How the British spend their leisure time?

   Britain's most common leisure activities are home-based or social. Watching television, videos and DVDs, and listening to the radio are by far most popular leisure pastimes, with an average of 22 hours a week devoted to these. Britain's regular weekly dramas or "soap operas" such as "Eastenders" and "Coronation Street" have more viewers than any other programme.

   Listening to music is also a popular pastime, with 72% of household owning a CD player. Pop and rock albums are the most common type of people buy, and pop is by far the most popular form of musical expression in Britain. The most common free-time activity outside the home among adults is a visit to the pub. Other popular leisure activities include visits to the theatre or cinema. There are over 3000 cinemas in Britain thanks to the large growth in "multiplex" cinemas with their multiple screens. Britain also has about 300 theatres, of which about 100 are in London. Britain's most famous theatre company, the Royal Shakespeare Company, performs in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace, in London and tours around the country.

   Of all sporting activities, walking is by far the most popular for men and for women of all ages. While men tend to dominate golf and cue sports such as snooker and billiards, women generally prefer swimming, keep-fit classes and yoga.