Having studied English at the University of Southampton for three years I can fully recommend it to anyone who is self motivated. The opportunities are there for anyone who pushes themselves forward and takes them.
The course structure is left very much to the individual to determine, meaning you can focus on film studies or philosophy or medieval lioterature as long as you balance that with other subjects.
Although this is not in any way a vocational course it will stand you in good stead for a variety of careers. If, like I was, you are not completely sure of what you want to do after university, this course lets you explore along the way and leave with an open qualification.
One thing I would recommend is that you get some career advice - there is plenty there if you have the will power and self motivation to seek it - and start getting relevant experience as early as possible. I am now a magazine journalist and while I wouldn't rather have done a straight journalism course, my path into this industry would have been a lot easier if I had gained work experience and contacts earlier on.
The course is very flexible and allows you to do that. There are no exams so no periods of major stress and the marking is split equally between the coursework of the second and third years so there's plenty of chance to explore outside interests and potential careeer paths as long as you are willing to put the effort and research in yourself. No jobs or advice will be offered on a plate in the competitive creative careers that an English degree tends to lead to.