'Sherlock' star Benedict Cumberbatch
Almost a third of British people have missed a friend's birthday party because their favourite TV show has been broadcast at the same time.
The average viewer watches over four hours of live TV a day, new research has found, and over a third of people have admitted to shunning a night out in favour of a night in front of the box, prompting Freesat to coin the term FOMOOT (Fear Of Missing Out On Telly).
The survey showed 31 per cent of people have missed a friend or family member's birthday celebration to watch their favourite show, 1 in 10 have skipped work to ensure they don't miss a programme, and four per cent have even tuned into their top shows while at work. An astonishing seven per cent of respondents have left a funeral or wedding early to ensure they don't miss out on the latest episode of their best-loved series.
'Sherlock' is the top programme viewers don't want to miss, with 'Doctor Who' and 'Coronation Street' following close behind. Rounding out the top five must-see shows are period drama 'Downton Abbey' and comedy 'Mrs. Brown's Boys'.
Following the research, Freesat have created a free new Freesat App - a TV guide to help viewers plan how and what to watch through TV and On Demand.
Paul Gilshan, Marketing Director of Freesat, said:
"We know that TV is important to the British public but we were surprised to see some of the lengths that we'll go to, to avoid missing our favourite shows.
"People should know that they don't need to be chained to their TV to enjoy their unmissable programmes - with On Demand and our new Freesat App you can enjoy the best of both worlds - recording remotely from wherever you are, so no more missing a friend's wedding for The Voice again."
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