Uh?!
When the working day is done, are you in the habit of switching on the telly to switch off from the rigours and events of the day?
According to the watchdog of Free to Air and Pay TV, Gogglebox, over four million Aussies hit the couch and settle in as the day draws to a close to watch their favourite programs.
Sadly, for a solid portion of Aussies, the day begins and ends with a big dollop of hot steaming NEWS.
Here is my first confession. I don’t watch it, any of it and haven’t for nearly 20 years. In a word – poison, but that is a subject for another day.
After the NEWS comes a treasure-trove of reality, nature, history, more news (if you are an addict), cooking, travel, drama, panel – you name it – shows.
Reality shows seem to get the most attention on the free to air channels, and this leads to my next confession - I have watched MAFS. I think because it is a study in the stupidity of some people to pursue their 15 minutes of fame and then whinge when it turns pear-shaped.
But for me, next to sports – AFL, NRL, Cricket, Soccer, NFL – I am drawn to almost anything to do with property and real estate.
“Nah – dah”, I hear you exclaim. Yes, I sell houses for a living, but to watch some of the so-called experts strut their stuff on the screen, and the predictable actions and re-actions of the buyers and sellers, is as exciting as watching a good game of footy.
And my big confession is – I watch, when I can, quite a few of them – almost my go to.
From the morons who masquerade as agents on Million Dollar Listing LA/New York, to the subtle as a sledgehammer Andrew Winter on Selling Houses Australia, Love It or List It, Location/Location/Location (love Phil and Kirsty) to my absolute fave…drum roll…Escape to the Country.
Escape to the Country is mandatory viewing for me. For a nation about double the size of Tasmania, the UK, with over 60million people, has endless breathtaking scenery and architecture.
As soon as the presenter escorts the couple to a lovely village cottage and points to say, “And the pub is just over there...” I automatically throw my hands in the air and say, “I’m in!” (Having a pint in a quaint English pub is almost a cathartic experience).
Having visited the UK in 2017, and driving around for about three weeks, I get quite excited when an episode featuring a county or town my wife and I visited airs.
My wife has family in Gloucestershire, and it is a popular area for city dwellers to relocate to. It is a gorgeous part of the world and having spent some time there, I know why it is popular.
But the other reason I am drawn to Escape to the Country, is that here in Tasmania, the landscapes, architecture, people and, at times, the climate are not too dissimilar to parts of the UK.
Maybe we are all starring in our own episode of Escape to The Country (Tassie Edition) – I know that a few mainlanders are auditioning as we speak!
The best part for me, when watching ETTC, is when the presenter gets the buyers to guess the asking price of the property they have just seen. There have been quite a few victory laps done around my living room based on my price guesstimate prowess.
I know – I need help.
Whatever you like to watch, I hope it entertains you, relaxes you or brings you joy for that time you choose to tune in to tune out.
