News Copy - By Emma Elsworthy
Sacre bleu! – the French hate us more than the Germans do, research has found.
Despite politicians’ attempts to build bridges between England and its closest neighbours almost one in three French adults still dislike us immensely.
The fact we drive on the left most annoys the French as well as our obsession with the Royal family and our lack of cooking skills.
The French also dislike our love of tea, how we think we’re the best at everything and our need to pour ketchup all over our food.
Researchers polled 700 French adults alongside 700 Germans to discover who hates the English the most - and it transpired just 15 per cent of Germans felt as passionately as the French.
TV channel HISTORY carried out the study in conjunction with Al Murray’s new show ‘Why Does Everyone Hate the English?’, which starts on Monday 8th October at 9pm.
Al Murray said: “It’s always an eye opener to find out why you might annoy someone – often it’s the things you like about yourself, like drinking tea.
“But all this shows is that the people next door are always the ones you’re most likely to have wound up the wrong way.
"And when it comes to winding up the French we’ve been at it for a thousand years, the Germans are the Johann-come-lately on this one.”
Researchers found the 15 per cent of Germans who hate the English name the hooligans who follow our football teams around Europe as their number one gripe.
Others don’t like the fact we binge drink, sing songs loudly in the street and have no intention to learn any other languages.
Germans also dislike the fact we always get sunburnt on holiday and expect everyone to speak OUR language.
The study also found more than one in 10 French and German adults think the English are arrogant.
But the research, which also polled 1,200 English adults, found we are generally quite happy to have some of the traits other nationalities despise.
And three quarters are proud to live in Britain, although nearly eight in 10 do wish the English behaved a little better when visiting other countries.
But it’s not all bad news, as there are many French people who like the English, with 36 per cent enjoying our politeness and good manners.
A third of the French think the English produce great music, and three in 10 like our sense of humour.
And while a fifth of Germans polled, via OnePoll, think we need to lighten up a little, 33 per cent do like the fact we can laugh at ourselves.
Al Murray added: “It’s a relief to see there are some things that the French and Germans like about the English, and humour plays a strong part in that.
“So there is hope for English people in Europe – just remember to have a good laugh, and make sure you don’t drive on the left.”
TOP 20 THINGS FRENCH HATE ABOUT THE ENGLISH
1. We drive on the left
2. Our obsession with the Royal family
3. Football hooliganism
4. We can't cook
5. We expect everyone else to speak English
6. We’re obsessed with tea
7. We think we're the best at everything
8. Why we voted for Brexit
9. Arrogance
10. Wearing socks with sandals
11. Our lack of variety with foods
12. We put ketchup on everything
13. Beer bellies
14. The fact we seem to have no intention to learn any other language
15. Our obsession with football
16. Unruly children
17. Our take/interpretation on foreign cuisine
18. We sing songs very loudly (and drunkenly) in the streets
19. We have no style
20. There are too many regional accents to keep up with
TOP 20 THINGS GERMANS HATE ABOUT THE ENGLISH
1. Football hooliganism
2. We drive on the left
3. Binge drinking
4. Why we voted for Brexit
5. We expect everyone else to speak English
6. We sing songs very loudly (and drunkenly) in the streets
7. We are obsessed with the Royal family
8. We seem to have no intention to learn any other language
9. Arrogance
10. We can't cook
11. Our lack of variety with foods
12. We think we're the best at everything
13. We are over-polite UNTIL we have some drinks
14. We have subtle humour nuances
15. Wearing socks with sandals
16. Our obsession with football
17. Our obsession with tea
18. We eat chips with everything
19. We always have sun burn on holiday
20. How much we moan
TOP 20 THINGS THE ENGLISH HATE ABOUT THEMSELVES
1. We expect everyone else to speak English
2. Binge drinking
3. Football hooliganism
4. We have no intention to learn any other language
5. Why we voted for Brexit
6. How England collapses every time it snows as if you didn't realise it would happen every year
7. We queue for everything
8. Singing songs very loudly (and drunkenly) in the streets
9. Talking about the weather too much
10. Our inability to cope with hot weather
11. Beer bellies
12. Our obsession with tea
13. We complain a lot
14. Unruly kids
15. Saying 'sorry' too much
16. How much we moan
17. Arrogance
18. We drive on the left
19. Wearing socks with sandals
20. Eat chips with everything
ENDS
