02 May FRANCIS BOURGEOIS JOINS 3.3 MILLION BRITS IN THEIR LOVE OF BUS SPOTTING
Famous social media trainspotter Francis Bourgeois has hit the road, revealing one of his other public transport passions – bus spotting.
Famed for his quirky videos of railways that feature a-list celebrities like Thierry Henry and Joe Jonas, Francis is now entertaining his millions of followers with a different hobby. The social media star has added ‘bus enthusiast’ to his list of interests after teaming up with First Bus, one of the UK’s leading bus operators, to celebrate its 30th birthday.
To mark this special occasion, Francis took a trip to the company’s birthplace in Aberdeen, where he learned to drive an electric bus and heard about the huge role buses play in society and connecting communities.
New data from First Bus reveals Francis is not alone, with an astonishing 3.3 million Brits revealing they also enjoy bus spotting.
However, taking part in hobbies like bus spotting hasn’t always been so proudly celebrated. In fact, a third (33%) of Brits have kept a hobby hidden before, as 29% worry people won’t think they’re ‘cool’.
Over half of Brits (57%) admit that social media creators like Francis Bourgeois have helped shift the perceptions of certain hobbies. His viral impact on trainspotting, and now with bus spotting, has undoubtedly made this pastime more widely mainstream.
A third (33%) of Brits also say that celebrities have a lot of sway when it comes to making hobbies mainstream. Olympic swimming champion Tom Daley’s crafty hands have put a spotlight on knitting and crocheting for 29% of the UK, while football legend David Beckham’s buzz about beekeeping has made almost one-fifth (19%) of Brits change their tune about the hobby.
Top 10 celebs who have made ‘uncool’ hobbies, cool:
Tom Daley (Knitting & Crocheting) – 29%
David Beckham (Beekeeping) – 19%
Henry Cavill (Gaming & Warhammer) – 14%
Rod Stewart (Model train collecting) – 13%
Joe Rogan (Martial Arts) – 12%
Justin Bieber (Rubik’s cube) – 12%
Francis Bourgeois (Trainspotting) – 11%
Cole Palmer and Phil Foden (Fishing) – 8%
Seth Rogan (Pottery) – 8%
Tom Cruise (Fencing) – 7%
Speaking about his new bus enthusiast status, Francis Bourgeois commented: “I know I’m known for the railway, but my enthusiasm for public transport extends to other forms too, like buses. I was thrilled when First Bus invited me to celebrate its 30th birthday at the Aberdeen depot. Seeing how much buses have evolved in the last three decades is incredible, not only the transition to electric vehicles but also learning about the impact buses have on society. Perhaps in another career, I could have been a bus driver…maybe I will become a bus driver!”
