring their singing from the wings.
Dressed in a dazzling purple sequin skirt and rocking her iconic red lip, the clip shows Sophie joining in the session with the choir before they all got a chance to enjoy a festive spread including pigs in blankets, mince pies with cheese, and snowman bao buns – some of dishes reflected in the reimagined carol.
The joyful carol is set to be performed by Ocado’s choir, featuring Soul Choir and a guest appearance from Sophie Ellis-Bextor, on George Street in Richmond on the 12th December at 12.45pm.
The song will be performed alongside Ocado’s ‘Season’s Eatings’ festive food truck, serving food inspired by the carol for visitors to sample free of charge, from Tikka-spiced Pigs in Blankets, to Mince Pies Topped with Cheese and Kimchi Camembert Toasties.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor said, “It was so much fun joining the Ocado choir’s rehearsal and seeing everyone’s reactions as we started singing. There’s something magical about Christmas carols, the way they bring people together and remind you of festive moments. Christmas has always been beautifully busy in my house. We’ve got all the usual traditions, and then some eccentric ones too! My personal favourite is handed down from my grandparents – we do a conga with my family when we light up and carry the Christmas pudding.”
Dan Elton, chief customer officer at Ocado Retail, says: “Food is at the heart of everything we do at Ocado, so reimagining a Christmas carol to celebrate the dishes people truly love at this time of year felt like the perfect fit – and working with Sophie, the Soul Choir and our Ocado singers on ‘Season’s Eatings’ has been such a wonderful experience.
Christmas looks a little different in every household, and we love that our range can help everyone celebrate in their own unique way, whether that’s sticking to the classics or trying something completely unexpected.”
From indulgent Christmas seafood breakfasts like crab crumpets, to Wagyu beef centrepieces, and hot-honey or soy-glazed sides, the festive dinner table now looks different in every household. Ocado makes it easy to embrace all traditions, old and new, however your family marks the day.
