New research from EE shows an epidemic of ‘doombrowsing’ in the UK, with the average viewer now burning through a total of 28 hours a year browsing through their TV and movie options.
To put that into perspective, 28 hours is enough time to drive from Land’s End to John o’Groats twice, sit through 14 full Premier League matches back-to-back, or walk over 100 miles across the UK.
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 respondents in the UK. The data was collected in March 2026.
EE notes that far from being a relaxing wind-down, picking what to watch has become a genuine source of stress in British homes.
- Over half of Brits (51%) say they feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choice;
- Over a third (38%) have thrown in the towel entirely and gone to bed without watching a thing;
- A further 38% say the nightly negotiation over what to watch is now a source of household tension;
- 34% would rather just read a book instead.
- Two thirds (66%) of Brits admit they’ve fallen asleep mid-browse without ever finding anything,
- Over half (54%) admit they often spend longer browsing than actually watching.
- Nearly half (45%) have stopped trying altogether, defaulting to a familiar favourite they’ve already seen, simply because it’s easier than deciding.
EE notes that this doombrowsing is also driving people to their phones, with 70% of Brits turning to second screens to look up actors, quotes or plot details mid-browse before giving up on their search, with nearly half (45%) admitting that they often give up and going back to their trusty old TV show just to avoid the agony of deciding on something new to watch.
The group has now launched Smart Search on its EE TV service to combat these issues. Instead of needing an exact title, viewers can simply describe what they’re after: a mood, a plot, a theme, or even a half-remembered one-liner – whether that’s “a funny detective show” or “a film with the actor from The Inbetweeners”.
Using AI to interpret natural language, Smart Search pulls together results from across live TV, on-demand and streaming apps in one place, so customers spend less time searching and more time watching.
“With the sheer amount of great movies, boxsets, and sport now available, we hear the nation’s frustration with spending more time searching than actually watching,” said Luciano Oliveira, Director of Product, Home & TV, EE.
“Smart Search and Mood Matcher on EE TV are the perfect antidote – together, they take the effort out of choosing so you can get straight to the entertainment you love, with the hardest part of your evening now being choosing the right snacks, not the show.”
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