Shelter’s Christmas campaign highlights families trapped in temporary homes

Housing and homelessness charity Shelter has launched its 2025 Christmas campaign Earworm, an emotional film illustrating the frustration and hardship faced by families living in temporary accommodation over the festive season.

The 60-second spot, created by Don’t Panic London and directed by The Greatest Showman filmmaker Michael Gracey, features Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart at its centre — turning an everyday annoyance into a powerful metaphor for being trapped without answers.

Shelter estimates that more than 84,000 families in England will wake up on Christmas Day in temporary accommodation, often in cramped and unsuitable conditions. The campaign aims to raise awareness and drive donations to support parents and children experiencing homelessness.

Bonnie Tyler soundtrack becomes haunting symbol

The story follows a young schoolboy who can’t shake an earworm — Bonnie Tyler’s classic song looping endlessly in his head. What begins as an amusing, musical daydream becomes something darker when he returns home to find his mother still on hold with the housing helpline. The song he’s been singing all day turns out to be the hold music, repeating endlessly as she tries to reach someone for help.

The creative decision to feature the boy singing a cappella and to use an older track was intentional, helping the film stand apart from the season’s typically upbeat Christmas ads. The approach creates an unsettling contrast between the joy of childhood and the bleak reality of homelessness.

Created with lived experience and crafted with care

To shape the campaign, Shelter and Don’t Panic collaborated with people who have experienced life in temporary accommodation, ensuring an authentic portrayal of the emotional toll on families. Gracey worked with choreographer Ashley Wallen, known for The Greatest Showman, Better Man, and tours for Kylie Minogue, to teach the untrained young actor to dance for the film — adding rawness and relatability to his performance.

Mairi MacRae, Director of Campaigns and Policy, Shelter: “With genuinely affordable social homes in short supply, families often face months if not years in cramped, insecure temporary accommodation, with little or no support. Every day we hear from people, like the mother in this film, who are terrified of being stuck living in appalling conditions. No family should face homelessness alone. This Christmas, we’ll be doing everything possible to help parents fight for a better home for their children.”

Storytelling with empathy and purpose

Georgia Stephenson, Associate Creative Director, Don’t Panic London: “Music is such a huge part of Earworm. What starts as a source of joy is soon revealed to be the source of much pain and frustration for our family facing homelessness. We hope our film will be as memorable as the earworm itself, to drive those vital donations to Shelter.”

Director Michael Gracey: “What moved me most about this film is how much heart endures through such human struggle — a story that holds hope and the reminder that change, when it comes, can only improve lives. Everyone poured their soul into it, united by the belief that stories can shift the way we see and engage with the world and each other.”

Now in its fifth year of collaboration with Don’t Panic, Shelter’s Christmas campaign continues to shine a light on the human impact of homelessness — and the urgent need for lasting solutions.

www.shelter.org.uk

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