“Likeability” is a fascinating concept in the digital era – when to “like” something is simply to double-tap on a phone screen. But what actually makes a person likeable? And how do you increase your likeability across your life, so that people you’re in a relationship with – whether it’s casual or colleague-based, dating or something deeper – like you… like, like you?
To find out, we spoke to a range of experts, including Meera Moore Danowski, psychotherapist and founder of The Nest Club; Lily Jones, a dating and relationship coach who founded Love With Intelligence; and Lee Harding, talent acquisition manager at recruitment company Join Talent.
Understand yourself
We need to give ourselves more credit, explains Danowski: “We underestimate how much we are liked and one way around this is to enter the arena with an assumption that you’re more welcome than you think you are.
“That’s better than focusing on the micro detail of what you might have said that wasn’t quite right, because that tends to make you focus on yourself rather than the other person.”
Channel 4 axes Married At First Sight UK after review following misconduct claims
Channel 4 has cancelled Married At First Sight UK following an external review triggered by “serious allegations of wrongdoing”.
What led to this?
Earlier this year two women who participated in the show made allegations of rape and a third of sexual misconduct by their on-screen husbands, speaking in a BBC documentary which aired in May.
- In June a cast member was arrested on suspicion of rape. All three men deny the claims.
- Channel 4 has now confirmed the series will not be returning.
What will happen to season six?
Channel 4 chief executive Priya Dogra confirmed season six of the show, filmed this year, will not be broadcast.
Second Married at First Sight, a spin-off set to bring contestants from the UK and Australian versions of the show for a second chance at love, was in pre-production with CPL before being paused during the review. It will not resume.
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What the production company said
“CPL has always put contributor welfare at the heart of its programme making and will continue to do so,” CPL said.
“CPL have worked closely with Channel 4 for many years and throughout the review process, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.”
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Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football
Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football.
Here is everything we know so far about his decision.
What did he say?
The day has come back for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team…It was not an easy decision. Because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart. A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The background
- The 41-year-old has made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals.
- He holds the all-time record for international appearances and for international goals.
“When I look back at everything with the national team, I don’t just see the matches, goals, records or trophies,” he added. “ I see the Portuguese people living abroad who, for 90 minutes, felt a little closer to home.”
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong jailed for 10 years
Joshua Wong, 30, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to “foreign collusion” under the region’s national security law.
Wong is among hundreds of campaigners arrested under the law, which was enforced in 2020 following pro-democracy protests against Beijing’s control in Hong Kong.
Who is Joshua Wong?
Wong rose to fame as the face of Hong Kong’s 2014 pro-democracy demonstrations and “Umbrella Movement”.
He rallied more than 100,000 people to protest against Hong Kong’s plans to implement mandatory “patriotic education”.
In 2020, Wong stayed in Hong Kong and tried to run for a seat in its legislature – but was barred due to his opposition to the national security law.
The charges he faces
The activist has already spent the last six years in jail for subversion and was due to be freed in January – but will now spend another decade in prison.
Now, prosecutors have claimed he conspired with other campaigners to lobby for foreign sanctions and blockades against Beijing between July and November 2020.
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Wong not only severely undermined national sovereignty, security, and development interests, but also directly prejudiced the wellbeing of the general public and the stability of society.
john lee, Hong Kong’s chief executive
Opponents hit back
Cruel and unjust.
Critics argue that the national security law has completely silenced political opposition and debate.
Elaine Pearson, director of Human Rights Watch in Asia, believes this ruling serves “to keep Hong Kong society subdued”.
“The government appears to have adopted the tactic of stacking charges against influential pro-democracy leaders,” she said.
The 2.4 million households that could have energy debt wiped
Plans published alongside Chancellor John Healey’s Budget last week reveal a new strategy to help homes that have fallen behind on their gas and electricity bills.
The Government and energy regulator Ofgem’s new plan vows a one-off Debt Relief Scheme.
Ofgem estimates around 2.4 million customers have debt that could be considered for the scheme and help Britons “get back on top of their finances and make a fresh start”.
However, the exact figures on how many people will receive help and the amount of debt written off will be finalised next year.
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What has led to this new scheme?
- In 2022, energy costs soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed up wholesale gas prices.
- At the peak of the conflict, a typical household’s annual bill was capped at £2,500 – double the previous year.
- Great Britain’s household energy debt stood at £5bn in the middle of 2026 – three times that of 2021.
- Now, more than 2 million households are in debt with their suppliers.
- While Ofgem first proposed a debt-tackling scheme in November 2025, the plan never went ahead until its current revival.
- The strategy has expanded and is now aimed at the debt built up during the peak of the crisis.
- Government analysis suggests the expanded scheme could save households £130 over the next decade.
What makes people qualify?
Britons in “genuine financial need” will be prioritised under latest plans. This covers those on universal credit or pensioners.
People with little realistic prospect of paying back the sums of debt on their own will be helped.
It is also dependent on how willing households are to negotiate with suppliers on repayment plans and future bills.
Who pays for the scheme?
While the Government has not exactly outlined who will exactly fund the strategy yet, Ofgem is expected to announce this later in the year.
The i Paper understands it will add a small upfront cost to bills, but the Government expects to pay for it itself within two years.
Government analysis suggests the new scheme should prevent more than £5bn of new energy debt building up by 2036. The Budget promised that no new government costs would be added to energy bills until a new framework is in place.
What happens next?
- Ofgem will publish a fresh consultation on the scheme shortly.
- In early 2027, it will make a final decision on the scheme.
- In spring 2027, it is scheduled to go live, depending on the consultation.
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Typhoons batters East Asia as El Niño grows
In recent months across the Philippines, Taiwan, China and Japan, intense and volatile storms, worsened by the climate phenomenon El Niño, have destroyed major airports, ruined infrastructure and killed dozens.
What is El Niño?
El Niño is a naturally occurring complex weather phenomenon that transpires over the Pacific Ocean roughly every two to seven years.
It can increase global temperatures, as it weakens trade winds and allows warmer water to spread across central and eastern parts of the tropical Pacific.
- : Typhoon Mekkhala and Storm Higos forced 1 million people to evacuate Japan.
- : Storm Narra submerged villages along China’s southern coast and displaced tens of thousands.
- : Super Typhoon Dolphin triggered heavy floods and dozens of casualties in China over 16 days.
- : Typhoon Saudel made landfall in three Chinese cities in just one week, shutting transport and forcing evacuations.
The impact in pictures
East Asia vs El Niño
- Typhoon Champi cut off 15,000 Japanese homes from power at a speed of 295kph.
- Hundreds of flights were forced to cancel in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.
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How are countries preparing?
Stockpile food, essentials and secure outside furniture that could become deadly when typhoons hit.
Local officials will identify vulnerable areas and upgrade warning and monitoring systems.
In lieu of food production disruption, farmers receive increased support.
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How a lab grown ‘human lens’ may bring new eye treatments
Scientists have grown a realistic human lens from stem cells for the first time which could potentially pave the way for new treatments for cataracts and other eye conditions.
New stem cell eye
In a new breakthrough, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) created the “mini lenses”.
The team, which also includes experts from Cardiff University and the University of Osaka in Japan, said that the lenses closely resemble the natural lens inside the human eye.
It is hoped the new lenses will now be able to be used to test new medicines and better understand eye diseases.
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Hope for treating cataracts in the future
“This is a major step forward as it is very difficult to obtain and study human eye lens tissue while it is developing.”
Said Professor Barbara Pierscionek, from the Centre for Biomedicine and Health Innovation at ARU
The key nutrients you won’t get from drinking oat milk
Replacing dairy products with plant-based ones, such as oat and almond milks, could lead to people missing out on vitamins and minerals, a study suggests.
Milk alternatives might cause health issues
New research suggests that swapping normal milk for plant-based alternatives might cause health issues.
The research team, from the University of Surrey and Queen’s University Belfast, found that even a partial swap may lead to deficiencies in certain essential vitamins and minerals.
The findings
What was studied?
Researchers looked at the risks of dropping dairy in favour of plant-based items.
Vitamins and minerals
They examined the effect on micronutrient intake for iodine, calcium and vitamins B2 and B12.
The findings
They found that even modest replacements of dairy intake with plant-based alternatives led to declines in all four micronutrients.
The health impacts
Vitamin B12 helps , while B2 is important for skin, eyes and the nervous system.
Dr Sarah Bath, associate professor at the University of Surrey and lead author, warned of the impacts from a lack of iodine, which is “needed to make thyroid hormones to regulate our metabolism, support healthy growth and brain development“.
Calls for better food fortification
Nutrition policy must evolve in tandem with environmental targets, however, it is important that shifts towards more sustainable diets do not compromise on public health.
Dr Katie Nicol, co-author of the study and research fellow at the University of Surrey
Battle of the supermarkets – the cheapest, revealed
Consumer champion Which? has revealed which supermarket is the cheapest in the UK.
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The cheapest supermarkets revealed
Which? has published its list of the cheapest supermarkets in the nation, comparing the costs of a list of 87 grocery items across all the major supermarkets.
October’s items included a mixture of own-brand and branded products – including milk, cheese and Hovis sliced bread.
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The top three
Retaining the title of cheapest, Aldi’s 87 items came to (£154.34).
Lidl Plus followed closely at £157.17.
Tesco’s Clubcard prices came in third with a basket total of £181.77.
- 4Sainsbury’s Nectar scheme came in fourth with a basket total of £181.77 across 18 discounted products.
- 5Despite having beaten Tesco and Sainsbury’s member prices in September, Asda slipped to fifth place – outpaced in a competitive market (£183.47).
- 6Morrisons (£186.77) came in ahead of Tesco (£187.31) and Sainsbury’s (£191.56) but only without loyalty prices.
- 7Ocado and Waitrose brought up the rear both exceeding £200.
I like to think I’m ahead of the butter curve, but it’s having such a moment right now that I’m not sure anyone can keep up. The rise in popularity of real butter is somewhat curious.
As Madonna put it in her 1993 banger “Secret”: “Before I learned to love myself/I was never ever loving anybody else.”
Danowski says: “It is important to get to a place where you can be as you as you can, because the more like you, the more likeable you are.”
Don’t be smarmy
Danowski says: “The key to being liked is less about flattery and charm, and more about being really attentive and responsive, really hearing someone and leaving them feeling understood and seen.”
Overdoing it is really obvious, Danowski adds: “When you’re experiencing excessive flattery and excessive charm, it can feel good in the moment, but you can sense that it comes from an insecure place, rather than from someone who is grounded and knows who they are.”
Mirror body language – and language
“Creating rapport is super important, because it’s making people feel comfortable,” explains Jones. And one way to do this is mirroring them. “When you’re copying other people’s body language, psychologically it makes them feel you’re similar to them.”
This, Jones says, helps people “feel seen”. And to help them feel heard, she recommends something called the echo technique. This is where you “repeat the last three words of what they said. So if they say, ‘I went out this weekend,’ you literally parrot back, ‘You went out this weekend?’ It allows someone to go a little deeper than they were originally going to”.
Jones says as obvious as this is on paper, “you could do it maybe four or five times and most people won’t realise because the conversational focus is all on them”.
Be curious
Jones explains that “the more you get someone to talk about themselves, the more they’re going to enjoy the conversation, because people love sharing all the different details about their life, the holidays, the people they interact with. Asking people about their dreams, their goals, what scares them and what excites them, really allows them to feel seen and heard”.
The same goes for, say, job interviews, with Lee Harding explaining: “Ask the interviewer what they like about working here – because people love talking about themselves.”
When it comes to actually working, Harding stresses the importance of paying attention to others. “There’s nothing more frustrating than speaking to somebody who asks how your weekend was, but you can tell they don’t care.”
Respond to emotions
A lot of people can be afraid to connect with someone else’s emotions, Jones explains. “When you’re creating a deeper connection with someone where you are becoming more likeable, the conversation is going to become more emotional than your average standard everyday conversation. So it’s okay to label those emotions and respond to them.”
This could be as simple as saying “it looks like that’s something that upsets you” or “that looks like something that excites you”.
Allow vulnerability
The best way to deepen what could be a superficial conversation is to create space for vulnerability, Jones explains, adding that this method of “boosting your likeability” requires you to “show your own vulnerability first, whether it’s a painful memory or something that means a lot to you”.
Jones says this is an easy way to get deeper into a conversation while also taking some pressure off. “Most people tend to ask ‘why?’ and that will result in the other person giving a defensive answer or just shutting down. But ‘what’ and ‘how’ allow people to open up again.”
Don’t people-please
No one is actually pleased by people-pleasing. “People-pleasing can be controlling and exhausting for both parties,” explains Danowski. “Often people-pleasers are focusing on themselves and how they are doing things, questioning, ‘am I doing this right?’ and not being present, rather than actually focusing on the other person and being curious about them.”
Those with anxious attachment styles can fall foul of this. “When they’re doing a cat-and-mouse, Tom-and-Jerry-type routine with an avoidant, they tie their self-worth to another person and actually, the unfortunate thing is, the harder someone is trying, the further away the other person moves.”
Similarly, Harding says that in a work environment, “people like people who help them. You don’t want to be a doormat, but where you can help, do help. And if you say you’re going to do something, do it. Be reliable; that’s the sort of person you would want to work with”.
If you’re in a couple, stay curious
Danowski says: “Liking is often such a core piece of really lasting love. And couples that do really well together have this deep friendship first.”
From her work with couples, she has discovered that “it’s often not the love that gets wobbled too much during big life transitions; it’s more about starting not to like someone, becoming exhausted and resentful”.
“A lot of couples I’ve worked with just can’t hear each other because they don’t listen… one thing I tell couples is not to make assumptions about their partners. Even if you’ve been with them for a long time, exploration and curiosity are key, because we do change as people.”
At work, don’t tread on toes
“A big mistake a lot of people make, the more experienced we become, is walking into a workplace, seeing what could be done better and saying so.”
This will often happen, Harding says, “before we’ve even been there long enough to understand why those things happen that way. It comes across as arrogance, like you know better”.
Watch out for people pretending to be likeable
Jones explains that “dangerous” people will often try very hard to be likeable, so it’s important to remember that “just because someone is likeable doesn’t mean they’re going to be a nice person. So watch how that person talks about other people, because people with low levels of emotional intelligence will see themselves as above other people”.
Be yourself
When it comes to relationships, Meera Moore Danowski says that the old cliché is true: just be yourself.
“It can be a really hard thing to be, but be as you as you can. It’s really clear to someone when you’re not your real self. It can be exhausting, not only for the person who’s trying to be liked, but for the people experiencing it.
“People can tell when they’re being managed rather than being met. The more you can relax and be yourself, the more likeable you actually are.”
Jones echoes this, explaining that when it comes to dating, “the more performative you become trying to be liked, the less chance people are actually going to like you”.