How a Chinese celebrity’s bitter divorce became China’s biggest news of the day
Millions tune in to live broadcast and reports of divorce hearing involving actor Wang Baoqiang and wife Ma Rong

The divorce hearing involving leading Chinese actor Wang Baoqiang has become the hottest news item on mainland China, with all the major portals broadcasting live reports from outside the Beijing court to millions of online viewers.
The media were barred from entering Beijing Chaoyang People’s Court on Tuesday, but that did not stop reporters from social media and news websites camped outside from following the case, which saw a crowd of hundreds of onlookers waiting for the arrival of 32-year-old Wang.
The live broadcasts about the divorce hearing – launched by Wang on August 14, after six years of marriage, when he accused his wife, Ma Rong, of cheating on him – finished at 6.43pm.
About 23.7 million people had followed the story just on the Tencent news website, with viewers posting 275,377 comments.
A further 11 million people watching the live coverage on the news portal NetEase.com.