Our New Ad: The Inspection

Olivia Colman stars in latest ad - 'The Inspection'

Colman descends upon the Bolton bakers under the ruse of determining whether Warburtons crumpets are worthy of ‘National Treasure’ status to commit a holey-terrific crumpet heist!

We are excited to have launched our latest TV advert, The Inspection, featuring Academy Award-winning actress Olivia Colman deliver a brilliantly deadpan performance alongside our very own, Jonathan Warburton.

Following a series of notable A-list legends to team up with the family bakers – including Robert De Niro and Samuel L Jackson – Olivia Colman is the latest star to appear in the highly anticipated advert, which celebrates Warburtons dedication to making the best quality crumpets.

Representing the intimidating yet entirely fictional “Department of National Treasures” (D.O.N.T) and flanked by a squad of stern-faced, suited agents, the ad opens to Colman storming into Warburtons HQ. After ambushing Jonathan mid crumpet-break, Colman demands an immediate inspection of the crumpet production line supposedly to determine whether they’re worthy of ‘National Treasure’ status.

Colman and her D.O.N.T agents march through the bakery, discussing the prestige of becoming a national treasure, and pondering the age-old question of optimal topping strategy – butter? Jam? Cheese? Colman soon gets lost in a reverie of crumpet topping possibilities, her trance accompanied by the iconic saxophone solo from Wham!’s “Careless Whisper”. In a delightful twist, instead of using the original recording, Warburtons opted to have the tune re-recorded and enlisted the very same saxophonist, Steve Gregory, who first breathed life into the melody back in the 80s.

After a period of intense scrutiny and delivering an award worthy monologue, Colman mischievously admits that the whole thing was in fact ‘made up’ before swiftly departing, crumpet in-hand, in a blacked-out vehicle suspiciously laden with a ‘hole’ load of ‘evidence’. Clearly the ‘inspection’ was merely a clever hoax to get her hands on as many crumpets as possible – a motive that becomes entirely understandable when you consider the latest data* on the nation’s crumpet obsession.
The ad comes as 71%* of crumpet-eating Brits say they consider the humble crumpet a cornerstone of British culture, while 41% agree they deserve National Treasure status and should be ‘protected at all costs’.

But when it comes to what to put on them, we’re not all in such unanimous agreement. Like Colman, butter is the front runner when it comes to our favourite crumpet topping (75%) followed by jam (30%), but only 1 in 5 (23%) have tried cheese and even fewer (4%) have tried avocado. Despite Colman’s clear contempt for a mustard-topped crumpet in the ad, not everyone agrees, with a surprising 8% of respondents saying that the tangy condiment pairs well with the iconic British staple.

Olivia Colman said, “You butter believe it was a tough job, but I was more than happy to oblige. Though I’m surprised Jonathan, a.k.a Baker Boy didn’t rumble me from the start and let’s be honest, who really needs convincing that the Great British Crumpet is a National Treasure? I was simply there to ensure a lifetime supply landed in my kitchen!”
She continues, “In all seriousness though, it was a whole load of fun to film – Warburtons, you’ve got yourselves a crumpet connoisseur for life!”

Jonathan Warburton said, “We’re absolutely thrilled to have Olivia Colman join us for this adventure. I might be biased but I certainly believe our crumpets deserve national treasure status, and if Colman’s enthusiasm for the ‘inspection’ is anything to go by, I’d say she does too! I’m confident our crumpets will rise to the occasion, even if that ‘occasion’ is simply being a delicious breakfast or snack at the Colmans’ for many years to come!”

The new advert is set to be another Warburtons classic, combining the brand’s signature warmth and humour with Colman’s unparalleled ability to deliver the ridiculous with absolute sincerity. The new 2-minute ad premieres on ITV on Saturday 3rd May during Britain’s Got Talent. Will Warburtons crumpets join the ranks of the Crown Jewels and fish and chips? Tune in to find out!

*All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2059 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 28th – 31st March 2025.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

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