What is 'Darling hold my hand' meme?: Jet2 long-running holiday adverts explained, face behind the voiceover

The phenomenon centres around the line “Darling, hold my hand”, which plays in Jet2’s long-running holiday adverts. Users on TikTok have latched onto the jingle to mock disappointing holidays, with one viral video — now viewed millions of times — showing someone dramatically opening a curtain to the familiar tune, only to reveal a small, underwhelming window instead of a scenic view.

At Jess Glynne’s recent concerts, fans have even taken to parodying the ad campaign live. After she sings the famous line, a concert-goer chants: “Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday, and right now, you can save £50 per person. That’s £200 off a family of four.”

The song’s association with the travel brand has sparked both humour and irritation online. A Reddit post from last year, which resurfaced amid the viral surge, reads: “Every time I hear Jess Glynne sing ‘Darling hold my hand’ a little piece of me dies. Please stop Jet2.” The thread attracted over 1,200 upvotes and dozens of comments sharing similar sentiments.

One Reddit user wrote: “If the advert’s not bad enough, they play it on the fecking plane during boarding. It’s almost enough to make me fly Ryanair (almost).”

The trend shows no signs of slowing down, as users across platforms continue to remix the ad’s audio to poke fun at real-life letdowns, making “Darling, hold my hand” the unofficial anthem of holiday mishaps.

Adding another layer to the phenomenon is the revelation that the voiceover in the Jet2 ad - the one that follows the track with booking offers - is voiced by actress Zoe Lister, best known for her role in Hollyoaks. Lister posted a TikTok video acknowledging her unexpected internet fame, captioned: “When your voiceover’s gone global but nobody realises what a big deal you are.” Fans were shocked, with one commenting: “Wait Zoe Lister as in Hollyoaks??”

Another TikTok user jokingly suggested: “Honestly please just go to a karaoke bar and sing it with full seriousness until you get to the VO bit and watch everyone go nuts.” To which Lister replied: “I might actually do this.”