Press play together: How big TV moments are becoming at-home events

From football kick-offs to must-watch TV finales, Britain is pressing play together.

 

Our latest research reveals that the UK’s biggest moments across TV, sport and music are no longer just something to watch; instead, they’re something to host. As more people choose comfort, convenience and connection over overcrowded venues, the home has become the go-to setting for shared experiences.

 

Social media is helping to accelerate the trend. There are now more than 346,000 posts under #WatchParty on Instagram and 60,000 on TikTok, with users sharing hosting tips and guest experiences for everything from Bridgerton to Love Island.

 

To understand how this shift is changing the way people use their homes, we surveyed 500 UK adults on how they watch, host and share big on-screen moments.

Why more people are choosing to watch big TV moments at home

Live venues and pubs still have their place, but when it comes to major TV moments, the sofa wins.

 

Our research shows that more than two-thirds of Brits (69%) prefer to watch big events at home, compared with 13% who favour the pub and 11% a live venue. Comfort is the single biggest driver (4.01 weighted ranking), followed by picture and sound quality (2.89), convenience (2.85) and cost (2.7).

 

However, home viewing doesn’t mean watching alone. Over half of Brits (53%) enjoy sharing big moments with others, while 16% actively prefer it, highlighting the growing appeal of communal viewing at home.

Seven million Brits are hosting watch parties – and sport leads the way

Watch parties are moving firmly into the mainstream. Our findings show that one in seven Brits (13%) plan to host a watch party this year – which is equivalent to around seven million adults across the UK.

 

Live sport is the biggest reason to gather, with 43% hosting for matches. This is followed by TV series finales (25%), concerts or live performances (21%) and movie releases (20%).

 

These moments are increasingly treated as occasions, with hosts putting more thought into how their homes support guests, movement and shared viewing.

What makes a good watch party at home?

When it comes to hosting successfully, people prioritise how a home works over how it looks.

 

The most important features for a good watch party are:

 

1. Flexible space for entertaining guests (52%)
2. A high quality TV or home entertainment set up (45%)
3. Comfortable, spacious seating (44%)
4. Open plan living areas (42%)
5. Easy indoor outdoor flow (36%)

Preparation reflects this practical mindset. Nearly half of hosts (48%) add extra seating, 47% clean and tidy, and 30% test streaming and sound or rearrange furniture to create a dedicated viewing area.

Expert insight: How to set up your home for a watch party

Successful hosting increasingly comes down to how a home flows - and how guests move through it.

 

Victoria Parkinson, Garden and Hosting Expert at Arctic Cabins, explains: “Start by decluttering the main living areas and entryway, as guests will naturally gather where there’s space to stand or sit. A quick ‘quests perspective’ walkthrough helps you spot practical gaps like extra toilet roll, visible hand soap, and a designated coat area.

 

“Set up serving stations and non-perishable snacks the night before to avoid day-of chaos. Finally, test your key zones like drinks, seating and bathroom access to make sure no single area becomes a traffic jam and guests can move around without feeling crowded.”

Homes designed with clear zones and generous circulation make hosting feel easier and help guests feel more relaxed.

Expert insight: How to arrange seating for a watch party

We spoke to Gemma Logan, a party expert with more than 12 years of experience in hosting and event planning, about how to decorate for a watch party.

 

She shared: “Comfort beats symmetry every time. Not everyone needs a perfect front row view of the television. Some guests are there for the atmosphere as much as the match or show itself.

 

“Floor cushions, pouffes and side seating work brilliantly for creating a casual setup that feels welcoming instead of overly formal.

 

“And always leave a few little tables or surfaces nearby for drinks. Balancing a plate on your lap for three hours gets old very quickly.”

Where people get watch party ideas and inspiration

When it comes to styling and set-up, social platforms play a leading role. Instagram is the biggest source of décor inspiration, according to our research, with over two-fifths of Brits (41%) turning to the platform.

 

Other popular sources of inspiration include:

 

1. Pinterest (33%)
2. Friends (33%)
3. Family (30%)
4. Facebook (22%)
5. TikTok (17%)

Traditional sources still play a role, with magazines (16%) and TV shows (16%) continuing to influence hosting décor. Interestingly, 13% of people also turn to AI tools (13%).

What food and drink people serve at watch parties

Food and drink bring people together. Our research shows that over half of hosts (51%) prepare simple snacks, while 41% opt for grazing boards or sharing platters.

Others keep things relaxed by ordering a takeaway (28%) or asking guests to bring their own food and drink (25%).

For most people, it’s less about presentation and more about connection. Over half of Brits (54%) attend watch parties primarily to socialise with friends and family.

Expert insight: What food works best for watch parties

Since food and drink is such an important part of a watch party, we once again consulted Gemma.

 

She shared: “Watch parties work best when the food is easy to eat without requiring a knife, fork and full concentration. The sweet spot is food people can grab quickly during key moments without missing the action on screen.

 

“Think loaded wedges, sliders, sausage rolls, skewers, flatbreads, popcorn, crisps with proper dips and trays of bite sized desserts.

 

“One clever trick is serving food in waves rather than all at once. Put snacks out first, then bring out hot food midway through, followed by something sweet later on. It keeps the energy going and gives the evening a sense of occasion without creating loads more work.

 

“Drinks stations are a lifesaver for larger groups. Whether it’s a bucket of beers, pre-mixed cocktails in jugs or a simple self-serve table with soft drinks and ice, people prefer helping themselves instead of repeatedly asking where the tonic water is.”

Victoria echoes the importance of practicality, saying: “Choose handheld, low-mess foods that don’t require looking down such as sliders, skewers, loaded nachos or build-your-own taco bars - these work incredibly well.”

How social media is changing the way people host at home

Beyond décor, social media is also influencing what people serve. People are more likely to turn to Instagram for food and drink ideas (40%) than a cookbook (24%).

 

People also scroll through TikTok (18%), Pinterest (16%) and Facebook (16%) for food inspiration. The popularity of this kind of content reflects a wider shift towards hosting that feels achievable, relaxed and rooted in how people actually use their homes.

 

We’ve rounded up four TikTok-inspired watch-party recipes gaining traction online.

Caesar salad bites for easy grazing

Creator @bobbiaston gained over 500,000 views with her Caesar salad bites - crisp, handheld and designed for sharing.

 

To recreate these at home, you should:

 

1. Position your leaves of romaine lettuce
2. Add a piece of breaded chicken to each
3. Top with anchovies
4. Garnish with parmesan
5. Prepare salad dressing for dipping

Focaccia charcuterie made for sharing

TikToker @gemstable amassed more than 600,000 views for her focaccia charcuterie tutorial, saying: “why have the charcuterie board and bread separate when it’s more fun to combine them”.

 

Before putting the focaccia in the oven to bake, Gemma used small glass jars to create baked-in wells in the bread. Once it was out of the oven and cooled down, these holes were filled with cooked meats, cheeses and olives.

Savory s’mores for relaxed hosting

With 4.8 million views, @emilywelchstyle reinvented s’mores using Ritz crackers, brie, salami and fig jam.

 

This one is perfect for open fires and barbecues, if your watch party spills out into the garden.

Loaded charcuterie nachos to feed a crowd

TikToker @lovelydelites went viral with almost four million views for her loaded charcuterie nachos, layering crisps with cheese, cured meats and sweet-savoury toppings.

 

She detailed:

 

1. Add your crisps of choice to a baking sheet
2. Sprinkle with parmesan
3. Add chunks of brie, prosciutto and salami
4. Spoon on fig jam and apricot preserves
5. Bake until the cheese has melted
6. Finish with parmesan, chives and hot honey

How modern homes support hosting and shared experiences

As more people choose to host and watch together at home, the way homes are designed matters more than ever.

 

Modern layouts, from open-plan kitchens to adaptable living areas, better support how people gather, move and connect. At Redrow, our homes are designed with flexibility, generous communal spaces and natural flow between rooms, making it easier to host everything from relaxed TV nights to full watch-party events.

 

For homeowners looking to upsize or move to a home better suited to entertaining, options such as Part Exchange can help simplify the process, allowing people to focus on finding a home that fits how they want to live today.

Methodology.

We surveyed 500 UK adults via OnePulse in May 2026 to explore attitudes towards communal viewing, watch parties and at-home entertainment.

 

Hashtag data on TikTok and Instagram was also analysed in May 2026.