BRIT Award winning singer-songwriter Tom Walker joins us to discuss his second album, I Am. Tom opens up about one of the singles on the album, ‘Lifeline’, about the unexpected death of a friend, and how writing the song allowed him to process his grief. “It’s one of my favourite songs I’ve ever written, but also the most difficult song to listen to. It’s certainly one of the realest things I’ve ever put down on paper, and you can feel that when you listen to it.” Catch Love Lives on...

This week on Love Lives, we’re joined by author Ela Lee to discuss her hotly anticipated novel, Jaded, which tells the story of a young lawyer who wakes up the morning after a work event with no memory of how she got home. We chat with Ela about the confronting aftermath of “blackout sex”, the grey area of consent, and why we need to debunk the ‘nice guy’ myth to tackle rape culture. Catch Love Lives on Independent TV and YouTube, as well as all major social and podcast platforms. Support...

Love Lives is back, and we’re kicking off the brand new season with journalist and author Bryony Gordon. We talk to Bryony about her new book, Mad Woman, the hotly anticipated follow-up to her bestseller, Mad Girl. The book explores everything from perimenopause and the ongoing battle to prioritise women’s health, to addiction, binge eating, and mental health. We also discuss Bryony's struggles with drugs and alcohol, cross-addicting to food, and some of the myths around OCD. Catch Love Lives...

It’s been an incredible first year for Love Lives. After relaunching at the start of the year, we’ve been lucky to speak with a host of guests, including Hollywood actors, award-winning musicians, and bestselling authors. From female rage, healthcare injustice and violence against women, to queer representation, stunt work in film and a lifelong love of pickles, our guests have had some incredible stories to tell. A huge thank you to our wonderful guests and everyone who watched and listened...

This week on Love Lives, we’re delighted to be joined by Brit award-nominated artist Tom Grennan to discuss his latest album, What Ifs & Maybes, and navigating life in the public eye. The Little Bit of Love singer talks to Independent TV’s Olivia Petter about how ditching destructive vices allowed him to focus on music, and how his love of family, football, and furry friends helps keep him grounded following his dizzying rise to fame. Catch Love Lives on Independent TV and YouTube, as...

Our guest this week is film director, screenwriter and novelist Emma Forrest. Emma joins us to discuss her second memoir, Busy Being Free, which follows the breakdown of her marriage, her move from the glitz and glamour of LA to a tiny flat in north London, and her commitment to a period of celibacy (at least partially inspired by the election of Donald Trump). We chat about what it means to start again, life outside of marriage and the male gaze, and the “existential crisis” faced by a...

This week, we’re thrilled to speak with author Nicola Dinan about her debut novel, Bellies. It follows the relationship between young graduates Tom and Ming and how their connection fluctuates in the wake of Ming’s transition, and is being adapted for TV by the studio behind the Normal People adaptation. We chat with Nicola about the expectation that transgender characters should be overly virtuous, and how marginalised characters should have “the freedom to be pieces of s*** too.” Catch Love...

This week, we’re joined by award-winning journalist and author Poorna Bell to discuss the importance of letting go of one-sided friendships. We discuss how it can feel daunting when friends’ lives splinter off in different directions, and why it's okay to be selective with your friendships. We also talk about the myth of finding “the one”, the importance of writing South Asian stories into popular culture, as well as Poorna’s debut novel, In Case of Emergency. You can also read Poorna's...

Swedish pop sensation Zara Larsson joins us on Love Lives to discuss fame and how blogging from a young age in Sweden has helped her feel comfortable speaking her mind and taking ownership of her work in the relentless and unforgiving music industry. Zara speaks about how she collaborates in the studio, how she came to the public's attention at a young age and how one form of transport has stolen her heart. Catch Love Lives on Independent TV and YouTube, as well as all major social and...

This week, bestselling author Megan Nolan joins us to discuss her latest book, Ordinary Human Failings, which explores a family who become tabloid scapegoats after a toddler goes missing from a London estate. We talk about the exploitative tabloid culture and issues of addiction that lie at the heart of the book, as well as what drives people to commit violence, the impact of childhood neglect on adult relationships, and how trauma narratives are too often used to excuse bad behaviour. Catch...

Journalist, editor and author Lorraine Candy joins us to discuss her latest book, ‘What’s Wrong With Me?’: 101 Things Midlife Women Need to Know. Lorraine talks about a “huge unravelling” she experienced at around 47 years old, when she went through the perimenopause, and how a lack of knowledge about this process made her feel she was “going mad”. We also discuss female rage, older women being sidelined in popular culture, and why the the myth that women can ‘have it all’ is a dangerous...

Brit-nominated artist Freya Ridings joins us on Love Lives this week to discuss her second album, Blood Orange, the pressure she faced to write new material, and why we love listening to sad music when we’re feeling down. The ‘Lost Without You’ singer reveals how she created the new album, which mixes disco, pop and rock alongside the melancholic, piano-driven ballads she’s known for, and opens up about how she channelled her heartbreak into songwriting from a young age. Check out Love Lives...

This week, we’re thrilled to be joined by actor Hayley Atwell, to discuss her latest role in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. Atwell stars as Grace alongside Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, as the team track down a weapon that threatens humanity. We talk with Hayley about how she collaborated with Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie to build her character, as well as stunt and combat training, and the barriers facing women in Hollywood. Check out Love Lives on Independent TV...

This week, we’re delighted to be joined by Sentimental Garbage host and New York Times best-selling author, Caroline O’Donoghue. We discuss her latest book, The Rachel Incident, which follows a young woman’s crush on her professor, and a subsequent plot to seduce him. We loved talking with Caroline about the book, as well as the hidden power of channelling female rage in writing, the Taylor Swift phenomenon, and the best food to boost productivity. Check out Love Lives on Independent TV and...

“It’s rare that fiction doesn’t problematise queer relationships”... Bestselling author Naoise Dolan joins us this week to discuss her latest novel, The Happy Couple, which follows two people as they approach their wedding day, and the three friends who threaten to draw them apart. Following her hit debut novel, Exciting Times, the Irish author was earmarked by many as the “next Sally Rooney”. We chat with her about how she navigates labels like these, writing queer love stories into the...

Hot male celebrities don't date funny, brilliant women unless they look like models - or do they? We’re so excited to kick off our very first season of Love Lives with New York Times bestselling author Curtis Sittenfeld. The Rodham author joins us to discuss her latest novel, Romantic Comedy, which follows a witty but insecure sketch writer named Sally as she develops “a consuming, imbalance-inducing crush” on hot pop star, Noah. We discuss the phenomenon of “dating up”, the gruelling and...

Millennial Love is getting a makeover! We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Love Lives, The Independent’s brand new lifestyle podcast. We’ve got an incredible lineup of guests – from screenwriters and authors, to musicians and actors – so keep an eye out for new episodes every other Friday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Acast, as well as Independent TV and all major social media platforms. More soon – watch this space. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted...

This week on Millennial Love, we’re joined by author Louise O’Neill to discuss her latest novel, Idol. Idol is about Samantha, a hugely successful wellness influencer who, determined to speak her truth, writes an essay about a sexual experience she had as a teenager with her then best friend, Lisa. But it backfires when Lisa gets back in touch and says that her memory of the night is far darker than Samantha’s. We chat with Louise about the Me Too movement, whether one person’s “truth”...

This week on Millennial Love, we’re joined by bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan to discuss their new novel Mad Honey. We talk about the process of writing a book collaboratively, some of the questions the book raises around gender identity, and how our past shapes our future selves. We also discuss treating narratives about domestic abuse with sensitivity and care, how trans issues have become hijacked by a toxic political debate, and why it’s more important than...

This week on Millennial Love, we chat with adult film director and performer Vex Ashley. Vex is the founder of Four Chambers, an alternative, creative, female-centric porn platform that explores sex away from the mainstream “tube sites” that saturate the industry. Vex challenges the misconception that sex work is exploitative and argues that, through a creative and collaborative process with performers, pornography can be a medium for artistic expression. Check out Millennial Love on all...

This week, we’re thrilled to be joined by celebrity psychic Chris Riley who explains what a psychic reading could mean for your love life. Having first experienced psychic abilities when he encountered his grandad’s spirit as a child, Chris now helps people with everything from their relationships and careers, to communicating with loved ones after they pass. We talk with Chris about why some may choose to seek guidance from a psychic or medium rather than a conventional therapist and how...

*Trigger warning: This episode contains themes of rape, sexual assault and sexual violence which some viewers may find upsetting* This week on Millennial Love we chat with Soma Sara, author and founder of Everyone’s Invited, an anti-rape movement that focuses on exposing rape culture by allowing survivors to share their own experiences of misogyny, harassment and sexual assault. We discuss how experiences of sexual harassment at school can shape our attitudes towards sex and how widespread...

This week, we’re joined by actor, writer, and stand-up comedian Jack Barry who discusses sex and comedy, and how he avoids joking about certain topics due to his privilege as a straight white man.  Jack opens up about being in a non-monogamous relationship, debunks some of the myths around polyamoury, and argues that, with proper communication, being polyamorous can strengthen a relationship.  We also discuss the darker side of comedy, and how abuse and harassment are still rife on the...

This week on Millennial Love, we’re thrilled to be joined by writer, journalist and creator of the iconic @beam_me_up_softboi Instagram account, Iona David. Iona unpacks what it means to be a softboi, how to spot one, and why we should be wary of dating them. She also recounts her own dating experiences which, yes, might have included one or two softbois… Iona’s book, Is This Love Or Dopamine?: A Deeply Unofficial Study of Dating in the Digital Age, is out now. You can watch this episode and...