Rick Astley reflects on cost of living crisis

Rick Astley has been reflecting on the cost of living crisis as he fronts Sainsbury's Christmas advert.

The supermarket's Christmas ad features the music legend as well as well as normal people and actual Sainsbury's staff as they are asked by a little girl what Santa has for his Christmas dinner.

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Speaking to Metro about the tough times people are facing with rising costs and inflation, Astley said: "I’m the last person on Earth to be a spokesperson for whether people can afford to eat or not, and I don’t want to turn it into a big deal, I’m just aware of it, I know how lucky I am."

Astley added that it resonates even more with him because of his working class upbringing: "I’m aware of what it means to go in a supermarket these days and struggle, and actually think about what this is going to cost. Yeah, I am aware of that. And I think sometimes some of the adverts we see at Christmas – not even supermarket ones, I’m just talking about a deluge of stuff that comes out here – I think it probably puts the fear of god into some people."

Astley also revealed that he signed on to do the advert as the idea reminded him of his own relationship with his daughter: "The little key to it for me was remembering our daughter saying things about Father Christmas, and that moment comes where, yes, she is still your daughter, but she knows there isn’t a Santa Claus anymore. And that’s almost tear inducing, it’s a scary moment when that happens with your kids, when you go, 'Oh man that’s gone'."

Astley is just one of a number of big stars that have been recruited this year by the supermarket chains for their Christmas adverts.

Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Zawe Ashton all appear in M&S' advert while Asda boast Michael Buble and Graham Norton has been signed up by Waitrose.

Watch below: Tearjerkers out as retailers go light-hearted for Christmas ad season.