Watching your favourite comedies could help you burn up to 120 calories an hour - yes, seriously

Comedy fans who have already given up on their new year’s resolution to keep fit can tone up by watching some of their favourite shows, research claims.

It suggests that intense laughter can help people burn as many as 120 calories an hour.

Dr Helen Pilcher, of the Comedy Research Project, claimed chuckling at sitcoms could give viewers’ muscles a workout.