A fifth of Brits admit they have pulled an all-nighter to watch their favourite TV Box Set*, according to new research from streaming service NOW TV, who today revealed it will be offering one lucky Brit the chance to win £35,000 to take the UK’s first ever Box Set Sabbatical.

The average Brit has just 100 minutes of free time per day, so with over 300 Box Sets of TV shows to watch on NOW TV alone, it’s no wonder one in 10 Brits crams in an episode over lunch and one in 20 (5%) admits to pulling a sickie to watch TV.

The research also found that nearly a quarter of Brits (23%) felt left out socially when friends, family or colleagues are talking about a show they haven’t seen - no wonder then that a third has watched a whole season in a day or weekend just to keep up.

Emma Quartly, Marketing Director at NOW TV, explained why NOW TV has launched its Box Set Sabbatical: “Our research found one in seven Brits spend their holiday catching up on telly and 40 percent say TV helps them escape and relax, so in the depths of winter, we wanted to take duvet days to another level with the first ever TV streaming sabbatical.”

Given the time, Brits revealed they would most like to start watching blockbuster shows such as Game of Thrones, The Sopranos or The Walking Dead.

The NOW TV Box Set Sabbatical will offer the chance for one lucky TV fan to take home £35,000 to take some time out and catch up on iconic shows they’ve missed. The winner will also get a NOW TV Smart Stick, plus 12 months of NOW TV Passes to help them do this.

To enter, TV fans simply need to post a video or image showing why they deserve to win this ultimate gig. Entries should be submitted via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, using the hashtag #BoxSetSabbatical and tagging @NOWTV.

A panel of judges, including Box Set buff and comedian, Joel Dommett, will review the entries and select a winner that they think best demonstrates TV watching passion, creativity and experience. To help budding entrants, Joel has put together a handy video, offering tips on how to nail the pitch - viewable here.

Speaking about the competition, Joel Dommett said: “For anyone who loves telly, this really is the most unbelievable gig. Sitting with my feet up watching my favourite shows AND getting paid for the privilege is something I quite literally dream about.”

Entries are now open and close at midnight, Thursday 14th February 2019. Further details on how to enter, as well as full terms and conditions, can be found at www.nowtv.com/bss.

Notes to editors

*Research by OnePoll, 2,000 UK respondents, December 2018

As part of the poll the public voted for the top NOW TV Box Set they wish they’d seen but felt they didn’t have time to catch up on.

Game of Thrones – two days, 15 hours and 20 minutes to complete all series
The Sopranos – three days and 14 hours to complete six seasons
The Walking Dead – five days and 14 hours to complete nine seasons
The Wire – two days and 12 hours to complete five seasons
Westworld – 20 hours to watch 20 episodes
Most binged box sets: top 3 shows where a whole season was watched in one go (One Poll data):

Game of Thrones
The Walking Dead
The Sopranos
Telly addicts – top 10 worst ways we’ve kept up to date with favourite shows:

Stayed up all night to finish season
Lied to friend and family about plans
Cancelled plans with friends or family
Made an excuse to leave work early
Taken a sickie from work
Cancelled a date
Accidentally missed a stop on public transport
Skipped a doctor’s appointment
Skipped a job interview
Forgot to pick up kids from school
Some of the shows loved by NOW TV fans include Game of Thrones, Westworld, The Walking Dead, A Discovery of Witches, Save Me, Geordie Shore, Modern Family, Britannia, Family Guy, South Park, Bulletproof, The Good Doctor, The Wire and Ex on the Beach.

Most watched hour of the day in 2018:

9pm

Most watched day of the week in 2018:

Sunday

About NOW TV

NOW TV is a pick-and-mix TV streaming service that lets you choose from a range of passes contract free.

Available anytime, anywhere in the UK, you can watch through a NOW TV Box or NOW TV Smart Stick, or on the web. The NOW TV app is also available on over 60 devices.

Whether you’re into big dramas, blockbuster movies, live sports, US reality TV or just some extra TV for the kids, NOW TV offers five passes which include the latest and best TV and movies: Entertainment, Sky Cinema, Kids, hayu and Sky Sports.

This includes Sky Atlantic, over 300 Box Sets on demand, all 10 Sky Sports channels and over 1,000 movies – all available with no contract.

For more information visit nowtv.com

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