28 Nov 2025
Tags: Joe Marler, Loveholidays, holiday billboard, Winter, Wellbeing, Travel
JOE MARLER CHECKS IN TO BRITAIN'S MOST UNUSUAL HOLIDAY SPOT - A BILLBOARD IN LONDON'S SHOREDITCH
- Rugby legend Joe Marler has teamed up with loveholidays to tackle the winter blues with a sunshine-filled installation
- Photos show Marler holidaying in a billboard in Shoreditch, London, to show passersby that the sun is never far away
- New research from the online travel agent reveals that full-time employees see just 90 minutes of daylight per week during winter
Following a staycation stint at a familiar Scottish castle, Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler is swapping British winter days for something brighter – checking into a giant 3D billboard on a busy London street.
The former England rugby player and mental health advocate has partnered with loveholidays to highlight how the dark winter months impact our wellbeing, and why booking a holiday can be the ultimate mood booster.
Marler has been captured taking a break in the eye-catching installation from the online travel agent, located opposite Shoreditch Boxpark, which features real sand, a sun lounger, beach inflatables and even artificial sunshine.
It comes as new research commissioned by loveholidays reveals the stark reality of Britain's winter darkness.
A study of 2,000 working adults found that full-time employees see just 90 minutes of daylight per week during winter months.
Half of Brits (58 per cent) head to and leave work in darkness, and half (56 per cent) go without daylight for four consecutive days.
It's no surprise that three quarters (76 per cent) say the lack of sun makes them crave a holiday in the heat.
The impact of the lack of sunlight on mental health is notable; a quarter of Brits (24 per cent) report feeling glum, while half (54 per cent) say the darkness drains their energy levels.
Three quarters (76 per cent) say a winter getaway would positively impact their mental wellbeing, with 68 per cent claiming that having a holiday plan to look forward to boosts their mood.
Joe Marler, who has been open about his own mental health journey throughout his rugby career, said: "When it gets dark, it's easy to feel down, but it's only for a few months a year.
“The research shows that so many people don't see much daylight at all when the nights draw in, and that leaves them longing for a holiday.
“I'm excited to be teaming up with loveholidays to go on a mini-break in their billboard, to show people there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and the sun is never far away.”
According to the study conducted by OnePoll, 37 per cent of Brits feel they need a holiday most during winter.
Of these, half (50 per cent) say it's specifically to boost their mood, as 81 per cent admit to feeling happier when there's sunshine outside working hours.
Joe Marler added: "It's natural to feel happier in the sun, everyone seems to be in a better mood during the summer months.
“Sluggish is a great way of describing the feeling of waking up on a cold, dark and bleak day.
“Holidays can be a great way to fight the winter blues and see a sky full of sun instead.”
The loveholidays billboard installation will run for five days in Shoreditch, with actors holidaying inside it, creating a slice of summer paradise in the heart of East London.
It serves as a reminder that while Britain's winter darkness is temporary, a sunshine escape is just a booking away.
ENDS
Methodology
loveholidays commissioned a survey of 2,000 working adults via OnePoll in November 2025.
Images here
About loveholidays
Established in 2012, loveholidays is the UK and Ireland's fastest growing and largest online travel agent. Having launched in the German market in May 2023, Austria in November 2024 and the Netherlands in June 2025, it is on a mission to open the world to everyone.
loveholidays prides itself on giving customers unlimited choice, unmatched ease and unmissable value when booking a holiday. It puts together a choice of 50,000 hotels and flights from all major airlines and airports in the UK, offering holidaymakers a trillion possible package holiday combinations, including the perfect one for them.
At the heart of the online travel agent's proposition is its focus on making travel accessible to more people by offering an unrivalled choice of great value holidays. It caters to all budgets with options from one star to five star getaways, and offers customers flexible payment plans to enable customers to spread the cost.
In January 2024, loveholidays became the world's first Ryanair-verified package holiday provider, making it easy for customers to take advantage of the airline's low fares while benefiting from the protection a package getaway offers. It was voted Nation's Favourite: Most Loved Holiday Company at the 2023 Travolution Awards, Ireland's Leading Online Travel Agency at the 2022, 2023 and 2024 World Travel Awards, and was named a Sunday Times Best Place to Work in 2023, 2024 and 2025. www.loveholidays.com
For further information, please contact Heather Ewens, Head of PR and Communications, or Molly McNaughton, PR Manager.
