Wednesday, October 8, 2025
LinkedPrime

News from October 8, 2025

187 articles found

TikTok soap operas are bringing in billions - and rivalling Netflix and Hulu
Technology

TikTok soap operas are bringing in billions - and rivalling Netflix and Hulu

One woman in need of money. One successful man fighting family pressure. Cringe-worthy dialogue and a paper-thin plot line. All the makings of a promising soap opera - except you won’t find it on any streaming service or TV channel. The Chinese series Adored by the CEO was made for FlexTV, a Chinese app for short dramas that have found their way onto TikTok. Shot vertically and cut into about 100 bite-sized and binge-able episodes (one to two minutes each), these micro-soaps are designed for doomscrollers. Micro-soaps (“duanju” as they are referred to in China where they originated) are impressively lucrative. As reported by The Drum in September 2025, “the sector is set to generate more than USD$9 billion (£6.7bn) this year, surpassing the country’s box office”. The revenue-driving model has, naturally, been exported outside China, as micro-soaps are being dubbed and created for English-speaking audiences. While these shorts can be found on TikTok, dedicated apps like ReelShort and DramaBox are the biggest players in the space. DramaBox specifically, which is a dedicated platform for streaming short dramas, is ranked number two for Entertainment in the Apple app store and has over 100 million downloads on Google Play. According to an Omdia report , Asia’s top five micro-soap apps reached a cumulative total of 150 monthly active users in February 2025. Not only are the user numbers of these apps growing exponentially, so are their subscription fees. While there are ad-heavy free versions available, premium subscriptions rival traditional streamers like Netflix for around $25 (£18) per month. But that hasn’t dissuaded usership. According to Omdia’s analysis of Sensor Tower data , DramaBox’s app store revenue (across 84 markets) was USD$217 million (£162m) in 2024, while ReelShort app store revenue was US$214 million (£160m) in 2024. As reported by Business Insider , the media consulting firm Owl & Co. estimates short-drama apps like ReelShort and DramaBox will make USD$3 billion (£2.2bn) this year globally outside China. Part of what makes these models so lucrative is their low production costs. For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp , for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. MIT Technology Review says these micro-soaps “don’t aim for slick, expensive productions” but instead “choose simple scripts, shoot an entire series in two weeks, market it heavily online, and move on to the next project if it doesn’t stick”. AI has also been increasingly utilised to hasten production and lower costs . The micro-soaps are reverse-engineered to appeal to the psychological needs of their audience and their digital consumption habits. The romance-heavy content is also no coincidence. Many shorts including Adored by the CEO were adapted from Chinese web novels: long stories with easily digestible chapters posted every day. Similar to Wattpad and other fanfiction sites, these novels earn massive followings and lean heavily on romance tropes. If the booming audio erotica industry is any indication, there is big profit in romance entertainment. And the interplay of technology and romance - or technology and sex - will increasingly tailor to those on-the-go and chronically on their phones. Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!

Danielle Canagasuriam
Tom Daley and husband's 20-year age gap and confession after sexting another man
Technology

Tom Daley and husband's 20-year age gap and confession after sexting another man

The Traitors is back on our screens this Wednesday night and, for the first time in the UK version of the show, we'll be seeing famous faces from the worlds of sport, entertainment, music and more entering the iconic castle. Just like the civilian version of the popular BBC programme, the spin-off series will see 19 celebrities becoming either 'Faithfuls' or, in the case of some, 'Traitors'. The job of the Traitors is to work together to 'murder' the other contestants without getting caught, while the Faithfuls are tasked with successfully spotting and 'banishing' the Traitors by voting them off. The cast for the inaugural celebrity series includes comedian and TV host Alan Carr , singer Charlotte Church and actress Celia Imrie . Representing the world of sport, meanwhile, is ex-England rugby player Joe Marler and Olympic diver Tom Daley. Daley, now 31, shot to fame nearly two decades ago when he won the 2007 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award at just 13 years old. The following year, he became Team GB's youngest competitor at the Beijing Olympics, and has since won five Olympic medals - including one gold - across five separate Games. Daley quickly became a household name and, despite retiring from diving last year after the Paris Olympics, there is still significant interest in his life away from the pool, with over one million people subscribing to his YouTube channel and even more following him on Instagram . From his age-gap marriage to an Oscar winner to his huge personal net worth, here's what you need to know. In 2013, Daley met his future husband, Hollywood screenwriter and director Dustin Lance Black , at a party. The Olympian described their first encounter as "love at first sight". Despite not knowing who Black was - even though he had won an Oscar four years earlier for writing the film Milk - Daley felt an immediate connection. After exchanging phone numbers, he received a text from Black the next day and they soon began dating. Later that year, Daley publicly announced that he was in a relationship with a man , admitting it had taken him by surprise as he had previously dated women. In a YouTube video, he said: "In spring this year, my life changed massively when I met someone, and they make me feel so happy, so safe and everything just feels great. That someone is a guy." He added: "It did take me by surprise a little bit. It was always in the back of my head that something like that could happen. But it wasn't until spring this year that something just clicked. It felt right and I thought 'OK'. And my whole world changed there and then. Of course I still fancy girls but right now I'm dating a guy and I couldn't be happier." He later opened up to the Guardian about his whirlwind romance with Black, explaining: "It was a real love at first sight thing. The first night I took him to meet my friends [eight weeks after meeting] and said: 'This is my boyfriend'. "The next night we went on our first date. The next night, after a couple of lychee martinis, he told me he loved me. He extended his trip. We were already talking about babies and weddings - that was in the first week." Following their engagement in 2015, the pair tied the knot in Devon in May 2017, before welcoming their first child - Robert 'Robbie' Ray Black-Daley - via surrogacy the following summer. Their second son - Pheonix Rose Black-Daley - was born in March 2023. The pair have a considerable age difference, with Daley just 18 when he met Black, who was 38 at the time. However, even with a gap of 19 years and 11 months between them, the Olympic diver has consistently defended their age difference , stating simply: "When you fall in love, you fall in love". He also revealed to US Weekly that although he is considerably younger than his husband, he is the "more mature" one in their relationship. "It's funny because the people that know us know that I'm the more mature person that kind of runs the show in the house," Daley said, before adding: "As we get older, I think we both align very well on what we want to achieve. "We're both really big dreamers. I think that was the biggest thing for us, that we're both so supportive of each other. We don't limit the other person's dreams. We really make each other feel like we can achieve whatever we set our minds to." However, their relationship hasn't always been plain sailing. In 2015, they separated for seven months after struggling with the challenges of a long-distance relationship. During this time, Daley admitted to sending sexually explicit messages to another man , but later revealed he had confessed everything to Black when they got back together. "This will absolutely never happen again now that we're getting married," he said, addressing the allegations. "The date is set, and we're raring and ready to go for that wedding now. "We don't have secrets in our relationship. We're honest and open about everything. When we were back together I told him everything. I'm 22 years old, and if you talk to someone through social media it is what it is. It was nothing more than that. We never physically met." Meanwhile, Black said: "Tom and I talked about anything and everything that went on. That's the secret to how we are so close and can survive tough times." Daley has confessed that falling for Black caught him by surprise, having only dated girls previously, and he even had a girlfriend months before meeting the Academy Award winner. During an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, he opened up about his sexuality, and said: "People say 'why did he have a girlfriend last year?' Well, because I had a girlfriend last year. "It wasn't until spring this year, it came upon me," he continued. "I didn't expect it and it happened. Everything kind of clicked, everything went right." Admitting that he was surprised by his feelings, Daley added that he did not want to label himself as gay or bisexual. "It was the fact I was falling for a guy and it happened so quickly," he said. "To be honest, everything is all pretty new and I don't see any point in putting a label on it." As one of Team GB's golden boys, Daley has built a sizeable personal fortune since shooting to fame as a youngster. While, under Team GB rules, he didn't pocket any prize money for the five Olympic medals he won during his career, he is still thought to boast a net worth of approximately £3.1 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Speaking to Chris Moyles on Radio X, Daley revealed all about his earnings while competing for Team GB at international competitions, admitting he made under £30,000 annually despite making it to the podium. "It depends on how good you are," he said as he explained the wage structure. "There are tiers so if you qualify for the major of the year then you get a certain amount and if you come in the top eight you get more. "Then if you win an Olympic medal you get to the top tier which I think is twenty-seven a year." However, he added that he was able to earn a decent living through sponsorships and endorsements, having worked with major companies including Adidas and Etihad Airways in the past. "I'm really fortunate to have had the sponsors and that kind of stuff," he continued. "That's kind of part of the reason why you see athletes doing brand partnerships. But not everyone gets the opportunity to do that, which is why athletes probably need more support in that sense."

John Jones
Extra virgin olive oil advice issued over what happens if you do not use it
Technology

Extra virgin olive oil advice issued over what happens if you do not use it

Not using extra virgin olive oil could put you at greater risk of accumulating belly fat, new research suggests. Italian scientists have examined the powerful effect this Mediterranean staple has on shedding pounds and determined how frequently it needs to be consumed to unlock its slimming properties. The study marks the first time extra virgin olive oil has been linked to reducing abdominal fat independently. Researchers discovered the ingredient was independently connected to a lower body mass index and trimmer waistlines, as published in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal. According to the findings, completely avoiding extra virgin olive oil was identified as a "strong risk factor" for accumulating fat around the midsection, irrespective of overall dietary habits. Specifically, steering clear of the oil places individuals at greater risk of developing visceral adiposity, the study revealed. This particular fat type often remains hidden as it wraps itself around vital organs including the stomach, liver and intestines. Such deep-seated fat poses a serious health threat as it heightens the chances of numerous complications including cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, diabetes and elevated cholesterol levels. One of the simplest ways to detect visceral fat is by measuring your waist circumference. According to News Medical, those who seldom included the oil in their diet or only consumed it occasionally were found to have five times higher odds of being categorised as having abdominal obesity, or a larger waist circumference, than those who regularly indulged in extra virgin olive oil. Non-regular consumption was defined as having two tablespoons on fewer than six days per week. The researchers are hopeful that their findings will encourage the medical community to recommend regular extra virgin olive oil consumption as part of a healthy diet to achieve and maintain weight loss, especially for those battling with central obesity. The team analysed data from 16,237 adults, including their height, weight, gender, waist circumference and frequency of extra virgin olive oil consumption. Their intake was categorised by the number of days they consumed approximately 25 grams, or two tablespoons, of extra-virgin olive oil. Participants were then divided into three groups: Sporadic - less than three days a week Frequent - between three and six days a week Regular - more than six days a week In general, the study discovered that regular olive oil consumers tended to be older. However, despite their age, they were also more likely to be in better health than their younger counterparts. Olive oil, a key component of the Mediterranean diet, is renowned for its numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. However, incorporating more of this 'liquid gold' into your meals isn't as straightforward as simply using it for cooking. When heated, olive oil can lose some of its nutritional value, although it can boost the nutrient content of the food being cooked in it. To retain all its health benefits, consider using olive oil as a finishing touch, dressing or drizzle on already cooked dishes. It can also serve as a healthier alternative to fats in various recipes, from baking to replacing butter on sandwiches.

Samantha Leathers
Race-by-race preview and tips for Hawkesbury on Thursday
Technology

Race-by-race preview and tips for Hawkesbury on Thursday

1. Perfect Justice has a solid overall record with a win and five placings to his name from 10 starts. He was first-up from a spell when a last-start third at this track and is suited by the step up in distance. 4. Casablanca Express ran well when fourth in the same race Perfect Justice contested last time out and warrants thought, while 2. North Terrace looked good winning a Provincial Maiden at Kembla Grange at his latest outing. 3. Channelling wasn’t beaten too far when resuming at Kembla Grange and should be improved by that run.How to play it: Perfect Justice WIN. 4. Composed is a Blue Point colt making his debut after two trials. He has finished second in each of them at Randwick, and Kerrin McEvoy sticks with him having been aboard in both trials. 7. Ask Di is also on debut after two trials, and won the latest of them at Rosehill. 10. Taxation is a well-bred I Am Invincible filly having her first start after several trials and looks poised to make an impact. 11. The Magnet is another well-bred filly on debut and won the third of her trials at Randwick when last produced.How to play it: Composed EACH WAY. 12. Yeszem is a local filly on debut from the inside gate and scored in a Wyong trial in her latest hit-out, which was her third trial since April. She should get every chance from the good barrier. 13. Grand Carousel debuted with a fourth at Kembla Grange in May and has had two trials to prepare for this return. 1. Ex Wife has been placed in two from two either side of a long time away from racing, while 3. Emery has shown talent but needs to overcome a wide alley.How to play it: Yeszem EACH WAY.

John Schell
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next