Charlotte Crosby is no stranger to tabloid press, her reality TV antics have made her a fan favourite for papers like The Daily Mail and The Sun – who report on everything from her haircuts to reunions with her friends from Geordie Shore. But this morning, that attention took her from a quick report on her latest Instagram post to the number one person being searched for on Google in the UK.
That’s right, there have been more than 20,000 searches for ‘Charlotte Crosby’ in the past 24 hours. Why? One might think she’s done something so scandalous it would capture the minds of the entire nation, perhaps appeared on the news naked or locked lips with a famous actor in Rome (too soon?). Either way, to be on top of Google Trend’s daily searches you would expect she had done something so newsworthy we would be forced to take our eyes off the latest coronavirus news or harrowing stories of the End Sars protests.
Well, expect differently, because all she’s done is leave her house without makeup on. Clicking on her name on Google Trends, the top stories are ‘Charlotte Crosby goes make-up free as she oversees renovations on her Sunderland mansion’ from OK! Magazine and The Mirror’s ‘Charlotte Crosby gives rare glimpse of herself without make-up at home in Sunderland.’
That’s right, a famous woman can’t leave her house with no makeup on anymore without going viral. Now, one might think Charlotte’s make-up free face might be compelling to see (that person would be weird on any count) because we don’t see it very often. But, that person would be wrong. Charlotte may often be glammed up on her Instagram posts, but she’s no stranger to a make-up free selfie particularly as we follow her daily life on Instagram stories.
Of course she, like many other celebrities, uses filters often and has eyelash extensions and tattooed eyebrows that are essentially, permanent makeup – but either way seeing her without full glam isn’t exactly a notable occasion. What people seem to be commenting on however, is how she looks without make-up since having cosmetic procedures like lip filler and Botox, which she spoke about loving in January this year.
When you see the responses people have to seeing her out and about, it’s disappointing bordering on dismal. And looking into it further, it’s clearly not the first time the appearance of her face has sparked conversation. Search her on Google and you’ll see countless reports discussing her changing appearance, headlines calling her ‘unrecognisable’ and urging a ‘filler intervention’.
It’s clearly not the first time the appearance of her face has sparked conversation.
But what all of these reports are missing, and particularly those today are, is that it’s no one’s business what Charlotte chooses to do to her face nor how she looks with or without makeup. You might be intrigued, sure, we can’t blame you for that, but for there to be SO much intrigue that she’s out-trending the serious, terrifying and life-threatening news stories currently going on around the world is daunting all in itself.
She literally left the house without make-up, any woman should be able to do that without it making headline news. We can only hope the months of make-up free lockdown make people less immune to this kind of ‘shock’, and free up some room to discuss the actually newsworthy things we should all be talking about right now.
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Click through for the best feminist podcasts you should listen to...
Best Podcasts
The Guilty Feminist
The Guilty Feminist covers all of the big topics through a uniquely feminist lens with a diverse range of whip-smart guests, making it one of the best podcasts you can get in your ears. Helmed by the inimitable Deborah Frances-White, each episode will have you cracking up and nodding vigorously in equal measure as the hosts kick things off with their trademark "I'm a feminist, but..." segment. The best example? "I'm a feminist, but... one time I went on a women's rights march, and I popped into a department store to use the loo, and I got distracted trying out face cream. And when I came out the march was gone."
The High Low
If you're a woman living in the UK, chances are you've listened to Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes' podcast The High Low. Once a week, Alderton and Sykes tackle the week's current affairs and pop culture stories and the biggest issues facing women in the UK and abroad. Consistently taking a top spot in the iTunes charts the programs signature mix of high low journalism, stellar recommendations and author specials have made it popular with women across the nation.
Shameless
Hosted by Aussie journalists Michelle Andrews and Zara McDonald, Shameless is the podcast for smart women who love dumb stuff and has quickly cemented itself as a must listen with the show reaching more women aged between 18 and 30 than any other Australian podcast. Zara and Michelle - who The Guardian described as "the voice of two generations" - cover everything from influencer culture to reality TV to the biggest stories affecting women in the news cycle and have quickly proved there's a huge market for their clever commentary after taking home the trophy for Most Popular Podcast at the Australian Podcast Awards.
Desert Island Discs
Yes, THAT Desert Island Discs. Thanks to podcasting, the BBC Radio institution (named the greatest radio programme of all time by industry experts) has helped put BBC podcasts on the map. With the show running on the airwaves since 1942, there's a hefty back catalogue that will keep you occupied on many commutes to come. And if you're looking for a stellar episode to kick start your listening, try war surgeon David Nott's 2016 appearance on the show. But be warned, you'll need tissues.
How I Built This
From NPR comes How I Built This, a podcast that dives into the back story behind some of the world's most recognisable companies as host Guy Raz speaks to founders and entrepreneurs to uncover just how they turned an idea into a business. If you have an interest in building a brand or an entrepreneurial spirit, How I Built This makes for fascinating listening with candid conversations with the people behind the business. Some of our favourite episodes include Bumble's Whitney Wolfe Herd, Instagram's Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger and Away's Jen Rubio.
How To Fail with Elizabeth Day
Elizabeth Day's podcast on failure (that went on to inspire the book of the same name) has quickly risen through the charts since its 2018 launch with the London based journalist interviewing everyone from American author Tara Westover (the woman behind the searing memoir Educated) to Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alistair Campbell in a wonderfully candid interview format that sees Day's guests recounting their biggest failures - and the lessons they learned from them.
Who? Weekly
Hosted by American journalists Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber, Who? Weekly aptly describes itself as "everything you need to know about the celebrities you don't". Covering the who's (think, the entire cast of Love Island) and them's (the Dame Helen Mirren's of the world) of the news cycle with their signature wit and hilarious back and forth, Who? Weekly will bring you up to date with all those celebrities whose name you can't quite remember.
Love Stories
Yes, we know Dolly Alderton's already on this list for The High Low. But her Love Stories podcast (there's two seasons available to keep you busy) is one of the most divine listens on the internet as Alderton interviews guests such as Stanley Tucci and Lily Allen to discuss, well, love stories. If you're a fan of Alderton's best-selling memoir Everything I Know About Love and are hungry for more lessons on love, you'll want these thoughtful conversations in your ears.
Oprah's Super Soul Conversations
The first time I listened to Oprah's Super Soul Conversations podcast I started messaging my girlfriends in a frenzied panic: I had had a lightbulb moment. Quite a few of them, actually. Oprah interviews a number of authors, health experts and thought leaders as they dive into the deeper meaning of the world around them. If you're feeling a bit lost or in need of some inspiration, there will be a Super Soul Conversation episode for you.
The Broad Experience
All working women know that our experience in the workplace is markedly different from that of our male counterparts the The Broad Experience is one of the first podcasts I recommend to my female colleagues that want to dive deeper into understanding the relationship they have with their careers and success. Tackling everything from pregnancy (and pregnancy loss) to menopause, the art of negotiating, the hell that can be networking and how to say no to office housework, The Broad Experience offers an honest perspective on women and work.
In Good Company
Another popular podcast that tackles women and work, Women Who founder and author Otegha Uwagba's podcast has a number of candid conversations with successful women with Uwagba and her guests covering everything from personal brands to raising investment. It's relevant to women at every stage of their career and is full of inspiration and practical advice.
My Dad Wrote A Porno
There's a reason the My Dad Wrote A Porno podcast is one of the most popular podcasts around. Hosted by Jamie Morton (he's the one with the dad who writes erotic fiction in his spare time), James Cooper and Alice Levine, My Dad Wrote A Porno is the kind of podcast that has you snorting with laughter on your morning commute. With over 160 million downloads and numerous A-listers counted amongst the show's fans (Dame Emma Thompson and Michale Sheen have both appeared on the programme) there's a good reason everyone you know tells you to listen to a show about porn: it's really bloody good.
No Filter
With over 200 episodes to get through, these in-depth interviews are listened to by over 300,000 women each week as host and Mamamia co-founder Mia Freedman speaks to everyone from prominent politicians to thought leaders to authors and actors to regular people with fascinating stories to tell in her signature no filter style.
The Dropout
Standford University dropout Elizabeth Holmes launched blood-testing startup Theranos when she was just 19 and went on to become the world's youngest self-made billionaire. So how did she go from a Silicon Valley darling to facing criminal charges? With Holmes' story poised to become a Hollywood blockbuster (and Jennifer Lawrence speculated to play Holmes) this wild tale unravels like a pacey work of fiction with the ABC podcast exploring the story of Holmes and Theranos through in depth reporting and exclusive interviews with the company's employees, patients and investors.
Modern Love
If you've ever read The New York Times' popular Modern Love column then you will enjoy the podcast of the same name that offers updates from the authors of the column's most popular essays and readings from notable personalities. If you're looking for a good introductory episode, search for You May Want To Marry My Husband, an essay penned by the writer Amy Krouse Rosenthal before she passed away from ovarian cancer.
My Favourite Murder
My Favorite Murder is a weekly true crime comedy podcast hosted by American comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark and it's an absolute smash hit. If you like your comedy really, really dark, then this one is for you.