Latest news with #ChannelFour
Irish Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
‘Nowhere to hide': Why more chief executives are fronting videos
In a relaxed sweater, holding her mobile phone at arm's length, Alex Mahon, chief executive of Channel Four, recorded herself announcing her resignation last month. She posted the heartfelt video on LinkedIn , telling her 84,000 followers the decision 'slightly breaks my heart'. Mahon is one of an increasing number of business leaders making short, usually unscripted, social media videos as a way to communicate directly with viewers. In the past two years, the number of posts shared by chief executives on LinkedIn has risen by 52 per cent, according to the platform's own statistics, and, among users overall, video is growing at twice the rate of other formats. While social video on TikTok and other sites has been booming for many years, it has only recently started to take off among corporate users. Executives see the format as a way to reach shareholders and customers on their own terms. Short clips, often filmed on their phones, can be a low-cost way of building their personal brand and achieving a level of informality and even intimacy with stakeholders that can help project a warmer, more human image. READ MORE William Peake, global managing partner of law firm Harneys and a regular video poster, contrasts the trend for self-made, often imperfect, 60-90-second recordings with the polished corporate messaging typical of chief executives. The latter allows bosses to 'hide behind heavily curated copy that people who are good with words write on their behalf', says Peake. 'Video content has a real honesty to it, because there's nowhere to run and there's nowhere to hide.' [ How Irish workers feel about their jobs laid bare by new survey Opens in new window ] He talks to his followers about topics such as work-life balance (he doesn't have any) and legal sector issues. One recent video on how lawyers need to think more from a customer service perspective racked up 250,000 views. Some chief executives are using video to update and reassure customers during a crisis – for example when British Airways chief executive Sean Doyle spoke about the power outage at Heathrow airport in March. Others are focusing on their company's performance. Jamie Dimon, head of JPMorgan Chase, posted his first short video last month, in which he summed up the key messages in his annual letter to shareholders. Dimon was not holding his phone but the feel was still surprisingly informal: he was dressed casually and a couple of stumbles were left in. There are, of course, many bosses for whom talking to camera does not come naturally. Communications coach Jonathan Blake, a former BBC journalist who is now a director at PR consultancy Headland, says requests from corporate clients for help with video skills are becoming more frequent. 'They are seeing their peers posting on LinkedIn, and they want to try it,' he says. His advice to video-curious leaders is to find a way of 'projecting yourself that is appropriate for the business you lead, but also shows a bit of your personality and that makes people want to watch'. You don't have to go through layers of sign-off, or write an email no one will read — Jonathan Blake Jon Gray, president and chief operating officer at Blackstone, has made 'talking-while-running' his signature video format, while LinkedIn's chief operating officer, Daniel Shapero, often records while walking around his leafy California neighbourhood. Those who prefer something more professional could choose an approach that sits between the informality of a wobbly iPhone video and corporate puffery. One example comes from Sainsbury's, which marked its 2024-2025 results with a snappy video in the style of a news report. The supermarket's chief executive, Simon Roberts, acts as a presenter, visiting a store to talk to staff about new products and innovations. It is on-trend in showing him as an informal and down-to-earth boss, but the production values are high. Blake tells executives who want to get on-screen that consistency is important – they will have to post regularly to build a following, which is time consuming and requires commitment. He also suggests video newcomers keep in mind a further 'three Cs': 'clarity, confidence and connection.' [ Which of these four types of leader are you and why will it help you to know? Opens in new window ] Blake adds that leaders must think about how their messages will land with 'the audience at large'. But the real value, for many bosses, is that video gives them a direct line to their staff. 'You don't have to go through layers of sign-off, or write an email no one will read,' he says. Shapero at LinkedIn says: 'I usually figure out the key message I want to say, and I might even pick a tagline, a couple of words I want to make sure I get just right ... Beyond that, I'm really just doing it from a basic structure in my mind. It's not scripted.' He says he has found that 'somewhere [around] two or three takes, I get it just right. It feels natural, but not overly rehearsed.' One bonus of making video has been a change in his relationship with colleagues. 'People engage with me differently,' he says. 'They open themselves up a little bit more to me. They talk to me like they know me.' Chief executives are to some degree playing catch-up with younger employees, who have been sharing their working lives through TikTok 'quiet-quitting' and 'come-to-work-with-me' videos, and even elaborate dance routines riffing on 'performance-based' salaries. Social video focused on more mature professionals' lives has taken longer to get going, but that is now changing fast. 'You have got to be out there,' says Daniel Roth, LinkedIn's editor-in-chief and vice-president of content development. 'The CEO's job has always been being out front, and video is an easier way for you to connect with employees, customers, investors.' Dancing, however, does not seem to have caught on quite yet. Tips for would-be video stars Dos ✅ Experiment before you post, and check content with colleagues. ✅ Pay for training if you aren't at ease in front of a camera. ✅ Know what you want to say: what's the message? Who is the audience? ✅ Keep it short: 60-90 seconds. ✅ Accept the odd stumble. Even Jamie Dimon leaves them in. ✅ Reply to comments after you post your videos. Nobody likes those who 'post and ghost'. ✅ Learn from accomplished performers: Nicholas Thompson at the Atlantic and Spotify's Daniel Ek are informal. For a more polished take, watch Thasunda Brown Duckett of TIAA, a big financial services company. Don'ts ❌ Don't read from a script. ❌ Don't overload the content: less is more. ❌ Don't overthink it. ❌ Don't make it all about yourself. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
Graziadaily
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Wait, Was Bonnie Blue Actually Arrested?
Bonnie Blue is never far from the headlines, and this week is no exception. The adult content creator has caused a stir after reportedly being placed under arrest by police officers, according to a video posted to her Instagram account earlier this month. The video shows Bonnie, whose real name is Tia Billinger, against a police car, being addressed by three officers. In the video, Bonnie appears to be being arrested by Josh Lee Spooner, a photographer and content creator who has featured in Bonnie's previous videos. A police officer tells the pair to 'stop talking to each other for a minute while we work this out, OK?' before asking her what she's doing there. The short clip was shared to Bonnie's Instagram, apparently by her sister, who posted a statement to accompany it. The statement read: 'The Instagram statement read: 'As you may have seen, Tia has been arrested. We still don't have clarity on the situation but will keep you all in the loop as soon as we know. Thanks for all of the support in the last 24 hours. This isn't something we wanted to get out but it seems there is no privacy for her anymore. Your's sincerely Tia's sister.' Bonnie first made headlines back in 2024, when she declared that her 'niche' is sleeping with 'barely legal' boys. Earlier this year, she slept with a record-breaking 1,057 men in 12 hours, overtaking Lisa Sparks who previously held the world record. Since the video was released, some reports have suggested that the arrest was actually one of Bonnie's stunts. A source told The Sun that Bonnie actually staged the arrest. 'It's all part of a stunt to gain notoriety. The cars were hired from Blue Light Film Group who specialise in film props and she used the Slyfield Estate in Guildford for her arrest,' they said. 'As for the police station, it's actually Lockwood Studios - a community centre.' The discourse is continuing on social media. One eagle-eyed X user pointed out that the registration plate in the video appears to match the registration on a television prop police car. 'Bonnie Blue has NOT been arrested. In the video, the police car she's seen getting into is RO23 HRM which is used for filming. The car itself has no identification numbers on the side or roof which would indicate the force the car is assigned to. It's a TV prop car,' they wrote. If the reports are true, this wouldn't be the first time that Bonnie has pulled off a stunt. Earlier this year, she falsely hinted she was pregnant, in a move that garnered criticism on social media. Channel 4 recently announced the Bonnie Blue's story is set to be told in a new Channel Four documentary, The Bonnie Blue story. According to Channel Four, the documentary 'sensitively explores the central question polarising debate about her: Is she a 'dangerous predator', pandering to male fantasies and perpetuating the patriarchy? Or an empowered, sex positive, businesswoman having the last laugh?'
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Katie Price reveals 'the last six years have been hell' as she opens up on bankruptcy which left her in £750,000 of debt
Katie Price has revealed 'the last six years have been hell' as she candidly opened up about her bankruptcy woes. The former glamour model, 46, was left in turmoil last year after receiving an unpaid £750,000 tax bill. Her situation became so dire at one point that Katie was left with no choice but to flog her £2million Sussex 'Mucky Mansion' for a fraction of the price. But in March, the star had 'an enormous weight' lifted off her shoulders when she was discharged from her staggering tax bill. Katie has now opened up on her struggles, admitting that she has 'learnt her lesson' on a recent episode of The Katie Price Show. 'I'm not bankrupt anymore! I'm out of it, I'm out of both of them,' she cried. 'The last six years have been hell - mentally and personally - everything has been hell. I've worked so hard to communicate and get rid of what caused all the trouble and I'm out of it. 'It's such a nice feeling not to be bankrupt anymore. I'm in control of everything now. 'I realised that when you rely on people close to you that are supposed to be sorting out and they don't, it puts you in s***. 'So now I've learnt my lesson. It's good that I've gone through it and come out of the other end. It's such a good feeling and a great achievement.' Katie had purchased her sprawling nine bedroom mansion in 2014 from former Tory peer Francis Maude, and it actually featured in a Channel Four series during its renovation. But Katie's eviction last May came after the-mother-of-five was unable to pay the mortgage. She now lives in a smaller four bed property in Sussex. On her now podcast, however, Katie revealed she actually returned to her old grounds to ride her horse recently. 'No one would believe this because obviously my old house now been sold, but I ended up riding the horse around my old fields,' she said. 'It was really weird, just walking around thinking - this used to be my field. 'In the end, there was so much wrong with that house I was actually glad to get rid of it'. Katie's solicitor, Chris Keane from Fieldfisher LLP, explained that without specialist insolvency advice the star didn't understand the bankruptcy process. The model had racked up debts including income tax, VAT, surcharges, and interest, stemmed from self-assessments for the two years up until 2022. But after seeking the advice of solicitors, Katie was fully compliant and was ultimately discharged. And following her discharge, things seem to be on the up for the model, with one her pals telling The Sun that she is raking in £50,000 a month after shooting a campaign with Diesel, landing a major film role and signing a lucrative deal with OnlyFans. 'She has 2.7million followers on Instagram and can charge thousands for a post or story - she also has plans for an underwear range and perfume one,' her friend said. 'Katie is a real workhorse and is determined to claw back her fortune and get onto that Rich List, rubbing shoulders with oligarchs, CEOs and footballers.'
Irish Independent
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Waterford two-bed with sunny garden and converted garage brought back to life in glorious Technicolor
Asking price: €189,000 Agent: Brian Gleeson Property, (058) 44200 Caitriona Kiely has been a fan of Escape to the Chateau since it first aired in 2016. In fact, the Channel Four reality TV show, which follows an English couple as they restore a grandiose 19th-century French chateau, inspired Kiely and her husband James Murray to try their hand at restoring a house themselves. 'I was a little bit obsessed with Escape to the Chateau,' says Kiely, a retired hairdresser from Kilmacthomas in Co Waterford. 'I followed the programme religiously for years and I loved what they did. While I wouldn't like to buy a chateau myself, you could say, No4 Shanbally Terrace is my chateau.' The two-bedroom terraced house, built in the 1980s, was far from a castle when they first visited. 'It was in a dire state,' she recalls. 'There had been an elderly gentleman living there. It had all the signs of a bachelor living on his own, and had been lying vacant for a couple of years after he passed away.' It was, however, a well-structured, solid concrete home, and they could see its potential. 'There was a really happy vibe when we first walked in,' she adds. 'We just decided to go for it.' They bought the house in January 2019 and got to work immediately, doing much of it themselves. 'You couldn't get in through the front door because the front garden was so overgrown,' explains Kiely. 'The first thing we did was to clear a pathway. Then we gutted the inside of the house, leaving just the walls. 'There was a lot of pulling and dragging,' she says. 'We went through about 20 skip bags at the time, as well as a few lorry loads of rubbish.' The floors throughout were replaced, the walls and the roof of the house were insulated and a new plumbing system installed. Most of the work was completed by June 2019, when they moved in. Entering through the front door, there's a hallway with a sitting room on one side, which now has pale pink walls and pink and black rose-patterned wallpaper on the chimney breast. There's also a door from the hall leading to the kitchen. Here, a door to the scullery was done away with to make a wrap-around room. New units in cream and blue, and a mock wooden floor have been installed, and prints hung on the walls. Kiley and her husband, who comes from Nenagh, Co Tipperary, run a company which fabricates quartz for residential buildings in Youghal. They have, as a result, used quartz both in the kitchen and in the upstairs bathroom. 'Those big slabs of quartz in the bathroom had to be carried up the stairs and cut up there,' she recalls. 'When I think about it, I don't even know how we managed it.' The dining room, off the kitchen, has an unusual green and cream colour scheme. Here, Kiely sprayed the built-in cupboards forest green, and a green and black patterned carpet was added underfoot. From the kitchen, there's a door leading to the back of the house, which has a series of patios on different levels. There's a covered-in area with a table and chair, and some colourful paintings on the wall. It faces a red wooden door, which leads to a shed that is used as a laundry room. There are steps leading to an area which houses a bicycle, and these lead to a converted garage, which has been insulated and wired for electricity. It has, until recently, housed a sauna and steam room. 'It would be an ideal space for a home gym and an office, or it could even be a bedroom. It's like a little granny flat,' says Kiely. Kiely has two sons from a previous marriage, Charlie (28), who works for Coolmore Stud and lives in Australia, and Lee (30), a professional event horse rider who is based in Florida. They stay in the spare room – an airy double room upstairs – when they're home. The other bedroom, which is the master, has built-in wardrobes, an en suite bathroom, and gold-themed decor. 'Nearly everything in it came from thrift shops,' says Kiely. 'I did a lot of thrifting during the pandemic. I'd visit vintage shops with my mother and we'd rummage for anything I could use in the house, like vintage mirrors or artwork. 'I often bring things home and my husband says, 'What are you doing with that? And I say to him, you'll see! Then I fix it up or spray it. I love bringing things back to life.' She has also brought the south-facing front of the house back to life. Here, there's decking underfoot, a gazebo and a glasshouse, which has been wired for electricity and has fairy lights that come on at night. The house is located in Cappoquin, a village with schools, sports clubs, shops and restaurants. 'It's really a beautiful part of the country,' says Kiely. 'It's on the Blackwater River, and there are lots of water-based activities like rowing and fishing locally. You've also got the Glenshelane woods and the Knockmealdown Mountains, nearby, and we're just 15 minutes drive from the Greenway.' The house is a 20-minute drive from Youghal and Clonmel, while Lismore can be reached in five minutes by car. 'You're kind of in the middle of everything here, and there's a great sense of community. People here are very friendly and helpful.' While they've enjoyed living there, she and her husband are selling No 4 as they plan to buy a cottage in Youghal, closer to their workplace. 'It will be our next project, and we're looking forward to starting it,' she says. 'We've enjoyed the challenge of bringing this house back to life. It's a sunny home with a happy atmosphere, but it's time to pass it on to the next owner now.' Brian Gleeson Auctioneers is seeking offers in the region of €189,000.
Sky News
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Sky News
The Kabaddi World Cup is taking place in the West Midlands - and England's captain says they have a chance against big favourites India
England's kabaddi captain Hardeep Singh believes his team can reach the final of the sport's world cup and even compete with India, the red-hot favourites. Kabaddi, where seven-player teams earn points by crossing into their opponent's territory to tag them and return safely, all the while chanting "kabaddi", is the second most watched sport in India behind cricket and often pulls in TV audiences of more than 200 million. Unsurprisingly India has dominated every international tournament to date, and their men's team are unbackable favourites to extend that run. But Singh and his colleagues have home advantage, as this year's tournament is taking place in the West Midlands and he believes they have a chance of making history - and bringing new fans to the sport at the same time. Singh, who is from Wolverhampton, which, along with Birmingham, Coventry, and Walsall, is one of the venues for the first world cup held outside Asia, said his squad thinks "we can get to the final and give India a good game. "They [India] are seen as invincible because it's their national sport and they have so much heritage. But we will be ready to have that fight." "When I started playing kabaddi I never thought it would get this far, and hosting a World Cup in my home town makes it particularly special," he added. Some in the UK will remember the fast, intense, and often very loud sport from Trans World Sport, Channel Four's popular mid-1990s Saturday morning show. For anyone new to it, Singh says kabaddi is "crazy" and has "got everything". He sees the tournament as a huge opportunity, as he believes there's "so much potential for kabaddi in this country, provided there is enough support and funding at grass-roots level". England, who play in the British Kabaddi League, which was founded in 2022, thumped Hungary by a record-breaking 101-25 on the tournament's opening day. England's women's team also made a winning start in the initial round-robin phase on Tuesday, beating Hungary 85-15. Men's and women's teams from Scotland and Wales are also taking part. The rules of kabaddi Kabaddi is played by two teams of 12 players categorised by age and weight, with seven on the field of play [measuring 13m by 10m] at any one time. A coin is tossed, and the team that wins the toss decides whether to raid or which court [side of the playing area] to start in. No special equipment, clothing, or accessories are needed. Teams score one point for each opponent that they put out of the game. When attacking, it's when the raider touches opposition players, putting them out. When defending, it is done by preventing the raider returning to their own half. Bonus points are also available. To win a point when raiding, the raider must take a breath and run into the opposition's half while repeatedly yelling the word 'kabaddi'. If they stop or chant anything else, they will be declared out and the opponents will be awarded a point and take the next raid. The team with the most points at the end of the match wins. There are six officials looking after matches, which are played over four equal periods of 10 minutes, with rest periods after each. Each team is allowed to take a maximum of two 30-second time-outs per match. Raids last 30 seconds each, with a siren sounding after 20. All raids must start within five seconds of the previous one ending. Indeed, Scotland's men pulled off a major upset by holding India to a thrilling 64-64 draw on Tuesday. England women's captain Athira Sunil took up the sport at school in Kerala after changing from badminton and says players are coming to kabaddi from sports like rugby and wrestling, "so they already come with good speed and techniques". She said the future for the sport in this country "is very good". It's growing so quickly, that some are hoping it will one day appear in the Commonwealth Games or even the Olympics. Commonwealth Games Federation president Chris Jenkins said he was "blown away" after coming to Tuesday's second day in Wolverhampton, adding he was impressed by "the atmosphere and the chanting, and the match itself is really physical and very exciting". Plans are understood to have been made to showcase the sport within the truncated Games programme in Glasgow next year.
