Jack Whitehall has issued a guide for getting through family holidays.
Hilary, Jack and Michael Whitehall
The 33-year-old comedian has been co-starring in hit Netflix show ‘Travels with my Father’ with dad Michael for five years and his new book 'How To Survive Family Holidays' offers a step-by-step plan for getting through travels with your mum, dad and siblings.
Speaking in the book, which comes out on Thursday (14.10.21), Jack suggests taking some time part from your loved ones ahead of the trip is "paramount".
He said: "The first piece of advice I would give you when preparing for a family holiday is this: it is of paramount importance to have a period of exile from your family in the lead-up to a holiday.
"The more extended this period can be, the better it will serve you.
"It will act as a much-needed palate cleanser from your nearest and dearest’s foibles and follies.
"An emotional sorbet, if you will.
"A little circuit breaker, which could last anywhere between six and eight months.
"Enough time to forget everything about them that annoys you.
"Maybe even a year."
Jack spent many a summer vacationing with father Michael, mother Hilary, brother Barnaby and sister Molly, but believes the biggest mistake someone can make is thinking taking a friend on the trip will make things any easier.
He added: "Although you might think that friends could be important allies on a family holiday, never, ever take one with you. Oh my, no!
"You think this will be a good solution to the problem – a companion to retreat to when your family gets too much – but there is no greater test of a friendship. I would love to see one friendship that survived it.
"Exposing a friend to the dark underbelly of your family and their inner workings is a sure-fire way to unpick any bond you may have had.
"In my experience, a friend encountering your family dynamics is exactly like them seeing you naked.
"At best, they’re going to pity you.
"At worst, they’re going to tell other people about the scale of what they’ve witnessed."
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