Morgan Freeman turns into the newest A-lister to lend his star energy to Warburtons as he follows within the footsteps of Olivia Colman, Robert de Niro and George Clooney

Morgan Freeman is the latest star to appear in a Warburtons advert after A-listers Olivia Colman, Robert de Niro and George Clooney previously featured.

The Hollywood heavyweight, 88, has lent his iconic honeyed tones to a new advert for Britain’s biggest family bakery brand as they celebrate 150 years in business.

Morgan takes viewers on a heartwarming journey through Warburtons history, from the very first loaf baked in 1876 to the present day, delving into the heart of the family business’ obsession with baking.

To mark its special birthday Warburtons has unveiled its latest TV advert, 150-years in the Baking, narrated by and featuring Morgan.

The ad opens once again with Jonathan Warburton, Chairman and fifth generation of the family, sitting at his desk in the bakery’s HQ in Bolton. 

As he prepares to tuck into a warm, buttery slice of Toastie loaf, the rich, unmistakable tones of Morgan’s voice begin to narrate.

With his signature wry charm, Morgan masterfully sets the scene for a journey through Warburtons remarkable 150-year obsession with baking.

He spotlights key moments of bakery innovation, and juxtaposing them with scenes from the 20th century and historical milestones such as the 1969 moon landing.

Listing the types of bread the brand is famous for, Morgan says: ‘White bread, seeded bread, crumpets, toastie, wholemeal…’

Another surprise cameo is then revealed, as Paddington Bear is seen tucking into one of his famous marmalade sandwiches.

In a wonderfully candid moment, Morgan breaks character and stops his narration to question what (the hell) a crumpet is, leading to a hilarious exchange with Jonathan about the iconic British staple, for which the brand is famous for.

Morgan asks if it is similar to a bagel and playfully brands the family ‘crazy’ when Jonathan reveals there are around 300 holes in their crumpets. 

As Warburtons looks ahead to the next 150-years and passing on the family’s baking legacy to the sixth generation, a poignant scene shows a ‘Grandfather’ Warburton, fresh from the bakery, cradling his newborn grandson in a hospital.

The narrative ends by leaping into the modern day, as a fleet of Warburtons lorries drive by – a heritage British brand, built on generations of dedication and a heartfelt passion for baking. 

Speaking about his involvement in the advert, Morgan said: ‘Lending my voice to chronicle 150 years of this family’s unwavering dedication to the simple, yet profound, act of baking… well, that’s a narrative that truly deserves to be heard. 

‘Their commitment to quality baking, passed down through generations, shines through, making it abundantly clear why they’ve remained a beloved household name for so long. 

‘And I confess, I found myself quite taken by that crumpet – 300 holes, I told you these Warburtons were crazy!’

Jonathan Warburton added: ‘As gross as it may well sound, baking truly is in our blood. This is more than just an advert; it’s a celebration of 150 years of simply doing what we love – baking delicious bread for British families. 

‘It’s not every day you turn 150, and we wanted to mark this incredible milestone with everyone who’s made us a part of their family’s lives, from the breakfast table to the lunchbox, through five generations of dedication to our craft.

‘And when it came to telling the story of our relentless passion for baking, well, who else could we possibly ask but the world’s most recognisable storyteller and the voice of God himself, Morgan Freeman. 

‘He brings an epic and memorable scale to our history, making even our humble beginnings sound rather grand! We’re incredibly proud of our journey and truly excited for the nation to join us in toasting to the next 150 years.’

Warburtons adverts are famous for using big-name celebrities alongside their chairman in humorous, star-studded campaigns promoting their breads.

They feature stars like Olivia Colman, Samuel L. Jackson, George Clooney, Sylvester Stallone, and Peter Kay, often focusing on quality, family heritage, and British baking with playful, memorable storylines.

Most recently, Olivia played a stern official from a fake Department of National Treasures who stages a mock investigation of the bakery to justify a massive heist of crumpets in 2025 ad, The Inspection.

In a 2021 advert, George Clooney was seen trying to get in touch with bakery boss Jonathan to pitch an idea. Unfortunately, his call comes at snack time – and toast comes first.

George took the part on one condition: the hefty fee was paid to the charity foundation Clooney runs with his barrister wife Amal.

Discussing George’s acquisition with the Daily Mail in 2021, Jonathan said: ‘I’m not being sexist here but who is the major shopper in most families?

‘If you look at our target audience — women between the ages of 25 and 50 — you won’t find any woman who hasn’t heard of George Clooney, nor will you find anyone with anything bad to say about him.’

‘And if a red-blooded woman happens to find him attractive, and thinks of him when they are standing in the supermarket when their usual loaf isn’t there . . .’

Before George, saw Robert De Niro team up with the brand to star in the commercial advert in 2019.

He plays a gangster, channelling roles from Goodfellas, who travels from New York to Bolton to confront Jonathan about the brand’s new bagels. 

He attempts to sabotage the product to ‘take over’ the market, ultimately rebranding them as ‘GoodBagels’.

Sylvester Stallone stole the show in 2015 with his debut on the bread advert.

In the Deliverers Warburtons advert, Sylvester plays a tough, action-hero style delivery driver in a cinematic, Rocky-inspired ad.

Warburtons also paired up with The Muppets in a two minute Christmas special.

The new advert will officially premiere on Saturday 14th February, during The Masked Singer on ITV at 7pm.