EXCLUSIVE: Old rocker Sir Rod Stewart has given an old school hobby a sexy revamp it seems, with Gen Z saying the Maggie Mae singer has made the somewhat nerdy pastime ‘cool’
Making model trains has become “sexy” thanks to Sir Rod Stewart. The iconic British rocker, who is a passionate model railway buff, has catapulted the old fashioned hobby into the limelight.
Thousands of Brits said Sir Rod had transformed the image of model railways and made the hobby “sexy”, according to a recent poll.
Researchers found 13% thought the Do Ya Think I’m Sexy singer has made it a “cool” thing to do. Some 10% of Gen Z, aged aged 16 to 26, agreed with the findings, as well as 12% of Generation X – those aged 27 to 42.
Sir Rod, 80, has spent 30 years creating a massive layout in his LA home.
His massive layout is called Grand Street and Three Rivers Railroad and spans 27 feet by 62 feet and is based on 1940s American cityscapes mainly including New York and Chicago.
It even includes sound effects including trains, city noise and birdsong.
He has painstakingly built it single-handedly and works on sections of it in hotel rooms while on tour.
Bus operator First Bus asked 2,024 UK adults if the ageing rocker Rod and other celebrities had transformed the image of their hobbies.
Spokesman David Adams said: “It’s great to see the influence that celebrities like Sir Rod Stewart have in shifting perceptions around hobbies making them something to be unashamedly proud of.”
It’s not just Sir Rod who has clout over Gen Z when it comes to hobbies. A quarter of adults aged 18-24 have picked up a new hobby after being inspired by a TV show or film, according to a survey of over 4000 telly viewers.
The poll revealed that young adults are twice as likely as the average adult to be spurred on by something they’ve seen on the box, with half being motivated to try something new.
Over four in 10 of those in the 18-24 age group have switched up their style and fashion choices after being influenced by a character’s look on screen. Some have also splashed out on related merchandise and even signed up to fan clubs.
The thing viewers have been most inspired to do, according to the study by Sky, is research a historical or scientific topic after seeing something about it. Other actions sparked by watching a TV show or film include whipping up a new dish, picking up a foreign language or delving into a different culture.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
