Life in the fast lane

Monday 9 November 2026

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From TikToks and Reels to TV intros and tutorials, young Brits are increasingly choosing to consume content with the fast-forward button firmly pressed

Half (50%) of Gen Z say they use increased playback speeds more often than they did two years ago, while a third regularly speed up TikToks, Reels and other short-form videos

Three in ten (30%) say videos now feel too slow at normal playback speed and Millennials (19%) find waiting for their broadband more frustrating than queuing at the shops

Britains fastest woman, Amy Hunt, stars in a tongue-in-cheek film about the everyday waits that slow life down, revealing shes partial to the fast-forward button herself

As Brits put life on fast-forward, Sky Broadband offers full fibre speeds of up to 5Gbps to help their connection keep pace

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Whether it's skipping ads or speeding up reels, young Brits are rewriting the rules of content consumption, with new research lifting the lid on a generation that wants everything at double speed, without waiting for their connection to catch up.

More than three quarters (76%) of Gen Z say they speed through content, compared with 53% of Millennials, 23% of Gen X and 12% of Boomers. Half of Gen Z also say they use increased playback speeds more often than they did two years ago, while nearly a third (30%) admit videos now feel too slow at their normal pace.

The nation's appetite for speed extends beyond the fast-forward button with Brits also keen to cut time spent sitting in traffic (48%), being put on hold (48%), waiting for delayed flights or trains (43%) and waiting in a queue at the supermarket (40%). For Gen Z, digital delays are another source of frustration from waiting for apps (23%) or video games (17%) to update to social media content taking too long to load (16%).

And the reluctance to wait carries over even to bite-sized content, with one in three (33%) regularly speeding up TikToks, Reels, and other short-form videos.

Tapping into the nation's need for speed, Sky Broadband has teamed up with Britain's fastest woman, Amy Hunt, for a playful mockumentary-style film about living life in the fast lane.

It sees the sprinter forced to wait through everyday moments - from painfully slow coffee queues to never-ending nail appointments - until she can finally relax at home with broadband that can keep up with her, thanks to Sky.

Amy Hunt said: When you train for a living, every second counts, so patience has never really been my strong suit. I like to think I live life at 2x speed. Whether that's on the track or watching something on my phone, I'm always looking for the fast-forward button. This film has fun with that, because when you're used to moving quickly, waiting for everything else to catch up can feel like a lifetime.

For Brits, putting life on fast-forward extends beyond social media or online content too. One in four (26%) admitted they've asked someone to get to the point when telling a story and almost a fifth (18%) have pretended to watch videos they've been shared, rising to 24% of Gen Z.

A further one in three of Gen Z (33%) skim long articles for key information, powerwalk around the supermarket (19%) or insist on checking the menu pre-dinner (26%) - with more than half voting themselves as the most impatient generation when consuming content (60%).

But the research suggests these habits aren't simply about impatience. One in five (21%) say faster playback helps them get through educational content more quickly, 16% use it to fit useful content around busy lives and 20% say speeding up or skipping content makes them feel more in control of their time.

Not everything gets the fast forward treatment. More than half (56%) still prefer to watch TV and films at a regular speed, where pauses and tensions are part of the appeal.

Ben Case, Managing Director of Connectivity at Sky, said: Life moves fast, and your broadband should keep up. Almost a quarter (24%) of Brits say unstable Wi-Fi can take the enjoyment out of watching their favourite content, but with Sky Broadband's fastest speed of 5Gbps, busy households can stream and download seamlessly without their connection holding them back.

Gen Z's Guide to Speeding through Life

Skip adverts to get straight to the content - 44%

Skip TV programme intros - 35%

Speed up TikToks, Reels or other short-form videos - 33%

Skim long articles for the key information - 33%

Fast forward TV recaps - 28%

Speed up tutorials or watch at double speed - 26%

Checking the menu before arriving at a restaurant - 26%

Walking up the escalators rather than standing still - 22%

Stopping the microwave with one second left - 20%

Powerwalking through a supermarket - 19%

While Brits may increasingly choose the pace at which they consume content, interruptions are less welcome. Millennials (19%) find waiting for their broadband more frustrating than queuing at the shops with 18% of the nation admitting they've become so used to instant access content that waiting feels more frustrating than it used to be.

Over a fifth of respondents (22%) abandon content if it fails to grab them within a mere 5 seconds or less, any interruption risks losing their attention altogether.

As Brits put life on fast-forward, Sky Broadbands fastest speed, Full Fibre 5Gbps, brings lightning-fast connectivity that keeps pace. Built for streaming, gaming and working from home, it is delivered by the Gigafast+ hub, Sky's most advanced hub yet, powered by Wi-Fi 7 technology.

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