The UK record TV audience was achieved by the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer in 1981. Diana's funeral is fifth on the list of most-watched programmes. Numbers two, three and four are all football matches.

In 2004, the number of television sets in the UK overtook the number of people. The average person in the UK spends 138.8 minutes a day watching television and 149.6 minutes a day at their main job.

The average American sees 13,000 deaths on television between the ages of five and 14. Including the murders, the crimes committed on-screen in an average week's viewing would merit 6,000 years in prison.
Despite this, a survey in the 1980s reported that 44 per cent of American children prefer the television to Daddy.

According to a poll in 2001, the top ten favourite snacks to eat while watching television are:

1. Crisps
2. Chocolate bars
3. Fresh fruit
4. Sandwich
5. Ice cream
6. Nuts
7. Bread or toast
8. Other sweets
9. Savoury biscuits
10. Cheese.

The first UK television advert was for Gibbs SR toothpaste on 22 September 1955.

There are 844 televisions per 1,000 people in the US.

According to a survey in the UK in 2004, the number of televisions equalled the number of people.

"You know the really great thing about television? If something important happens - anywhere in the world - night or day - you can always change the channel" - Christopher Lloyd in Taxi.