
The Indiependent
The Indiependent publishes music, books, film, tv, gaming, theatre, opinion and lifestyle content by early career stage journalists.
Featured Writers

Matilda Martin
I am a freelance journalist specialising in topics such as culture, lifestyle, education, environment, women's rights, investigation and politics.
View Portfolio
Flossie Palmer
Feature Writer at Pick Me Up! and Chat Real Life • Lifestyle • Culture Got a story? Email me!
View Portfolio
Caitlin Barr
Enthusiastic award winning London based journalist. City MA Magazine Journalism student. Previously print editor of RAZZ magazine. Interested in writing about culture, lifestyle, mental health and current affairs. Contact me …
View Portfolio


Annabel Benton
I'm a freelance journalist with experience across news and culture. I have written everything from live reviews and features to advice pieces and interviews, and have been editing, commissioning, and …
View PortfolioLatest Articles

Directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin revisit their cult hit’s satanic world to deliver humorous chaos that adds little to questions audiences never had.

https://www.indiependent.co.uk/orwell-225-review-important-but-repetitive/
BAFTA-winning director Raoul Peck, best known for I Am Not Your Negro (2016), turns his attention to George Orwell in Orwell: 2+2=5, a necessary, essayistic documentary that draws explicit parallels between the writer’s work and the modern day to warn viewers of authoritarian structures.

‘Orwell: 2+2=5’ Review: Important But Repetitive
BAFTA-winning director Raoul Peck, best known for I Am Not Your Negro (2016), turns his attention to George Orwell in Orwell: 2+2=5, a necessary, essayistic documentary that draws explicit parallels between the writer’s work and the modern day to warn viewers of authoritarian structures.

Challenging Assumptions Through Humour: (We indulge in) a bit of roll play Review : The Indiependent
Disability-led theatre company Birds of Paradise’s latest production (We indulge in) a bit of roll play challenges misconceptions about disability and intimacy.

The Trump Administration Changed Its Tone on Alex Pretti, But It Hasn’t Changed Its Behaviour : The Indiependent
If you are to believe US Border Control Chief, Greg Bovino, 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti left officers with no choice but to shoot him on the streets of Minneapolis. According to him, Pretti had “violently resisted arrest” and “wanted to do maximum damage”, so agents responded with appropriate force. Yet …

'Rivals' Season Two Release Date Announced
Disney+ has revealed the release date of the second season of hit series Rivals. We can look forward to Rivals returns to our screens this spring. The ’80s set comedy drama, inspired by the 1988 Dame Jilly Cooper romance novel of the same name, is renowned for its racy content, …

‘Marty Supreme’ Review: Ping Pong Drama Lives Up to The Hype : The Indiependent
A culmination of blimps, worldwide merch popups, and interviews seemed to set an impossible standard for the movie before the trailer had even been released. With only the knowledge that it was a sports biopic, audiences were curious—how could a mere biography possibly warrant such outlandish publicity?

'28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' Review
The most immediate shift is felt in the film’s visual and tonal DNA. DaCosta is a talented filmmaker, but The Bone Temple lacks that specific, grime-under-the-fingernails “Britishness” that Boyle infused into the series.

Books of 2025 : The Indiependent
If 2025 had a reading mood, it was one of seeking honesty in the quietest and loudest corners of our lives. This year’s standout novels didn’t just tell stories—they cracked open identities, challenged comfortable narratives and amplified marginalised voices. Our team’s top reads wandered from sapphic astronauts and haunted housewives …

'The Artful Dodger' Season Two Trailer Released : The Indiependent
Disney+ has unveiled a brand-new trailer for the second season of hit historical drama The Artful Dodger ahead of its highly anticipated comeback in 2026. Created by James McNamara, David Maher and David Taylor, the Victorian era comedy drama, loosely inspired by Charles Dickens’ world-famous 1838 novel Oliver Twist, imagines …

“Quiet, Piggy!”: What Trump’s Outburst Reveals About His Epstein Narrative
The Epstein files, for Trump, are a topic he has sought to avoid. Yet, with growing public interest, this approach has become unviable. On 14th November, Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey decided to seek answers from the President aboard Air Force One. As expected, Lucey’s questions went down like a lead …

Halloween Burlesque At The Courtyard Theatre Is A Tantalising Treat
There is only one appropriately devilish way to end a treat-filled Halloween weekend: at a burlesque show. Thankfully, the finale to The Courtyard Theatre’s first-ever Horror Festival is a night of Halloween Burlesque, led by host duo Dolly Dark and J’ai Me. They take the audience through a series of …

Interview: Nell Mescal on The Closest We'll Get EP – "It Couldn't Be More Intimate" : The Indiependent
When I join our Zoom call early, Nell Mescal has already beaten me to it. Camera on, hair half-damp, wrapped in a moss-green jumper and nursing a mug that’s still steaming. It’s a surprisingly domestic image for someone at the tail end of a whirlwind few months recording in New …

'Bridgerton' Season Four Release Dates Revealed : The Indiependent
Netflix has announced the release dates of Bridgerton season four ahead of its 2026 launch. Period drama fans can expect the Regency-era romance series to debut in two parts. Part one is due to be released on 29 January and part two is expected to be on the 26 February. …

New Images Released from Rare's Cancelled Title 'Everwild'
New images from Rare’s cancelled game Everwild have finally been released, reportedly from an artist who had been working on the project.

GameStop to keep Xbox Game Pass at Original Lower Price
Microsoft raised Xbox Game Pass Ultimate prices on October 1, though one retailer is determined to keep the old rates.The increase sees prices rise from £14.99 to £22.99 in the UK and $19.99 to $29.99 in the U.S., a 53.33% jump in the UK, adding up to £96 more per …

Controversial ‘Fortnite’ ‘Peacemaker’ Emote Pulled by Epic Games
The Fortnite Peacemaker emote was pulled by Epic Games on 28 September due to new context around the dance revealed in the show’s latest episode.The emote, called “Peaceful Hips,” inspired by John Cena’s character, shows Peacemaker swinging his arms stiffly at right angles while thrusting his hips.In a statement posted …

The Snowballing Rent Crisis Proves The ‘Snowflake Generation’ Right
According to the Office for National Statistics, the average renter has seen a 5.9% rise in rent in the past year alone, with the average monthly price climbing to £1,343.

Book Review-The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden
15 August 2025 marked the 80th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day) in the UK. This anniversary commemorated the date in 1945 on which Imperial Japan surrendered to Allied forces and brought World War Two to an end. During this time of reflection, it is important to pay …

Travelling Alone as a Woman in 2025 America
Solo travel for women has always carried unique challenges but in America in 2025, those challenges are compounded not only by concerns about physical safety but by ideological divides. Yet for all its complexities, the U.S. remains a compelling destination, known for its vast landscapes and iconic cities that many …

5 Things I Learnt From DBT Therapy
As a support worker for those with mental health difficulties, I was always better at managing other people’s problems. After work, the heavy façade would collapse, leaving me alone with horrific thoughts and emotions.

What ‘The Muppets’ Tells Us About Saying Goodbye to Muppet*Vision 3D
In the 2011 film The Muppets, Walter, a lifelong Muppets superfan (and Muppet), travels to Los Angeles with his (human) brother Gary, only to find the old Muppet Studios abandoned and on the verge of demolition. With a greedy oil tycoon eager to bulldoze the theatre, the brothers help reunite …

Witch Tourism in Salem: America’s Spookiest Summer Escape
When people think of a witch, they often picture a green-skinned, wart-nosed hag with a black cat for company — a caricature shaped by pop culture. The reality is, victims of witch trials weren’t fairy-tale villains, but real women and men who simply didn’t fit into society’s status quo.Salem, Massachusetts, …

Abi Clarke: Role Model Or Not Is Snort-Inducingly Good
Abi Clarke, TikTokker turned stand-up comedian, finally hits the road with her debut show, Role Model. It is hard to tell who is having more fun: the audience, who have been waiting five years for their “toxic best friend” to make them laugh in person, or Abi, who rolls about …

More Than a Fashion Statement: Let’s Move Beyond 'Protect The Dolls' to Actually Support the Trans Community
On April 16th, The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. This develo...

Album Review: SABLE, fABLE // Bon Iver
Deep loss flows through Bon Iver’s veins, but they were able to transform it into strength. Strength to move on, strength to reinvent themselves. This album is not comparable to previous works, simply because it doesn’t have the structure for it.

‘Twiggy’ Review: A Starry Docu-Celebration of an Icon
Once again, Sadie Frost steps back into the stylish heart of the 60s, shaping up her ongoing exploration of Swinging London’s most enduring fashion icons. With Quant (2021), she captured the visionary behind the revolutionary mini skirt and mod culture designs and now, Frost moves from designer to muse in …

‘One of Them Days’ Review: Sisterhood Anchors The Absurdity
Lawrence Lamont’s feature debut One of Them Days may be the latest entry into the buddy comedy genre, yet it exudes a classic ‘they don’t make ‘em like this anymore’ feel that’s drawn resemblances to the 1995 cult-comedy classic Friday since its conception. And it’s not exactly an off-base comparison, …

Track Review: safeword // Halsey
With the 2024 release of their critically acclaimed album The Great Impersonator, Halsey cemented themselves as an artist, unafraid to explore various genres and eras. Their newest single, ‘safeword’ continues this journey, revisiting the sounds of the Riot Grrrl era that was integral to the punk-rock feminism of the ’90s. …

Album Review: People Watching // Sam Fender : The Indiependent
Sam Fender’s People Watching is a blockbuster. The North Shields-born singer-songwriter announced his third studio album last November, igniting excitement among his ever-growing, devoted fanbase. There’s no denying Fender’s meteoric rise since the release of his last album, Seventeen Going Under. Now armed with an upcoming sold-out stadium tour and …