Brits’ 53 days a year in front of TV

WE spend the equivalent of 53 days a year watching TV but most of us do something else while viewing, a survey found.

Just 43% watched telly without any distractions with 31% saying they checked social media, 20% went shopping online and 9% sorted out their finances.

The study by TV makers LG even found 2% of us were also watching other programmes on different devices.

We watch an average of three and a half hours’ TV a day – a total of 1,277 hours a year – with dramas the favourite kind of viewing, for 21% of us. Second came watching films, at 17%.

The survey found 66% of us preferred viewing movies on our TVs to going to the cinema and just 18% said the big screen was the best way to watch.

Many got their first look at a movie on their TV, with 32% saying that was where they saw their first Harry Potter film.

TV also won out over the cinema for 62% as they were able to pause the film and go to the loo, 32% said they were less likely to be disturbed by cinemagoers making noise and the same figure liked being able to switch off a movie they did not like.

A top-of-the -range TV was a must for 39% of film fans, followed by surroundsound speakers for 26%.

LG’s Darren Petersen said: “Many of us are watching three or four hours of TV every day and there is an evident growing trend towards consuming movies in the comfort of our homes.”