Signals

UK – ITV is pushing the boundaries of inclusive storytelling with the launch of its new prime time drama Code of Silence, starring BAFTA-winning actor and deaf campaigner Rose Ayling-Ellis.

The recently premiered (18 May 2025) six-part crime drama centres on a deaf lip-reading analyst, Alison Brooks, who is drawn into a covert police surveillance operation watching a gang planning a high-stakes heist. Created by Catherine Moulton, who has personal experience with hearing loss, the series goes beyond representation in plot alone – each episode will also be available in British Sign Language (BSL) on ITVX.

The debut episode was also accompanied by a silent ad break; during the three-minute and 20-second commercial slot, brands including The National Lottery, Virgin Atlantic, Boots Hearingcare, Cupra, Hellman’s, Ikea, Walkers, Aldi and the Scottish Government (on STV) ran subtitled and/or signed ads without sound.

Rather than treating inclusion as a side note, ITV embeds deaf culture into both content and advertising, moving from tokenism to cultural fluency. Code of Silence shows that authentic representation doesn’t limit reach; it drives relevance. By backing the right talent and prioritising creative integrity, the network sets a new precedent for meaningful, accessible programming.

For more on how the media landscape is adapting to increasingly diverse and engaged audiences, explore our Pop Culture & Media sector.

UK – The rising cost of living and unaffordable housing are fuelling a surge in adult children returning to the family home, with the average boomerang age now 26, according to a new survey of 2,000 people across the UK, conducted by Yonder Consulting for NatWest.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of parents with adult children have seen them return home after first moving out. One in five returnees is over 30, and nearly a quarter move back just two years after initially leaving. Some even bring partners or children with them, reshaping the traditional notion of the empty nest. 

Parents are adjusting, too, with 55% having given up home offices or guest rooms to accommodate returning children, and 60% charge or would charge rent. 

‘Many children across the country are having to return to the homes that they grew up in well into their 20s and 30s to give themselves the financial headroom to save for a deposit,’ said Barry Connolly, managing director of home-buying and ownership at NatWest. 

With rental demand rising and fewer landlord listings, the strain on younger adults continues. According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, 28% of UK 20–34-year-olds now live with their parents, highlighting a growing generational shift in living patterns. 

In our Gen Z Now and Next: From Vision to Contradiction macrotrend report we analyse how Gen Z are entering adulthood burdened by global crises and contradictions. Lacking clear role models or tools for change, they face a paralysis by paradox despite a strong desire to make an impact.