Television advertising spend has grown by 8pc in the UK this year, but is set to be overtaken by the internet by 2018 This Christmas will see a record amount of TV advertising spend in the UK, according to a new report. The latest global advertising spend forecast by ZenithOptimedia says that £310m (7.9pc of total UK ad spend) will be spent in December – a historic high for TV advertising spend during the Christmas season in the UK. This is up from £287m in 2014.