11 Slightly Mortifying TV Ads Starring Celebrities Before They Were Famous

There’s nothing we love more than a glow up (we even named our podcast after it) – and these Irish and UK celebrities have come a long way since they were starring in ads for noodles and laundry detergent. May we all achieve similar success.

Michael Fassbender was in that Guinness ad

This ad is iconic, in fairness. He swam across the sea for a pint! And to make up with his pal. But also, pints.

But he also got his bum out for SAS Airlines

This is from 1998, when he was a BABY. Look at him!

Olivia Colman plugged the AA

https://youtu.be/Xsd2oOoXM9Q

Olivia Colman will probably be nominated for an Oscar this year thanks to The Favourite, but remember when she was Bev (Bev! Kev!) in this ad for the AA? Gas.

Chris O’Dowd played a love rat for Daz

Remember the Daz Cleaner Close campaign, with each ad set up like a mini-episode of a soap? Chris played your quintessential love rat in one of those ads in 2002 – wife Dawn O’Porter referenced this recently in an Instagram post celebrating their sixth wedding anniversary.

Cute.

And later did his bit for Meteor broadband

A few years later, in the early days of his IT Crowd success, Chris was enlisted to plug Meteor Mobile Broadband, which kind of made sense, I guess. The way he says “Here?” will be stuck in our heads for the rest of our lives.

Aidan Turner acted his heart out for eggs

Bord Bia were doing the most with this one, but wasn’t he adorable?

And Fruice

CRINGE. And you are correct, the brunette woman is foodie influencer Holly White. Small world!

Holly Willoughby appeared in this godawful Pretty Polly ad

Look, we know that lingerie is often marketed using a hefty helping of the male gaze, but this is just ridiculous. Who did Pretty Polly think were actually buying the bras? Because surely no women were like: Cool, love this. Poor Hols.

Alan Hughes got sentimental for ESB

This 1988 ad for the ESB is often named one of the best Irish ads of all time – and the young buck coming home to his mammy is Virgin Media’s Alan Hughes. So fresh faced!

Andrew Scott jogged for Flahavan’s

That little laddeen jogging with his dad, complete with matching tracksuit? That’s Sherlock actor Andrew Scott, who did a few ads as a child actor in the 80s. It was dredged up on The Late Late Show (of course) a few years back, and Mr Flahavan himself presented him with a copy of the tracksuit top. God bless.

And Martin Freeman tucked into Super Noodles

Keeping with the Sherlock theme, there’s Martin Freeman being a bad dad who loves instant noodles. Bold, Martin.

• Holly Willoughby
• Michael Fassbender