The actor in the On the Beach advert is Paddy McGuinness, the British TV personality best known for presenting Take Me Out and co-presenting Top Gear. He has been the face of On the Beach's advertising campaigns since January 2024, working with creative agency Quiet Storm. As of May 2026, he remains the brand's lead spokesperson across TV, digital and out-of-home advertising.
Paddy McGuinness is a Bolton-born comedian, presenter and actor who built his profile through panel shows and presenting roles across ITV and BBC. He co-presented Top Gear alongside Freddie Flintoff and Chris Harris, and hosted the long-running dating show Take Me Out, which ran from 2010 to 2019. That kind of cross-generational familiarity makes him a sensible fit for a holiday brand targeting families and couples alike.
He is not an actor in the traditional sense, but he appears in scripted and semi-improvised ad spots, playing a recognisable version of his on-screen persona. The campaign leans into his warmth and comic timing rather than any fictional character.
The campaigns are produced by Quiet Storm, an independent creative agency. Its founder and Creative Director is Trevor Robinson OBE, who described the relationship with McGuinness in terms that go well beyond a standard celebrity endorsement deal.
"Working with Paddy McGuinness and On the Beach has been a long-standing partnership and genuine collaboration that continues to grow creatively, right through the customer journey." - Trevor Robinson OBE, Creative Director and Founder, Quiet Storm
That phrase "right through the customer journey" is not just marketing language. The campaign has expanded so that McGuinness appears in emails, booking forms and the On the Beach app, not just on television screens.
McGuinness entered his second year working with On the Beach and Quiet Storm in August 2025, according to TheMarketingBlog, which puts the start of the partnership in 2024. Most celebrity ad campaigns run for one cycle and get quietly dropped, so reaching a second year with the same creative agency and the same talent suggests the arrangement is working commercially.
The 2025 activation was also the first time McGuinness appeared in On the Beach content outside TV and out-of-home advertising. The brand extended his presence into digital videos for social media, online placements and its own app, moving well beyond the traditional 30-second TV spot.
Several viewers have searched specifically for the child actor who appears alongside McGuinness in some of the spots. On the Beach and Quiet Storm have not publicly named him, and no verified casting information has been released. If you recognise the child from another production, the Quiet Storm agency website is the most reliable place to check for any credited cast information.
On the Beach describes itself as the UK's biggest beach holiday specialist. The company sells package holidays, flights and hotels, with a focus on sun and beach destinations. Its advertising has historically been direct and price-led, but the Quiet Storm campaigns with McGuinness have added a more character-driven tone to the brand. The 2024 campaign also coincided with the launch of On the Beach's Fast Track Perk, which automatically gives fast-track airport treatment to customers who book a holiday of seven nights for six or fewer travellers. On the Beach's chief customer officer Zoe Harris described McGuinness as "a man of the people who loves getting into holiday mode, clowns around like nobody's watching and embraces everything a jolly has to offer."
Some older articles named a different actor as the On the Beach advert actor. That referred to much older campaigns and is no longer current. As of 2026, Paddy McGuinness is the face of the brand.
If you saw an advert before 2024 and are trying to identify who appeared in it, the cast may have changed more than once over the years. For anything from 2024 onwards, the answer is McGuinness.
## Quotations > Working with Paddy McGuinness and On the Beach has been a long-standing partnership and genuine collaboration that continues to grow creatively, right through the customer journey. > — Trevor Robinson OBE (Creative Director and Founder, Quiet Storm) (https://themarketingblog.co.uk/2025/08/who-is-that-actor-in-on-the-beach-advert/) ## Frequently asked questions ### who is the actor in the On the Beach advert Paddy McGuinness, the British TV personality best known for presenting Take Me Out and co-presenting Top Gear, is the face of On the Beach's advertising campaigns. He has been working with the brand since January 2024 and continues as their lead spokesperson across TV, digital and out-of-home advertising. ### how long has Paddy McGuinness been with On the Beach Paddy McGuinness has been working with On the Beach for over two years as of August 2025, having started his partnership with the brand in January 2024. The 2025 activation marked the first time he appeared in On the Beach content beyond traditional TV and out-of-home advertising, expanding into digital videos and social media. ### what agency creates the On the Beach adverts Quiet Storm, an independent creative agency founded by Trevor Robinson OBE, produces the On the Beach advertising campaigns. The agency has developed a long-standing creative partnership with the brand that extends across multiple customer touchpoints including TV, digital, social media and the On the Beach app. ### is Paddy McGuinness an actor Paddy McGuinness is primarily a comedian and TV presenter rather than a traditional actor, best known for hosting Take Me Out and co-presenting Top Gear. He appears in On the Beach adverts playing a recognisable version of his on-screen persona, leaning into his warmth and comic timing rather than portraying a fictional character. ### what is On the Beach On the Beach is described as the UK's biggest beach holiday specialist, offering holiday packages and bookings through their website and app. The brand uses advertising campaigns featuring Paddy McGuinness to reach families and couples across multiple platforms including TV, social media and email. ## Sources 1. [Who is that actor in On the Beach advert - TheMarketingblog](https://themarketingblog.co.uk/2025/08/who-is-that-actor-in-on-the-beach-advert/) (themarketingblog.co.uk) 2. [On The Beach Advert : r/BritishAdverts](https://www.reddit.com/r/BritishAdverts/comments/1qglanr/on_the_beach_advert/) (www.reddit.com)