Tesco and Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life survey finds women still love a good gossip

Every year, UK women devote a month of their daily lives* to catching up on girly gossip, according to a new survey released today.

The research, carried out by Tesco and Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, found that women in London are the most vocal in the country, spending a whopping 35 days a year indulging in chit-chat, while the Welsh and those in the West Midlands only chatter for the equivalent of 25 waking days a year.

The YouGov survey of 2,284 women also saw national sweetheart Cheryl Cole pipped to the post by queen of daytime TV Lorraine Kelly as the female celebrity women would most like to have a girly gossip with (12 per cent opted for Lorraine as opposed to 11 per cent for Cheryl). Joint third were This Morning presenters past and present Fern Britton and Holly Willoughby (10 per cent).

Eight per cent of women said they’d most like to share a girly gossip with Ann Widdecombe – perhaps picking up some tips on how to improve their cha cha cha.

Natasha Dickinson, head of Race for Life, said: “We girls like to natter! So we’re urging ladies across the UK to channel their passion for chatting into a rallying cry to ‘join the girls’ at Race for Life to beat cancer together by raising money for Cancer Research UK’s life-saving research.

“Let’s make Race for Life the main talking point among women across the country and encourage women of all ages and levels of fitness to walk, jog or run 5k and chat the kilometres away with friends, family and people they meet on the day.”

Lorraine Kelly said: “I am really delighted that women in the UK have voted me the celebrity they most want to have a chat with. I do enjoy a good catch up with my friends and I am so grateful to all of the amazing women who take part in Race for Life. It’s a fantastic experience and a brilliant opportunity to meet loads of other women who are all raising money for Cancer Research UK’s vital work.”

Overwhelmingly, the nation’s women still like to meet up face-to-face (57 per cent) as opposed to staying in touch via social media like Facebook (nine per cent) for a good old girl talk.

Their appetite for gossip extends to catching up on everything from TV soaps to celebrity tittle-tattle but over a third (34 per cent) say family or friends is their favourite subject for a chit-chat, followed by their love lives (14 per cent).

Race for Life is the largest series of women only fundraising events in the UK. Women are invited to walk, jog or run 5k at 300 events across the country to raise money for Cancer Research UK. 2011 is a very ambitious year for Tesco and Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life. Every two minutes someone is diagnosed with cancer, and that’s why this year more women than ever before are needed to join the girls at events across the UK.
The money raised through Race for Life goes towards all Cancer Research UK’s work, to prevent, diagnose and treat and cancer.

ENDS

For more information please contact the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 3469 8315.