David Attenborough chosen as top tea party guest by Glaswegians
New research from the UK’s leading breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Now, reveals that Sir David Attenborough is Glasgow’s most sought-after guest for Afternoon tea with over a quarter (29%) of adults choosing the broadcaster as the top tea party guest to spill the tea with.
Runners up for Glaswegian invitations were Harry Styles (23%), with singer superstars Adele and Taylor Swift both reaching 20% of the vote. Other celeb favourites to make the top ten include Miriam Margoles and Louis Theroux.
Other popular choices for an invite to the dream tea party tablewere English comedian Bob Mortimer, k-pop group BTS, American popstar Sabrina Carpenter, rapper Megan the Stallion and Poldark’s Aidan Turner- an invite list we didn’t know we needed before now.
And it’s not just the guest list brits are keen to change up, research shows we want to rip up the rule book when it comes to hosting afternoon tea , ditching old-school tradition for more modern style dining.
As 80% of people across the UK admit to not following the ‘proper’ tea order of eating the sandwiches, followed by scones and then sweet treats like cupcakes, Breast Cancer Now has created an ‘e-tea-quette’ guide to hosting a brilliant British Afternoon Tea with a modern twist as the charity celebrates the 27th year of its famous ‘Afternoon Tea’ foodie fundraiser.
The research revealed that when it comes to afternoon tea, gone are the soggy cucumber sandwiches of yesteryear, with the general public now turning their tastebuds to new and more imaginative fillings. Bolder brits of 2025 said they’d be willing to try cheese and jam (20%), crisps and honey (19%), peanut butter and cheese (18%) and egg and mango chutney (17%), a far cry from the past tea traditions.
Moving on to the scones, the historical contentious debate has now officially been settled – over a third (34%) of UK adults admit to preferring the Cornish dining style of jam before cream when tucking into the afternoon tea favourite. Perhaps more surprisingly, 11% of the public would choose to top their scone with just butter, over jam and cream.
While many traditions may be changing, it seems some things will always stay the same, with 60% of Brits saying they repeatedly choose the same mug to bring them joy, and 14% believe their beloved mug actually impacts the taste of their brew.
TV personality Faye Winter is supporting this year’s Afternoon Tea after finding a lump in her breast in 2024:
“Finding a lump last year really emphasised to me the importance of regular breast checking and making sure you know your normal and getting any changes checked by a GP. Although my lump wasn’t cancerous, for roughly 55,000 women and 400 men every year in the UK who get diagnosed with breast cancer, this isn’t the case.
“By supporting Breast Cancer Now’s Afternoon Tea, you know you’re raising vital funds for a brilliant cause. It doesn’t matter whether you serve wacky flavours or keep to your favourites, what matters is knowing you’re helping those affected by breast cancer.
So, whether you’re steeped in tradition or stirring things up with a bubble tea and honey and crisp sandwich, every brew and every bite helps fund lifesaving research and life-changing support for those affected by breast cancer.
Ready to raise your cup for a great cause? Support life-saving breast cancer research and life-changing support by signing up for your fundraising kit today at: breastcancernow.org/afternoon-tea or search “Breast Cancer Now Afternoon Tea”.