It's official, were a nation of TV addicts! Brits spend 4 years watching the telly

Worlds first TV Dinners for U restaurant opens in London to mark the launch of new free streaming service, U

Average Brit spends four and a half years watching TV in their lifetime, with 208 dinners eaten in front of the television annually

Half of all evening meals now eaten in front of the TV screen, the equivalent of over 208 million TV dinners a week

Worlds first TV dinners restaurant set to open in response to study findings, using food science to enhance viewing experience

UKTVs free streaming platform U, with 8,500 hours of content, has created the pop-up eatery which promises to elevate the TV dining experience by pairing food with curated TV shows available on U

Tuesday 2 July 2024 The worlds first TV Dinners for U restaurant is opening in London in a fortnight, providing guests with the ultimate TV dinner experience - scientifically pairing food with a curated list of TV shows available on new free streaming service, U, to suit every taste.

The experience was created off the back of research, which revealed that Britain is officially a nation of TV addicts - with three and a half weeks a year spent in front of the telly, the equivalent of four and a half years across an average adults lifetime.

Whats more, over half (57%) of all evening meals are eaten whilst watching our favourite shows.

A quarter (27%) of respondents who took part in a study of 2,000 adults admitted they eat a meal in front of the TV every single day, with the average person watching an hour and 40 minutes of television daily.

U, the new free streaming service from UKTV, which launches on 16th July, has teamed up with food scientist Dr Stuart Farrimond to curate a menu of dishes to enhance the viewing experience of new and well-loved shows that are available on the service.

Guests can choose a number of shows to watch including brand new entertainment show, Battle in the Box, based on a hit Korean format, which sees pairs of comics and celebrities battle it out for pride, prizes and most importantly, floorspace.

Food science expert Dr Stuart Farrimond began by identifying five genres available on U and spent multiple hours and tested dozens of recipes and possible flavour combinations to perfect the menu.

Dr Stuart Farrimonds findings include:

Factual & Real Life - with calming foods that aid clear thinking

Entertainment & Comedy - a mood-boosting menu for sharing

Action-adventure Shows - intense flavours for added excitement

Comforting Classics - comforting foods that feel familiar

Crime Drama - food to evoke intrigue and concentration

The restaurant will provide guests with a specially curated menu, informed by science, to enhance and elevate the TV viewing and dining experience. Once diners have selected their U show of choice, theyll be invited to pop in their headphones and settle in to enjoy their TV dinner.

Dr Stuart Farrimond, Food Science Expert, said:

The fact that TV dinners were invented in the 1950s is testament to how, for as long as televisions have been in our homes, we have eaten in front of them. The combination of good food and a great TV show offers an immersive escape and a multisensory experience that Brits love to enjoy. By applying the latest flavour science research to the selection of TV shows available on the free streaming platform U, I have devised meals that, whether youre watching a comforting classic or edge-of-your-seat crime drama, are designed to intensify and enhance the TV viewing experience.

Penny Brough, Chief Marketing Officer, UKTV said:

Were a self-confessed nation of TV addicts, who love nothing more than watching our favourite shows during dinner. With our TV Dinners For U restaurant, were taking this moment of enjoyment to the next level, combining Us extraordinary range of free quality content with a science enhanced food menu to create a truly unique, and first of its kind, immersive dining-viewing experience. After all, great quality television that people truly love deserves great food.

The research also showed that when it comes to TV dining habits, a whopping 95% of Brits admit to having eaten dinner in front of the telly. Even the beloved Sunday roast is susceptible to being eaten in front of the box, with more than a third (36%) of Brits admitting to having done so at least once in the past year whilst one in five (19%) admit to watching TV during their Christmas dinner!

Changing viewing habits mean that the TV dinner isnt always on the sofa, almost half (49%) will try and catch TV on their phone or tablet wherever theyre eating, if they cannot get in front of the TV. More than half (51%) of those polled believe watching TV pairs well with eating dinner, and with three in ten (30%) Brits inspired to adapt their dinner to what theyre watching on TV, the TV Dinners restaurant will offer a menu of dishes curated to pair perfectly with the programmes available on U.

According to the study, the top dilemmas when making telly choices include; the mood were in when watching (52%), the length of the programme (47%) and the genre of the show (47%). Over three-quarters (77%) of Brits admit to re-watching a favourite show, some of us as many as five times.

From fact-hounds and car enthusiasts to armchair sleuths and reality TV junkies, U will be home to almost 8,500 hours of free content, comprising of new programming, exclusive shows, award-winning originals, and iconic programmes from the BBC.

Us TV Dinners restaurant will be open to the public on Wednesday 17th July 2024 in Londons Holborn and is available to book for free here

Location: 300 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7JH Dates: Wednesday 17th July 2024 Times: 6:30pm - 9:30pm

Tickets: Free, limited tickets available on Eventbrite

Alongside viewer favourites and popular back-catalogue hits such as The Bill and Classic EastEnders, audiences will be able to enjoy ne

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