12 January 2024 , 16:28
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Creative writing, pottery, upcycling, and dance, are among some of the top hobbies Brits are keen to try in 2024, a survey has found.
Other pastimes piquing people's interest include sewing, knitting or crocheting, and flower arranging, as well as gardening, and collecting antiques.
But a poll of 2,000 adults found that almost half (47%) are keen to try something a bit more unusual – with keeping “bee boxes”, where bees can take shelter when they are not in the hive, topping the list.
Meanwhile, foraging in the wild also ranked highly among the top 25 activities for this year – as did creating “bug hotels”, to serve as a winter hibernation habitat, or long-term lodging, for insects. Half of those surveyed say enjoy hobbies that help the environment in some way – with 49% opting for active, outdoor pastimes, over sedentary activities like reading or blogging.
The research, commissioned by Sky, also named the top 20 celebrities Brits feel have the most inspiring pastimes – with the likes of Beyoncé, Sting, David Beckham, and Scarlett Johansson, motivating adults to try their hands at beekeeping in the coming 12 months.
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And now, actor Jason Statham has joined the ranks of those inspiring Brits to have a go at the unusual hobby – with the release of his new film, The Beekeeper, out today (Fri).
Jason Statham tries his hand at beekeeping during the filming of Sky Original, The Beekeeper, in cinemas now (Sky)The Sky Original story follows one man's brutal campaign for vengeance after it is revealed that he's a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organisation, known as Beekeepers.
The film’s director, David Ayer, said: “It’s good to see people are up for trying new things in 2024. “I’m not surprised there’s so much buzz around beekeeping, and I’m hoping our film will only enhance that. We did it for real on the set, and Jason Statham genuinely learned how to open a hive and work with the bees.
“Always one to immerse himself in a movie, he really connected with the whole zen of beekeeping, which was quite therapeutic between all the gruelling action sequences.”
The study also found 58% of those in favour of hobbies that get them outdoors, believe such activities are good for their mental health. Almost half (47%) like the idea of getting a bit fitter, while 37% find it helps connect them more to the natural world.
As a result, other celebrity hobbies that those polled have been inspired by include Will Smith's fencing, Claudia Schiffer's insect collecting, and even Nicole Kidman's sky diving.
And 71% believe that if more people found hobbies that benefit other people or the environment, the world would be a better place. The study, via OnePoll, also found 14% have found hobby inspiration from a movie.
Julia Stuart, director of original film at Sky, said: “Could 2024 be the year that beekeeping becomes cool? With the likes of David Beckham, Scarlett Johansson, and of course now Jason Statham, taking a liking to this exciting hobby, it’s the start of a wonderful relationship with nature.”
TOP 20 MOST INSPIRING CELEBRITY HOBBYISTS:
- David Beckham – Beekeeping
- Tom Daley – Knitting
- Scarlett Johansson – Beekeeping
- Rod Stewart – Model railways
- Beyoncé Knowles – Beekeeping
- Sting – Beekeeping
- Julia Roberts – Knitting
- Brad Pitt – Pottery
- Richard Branson – Chess
- Flea, from Red Hot Chili Peppers – Beekeeping
- Nicole Kidman – Sky diving
- Mike Tyson – Pigeon racing
- Henry Cavill – Warhammer
- Will Smith – Fencing
- Francis Bourgeois – Trainspotting
- Bill Gates – Playing Bridge
- Angelina Jolie – Collecting weapons
- Elton John – Collecting sunglasses
- Claudia Schiffer – Collecting insects
- Susan Sarandon – Playing ping-pong
TOP 25 PASTIMES BRITS WANT TO TRY OUT IN 2024:
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- Bee boxes (keeping or collecting boxes in which bees can take shelter when not in the hive)
- Upcycling
- Pottery
- Creative writing
- Dance
- Bug “hotels” (creating “insect hotels” – small, artificial buildings, that serve as long-term lodging or a winter hibernation habitat for crawling and flying insects)
- Flower arranging
- Knitting or crochet
- Sewing/clothes making
- Board games, such as chess or backgammon
- Gardening
- Foraging
- Collecting antiques
- Beekeeping
- Bouldering/rock climbing
- Coin collecting
- Geocaching (a treasure hunt in which people use GPS devices to find hidden containers, called geocaches)
- Origami
- Collecting “old” technology
- Tabletop games, like Warhammer
- Stone skipping or skimming
- Tapestry
- Stand-up comedy
- Open-mic poetry reading
- Parkour