13 Dec TV therapists Nik & Eva Speakman team up with Premier Inn as its Cringe Curers to guide Brits through the most cringeworthy time of the year
New research conducted by Premier Inn reveals December is THE month to embarrass oneself, so this festive season the UK’s biggest hotel brand has partnered with everyone’s favourite TV therapists, Nik and Eva Speakman, as their official ‘Cringe Curers’ to reveal the nation’s most cringey tales, help Brits navigate awkward festive feelings and guide them through how best to embrace all of those seriously cringe-worthy moments.
With end-of-year parties on the horizon, office workers are in the spotlight as almost three quarters (74%) say they experience their most cringe worthy moments at the workplace party. And cringe is not just for Christmas it seems – with 40% of Brits having lost sleep over-thinking their unfortunate mishaps or having flashbacks to old cringey moments of times gone by (48%).
From calling your in laws by the wrong name, speaking out of turn at an office party through to opening embarrassing presents in front of the family, the festive season is awash with cringeworthy opportunities. But cringe is a year-round phenomenon – topping the list of the UK’s cringiest moments are couples talking in silly voices (27%), falling over in public (27%), and telling a joke nobody laughs at (23%)! And it’s not just having an impact on individuals, with 40% of those in relationships saying that embarrassing scenarios have a lasting effect on their relationships and 37% saying there is a ‘specific’ cringe moment in their lives that their family and friends continually talk about which has been immortalised in family legend.
To help the nation embrace their biggest faux pas and spread holiday cheer, Premier Inn and The Speakman’s have compiled a collection of the most cringey moments from across the UK. The nation’s stories have been transformed into a festive fable – A Cringemas Tale – aimed to bring a shared experience and humour to all unfortunate situations along with tips on how to overcome them…”Tis the cringe before Christmas, the world’s gone to bed. While others are sleeping, you’re cringing instead.”
With 47% of us trying to laugh off cringe moments, the partnership seeks to embrace the humour in these irregular moments alongside therapeutic guidance, ensuring Brits can navigate and overcome awkward situations for a cringe-free festive season.
A selection of the Speakman’s top tips include: 1) Laughter. When you laugh at yourself it changes your emotions and dilutes the cringe, counteracting stress hormones, increasing endorphins, and helping you to feel better. 2) The more you talk about your cringe, the more accepting you become of the situation and subsequently the less embarrassed you feel. Some of our most embarrassing moments are so relatable to others and sharing helps us belong. 3) Think about the cringe moment and sigh. Sighing relays the message to your brain something is over, and it releases feel good neurotransmitters, reducing your cringe levels.
Nik and Eva Speakman said: “Embracing the cringe is the key to unlocking the magic of the season and not being kept awake at night. Our tips and advice in collaboration with Premier Inn will help turn those awkward moments into stories of unity, understanding and shared holiday cheer. ‘Tis the season to cringe no more and spread the joy of understanding.”
Tamara Strauss, Global Customer Director at Premier Inn, shared: “Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep, and it’s more important than ever at times of celebration when routines can be disrupted due to parties and social gatherings. We’re thrilled to team up with The Speakman’s to turn the tide on cringe moments and help turn those awkward experiences which may be keeping you up at night into tales and shared laughter, ensuring everyone can rest easy and cringe no more.”
And in the spirit of the season, a final reminder from the Cringemas Tale: “Remember this Christmas, whatever you do, be kind to each other and be kind to you. We’re all trying our best, but we’ll slip up for sure, so, rest easy tonight, and cringe no more.”
