Beekeeping is one of the hottest hobby trends of 2024 – thanks to a host of celebrity fans, according to a study. Stars creating a buzz around the pastime include David Beckham, Beyoncé, and Scarlett Johansson.
Other emerging hobbies for the year ahead include origami, collecting “old technology” like CDs, and foraging for snacks in the wild.
The study, of 2,000 adults, found 47 per cent are looking for more unusual pastimes, with bee-enthusiasts Beckham and Johansson, and Olympic diver Tom Daley – who loves to knit – voted the most inspiring celebrity hobbyists.
Open-mic poetry, arranging flowers, and geocaching – a kind of treasure hunt where GPS devices help to find hidden containers, called geocaches – also featured in the top 25 activities.
Meanwhile, 49 per cent will opt out of more sedentary hobbies, like reading or blogging, in favour of ones that get them outdoors and moving. And half get enjoyment from pastimes that are in some way good for the environment – like creating bug “hotels” in their gardens.
The study was commissioned by Sky ahead of today's (Fri) release of The Beekeeper, starring Jason Statham – which tells the story of one man's brutal campaign for vengeance after it is revealed that he's a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organisation, known as Beekeepers.
The film’s director, David Ayer, said: “It’s good to see people are up for trying new things in 2024.
“I’m not surprised there’s so much buzz around beekeeping, and I’m hoping our film will only enhance that. We did it for real on the set, and Jason Statham genuinely learned how to open a hive and work with the bees.
“Always one to immerse himself in a movie, he really connected with the whole zen of beekeeping, which was quite therapeutic between all the gruelling action sequences.”
The study also found 58 per cent of those in favour of hobbies that get them outdoors, believe such activities are good for their mental health. Almost half (47 per cent) like the idea of getting a bit fitter, while 37 per cent find it helps connect them more to the natural world.
And 71 per cent believe that if more people found hobbies that benefit other people or the environment, the world would be a better place. The study, via OnePoll, also found 14 per cent have found hobby inspiration from a movie.
Julia Stuart, director of original film at Sky, said: “Could 2024 be the year that beekeeping becomes cool? With the likes of David Beckham, Scarlett Johansson, and of course now Jason Statham, taking a liking to this exciting hobby, it’s the start of a wonderful relationship with nature.”
TOP 20 MOST INSPIRING CELEBRITY HOBBYISTS:
- David Beckham – Beekeeping
- Tom Daley – Knitting
- Scarlett Johansson – Beekeeping
- Rod Stewart – Model railways
- Beyoncé Knowles – Beekeeping
- Sting – Beekeeping
- Julia Roberts – Knitting
- Brad Pitt – Pottery
- Richard Branson – Chess
- Flea, from Red Hot Chili Peppers – Beekeeping
- Nicole Kidman – Sky diving
- Mike Tyson – Pigeon racing
- Henry Cavill – Warhammer
- Will Smith – Fencing
- Francis Bourgeois – Trainspotting
- Bill Gates – Playing Bridge
- Angelina Jolie – Collecting weapons
- Elton John – Collecting sunglasses
- Claudia Schiffer – Collecting insects
- Susan Sarandon – Playing ping-pong
TOP 25 PASTIMES BRITS WANT TO TRY OUT IN 2024:
- Bee boxes (keeping or collecting boxes in which bees can take shelter when not in the hive)
- Upcycling
- Pottery
- Creative writing
- Dance
- Bug “hotels” (creating “insect hotels” – small, artificial buildings, that serve as long-term lodging or a winter hibernation habitat for crawling and flying insects)
- Flower arranging
- Knitting or crochet
- Sewing/clothes making
- Board games, such as chess or backgammon
- Gardening
- Foraging
- Collecting antiques
- Beekeeping
- Bouldering/rock climbing
- Coin collecting
- Geocaching (a treasure hunt in which people use GPS devices to find hidden containers, called geocaches)
- Origami
- Collecting “old” technology
- Tabletop games, like Warhammer
- Stone skipping or skimming
- Tapestry
- Stand-up comedy
- Open-mic poetry reading
- Parkour
