Tiscali Press Release - On Demand Entertainment Awards

TV creating real-life drama in Britain

NEW research has today revealed that Britons regularly fall in love with TV stars and suffer from "TV trauma" when their favourite shows end.

The study of 1,586 Britons, commissioned by Tiscali TV, investigated the role of TV in modern British life:

One in three (29%)Britons polled admitted they had romantically fallen in love with a TV character. This was most common amongst 16 - 24 year olds (50%)

More than one in five (22%) stated they actually feel depressed when their favourite show ends. This was seen most commonly amongst 16 - 24 year olds (32%)

TV love
The most commonly loved TV characters of each gender were found to be Billie Piper as Rose Tyler in Doctor Who (23%) and James Nesbitt as Adam Williams in Cold Feet (14%).

Women aged 16 - 24 were the most likely to romantically fall in love with a TV character, whilst men aged 55 plus were least likely to.

Psychologist, Dr David Lewis, who worked on the study said: "TV personalities generate a powerful emotional bond with some viewers through seeming close, yet being unobtainable. This combination creates a strong attachment, which can be more potent than the one held with their own friends and family."

Beyond romantic love, the study discovered that Britons' love of TV programmes often relates to the escapism they offer. Indeed, despite the rise of the web, TV is still at the heart of Britons leisure lives:

One in three (27%) stated that they looked forward to their favourite TV programme more than anything else in their week. This was most common for 16 - 24 year olds.

Over one in ten (12%) admitted that watching their favourite TV show gave them more enjoyment than drinking with friends, or spending quality time with their partner or family. This was most common for 16 - 24 year olds

44% said TV watching was a very important part of their leisure time. This was most common for 45 - 54 year olds (46%), and least for 16 - 24 year olds (39%)

13% of Britons regularly daydream about being in their favourite show. This was most common for 16 - 24 year olds (40%)

"TV Trauma" and How to Beat It

But there is another side to Britain's love affair with TV and its personalities. The study found that when TV shows end, many Britons suffer from a form of mourning - labelled "TV Trauma".

Over one in four Britons (26%) state that they miss their favourite TV characters "deeply" when their show ends

22% feel there is a gap in their life when their favourite show ends. 16 - 24 year olds felt this most strongly (32%)

31% of Britons aged 16 - 24 admitted to crying extensively when favourite show ended (4% men, 8% women). Compared to an overall British average of 7%)

28% of 16 - 24 year olds would give up all other TV for a month just to have another episode of their favourite show to watch (compared to an overall British average of 6%)

Dr Lewis said: "Britons have a deep relationship with TV characters. They admire them, identify with them and can develop a profound longing for them. When a character's show ends, it can hit their fans as hard as losing someone close in the real world"

Simon Hunt, Director of Television at Tiscali, said: "I think we tend to underestimate the role of TV in people's lives and how strongly entwined with our own realities it can become. What these findings show is that the power and influence of television extends far beyond the off switch."

The study identified the most mourned TV shows - with a surprising preference for British shows over American imports, and older shows over newer programs:

1. Only Fools and Horses (19%) - the top male choice, with 26% of the male vote
2. Friends (18%) - the top female choice, with 24% of the female vote
3. Fawlty Towers (15%)
4. Cold Feet (12%)
5. Sex and the City (10%)
6. The Office (8%)
7. Cheers (6%)
8. West Wing (5%)
9. The Sopranos (4%)
10. The OC (3%)

Simon Hunt of Tiscali said: "The fact that a huge appetite for these older shows still exists, despite more new television being made than ever before, proves the existence of a strong emotional attachment that viewers are not willing to let go of. A desire that video on demand is here to cater for."

Dr Lewis advises the best way to get over TV trauma is to look both forward and back: "Dwelling on the past can actually be positive when it comes to TV shows - watch reruns of your favourite but do try to find a new TV love to take it's place. Everyone has to move on at some point".