Britons are increasingly entertaining guests at home with dinner, film and karaoke nights, inspired by television shows on cookery and home entertainment, according to a survey.
More than half (53 percent) of the respondents to a poll of 1,000 Britons across the country said they now prefer to spend quality time with family and friends by inviting them over to their homes rather than meeting in bars and restaurants, the survey by mobile phone operator T-Mobile showed.
Popular television shows such as "Come Dine With Me," where amateur chefs attempt to wow each other with their culinary skills, "Master Chef" where ordinary people compete to cook to Michelin standards and a number of celebrity cookery shows have inspired Britons to entertain at home.
The poll showed that nearly a third of respondents had splashed out cash for home entertainment improvements such as sofas, dining tables, games consoles and bigger televisions to impress the guests.
"Over the last couple of years, my clients have increasingly asked for home parties rather than ones at independent venues," party planning expert Liz Brewer said in a statement accompanying the poll's results.
"This is not only due to the recession but because many have become increasingly house-proud and keen to show off their cooking skills, in addition to their latest home entertainment purchases."
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was the top choice for dream host of respondents, while Prime Minister Gordon Brown was one of the least favored, alongside his rival Conservative leader David Cameron.
(Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a multimedia journalist at the China Daily Web site.)
點擊查看更多雙語新聞
(Agencies)
一項調查顯示，受電視烹飪節目和家庭娛樂節目的影響，如今英國人越來越喜歡請客人來家裡吃飯、看電影、唱卡拉OK。
這項由手機運營商T-Mobile開展的調查顯示，在來自全國各地的1000名受訪者中，一半以上（53%）的人說他們現在更喜歡請親朋好友來家裡來玩，而不是去酒吧或餐館。
英國人在家款待客人主要是受到一些人氣電視節目的激發，比如《和我一起來吃飯》，業餘廚師們在該節目中一展廚藝，贏得彼此的稱讚，還有依據米其林餐廳評分標準的廚師選拔節目《大廚》及其他很多名人烹飪節目。
調查顯示，近三分之一的受訪者不惜重金改善家庭娛樂條件，以給客人留下好印象，比如更換或添置沙發、餐桌、遊戲機和大屏幕電視機等。
派對策劃專家裡茲•布魯爾在隨調查結果一同發表的一份聲明中說：「在過去幾年中，越來越多的客戶要求在家中辦派對而不是在其它場所。
「這不僅僅是因為經濟衰退，如今越來越多的人熱衷於布置家庭，除展示新添置的家庭娛樂設施外，還希望展示自己的廚藝。」
此外，受訪者最希望去名廚傑米•奧利弗家裡做客，最不希望做首相戈登•布朗的客人，他的競爭對手保守黨領袖大衛•卡梅倫同樣不受歡迎。
相關閱讀
調查：男性下廚成新潮流
英首相邀平民大廚掌勺G20 配「反危機食譜」
調查：英國人最愛快餐 法國人最注重形象
調查：85%英國人稱自己「盲目進食」
英國人家裝DIY興趣減退 省下時間去旅遊
經濟低迷英國人居家過聖誕
（中國日報網英語點津 陳丹妮 編輯蔡姍姍）