Actress Dame Joanna Lumley is inviting shoppers to do their Christmas shopping at the Westgate Centre in Oxford.

She has been hired to promote the shopping centre over the festive season and has recorded a series of ads.

A spokeswoman for the Westgate Centre, which enjoyed a major revamp in 2017, said: "The centre won’t have a Christmas TV ad this year, but it will be having radio, Spotify, social and YouTube ads, all of which will be voiced by Joanna Lumley.

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"These will accompany the centre’s Christmas campaign which features a stylised and fabulous Christmas turkey which will be seen on posters, billboards and buses in the region."

Oxford Mail: Westgate's Christmas adDame Joanna's festive campaign will showcase the different gifts and leisure activities available this Christmas, from tech and toys, jewellery and accessories, to footwear, food and drink.

She will voice the audio for the shopping centre’s radio, Spotify, social and YouTube ads.

The design for the campaign features a stylised and fabulous Christmas Turkey which will be seen on posters, billboards and buses in the region.

The Wead campaign launched today and will run until December 23.

Oxford Mail: Dame Joanna LumleyThe actress, best known for her role in the comedy series Absolutely Fabulous, says in the ad: "Now this is the turkey that is perfectly dressed for Christmas - absolutely looking the part, wearing a gorgeous silk scarf, cosy cashmere jumper and sparking diamond drop earrings."

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Brendan Hattam, centre director at Westgate Oxford, said: “We’re thrilled to have Dame Joanna Lumley involved in our ‘fabulous’ Christmas campaign this year. 

"Her instantly-recognisable voice brings effortless, sophisticated style with a dash of humour, so it absolutely had to be her for the voiceover this year.

“What Westgate Oxford has over online shopping is that ability to connect with people.

"We’re offering gifts that can be seen and touched, assistants you can chat to in person, our places are real, memories can be made and the experience will be fun and fabulous.”

Oxford Mail: Westgate's Christmas adLast week the shopping centre launched its Christmas theme with a view to helping customers save the planet.

A new, alternative Christmas experience designed and curated by Wayne Hemingway will begin on November 24.

The centre will be home to ‘WasteLess Wonderland’ - a reinterpretation of the classic Christmas market with a sustainable theme.

Oxford Mail: WasteLess Wonderland will showcase talent from the city and beyond as part of a Christmas market experience.

In 2017 the Westgate Centre was given a £440m revamp.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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