London’s festive season officially commences with a red and green Christmas wreath light-up at the London Eye, in partnership with Visit London. The iconic landmark was lit up in celebration of Christmas Karma, a modern, musical retelling of the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, which is being released by True Brit Entertainment in UK and Irish cinemas nationwide on 14th November.
Director Gurinder Chadha and cast Kunal Nayyar, Billy Porter, Boy George, Malkit Singh and Pixie Lott attended the switch-on as well as the Bhangra band from the film ‘Bhangra Dance London’, who surprised crowds with a musical performance of the film’s hit theme song on the South Bank.
Robin Goodchild, Senior General Manager at The London Eye, said: “The London Eye has always been a symbol of celebration and togetherness, and transforming it into a glowing Christmas wreath is the perfect way to mark the start of London’s festive season. We’re thrilled to partner with Visit London and the team behind Christmas Karma to showcase the city’s vibrant, diverse spirit in such a joyful way.”
Set and filmed primarily in London, Christmas Karma is a cross-cultural musical celebration of Britain today: following the story of Mr. Sood, a modern-day Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas, played by Eva Longoria, Billy Porter, Boy George and Hugh Bonneville.
Gurinder Chadha OBE, Director/Writer/Producer of CHRISTMAS KARMA, said: “As a Londoner, we are delighted to be partnering with Visit London on the release of my festive, family film CHRISTMAS KARMA. My fresh take on Dickens’ classic ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a colourful and feel-good celebration of modern-day London and all of its vibrant communities and cultures. We had a wonderful time shooting the film in my incredible home city, so what better place to kick off the celebration and the festive season than in front of one it’s most iconic landmarks – The London Eye”
The film’s soundtrack, reflective of London’s multicultural and diverse music scene, spans gospel, bhangra, Christmas carols, rap, and classic pop, with original music and contributions from Gary Barlow, Nitin Sawhney, Shaznay Lewis, Ben Cullum, Panjabi MC, Malkit Singh and Jassi Sidhu.
One of the world’s most popular Christmas destinations, London is gearing up for a busy festive season brimming with things to do. New for 2025, Buckingham Palace will host its first ever Christmas pop-up shop at the Royal Mews, while Leicester Square welcomes London’s newest ice-skating rink. Visitors can find more inspiration at visitlondon.com.
Simon McCaugherty, Director of Destination at Visit London, the city’s official visitor guide, said: “London is one of the most diverse cities in the world: with over 300 languages spoken and 40 per cent of Londoners born outside of the UK. It’s really exciting to be celebrating our inclusive and welcoming culture with the launch of Christmas Karma, a film that will inspire even more visitors to experience London themselves during the most magical time of the year.”
CHRISTMAS KARMA is presented by BendIt Networks, in association with True Brit Entertainment and Civic Studios.