Northerners Watch More TV But Southern UK Spends More Time on Social Media

LONDON, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New survey data from Expert Reviews' 2026 TV Awards has revealed that Northerners watch more TV per week than Southern UK residents, but Southerners spend more time on social media.

The UK spends the equivalent of 2 working days a week watching TV

Expert Reviews' data found that the majority of respondents surveyed across the UK spend 15-20 hours per week watching TV - that's about the equivalent of 2 full working days spent in front of a television screen each week. Only 1% of UK residents say they don't watch any TV during the week. 

Northerners watch more TV than Southerners

However, survey respondents across Northern regions of the UK were found to watch more television than those based in Southern UK regions. 

In fact, 35% of Northerners admitted to watching over 21 hours of TV each week, compared to 30% of Southerners. This data highlights an interesting regional difference in the amount of time spent watching TV between the North and South of the UK.

Southerners spend more time on social media

Expert Reviews has also found that though respondents in Southern UK regions spend less time watching TV per week, they're actually spending more time on social media compared to Northerners.

38% of Southern-based UK respondents say they spend over 21 hours on social media per week, compared to 36% of Northern respondents. 

Tech dominates UK leisure

These insights highlight just how entrenched technology and electrical devices have now become in our daily lives. Certain areas of the UK might opt for TV more than they opt for social media, and vice versa, but the common denominator is that both Northern and Southern UK respondents choose to watch some form of screen during their free time.

What does the UK actually use their TV for?

• Streaming films and TV shows: 80%
• Watching live broadcast TV: 64%
• Watching live sports: 55%
• Watching YouTube: 50%
• Gaming: 31%
• Listening to music: 29%
• Browsing the web: 12%

Deputy Editor of Expert Reviews, Andy White, comments: "I don't want to speculate on the social or cultural differences driving the TV watching and social media habits of those in the north and south, but what's clear here is we can't get enough content. We've only got so many hours in the day, but we choose to spend a significant proportion of our spare time glued to a screen of some description. On the one hand, I'm pleased that television viewing is still integral to many people's lives despite there being more ways than ever to consume content, even if that seems like quite an unhealthy amount of TV to me".

Tom Lord, Product and Consumer Manager for TV at Hisense UK, adds: "With 80% of the nation using their TV to stream films, having the right technology in the living room has never been more important to make the most out of that content and create a truly cinematic experience.

"At Hisense, we're seeing a growing number of consumers looking to upgrade to larger screens and flagship technologies such as RGB MiniLED, which delivers unmatched colour accuracy and an enhanced viewing experience through advanced processing features such as Dolby Vision 2.

"With 180Hz panels and built-in features such as Xbox Cloud Gaming, consumers can also play their favourite games directly from their Hisense TV, without the need for a console, which is great news for the 31% of the nation who use their TVs for gaming."

Additional Information:

• Expert Reviews, launched in 2010, rigorously tests and reviews products to ensure consumers make informed decisions based on thoroughly tested conclusions.
• Expert Reviews' survey, conducted in July 2026, targeted a representative sample of 1,041 UK residents
• Collection of regional distribution data has been obtained to reflect geographical nuances and increase data validity