60,000 people watch blank screen to protest ITV switch-off as the channel tries to encourage viewers to do more sport
TV addicts also took to Twitter to boast they had used the time to sleep and buy booze
MORE than 60,000 defiant viewers watched a blank screen as ITV went off air to encourage people to do sport.
All seven of its channels switched off for an hour on Saturday morning to get viewers off the sofa to mark Team GB’s Olympic triumph.
But figures show that thousands shunned the chance of exercise and tuned in to a message saying ITV was off air.
In one ten minute period 60,000 were watching a lifeless screen — which carried messages such as: “Gone Hula Hooping. Back at 10.30.”
ITV staged 2,000 sports try-out events at venues all over the country, including on the set of Coronation Street.
But some viewers went on Twitter to boast of their lack of athleticism.
One, named Nul Points, said: “ITV off air for an hour to encourage us to take up sport. Used the time to pop down to Bargain Booze.”
Jenny Kleeman wrote: “Proud to have slept through ITV’s hour-long shutdown to encourage more people to exercise.”
Michael Joyce, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, said: “Any chance of making the shutdown permanent?”
Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden embraced ITV’s I Am Team GB vision.
She posted a photo of herself jogging.
In Manchester, Corrie’s set hosted badminton and table tennis, while at Emmerdale’s Leeds studio there was a running and cycling duathlon.
A spokesman for I Am Team GB said: “We had the UK’s biggest-ever sports day. Well over 100,000 people took part.”