UK broadcaster shuts down for hour, asks viewers to exercise

LONDON – One of Britain’s leading broadcasters has blacked out its programs for an hour in hopes of spurring viewers to get some exercise.

ITV shut down broadcasts on several of its channels Saturday morning as part of its effort to entice UK citizens to sports clubs, which are being opened for free this weekend as part of a national event called “I Am Team GB.”

Many viewers lauded ITV’s challenge to couch potatoes, describing on social media the activities they’d been inspired to do.

Others, predictably, stuck to their sofas and poked fun at the gesture, describing the blank screens as the best entertainment they’d ever seen on ITV. One viewer said his remote-control thumb had a good workout.

ITV is sponsoring the weekend’s sports-promotion activities alongside the National Lottery.

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