Charlie Coombs

Deputy Editor and Senior Writer Bristol, UK

I’m Charlie (He/Him), Deputy Editor and Senior Writer at Thred. I was previously the Editor full time at Thred before moving to Bristol in 2024. As a music and gaming enthusiast, I’m a nerd for pop culture. You can find me curating playlists, designing article headline images, and sipping cider on a Thursday. Follow me on LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

Hi, I’m Charlie, and I’m the Deputy Editor and Senior Writer at Thred.

I was previously the Editor full time at Thred before moving to Bristol in 2024.

As a music enthusiast I’m a bit of a nerd, particularly for pop culture news and album releases, and whenever I’m not making visuals for our website or editing articles for Jamie I can usually be found crafting playlists and making art on Photoshop.

A proud tea binge-drinker who’s worn my habits off on the rest of the office, I’m never one to say no to an end-of-week beverage.

 

Latest Stories from Charlie

Selling love to Gen Z in the ‘sex recession’ era

Selling love to Gen Z in the ‘sex recession’ era

Sexual activity across generations is on the decline for the first time in modern history. As Gen Z avoid intimacy and love, how do marketers sell romance in an era that seems keen to do anything but? Love. Dating. Swiping. Apps. Anxiety.  Does any of that sound familiar? For many Gen Zers, the yearning for connection and love is apparently on the decline. A survey last year by a prominent...

What was Turning Point’s ‘All-American Halftime Show?’

What was Turning Point’s ‘All-American Halftime Show?’

Last weekend, the right-wing political organisation Turning Point hosted its own, alternative NFL Super Bowl LX halftime show in protest of Bad Bunny’s official stadium performance. The reviews were less than stellar.  Turning Point USA, a right-wing political organisation founded by the late Charlie Kirk, has faced criticism and ridicule for its ‘All-American Halftime Show’ during the NFL Super Bowl LX this past weekend. Positioned as an ‘alternative’ to the...

By Bristol, UK
Living offline has become Gen Z’s quiet luxury

Living offline has become Gen Z’s quiet luxury

Tech companies and AI slop have taken over the internet. As social media becomes increasingly homogenised, invasive, and polarising, there is now status in actively choosing to avoid the digital world entirely and rejecting the pursuit of a personal brand. Zuckerbergs of the world, beware: offline living is on the rise with Gen Z. Young people are increasingly turning off their phones, keeping their screens dark, and seeking out internet-free spaces...

By Bristol, UK
Is new AI social network ‘Moltbook’ legitimate?

Is new AI social network ‘Moltbook’ legitimate?

‘Moltbook’ is a new platform made exclusively for AI to discuss any chosen topic. It operates exactly like Reddit, except humans can’t post. The company claims to have over 1.5 million users - are they all real?  For the past few weeks, the tech world has been buzzing over ‘Moltbook,’ a new social media network made exclusively for AI agents. Modelled after Reddit, an extremely popular human-based forum website, Moltbook...

By Bristol, UK
UK to increase ‘forever chemicals’ tests due to concerns

UK to increase ‘forever chemicals’ tests due to concerns

Following environmental and health concerns, the UK has announced it will increase testing for ‘forever chemicals’ in the environment as part of a nationwide plan. Critics say it fails to match the EU’s much ‘tougher’ stance.  The UK is planning to crack down on ‘forever chemicals’ with increased testing, the government has said. ‘Forever chemicals’ are known as PFAS and are in lots of regular, everyday products as they are...

By Bristol, UK
Gen Z are turning thirty…do they look it?

Gen Z are turning thirty…do they look it?

As the eldest Gen Zers start turning 30, many have pointed out that they seem to look a lot younger than their parents did at the same age. Is it a real phenomena, or just a symptom of our youth-obsessed social media era?  Are Gen Z ageing slower than their parents did? If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram the past few weeks, you may have noticed growing discussion around turning...

By Bristol, UK
The rise of #RichTok, Gen Z’s latest escape

The rise of #RichTok, Gen Z’s latest escape

A specific brand of TikTok luxury is doing the rounds online, known as #RichTok. Wealthy creators are unashamedly flexing their expensive lifestyles for millions of followers, showing off homes, jets, meals and branded clothing. Unsurprisingly, Gen Z are using this content as a way to escape, though not everyone is pleased.  Ever heard of #RichTok? If you’re an older Gen Zer or millennial, we wouldn’t blame you if you hadn’t....

By Bristol, UK
BBC set to make shows for YouTube in new deal

BBC set to make shows for YouTube in new deal

Amidst Trump’s legal threats and a waning Gen Z audience, the BBC is hoping to gain back some much-needed goodwill with a landmark new YouTube deal.  The BBC has struck a deal with YouTube to make brand new content tailored specifically for the digital platform. It comes after months of turmoil for the BBC. Its editing blunder in November saw US president Donald Trump launch a multi-billion dollar lawsuit, and...

By Bristol, UK
Why are people complaining about Lara Croft’s new design?

Why are people complaining about Lara Croft’s new design?

Gamers online are taking issue with the casting of Sophie Turner for Amazon Prime’s new screen adaption of Lara Croft. Complaints unsurprisingly range from her not ‘looking’ the part to issues with her previous acting.  In news that probably won’t surprise many, reactions to Lara Croft’s latest look for Amazon’s Primes adaption have been mixed. Gamers and fans are unhappy with the casting of Sophie Turner, with comments saying that...

By Bristol, UK
How are publishers pushing Gen Z to read?

How are publishers pushing Gen Z to read?

Recent data suggests that traditional marketing for new books is steadily facing irrelevance with Gen Z. Is it the end times, or simply a shift away into less conventional formats of storytelling? The book industry is facing a dilemma. Recent studies suggest that teenagers and younger Gen Zers aren’t reading many books in full. College students are increasingly turning to AI tools like ChatGPT to research, curate and interpret information for...

By Bristol, UK