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Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Expert shares best book genre for your mental health - it's not what you think
A new survey reveals that there is a boom in the true crime genre ahead of summer as Brits cope with a destabilising world by solving crimes in their downtime New research suggests that the undeniable appetite for true crime is expanding from podcasts and docuseries into books. Newspaper and magazine subscription platforms are reinvesting in the genre, expecting a particular boost ahead of summer. According to a recent survey from digital magazine and subscription app Readly, two-thirds of Brits said they will read true crime this summer. The platform shares that interest in true crime is high, with 74% of people choosing to read the category as it records the highest average reading times across several genres on its app. The pervasive interest is no surprise considering how expansive the genre is, covering everything from high-profile robberies, serial and domestic murders to playful portraits of white-collar criminals. According to Readly's survey, when it comes to the nature of crimes people follow, 47% read high-profile crimes with major twists, 41% chose to read about unmasked serial killers and 35% are interested in criminals who lead double lives. 'Interest in reading around crime past and present has grown in recent years and true crime themed lifestyle, history and celebrity magazines are amongst some of the most read on the Readly app in terms of reading time,' says Chris Couchman, head of content at Readly. Part of the reason that interest may be spiking ahead of summer could have to do with the high-profile criminal cases that have dominated news coverage this year. 2025 has seen some major A-list court proceedings, including the ASAP Rocky criminal case, the beginning of Kim Kardashian 's robbery proceedings in Paris and the ongoing Diddy trials. But beyond the non-stop courthouse coverage putting crime on the brain, the fascination with the genre can also be a response to a destabilising world. Professor Donna Youngs, criminal and investigative psychologist says that reading true crime can be a way for people to cope or come to grips with some scary realities. 'For some people, when they solve a 'whodunnit', they are actually reassuring themselves that they are clever enough that they would never get caught out. Other people want to know every detail of how a particularly notorious serial killer operated as their way of dealing with the fear these crimes generate," Youngs said. The Readly survey also revealed that 61% of people said they read true crime to understand criminal minds and the psychological aspect and 40% read for the desire for justice and exposing wrongful convictions. The reason many may be picking up true crime books instead of plugging into their favourite influencer detective series or podcast may have to do with the growing backlash against ' TikTok detectives '. To monopolise on the growing and consistent interest in the genre, Readly has launched a true crime retro series with The Evening Standard, featuring some of the most well known crimes across history such as Jack the Ripper, The Great Train Robbery, Serial killer Fred West House of Horrors and The Pearl Robbery.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What is Virgin Island? Channel 4 show branded 'awful' and 'heartwarming' by critics
Channel 4's experimental reality show Virgin Island has got everyone talking. The broadcaster has promised a "warm, authentic and thought-provoking series", inviting 12 individuals to take part in a sex-periment. The idea came about as research from University College London showed one in eight people are still virgins at the age of 26 years old. This is a stark comparison to past generations, where it was one in 20 people were virgins at the same age previously. Whisked away to a beautiful Mediterranean retreat off the coast of Croatia, 12 virgins are tasked with confronting their fear of sex with the help of sexologists. Dr Danielle Harel and Celeste Hirschman lead a team of experts in the field of sexology who are tasked with helping the individuals conquer their anxieties around sex. It has been considered controversial as the therapies involve a surrogate partner where the participants have the chance to experiment and even sleep with them to help build their sexual confidence. Other therapies include demonstrations and group work. The first episode saw one contestant "overwhelmed" and tearful after the desire task. Hirschman, who is the co-founder of the Somatica Institute and an intimacy coach, explained why young people would be interested in the therapy that she offers. She said: "There are very few places that people can learn how to be emotionally and erotically intimate in a safe container where they are able to practice actually sharing erotic energy and experiences without being shamed or shut down. Somatica coaching offers this kind of safe space as well as gentle, loving, in-the-moment coaching, from someone who is adept at helping people learn how to be more present and intimate." Critics have made it clear they are torn over the Channel 4 reality show. Reviewers in the same breath were saying it was an uncomfortable watch, but it was also "heartwarming" seeing the participants' journeys on the show. The Evening Standard's Vicky Jessop admitted, "a lot of the show is agonising to watch". Later, the critic also noted: "As the show progresses, it is heartwarming watching these shy, unconfident people open up and get experimental, chivvied along by their army of therapists". In The Evening Standard, the reviewer wrote: "Who is Virgin Island for? Is it for the roughly one in eight 26-year-olds (the show tells us) who haven't yet had sex — for various reasons — but want to? Or is it for people who want to peer through the aquarium glass at them in abject fascination? The show doesn't seem to know — and, two episodes in, neither do I." The Guardian's Rebecca Nicholson seemed equally divided in her stance on the show. The critic started the review with: "On paper, almost everything about Virgin Island sets off alarm bells." The critic concluded that the show is "far from perfect" and seems to miss out on addressing some of the big questions. However, the reviewer added: "But the courage of the participants is admirable, and their willingness to open up on camera, partly, it seems, to show other people that they are not alone, is touching. As some of them make breakthroughs, their confidence grows, and you can see that the process is having a positive effect on them. Virgin Island might sound like an Alan Partridge pitch, but stick with it, and it is more complex than it first seems." The Independent's headline 'Awful, horny, depraved – and genius?' summed up perfectly how torn reviewer Hannah Ewens felt while watching the show. But the critic decided overall it was a "positive" that the show had been made. The reviewer wrote in The Independent: "Only a broadcaster like Channel 4, the very same which created the chaotic and depraved coterie of Naked Attraction, Dogging Tales and Embarrassing Bodies, could make this show – and it's positive that they did. For any adult virgins, this will be a de-shaming watch. "For the sexually active, it's a reminder that sex is something done for fun and to find a much deeper intimacy than we've experienced before. Nothing exactly like this has been seen in reality TV before; so, well done C4, once again you've identified and popped a new cherry we never knew we had." Virgin Island continues at 9pm on Tuesday on Channel 4.
Metro
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Articles up to April 26th, 2025
Lola Christina Alao | Newsletter Producer at As producer of Metro's The Slice, Lola writes about all things food and drink in London. Aside from hunting down the best picante in the city, she also edits Metro's portfolio of lifestyle newsletters. She has written for The Evening Standard, Glamour, Refinery29, Dazed, Time Out, Soho House and more as a Lifestyle & Culture journalist – before joining The Metro in August 2024.
