The new year got off to a stormy start as Storm Goretti swept across the UK, driving a surge in Weather engagement and causing widespread school closures and travel disruption. January reset energy also took hold, with Brits leaning into self-improvement through fitness, wellness and healthier habits. In sport, disappointment followed England’s Ashes defeat, while FA Cup drama kept football fans hooked. Elsewhere, the Golden Globes added a touch of awards-season sparkle as audiences caught up on winning shows.
Topical News
2026 is off to a flying start as Storm Goretti swept over the UK last week, bringing high-speed winds, snowfall and a flurry of activity in Weather content, which whirled it’s way up by 57%. The storm caused widespread disruption, with many schools closing in their first week of the year due to snow and ice warnings, supercharging Education content by 48% as parents read up on closure announcements. Travel chaos was also seen, with hundreds of flights cancelled and trains delayed, seeing Railway Travel up 60%, Air Travel up 12% and Local Public Transport up 37%.
Meanwhile, Automotive content saw a healthy 33% boost as 2025 sales figures were released, highlighting record electric vehicle sales and announcing that UK car sales topped 2m as Chinese car brands boom.
Over in sport, The Ashes final test last week saw Australia win against England 4-1, dampening Brits spirits as they read up on the series, batting up Cricket content by 59%.
Elsewhere, the FA Cup continues to make waves as 2025 trophy winners Crystal Palace were knocked out of the cup by non-league Macclesfield, kicking up Football content by 49%.
Seasonal Events
As we continue into the new year, ‘January reset’ content is in full swing as Brits lean into their New Year’s resolutions and look towards self improvement. Brits are trading pints for pilates, with Healthy Living content up 26% as seasonal events such as Veganuary and Dry January continue. Fitness & Exercise has jumped up 27%, Weight Loss has increased 34% and Wellness has surged 98% as audiences look for tips and tricks to stay on track.
Books & Literature is also benefiting from the January boost, up 15%, as Brits look to work out their brains as well as their bodies, with Science Fiction content seeing a standout surge of 3.3x.
Continuing trends of self improvement following the festive fallout, Personal Debt has seen a 49% increase as Brits look to get ‘financially healthy’ and look to ways to offset the cost heavy month of December.
Elsewhere, the 83rd annual Golden Globes Awards took place last night, pulling Awards Shows content into the spotlight with a golden 2.2x uplift. Television also saw an 8% boost as Brits looked into the winning shows further perpetuated by BBC smash-hit The Traitors and the ongoing fallout of the Stranger Things finale.
