Freeview is to launch an advertising campaign on TV as part of a Christmas marketing initiative.

The ads are to air in the three ITV regions close to digital switchover - Border, Central and Granada and will be 40, 30 and 10 seconds long. .

Star of Goodness Gracious Me,  Sanjeev Bhaskar is to record the voiceover and will invite people "from all walks of life" to join a digital viewer on an "iconic giant red sofa".

A statement explained: "The ads... open with a scene of people appearing from over the brow of a hill. As they head through the countryside and across fields, they are joined by hundreds of others. A young girl emerges on her dad's shoulders, and points to the sofa standing solidly in the middle of a field. A mass of people head towards it and settle down, at which point a young boy raises the remote and everyone becomes bathed in the golden glow of Freeview."

An outdoor campaign will feature characters from the TV adverts showing off Freeview Playback devices.

"Our Christmas advertising campaign was designed to serve two purposes," said Sophie Alexander, head of consumer marketing at Freeview. "Firstly, to reach homes that don't have digital TV and secondly to reach out to our existing customers who are looking for a second set solution.

"By focusing on the simplicity of Freeview, its great channel line-up and demonstrating Freeview's wide appeal, we can instil pride amongst our Freeview consumers, whilst appealing to those who've not yet made their digital choice. With digital switchover in progress we hope that by getting our message out there we can maximise the huge opportunity available and ensure Freeview remains the UK's most popular digital TV service."