Netflix has given us many a heartthrob over the years, from Noah Centineo in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before to Hero Fiennes in Harry Styles inspired fanfic After, we’re certainly spoilt for choice when it comes to easy on the eye stars that make deciding what to watch that little bit simpler.

Since the latest season of Bridgerton dropped in April and our attention was very firmly placed on Jonathan Bailey’s entire existence, the subject of Netflix heartthrobs has been of hot debate both on social media and in the Zoella office (ahem). It only felt fitting- for the purpose of research, of course- to deep dive into this topic hearts first, scrolling through the depths of our Netflix watch history to present to you, Snog, Marry, Avoid- The Netflix Heartthrobs Edition…

Who comes out top on your ‘marry’ list?

Charlotte says….

Snog: Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Stranger Things

GOD this man is sexy. I love Stranger Things and have rewatched the first 3 seasons more times than I can count, only partly because of Steve Harrington’s character arc…

Steve doesn’t exactly start out as boyfriend material, all but breaking Nancy Wheeler’s heart and unapologetically smashing Jonathon Byer’s prized film camera just because, but from season 2 onwards we see him save the day time and time again, always having the back of the kids of Hawkins. Turns out his heart is as good as his ’80s hair after all, and his dry humour and flirtatious nature have me weak at the knees. Despite this and because of his not-so-nice-guy history, I’m only trusting Steve as far as a snog goes, but I do truly believe he’s a good guy at heart, and I’d love to head to Hawkins for a date with Mr Harrington.

Marry: Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, Amazing Spider-Man

Okay, I’m putting it out there, Andrew Garfield is the best Spider-Man- I said what I said! The nature of his job might be risky by nature, but regardless I would seriously love to be swinging through NYC in the arms of this Peter Parker- swoon-worthy I tell you! His awkward yet endearing personality is incredibly loveable, and the scene in the school hallway when he tries to ask out Gwen Stacy (the icon that is Emma Stone) always has me smiling at the screen. I know Peter would always try to do right by his partner, prioritising them and doing his best to keep them safe and happy, and for that reason, I consider him the ultimate marriage material!

Avoid: Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street

Leo was my first celeb crush (we’re talking before the days of One Direction, of course) and I can’t count the times I’ve watched Inception, Titanic, Blood Diamond and The Great Gatsby because of him. Despite this, not even his dreamy looks, HUGE wallet and delicious Bronx accent are enough to persuade me to go near him with a barge pole on TWOWS. His confidence and determination for success are certainly sexy (making it easy to gloss over the fact he is an actual criminal) but above all we can’t forget that he did in fact cheat on his first wife, and then proceeded to treat Margot Robbie’s character despicably too- he sure makes it difficult to support him. The emotional scenes when his marriage is falling apart and he tries to bundle his young daughter into the car whilst drunk/high are especially hard to watch, and I’m gonna have to say VERY avoid-worthy. I think I’ll stick to Jack Dawson on the Titanic when I need my Leo fix!

Danielle says…

Snog: Pete Davidson as Scott – The King of Staten Island

Quite frankly I want to see what all the fuss is about. I’ve been a fan of Pete for ages and I definitely see the allure, he’s hilarious, laid back and tall which pretty much ticks all my boxes. But would I let him in my box? I think a snog would give me all the information I need to discover how he’s bagged both Arianna Grande and Kimmy K.

Marry: Timothee Chalamet as Elio, Call me by your name

I am not ‘down bad’ for Timothee Chalamet, I am catastrophically submerged. If you told me three years ago I’d be falling in love with an American Italian teenager discovering his homosexuality I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But Call Me By Your Name did things to me I’m still not even willing to discuss with myself. Something about the way he operates when he acts is just SO satisfying to me, and you can find a plethora of other hits on Netflix that are JUST as great for falling in love with Timmy – The King, Little Women and Don’t Look Up.

Avoid: Jason Oppenheim as himself – Selling Sunset

Spoiler Alert for season 5 coming up! Maybe I’ve chosen him because it’s quite fresh in my mind, as let’s face it there are plenty of men to avoid on Netflix right now. But Jason really pissed me off in the latest season of Selling Sunset, what is wrong with these men who can commit more fiercely to their dog than they can a woman. He wasted sweet, sweet Chrishelle’s time and he still gets off scot-free with the opinion that some young fertile woman will want to have his kid’s when he’s ready. Maybe I’m just frustrated about men’s biological clocks compared to ours, maybe Chrishelle’s nails stroking his bald head gave me the ick, either way, I’m avoiding.

Maddie says…

Snog: Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore, Vampire Diaries

What is it about vampires that makes them so damn attractive?! He’s dangerous, spontaneous, funny, ridiculously sexy, protective and did i mention sexy??! It was team Damon from the start for me and despite his reckless and at times psychotic tendencies i definitely wouldn’t say no to a snog with this supernatural dish.

Marry: Jacob Elordi as Noah Flynn, The Kissing Booth

Forget his character in Euphoria for a second….Noah is the total package, he’s got the smile, the height, the motorbike, the Harvard degree. Tick Tick Tick. If we look past the slight anger management issues he worked through in his teen years he may be the perfect man.

Avoid: Chad Michael Murray, Lucas Scott, One Tree Hill

This guy moves from girl to girl far too quickly for my liking. I’ll never forgive him for choosing “everybody leaves” permanently pissed off Peyton over the brilliantly sassy Brooke Davis and let’s not even talk about poor old Lindsey. It’s a hard pass from me.

Darcey says…

Snog: David Harbour as Jim Hopper, Stranger Things

I mean… I fancy this man rather a lot, not just as Jim, but as David too. I’ve opted for snog because really I think the age gap would get in the way of marriage, but whose to say I couldn’t enjoy a few nights with Jim aye? What’s not to like to be honest, he’s kind, brave and also very attractive. Tick, tick and tick!

Marry: Henry Golding as Nick Young, Crazy Rich Asians

Fancy Henry Golding in anything he does, Last Christmas is quite frankly my favourite Christmas film of all time and I’ll hear nothing else on the matter. I am obsessed with his character in Crazy Rich Asians, being such a kind and loving man, going after what he wants and THAT proposal, who wouldn’t want that?! Maybe minus all the family dramas… I think he’s got to be ultimate marriage material. Obviously too he is bloody attractive, but something about him in Crazy Rich Asians really ramps that up, maybe it’s all the suits?

Avoid: Simon Leviev as himself, The Tinder Swindler

I probably don’t have to explain this one, but if I could think of one man that I would absolutely run for the hills from it would be Simon Leviev, fraudster and compulsive liar? I’m going to have to opt-out of that one. Course this is no fictional character and all real-life, what he did to those women is genuinely disgusting and I do hope they get the proper justice they deserve one day.

Lareese says…

Snog: Paul Mescal as Connell, Normal People

There’s just something about the combination of shy insecure boy with an Irish accent and a silver chain that did it for me in every which way. And then he made his Met Gala debut with that iconic handlebar ‘tache – a weapon of mass seduction. The tuxe. The long hair. I wasn’t ready. Well played, Phoebe Bridgers, well played.

Marry: Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset, Bridgerton

This will come as no surprise to, well, anyone really but there’s only one heart-throb for me to wed and it’s gotta be the Duke, aka The internet’s boyfriend. I don’t think I even need to elaborate on this because it’s just a fact at this point. He only had to cock a brow, mount his trusty steed or fasten a glove and my soul would leave my body; my pants would levitate before my eyes. As a Bridgerton runner-up though, can I also give Theo Sharpe from Season 2 an honourable mention, the hardworking printer’s assistant. In the absence of the much-loved Duke, I enjoyed him in his apron and flat cap A LOT.

Avoid: Lucas Bravo as Gabriel, Emily In Paris

I mean, sure the man can cook me a decent meal when it comes to snacks, I’d have to go for Alfie the cocky Londoner with the good brows instead (Lucien Laviscount). A visual feast.

Claiming he’s too busy to text you back? We’re not gonna lie, it’s giving Simon Leviev.

In May’s BYAM, we’re working through some serious life BS otherwise known as simply trying to exist in our present-day dystopian hellscape. Who knew being an adult would be this exhausting. Stop the ride, we want to get off.

From sex drive discrepancies and friendships that have officially passed their sell-by date to navigating the hard questions that come with marriage and exploring your sexuality when you’re in a monogamous long-term relationship. Keep scrolling to read the team’s no-nonsense advice!

Charlotte says…

This is so tricky- I definitely felt this a lot in my previous relationship and would also have a tendency to take it personally. I think it can be easily done so I understand your partners concerns, but also think it’s a good opportunity to establish new boundaries. Personally, my love language is quality time so I’d always feel a bit dejected if my BF wanted to chill alone, which could be the case for your partner too? I’d suggest doing the love languages test and finding out if this is the case too- if so I think one easy remedy would be carving out specific time in your week where you’re spending quality time together, making memories and dedicating space to each other, which should fulfil this need for them and hopefully naturally create some space in between for you too.

We all need time to rest and recharge, and I think having personal space is a really healthy thing in a relationship, so don’t back down on the fact that this is important for you. Vocalise your needs, and communicate that in the same way they need time together, you also need to balance this with space to breathe and fully appreciate the time you do spend with one another! One quote I love is “you are individuals first and partners second”, so your needs and mental health should be a top priority, always.

Maddie says…

Everyone has different love languages and it sounds like your partners is “quality time”. Understanding how we like to be appreciated can be a game changer in a relationship. Equally they need to understand that you’re two individuals that have different needs and they need to respect your need for space too. It’s all about how you communicate this desire for alone time. There’s a difference between saying “give me space/I want to be alone” and “I really would love to just relax by myself for a few hours, can we do something later?”.

Darcey says…

From the offset, he is NOT the perfect guy! I’m so sorry to say so bluntly, but someone who barely contacts you is not the one, communicating with you is the bare minimum and you deserve so much better! I’ve totally been there before with guys before, you meet and vibe so well but their communication sucks, but you can’t stop thinking about how well you got on and that maybe that will all come back if you see them. However, in my experience the lack of communication is really just a lack of interest, if he wanted to he would. My advice is sack him off, his bloody loss and get yourself back out there!

Liv says…

The main thing I would question is that if he has always been like this or has his attention been taken somewhere else since meeting. If he’s always been bad at messaging and he really is the perfect guy I would try and find ways to work around this. Maybe make more time for calls or seeing more of each other, you might even see a bigger bond forming! If messaging is really important to you then I would have an open conversation with them and find a middle ground, compromise is key. If his attention has gone, then I think it could be a sign that something else is going on in their life, and if you’re getting the feeling it isn’t going to work out, respect yourself and go find something even more perfect!

Lareese says….

Oh babes, show me one person in a long-term relationship who hasn’t gone through the ol’ dry spell. For me personally, it’s not that deep (providing you’re both on the same page). Our sex drive fluctuates depending on so many things from stress to illness, booze and sleep – it ebbs and flows – but if it’s making you doubt your relationship, it’s drastically different to your usual frequency or affecting your happiness, then it’s important you vocalise your needs with your partner. There’s a huge difference between a dry spell and a long-term disinterest in sex and the impact of that physical and emotional distance on your self-esteem can be huge. We all want to be wanted after all! Explain how it’s making you feel, communicate your frustrations and prioritise your pleasure for sure. Don’t hold back because it’ll only cause resentment or tension within the relationship the longer you let it stew. Spell it out, no shame, tell them sex is your love language, you’re feeling a little distant lately and it’s high time you had a f*cking orgasm. The important thing is that you’re both satisfied with the amount of sex you’re having and the sooner you have the convo, the better or else nothing will change. Best of luck!

Danielle says…

Ah the libido limbo, matching your partner’s desires for sex is such a complicated area isn’t it? You can have such an amazing relationship outside of sex and even a great sex life (when you’re having it) but if one person doesn’t feel like their needs are being met then resentment and self-esteem issues can certainly follow. Do you think you’ve always had a higher sex drive or is this something that has started to become a problem more recently? If the latter I’d approach your partner with a lot of sensitivity and ask if they are stressed or if it’s something they had thought about. If it has always been an issue I think it’s just something you’ll have to weigh up in terms of staying in the relationship, I don’t think you can really expect your partner to change their habits. There are certainly things you can do to spice it up a bit and bring the excitement back into your sex life as well as having plenty of solo time as well.

Charlotte says…

It’s always sad when friendships feel like they’re coming to a natural end, with no argument or bad blood, nothing major to write home about, just the feeling that things are different between you and there’s a space between you that wasn’t there before. I’m sorry you’re experiencing this!

I actually recently saw an Instagram post about reaching out to friends which came into mind when I saw your dilemma, because I think we often overcomplicate and create a negative story in our heads around things like this when actually all that’s needed is a little communication!

Of course it depends why you’ve drifted apart and if you want to keep that friendship going (which it sounds like you do!), but maybe all you need is to get some regular plans in the diary, up the texting regularity and add a bit of spice back into the friendship. As with all relationships we can go through periods of feeling a bit stagnant, but it’s never too late to show someone how much you care. If they’re truly a good friend I would hope they’ll reciprocate your increased effort too. Good luck!

Darcey says…

Hi anon! Firstly thank you for writing in and sharing this with us, I’m sure your head feels pretty scrambled at the moment. Sexuality I believe is an ever changing thing, whether that be who we are attracted to, who we want to have sex with and even new sexual experiences we’d like to try. I definitely don’t think you should ignore or suppress these feelings, you don’t want to get 5 years down the line with your current boyfriend and end up resenting him or yourself for never having the freedom to explore your sexuality. On the other hand how your approach this subject with your boyfriend is complex, I don’t know him, but you’ll know how open he would be to trying new things.

Open relationships are a great way to meet new people romantically or just physically and explore your sexuality, but of course both parties would have to be comfortable with this. You could also think about looking for a third sexual partner for both you and your boyfriend, threesomes could allow you to explore with your partner still being involved, but you would definitely need to be very honest about wanting to explore your sexuality to your boyfriend and not just saying you’d like to have a threesome. There are a lot of dating style apps where you can find others interested in threesomes, so I think it’s pretty easy to get connected with likeminded people! Lastly I’d say that of course leaving your boyfriend to explore your sexuality is always an option, but an incredibly difficult decision I’m sure and not something I’d want to advise myself as I think that comes down to you and what feels right.

You are number one in your life remember and sometimes we do have to upset people to do right by ourselves, you’ll figure it all out and I hope you have some friends you can lean on too for advice!

Danielle says…

I think it’s so important to understand who you are and explore sexually especially when you are young and figuring stuff out. I know you’ve said you really love your boyfriend but if you don’t get to find these things out now I think you’ll end up resenting him in the long run.

Have an open and honest conversation with him and see if he’d be open to taking a break, or maybe even opening up your relationship. If he’d deadset on not allowing you to explore that side of yourself then I’d break up with him, which I know is harsh but sometimes you really have to put yourself first.

Maddie says…

Talking about the future and what you want it to look like is part of being in a committed long term relationship. I personally think just be really honest and have an open conversation about feeling ready for children. If you feel you need something to help bring up the topic, perhaps suggest spending time with friends/family that have small children or someone you know is expecting as a way to introduce the idea more subtly.

Liv says…

I’m going to guess that this is that you’d like to start trying for a baby, if so that is so exciting! I would make sure that it’s an open and honest chat between the two of you where both your voices can be heard. Also be clear about what you would like and listen and respect your husbands point of view. If you’re both ready then thats amazing! If not, then it isn’t the end of the world and I’m sure a compromise can be made. It’s really important that you are both happy with the outcome of the conversation.

With arguably the most talented child cast of all time, throwback fashion that has us running to Depop at the first sign of corduroy trousers looking cool, and a soundtrack so groovy you start agreeing that maybe the ‘80s were the good ol’ days, Stranger Things is as groundbreaking as it gets in the world of Netflix originals. The supernatural and mysterious town of Hawkins was first unveiled to us back in 2016, and since then has not only accelerated the careers of breakout actors such as Millie Bobby Brown and Sadie Sink, but perhaps more impressively has received critical acclaim for its characterisation, atmosphere, acting, soundtrack, directing, writing, and homages to 1980s films. If you haven’t seen it, you’re sincerely missing out.

As the fans across the world prepare for Season 4 to drop worldwide on Friday 27th May, we’re taking a trip down memory lane at the most gut-wrenching, heartwarming and downright emotional moments that made us both sob with sadness and shed a happy tear too. Anyone else not ready for the emotional rollercoaster that will no doubt be Season 4? Someone is cutting onions. Huge onions….

Warning! This post contains serious spoilers from Seasons 1-3. Continue at your own risk…

Pulling Will’s ‘body’ from the quarry

Long ago in Stranger Things history, but a moment that remains devastatingly sad to this day is the unfolding of episode four, Season 1, in which Chief of Hawkins Police, Jim Hopper breaks the news to Joyce Byers that her son has drowned, after finding a body in Sattler Lake. From the reaction of Hopper and his colleagues, the realisation that comes from Will’s friends that he’s gone, to Joyce sobbing into older son Jonathan’s arms, the events of this episode are as gut-wrenching as they come, and doesn’t get easier to watch even 5 years down the line.

Although we now know Will is alive and well, the episodes before Joyce is believed by Jonathan, the police and other residents of Hawkins are distressing by definition, but it does make for some incredible scenes from icon Winona Ryder and co. We love you Joyce! 

When Barb’s parents hoped she would still come home safe

The first of many deaths that broke our hearts, the disappearance of Barbara Holland during Season 1 sparked the ‘Justice for Barb’ movement by fans online after she appeared seemingly forgotten by the town, despite her parents holding out hope that she would one day come home safe. During Season 2 we see Barb’s parents put their house on the market in order to fund a private investigator to look into her disappearance- something that eats up former best friend Nancy who still goes to weekly dinners with The Hollands because of the guilt she carries surrounding Barb’s death. Although it certainly wasn’t cool that Nancy ditched Barb on the night of the party to spend time alone with Steve, the weight of responsibility she feels when Barb’s parents express they hope she will one day come home safe is one that tugs at every heart string. 

In the end, Nancy works with Jonathan Byers and PI Murray Bauman to put Barbara’s parents out of their misery, creating a fabricated yet believable cover-up story that Barbara had been exposed to a toxic chemical leak which had been covered up by Hawkins Lab, finally leading to it shutting down. Barb was given a proper funeral, and in the end we know Nancy did right by her friend after living with the guilt of her disappearance for so long. Now and forever, RIP Barb. 

When Mike and Eleven shared their first kiss

In the emotional Season 1 finale of the show (and after a true rollercoaster of events throughout the previous 8 episodes), a quiet moment between Mike and Eleven in the safety (or so they thought) of his school cafeteria saw him ask her to be his date to the one and only Snow Ball. CUTE. After attempting to convey that he liked her as more than a friend, Mike leaned in to kiss a confused El to demonstrate his love for her, and let’s just say tears were shed from living rooms across the globe.

The season ended devastatingly for both Mike and viewers, when Eleven disappeared after saving the town once again from the Demogorgon- do these guys ever catch a break?! Mike goes on to mourn her loss deeply, attempting to contact Eleven via his radio unsuccessfully, persisting for at least 352 days. The pair meet again in Season 2, and needless to say their love story continues to blossom, before finally attending the Snow Ball and getting the happy ending they deserved (for now…). 

When Bob was tackled by a pack of Demodogs (RIP, again)

Up there with Steve Harrington’s redemption arc as one of the best things that could happen to a show, Bob Newby was a true hero. Possibly the most likeable character of the show, despite his short stint in Hawkins, Bob’s character was introduced as Joyce’s new beau at the start of Season 2 and completely devoted himself to loving Joyce, her sons and making her feel truly special after her tumultuous divorce and the traumatic experience of Will’s disappearance. 

During a tense episode in which Bob, Joyce, Hopper, Dr Owens and Mike were trapped in Hawkins Lab after the Mind Flayer took control of Will and unleashed a pack of Demodogs, the lab’s power went out, placing the complex on lockdown. In order to turn the power back on and reset the locks, Bob volunteered to go down to the breaker room as the only one in the group who knew BASIC (a coding system). After successfully making it to the breaker room, restoring the power and allowing Hopper, Joyce, and Mike to escape safely, Bob finally appears at the exit ready to reunite with Joyce before being tackled and violently killed by several Demodogs.

Bob was a character with the purest of intentions, kind-natured at his core and willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. Truly one of the saddest deaths within the show, fans still mourn the loss of Bob as the series continues.  

When Alexei was taken from us too soon

Did the Duffer Brothers want us to drown in our own tears after watching Season 3 of the show? We can only assume so.  With Bob in first place, Alexei was surely the sweetest of all characters, turning from the dark side to good after abandoning his station as a Russian scientist working on the key project underneath the Starcourt Mall. After being arrested by Hopper, Alexei went on the run with him, Joyce and later Murray Bauman with the intent of closing the Russian gate- aka the portal between the two worlds.

Later Alexei, Murray, Jim and Joyce went to a 4th of July Fair to search for the kids, before Alexei was devastatingly killed by a Russian hitman during his most joyful moments because of his attempt to flee his role. His love for Slurpees, cartoons (Woody the Woodpecker to be precise) and carnival games saw the endearing and childlike side of his character vastly contrast that of the Russian experiment he was a part of, and he is cemented in ST history as a character fans will never forget. Let’s raise a Slurpee to Alexei. 

When Dustin and Suzie perform A Neverending Story

Tears of joy up next! In the summer of ‘85, Dustin meets science, mechanics and comic book lovin’ girlfriend Suzie and sparks fly. After returning home and finding his friends have all but forgotten him, Dustin attempts to contact Suzie via the radio they created together, but accidentally intercepts something far darker…

This becomes important later, as in order for Hopper and Joyce to complete their mission in the Russian base, the duo needed a numerical code for Planck’s constant. Before Suzie gave up the code, however? “Dusty-bun” had to duet ‘their’ song with her- the NeverEnding Story‘s theme tune. In the end he obliged, and in a scene that can only be described as a cinematic masterpiece, we watch as each moving part in the operation to keep Hawkins safe listens in on the (quite frankly beautiful) rendition of the 1984 hit show’s theme song. The scene has amassed over 39 million views on YouTube, and only 38 million of them are ours!

Hopper’s disappearance

If there’s a show that teaches us not to hold on too tightly to our favourite characters like no other, it’s Stranger Things, and after the Season 3 finale, we can safely say we trust no one on their writing team. 

Chief of Police in the small, sleepy town of Hawkins, Hopper didn’t *exactly* know what was coming for him when Will Byers first disappeared, but needless to say he stepped up to the table and saved the day on more occasions than we can count. Unfortunately, as Season 3 came to an end and the Russian Gate to the Upside Down was still open, Joyce was forced to destroy the machine with Hopper trapped by an energy field behind it. This indeed closed the gate, but presumably killed Hopper. The US army arrived to seize the Russian base, and the government used the fire at Starcourt Mall as a cover story, claiming that Hopper sacrificed himself to save others at the mall. 

It was later suggested that Hopper did not die, but was somehow transported to Kamchatka, Russia. By the spring of 1986, Hopper hasn’t been seen since the explosion that resulted in his disappearance, when Joyce (who since took in his daughter, Eleven) receives a mysterious Russian delivery…

After spotting David Harbour who plays Hopper looking fly AF at the latest ST premiere, we can only assume he’s back and better than ever for Season 4, however until he and El are reunited, the road will no doubt be a rocky one.

When El read Hopper’s heartwarming speech

The father/daughter relationship we didn’t know we needed, Eleven and Hopper are proof that a chosen family finds you when you need it most. From Eggos for dinner to renovating their cosy cabin home, the pair have shared some seriously wholesome (amongst traumatic…) memories that saw their bond grow stronger than ever. 

One of their most touching moments came at the end of Season 3, when El discovered a written ‘heart to heart’ speech Hopper had planned to read to her regarding growing up, demonstrating moments of vulnerability and emotion that the Chief of Police rarely displayed. Sitting in her dad’s shirt, packing up her life in Hawkins ready to move away with the Byers, the tears start and just don’t stop…

“Feelings. Jesus. The truth is, for so long I’d forgotten what those even were. I’ve been stuck in one place. In a cave, you might say. A deep, dark cave. And then I left some Eggos out in the woods and you came into my life. For the first time in a long time, I started to feel things again. I started to feel happy. But lately, I guess I’ve been feeling distant from you. Like you’re pulling away from me or something. I miss playing board games every night, making triple-Decker Eggo extravaganzas at sunrise, watching Westerns together before we doze off.

But I know you’re getting older, growing, changing. And, I guess, if I’m being really honest, that’s what scares me. I don’t want things to change. So I think maybe that’s why I came in here, to try and stop that change. To turn back the clock. To make things go back to how they were. But I know that’s naive. It’s just not how life works. It’s moving, always moving, whether you like it or not. And yeah, sometimes it’s painful. Sometimes it’s sad. And sometimes, it’s surprising. Happy.

So you know what? Keep on growing up kid. Don’t let me stop you. Make mistakes, learn from ’em. And When life hurts you, because it will, remember the hurt. The hurt is good. It means you’re out of that cave. But, please, if you don’t mind, for the sake of your poor old dad, keep the door open three inches.”

BRB SOBBING.

Billy’s Death

A character arc so complex we’re still reeling from the 180 flip and reverse, Billy Hargrove’s heroic death was one that devastated viewers in the finale of Season 3 of the show. Whilst Dacre Montgomery, the actor who plays Billy, was spotted at the Season 4 premiere (side eye emoji), we’re not getting our hopes up until we see him alive and well on our screens, end of story. 

Billy’s demise started right at the beginning of Season 3, when during episode 1 he was intercepted by a mysterious creature that pulled him into a nearby mill. He emerges in episode 2 after the creature presents him with a vision of the Upside Down where he encounters a doppelgänger, before the creature tricks him into bringing his colleague – Heather Holloway – to the mill. The Mind Flayer has possessed Billy, and its mission? Taking over Hawkins one person at a time. 

Fast forward to the finale and Eleven has lost her power after being wounded by the Mind Flayer who is still manipulating Billy to trap them all. Eleven finally works her magic and frees Billy from the Mind Flayer’s grasp, before he ultimately makes the decision to sacrifice himself to help the others survive and is killed before them in Starcourt Mall. 

Screaming, crying, throwing up.

The Byers Leaving Hawkins

And finally, the end of an era comes when Joyce takes the decision to move to California with Will, Jonathan and Eleven under her wing, saying goodbye to Hawkins, the traumatic memories they’ve faced there and offering El a chance of a fresh start away from the sadness that comes from losing Hopper. Hawkins doesn’t appear the same without this pivotal family walking its streets, but the emotional ending sets the scene perfectly for the new season to fill in the mysterious gaps viewers have been left wondering about since 2019…

Which Stranger Things moment made you get something HUGE in your eye?

For those who haven’t made it to potato TikTok yet (aka the promised land), allow us to whip your FYP into shape. If you’re craving potatoes, here’s 10 filthy potato recipes to get you going. Fed girl summer starts right here. 

1. Clotted Cream Mash

Clotted cream and potatoes? It feels illegal but listen, in 2022, we like to live on the edge and that means getting polyamorous with our food groups. 

@creamymimis

CLOTTED CREAM MASHED POTATO 🥔 🐄 🧈 RECIPE IN COMMENTS #hotgirlsummer #clottedcream #tiktokrecipe #mashedpotatoes #learnontiktok #foryoupage

♬ Man! I Feel Like A Woman! – Shania Twain

2. Four Ingredient Boursin Potato Gratin 

For the uninitiated, Boursin is the ultimate Gournay cream cheese baddie flavoured with garlic and herbs. Perfectly paired with wine, bread, crackers, pasta and salmon, it can transform any dish but it really comes into its own when it’s coupled up with potato. This Boursin gratin show-stopper from Gayle Chapman is a twist on the classic gratin or dauphinoise, great for dishing up with your Sunday roast or summer bbq. Sidenote: this is your sign to buy a mandoline. 

@gaylechapman

If you like Boursin and potatoes (who doesn’t) then you’ll love this! #boursin #potatogratin

♬ original sound – Gayle Chapman

Find the full recipe and more from Gayle Chapman here!

3. Garlic & Parmesan Pommes Anna

Wondering how you can turn a classic ‘Pommes Anna’ French dish layered with paper-thin slices of potatoes into something even more sublime? Listen to this Michelin-trained chef turned potato queen, that’s how. 

@poppycooks

Forget your advent calendar… what about 25 Days of Potato Recipes?! Here’s day 1 🙌🥔 #potatotiktok #potato #25potatoes

♬ Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee

4. The Legendary 15 Hour Potato 

Gorgeous, gorgeous girls eat potatoes with more layers than Rachel Green, and that’s just the way it is. 

@poppycooks

Reply to @lfor05 The new and improved 15 HOUR POTATO recipe… ENJOY! 🤤🤤 #potatotiktok #heaven #potato #15hourpotato

♬ THE NEW 15 HOUR POTATO – Poppy O’Toole

5. Crispy & Spicy Potatoes 

So this is love!

@yashodhas_eats

😍😍 #foryou #fyp #foryoupage #foru #trend #viral #potato #potatotiktok #food #foodtok #foodtiktok #easyrecipe #recipe #fry #foodie #crispypotatoes

♬ She Share Story (for Vlog) – 山口夕依

6. Wedges & Dip 

Homemade wedges and dip? Mid-week dinners are saved. 

@franziee_v

🤤 #food #potato #foodtok #foodlover #myfoodie #franzie_v #easyrecipe #eatsltd #foru #fyp #crispy #foodporn #snack #midnightsnack

♬ Sh-Boom – The Chords

7. Simple Smashed Potatoes

Introducing your new favourite way to enjoy potato. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, smashed potato is one of life’s simple pleasures, best enjoyed in solitude so you can get out of sharing. 

@sometimessamaheats

Smashed potatoes 🤩 #potatoes #smashedpotatoes #easyrecipe #simplerecipe #carbs #carbsoncarbs #fyp #foryoupage #potatoes #potatotiktok

♬ Chosen – ronronryan

8. Pancetta-Wrapped Potato Fondants

If there’s any justice in the world, this woman will open a potato restaurant. 

@poppycooks

Day 3 of 25 days of potatoes and I think I just made the best potato ever… 🤤🤯 #25potatoes #potatotiktok #christmas #potato

♬ It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas – Michael Bublé

9. Triple Baked Stuffed Potato Skins 

This is everything you could ever want from a potato (and more). 

@poppycooks

triple-baked stuff potato skins + @WET LEG 🥔❤️ #potatotiktok #potatoskins #hungry

♬ Chaise Longue – Wet Leg

10. Hasselback Waffle Potato

You will look back on this day and remember it fondly as the day a potato changed your life. *Cue the asmr*

Content warning: Suicide, Grief. 

Whilst there is no such thing as hierarchy in bereavement (loss is loss), losing your soulmate comes with a unique set of challenges and emotions. 

Losing your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, fiance or significant other is one of the most painful experiences anyone can go through. Often, they’re your best friend, your go-to support and the person who knows you inside out. To lose them is like having the entire rug pulled out from under your feet. To lose them to suicide is even more complicated. 

From shock, anger, hopelessness, depression, ‘survivor’ guilt and everything in between, there’s no set pattern to the grieving process, especially when you’ve experienced one of the most profound losses and life-altering events anyone can go through. Everything changes overnight and suddenly you’re facing a future you never imagined you would have; plans cut short, broken dreams, what-ifs, being single again. It’s the unthinkable.

People often ask how long the pain will last and although grief isn’t linear and healing comes slowly, you *will* learn to move through life with happiness and joy again, while remembering your partner with love.

We spoke to one of our readers, Charlotte, about the sudden death of her partner, Charles, and how she’s doing with her grief journey today. For anyone mourning the loss of a partner and trying to make sense of their new life whilst processing unfathomable heartache, we hope Charlotte’s experience helps you feel less alone. You never get over it but in time, the grief gets softer and life grows around it. You’re not ‘moving on’, you’re moving forward.

Can you tell us your story, as much as you’re comfortable sharing?

In January 2019 my life suddenly changed when my loving partner, Charles, suddenly took his own life. We had a very happy life together, shared a lovely house and went on great holidays together. One day, he didn’t come home. I filed a missing person’s report and the police found his body the next day. 

The days following are a blur to me, but there was never any explanation as to why he did what he did. The hardest part is not knowing why. 

Can you share something wonderful about your loved one with us?

His passion for helping me grow. He taught me so much about the world. He was so kind, thoughtful and caring. 

How is your heart doing today – where are you at with your grief?

Some days are good and some days are bad. I still miss him terribly, and am sure I always will, but grief doesn’t occupy my mind 24/7anymore. It’s nice to have some peace from it. 

How do other people respond to your loss?

What’s your biggest lesson in grief, or a moment you’ve surprised yourself in what must continue to be the hardest and bleakest of human experiences?

Just how strong humans are capable of being. 

What’s one thing you want everyone to know about your experience?

Your story isn’t something to be ashamed of and it doesn’t have to define you. Speak up and share your story, it might help others. 

How has your loss changed you?

I’ve got much more confident about speaking about my feelings. I opened up to my family, doctors, and friends, and got the help and support I needed to work through my grief. I continued to get help and in turn, started to help others. Being open has allowed others to open up to me. 

How have you learned to show up for yourself throughout your healing? What’s helped you learn to live with your grief?

The first few weeks were tough. Existing was difficult. Little things like showering and brushing my teeth seemed impossible and were forgotten. What helped me the most was journaling. 

How do you feel about the word widow? You have suffered an unthinkable loss, but is it something that should always define you?

As we weren’t married, I’m not a widow. It definitely shouldn’t define your life, however, I do think the label can be helpful. Instead of a widow, I feel I’m dubbed as “the one with a dead boyfriend” which isn’t nice to hear. It can be difficult when meeting new people as if Charles ever comes up in conversation because I still don’t know how to describe him. He’s not an ex; we never broke up. But people are shocked to hear late boyfriend from someone young.  

There’s often a lot of judgement around women dating after losing a partner. Is this something you’ve experienced? If so, how did you cope with unsolicited opinions on when it was the ‘right’ time?

There was definitely a lot of talk from the people around me about whether it was “too soon” or not to start dating. I didn’t put a timeline on myself, but the people around me did. It was difficult listening to people debate my future. It was difficult to make up my own mind with so many people trying to influence me, but ultimately I realised that my own judgement was the most important. 

When did you know you were ready to start dating? What were some of the feelings and challenges you faced to get to that point? What’s the reality of dating after the loss of a partner?

How do you feel about the future now?

It took a long time to get back on track. After losing Charles, I felt as though I had lost myself. Passions disappeared and I questioned lots of choices I’d made in the past. I changed jobs a few times but eventually I managed to start feeling like myself again. 

The future is looking much better. I’m currently working on a project within my job to help police officers reach out for help with their mental health. It’s extremely rewarding to help others. 

One thing you wish everyone would stop asking / telling you…

When I should/shouldn’t be doing things. At the beginning, many people told me how I ‘should’ be feeling according to the “5 stages of grief” but you really can’t put everyone in these boxes. 

What’s the best thing someone ever did or said to you? A pivotal moment that made you feel seen and understood…

The first time my current partner, Dan, took me to Charles’s memorial bench and sat there with me. The fact he understands that Charles will always be an important part of my life and is willing to share that love with someone he never met is incredible. 

Do you have any advice for anyone going through the loss of a partner right now?

Please don’t give up. It might seem hopeless right now, it might seem like your world has ended, but life will continue and the pain will lessen. Take all the time you need. 

Also, it’s okay to walk away from the people that make you feel bad. Not everyone will understand and that’s okay. But remember that you’re the one that’s healing, you don’t need to fix or educate them first. 

Website and resources

Mind: Open Mon-Fri 9-6pm. Call: 0300 123 3393 

Samaritans: FREE to call, open 24/7. Call: 116 123

Calm: Open 5pm-midnight. Call: 0800585858 

Widowed and Young: Open Mon-Fri 9.30-5pm. Call: 0300 201 0051 

Whilst modern relationships might see trends being bucked and traditions thrown out, getting married for many is still considered the epitome of romance and a special day nothing can compare to- we’re a sucker for a happy ending! And whilst it’s really all about sharing memories and a commitment to a long term lover, forgetting about the stresses, expectations and challenges that come with planning a wedding, no matter how big or small, is easier said than done.

If you’ve got a ring on your finger or your relationship is heading that way, keep reading for the crème de la crème of tips from brides that have been there, spilling the tea on everything they wish they knew before they tied the knot. Spoiler: favours are a waste of money, you heard it here first…

• A spreadsheet for everything is a must!
• I wish I knew there was going to be a global pandemic- would have helped!
• That just because he put a ring on it, doesn’t stop him being tw*t.
• Skims open gusset shapewear is a MUST for toilet breaks in a big dress, just saying. 
• When checking out venues, always ask if they have any plans for renovations- we booked our wedding 2 years in advance and they had renovated the whole room! Luckily it matched our colour scheme but I would imagine for others it may not have.
• When you visit venues and see it set up looking beautiful, don’t assume that’s included in the venue’s packages- there will always be extra charges, even down to napkins and cutlery.
• Don’t feel pressure to invite people that you don’t want there, only invite those that you love and you want to celebrate with. It’s your day, no one else’s.

• I regret not doing less! I had a fairly traditional wedding but wish we had just eloped in the end as it didn’t feel very ‘us’.
• All the little things you’re stressing about now won’t even cross your mind on the day.
• Do what you want, not what would make others happy.
• Don’t be shy! I wish I made the most of being a bride and took more photos.
• Accept that a LOT will be done last minute even if you’re the most organised person ever.
• I wish I knew how exhausted I would be at the end of the day. A luxury suite with a hot tub might not be worth the £££!
• You will not care about napkin colours in the end.

• A last dance with your new husband or wife when everyone has left is the best feeling in the world.
• Favours- don’t bother! No one takes them home and you’ll be lumped with them all at the end.
• What do you want to remember most about your wedding? Focus on that.
• Avoid Instagram for inspo- you can end up in comparison central and it’s not a vibe.
• You don’t need to spend a tonne of money to make it a magical day.
• Screw tradition! 
• Remember to enjoy the planning process- it can be exciting and fun if you want it to be.
• Get a prenup. Nobody plans for divorce but you never know.

• Things are going to go wrong, so let other people deal with it if you can.
• Your guests are fine and having a nice time, promise.
• You get what you pay for.
• Get your hair and make-up trials done as early as possible, you won’t regret it!
• Invite closer friends over family you don’t know well or see often. 
• If you’re going to splurge on anything, let it be the photographer.
• That no matter how hard you try, the day can often end up being for your family or other people. Elope!

• Walk down the aisle slowly and truly try to take it all in.
• I wish I’d kept things smaller and had a pizza reception, or whatever YOU want. 
• I wish I knew May 2020 was a no-go date.
• Don’t worry about it being Instagram-worthy. It flies by in the end!
• The ‘traditional’ stuff won’t be missed.
• Don’t forget to eat! You’ve paid for a delicious spread and you will regret not enjoying it. Plus it will help the Prosecco not go to your head so quickly. 
• Be realistic about how much you want to spend and don’t put yourself into debt for the sake of flowers or bridesmaid dresses- you have a whole life to live with your new husband or wife and will be grateful for the money in other ways. 

• Practise your first kiss and nail the perfect smooch for the ultimate money shot!
• Have an engagement or pre wedding shoot with your photographer to get comfortable in front of the camera. 
• If you don’t fancy a first dance, don’t do it!
• Don’t be afraid to say no in whatever capacity.
• You don’t need to lose weight, period.  
• Make sure your bar is in the same room as the dance floor/main event so your guests aren’t always separated or spread out. Keep the good vibes flowing! 
• Have a no phones policy during the ceremony and allow your photographer to capture the best bits- that’s what you’ve paid them for! 

• Think about daylight savings if you’re getting married in the autumn or winter- you’re potentially losing a lot of light for photos and it can feel super rushed getting all the shots you want in a smaller window. 
• Always have a wet weather plan.
• Get the videographer. 
• Try not to have anxiety about walking down the aisle, those watching you are your closest family and friends, no one is judging you!
• Do a first look! I didn’t but friends that did have said it eased their nerves so much and was one of their favourite moments of the day.

• PLEASE get a good DJ- it can be such a mood killer if the music isn’t to your taste and keeping the good vibes going.
• Your bridesmaids don’t need matching pyjamas, I promise.
• Don’t lose sight of other people’s finances and remember realistically not everyone’s year revolves around your big day!

TikTok has brought us many a joy, from Francis Bourgeois to feta pasta, it’s safe to say that thanks to this weird and wonderful app our lives are a little brighter for it. If you thought your For You Page had peaked before seeing this new summer fashion trend though, consider yourself severely mistaken. Introducing: Coastal Grandma chic. 

The term was coined by TikTok user Lex Nicoleta and is characterised as clothing suitable for the life of an affluent older woman during the summer season, most likely found living in a quaint coastal town and enjoying a glass of Sauvignon blanc at midday, just because. Think linen trousers, straw bucket hats, white open shirts and Birkenstocks, the trend is all about embodying what it means to live a life that’s effortlessly and unapologetically relaxed to the max. Imagine the beautiful older women seen in Nancy Myers films like It’s Complicated and Something’s Gotta Give, and bingo, Coastal Grandma. 

If you’re a farmers market, fresh pastries, beach walks, organic fruit, linen bedsheets and Waterstones cafe kinda person, this trend is for you. Grab your cucumber water, deckchair and SPF 50 because this summer is about pure escapism. Google, play “This Will Be (an Everlasting Love)…

*This post contains ad-affiliate links

At the time of writing, it is cloudy with a chance of existential crisis and if our memory serves us right, 2022 has handed us a grand total of four sunny days so far. This is your sign to write to your local MP and demand that whoever was carting around up there in their chariot of gold and ruling the skies in 2020 should reprise their role immediately. 

BUT in the name of trusting the process and manifesting rooftop Aperol Spritz (without the blanket), we’re making sure you’ve got a list of pub gardens at your fingertips so that when the seaside starts calling your name, you won’t waste any time plodding around Brighton in search of a watering hole with a decent plot. 

There’s nothing better than a cold pint in the sun, so don’t leave it up to serendipity, bookmark these beer / wine / snack gardens asap in our handy map below and secure your seats for the Jubilee. 

L’Atelier du Vin – Best for Wine & Charcuterie 

L’Atelier du Vin is one of B Town’s best-kept secrets, until we went and opened our big gobs. Sorry fellow Brightonians, we must learn to share. 

Not only is it off the beaten track up in the bougie Seven Dials neighbourhood (this has taken an unexpected Selling Sunset turn), its sheltered champagne garden is the ultimate sun-trap, perfect for lapping up the sunshine with a bottle of Bollinger on ice. 

Inside, you’ve got a speakeasy style bar setting made for comfy night caps and intimate date nights with a great cocktail or a rare vintage in hand. They also happen to do 10/10 picky bits, so you’ll have a selection of salty snacks to soak up the vino. 

It’s also known as one of the best-stocked wine and champagne groups in Sussex. Calling all discerning sun-worshippers and those who fancy themselves something of a sommelier after a few Savvy Bs, this is the good place. 

Flint House – Best for Classy Drinks & Small Plates

If you can nab a spot on the roof terrace at this place you’ll be happy as a clam. Whilst not technically a ‘pub garden’, Flint House is a great spot to people watch from above, stuff your face with their signature Sweetcorn Fritters and Jalapeno Mayo (when at Flint House) and while away a few hours with a glass of English Sparkling Wine from the Ridgeview wine estate in the South Downs. If you like your gardens elevated and your wine world-class, head to this spot in the buzzy Hanningtons Lane. 

Ohso Social – Best for Sunsets & Sea Views 

The seafront cafe-bar is a great all-round venue for those looking to get a real taste of Brighton with live music and a scenic ocean backdrop. Tuck into classic fish and chips, sharing platters and vegan breakfast served with herby falafel and beetroot houmous, all whilst soaking up some of the most iconic views in Brighton. In the mood for a sundowner?

Opt for the Disco Inferno cocktail sharer for up to 6 people – Bacardi Carta Blanca Rum, Captain Morgan Dark Rum, Triple Sec, Pineapple, Orange, Lime, Grenadine topped with a bottle of Prosecco and served in a disco ball. What a time to be alive. If the sun should completely vanish as it so often does because: England, fear not. Ohso Social has it covered with its heated outdoor terrace. 

The Ladies Mile – Best for the Whole Family 

The Ladies Mile is a dog-friendly pub on the outskirts of Brighton, offering cask ales, a wide range of lagers, ciders and wines. With plenty of seating out front and a child-friendly garden with a play area, it’s the go-to beer garden for all the family.

The menu boasts all your hearty pub classics including Sunday roasts, slow-cooked pork belly and shepherd’s pie alongside loaded fries and mouth-watering sharers from fried chicken wings to salt and pepper squid and whole baked garlic and rosemary camembert. Sign us up!

The Sidewinder – Best for Gin & Party Playlists

Kicking out pub classics and perfect plates, The Sidewinder is a solid spot to slurp on your first Pimm’s of the season. A bit further out from the hustle and bustle of central Brighton in St James’s Street Kemptown, this funky pub boasts not one but two of the best beer gardens in the city.

Worth a chatty Uber ride, eh? The menu offers everything from beer battered fish and chips to vegan dogs, tacos and roast dinners so whatever you’re craving, The Sidewinder will likely be able to come through for you. Expect the best DJs in town, live music, games, events and all the boho good vibes fit for a queen. 

Post House – Best for Location

Cafe by day, restaurant and bar by night, this unassuming meeting place is located in the bustling Lanes district on the historic Ship Street, tucked in a corner next to Cafe Coho. Word of warning, it’s easily missed if you’re too busy people /dog-watching (guilty). 

Behind the sensational tasting menu and stylish interiors you’ll discover a secret beer garden out back, complete with colourful, very on-brand murals and plenty of benches to seat you and your besties. Serving a fine selection of beers, wines and classic cocktails, we really see no reason to go anywhere else. Eat, drink and be merry!

The Mesmerist – Best for Bottomless Brunch

Whether you’re in search of Prosecco or hungover as hell and hungry for 10/10 pub grub, the Mes is a Brighton must. With bottomless brunches every Saturday and legendary Sunday roasts, you can go as boozy or as foodie as you like whilst admiring the view from the lush rooftop garden overlooking the Lanes.

The perfect location to make the most of Brighton and bask in the sunshine all day. Bottomless brunch is priced at £28pp for all the mimosas, bellinis, bloody Marys or Laines beer that you can drink in 2 hours. 

Good Companions – Best for Space 

For bigger groups looking for somewhere between Brighton and Hove, head to The Good Companions at Seven Dials. With a front terrace and spacious garden area out back complete with benches and booths, it’s a great spot to park up for the day and let the good times roll.

If you need any further persuasion, here’s your sign to dump him and drink the Aperol. Ladies and gentlemen: her. 

Rockwater – Best for the Instagram Bucket List

A round up of pub gardens wouldn’t be complete without the one and only Rockwater. We use the term ‘pub garden’ very loosely because, make no mistake, there’s not a sticky floor or a toothless man clutching a betting slip in sight at this place.

The vibes are simply immaculate! Situated on the picturesque Western Esplanade, the loungey beachfront destination is the ultimate place to be on a sunny day (if you can get a table). Head straight to the rooftop for sunshine, seafood and fizz with the girls or reserve a table indoors in the bar and kitchen area with the doors flung open and get the best of both worlds as you watch the waves roll in. If you’re looking for something more casual, order from the shack and rock up on the beach deck – no booking required. 

Hove Place – Best for a Relaxed Atmosphere 

For top notch food and a tree-lined Italian-inspired garden, check out Hove Place at the top of First Avenue. A firm favourite with locals but easily missed by out of towners, it’s a hidden gem offering modern British food and laid-back vibes in the heart of Hove.

And for those of us who shiver at the thought of dining alfresco at any time of year, you’ll be glad to hear the garden is heated… because whilst the British weather is unreliable, the pubs of Brighton are always prepared. 

It may not be Thursday but the throwbacks are rolling in thick and fast today, as we count down 10 iconic TV shows that no longer grace our screens but live on in our heads rent free. Before the shiny days of Selling Sunset and KUWTK, life was a little simpler, with entertainment coming in the form of pimped cars, punk’d celebrities and lavish 16th birthday parties. Oh how times have changed. Keep reading to see if your favourite 90s or early 2000s show is on the list, and can we all agree a petition is needed immediately to bring back The Simple Life? Paris and Nicole, we miss you…

Wife Swap

If you were ever off sick from school in the 2000s, chances are your days lounging in front of the tele with a portion of chicken soup were spent bingeing episodes of Wife Swap, and quite honestly the combination couldn’t be beaten. First broadcast in 2003 and airing for 7 years before returning for a one-off episode in 2017, Wife Swap was created for Channel 4 and followed two families- mostly of different lifestyles and social classes- who would swap wives and mothers for a two week period. During the first part of the experiment, wives would have to strictly follow the rules set out in the manual of their new homes, taking on the exact roles, responsibilities and commitments of the OG wife. Then comes the rule change ceremony. During week two, wives are allowed to establish their own rules- of which their new families must obey- and if the arguments hadn’t already begun, expect them to explode from here on out. 

As the two weeks conclude, the original couples are reunited and both husband and wife pairs meet to discuss the experience- insults, jabs, snide remarks and all. In some rare cases, the couples were grateful for the lessons they learnt from each other’s relationships, children and lifestyles, and wholesome results were reaped by all- we love it when a plan comes together! A mixture of drama, emotion, and good old fashion shouting as a form of entertainment,Wife Swap may no longer be on our screens, but the memories of the pure chaos it created will live on forever. 

Supernanny 

Can’t decide on having kids or not? Watch a couple of episodes of Supernanny and get back to us. The British reality show aired from 2004-2008 and followed the work of children’s behaviour expert and all round TV legend, Jo Frost, whose stern tone and naughty step sanctions were enough to drive fear into the unruliest of children. The programme aired on Channel 4 and its success saw the release of follow-up show Jo Frost: Extreme Parental Guidance which later ran from 2010 to 2012- one to seek out on YouTube for those who can’t get enough of Jo’s strict ways. 

Looking for the creme de la creme of parenting nightmares (sorry to the ma’s and pa’s involved)? Try Googling the Tsironis family (season 2, episode 10), the Newton family (season 2, episode 18) and the Daniels family (season 4, episode 7) to delve into the fiery encounters of Supernanny and her tiny nemeses at their best. Do throwbacks get better? We think not.  

Footballers Wive$

A true blast from the past if there ever was one, may we kindly remind you of the one, the only:Footballers Wive$. Gracing our screens from January 2002 to April of 2006 (quite frankly not long enough), the British drama followed the lives, players and wives of fictional Premier League football club Earls Park F.C.

The show first focused on three main couples, enter Ian and Donna Walmsley, Jason and Tanya Turner and Chardonnay Lane and Kyle Pascoe, but from the third series the storyline turned to document the love triangle between Tanya Turner, Amber Gates and Conrad Gates- unrivalled drama. Fame, fortune and football were at the centre of the young couples’ worlds, and when staying in the spotlight is the goal, there’s little they wouldn’t do to keep at the top of their game, both on and off the pitch.

Ready to revive your love for Earls Park? You can watch the whole thing via BritBox and lap up the best of early 00s drama. 

The Simple Life 

American television peaked with The Simple Life and we won’t hear otherwise. The series aired from December 2003 to August 2007 and followed socialites and all round icons Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, as they struggled to do manual, low-paying jobs such as housekeeping, farm work and serving meals in fast-food restaurants. The show was said to be born out of a challenge from Fox Television’s Chairman, Sandy Grushow, to find a new and exciting way to produce comedies in a non-traditional format, and boy oh boy did they hit the jackpot when creating The Simple Life. 

The show pulled in an incredible 13 million viewers a week at its peak, with some of its most hilarious scenes including Paris cooking bacon with an iron, the pair giving people the middle finger whilst dressed as a sonic mascot, and finally Nicole dropping and vacuuming someone’s ashes from the floor. Eek. There were no shortage of laughs and “loves it” moments from this short but sweet series that we frankly wish we could have lived on forever. 

My Super Sweet 16

My Super Sweet 16 was an American reality TV series that followed the lives of teenagers across the US, Canada and the UK as they prepared to throw lavish, excessive and expensive coming-of-age parties as part of their 16th birthday celebrations. The show aired on MTV from January 2005 to September 2017, with the iconic opening theme song “Sweet Sixteen” sung by Hilary Duff. Apologies in advance as this bop will likely be stuck in your head for the next 24 hours straight.

Scandalous, shocking and filled with endless ‘did that really just happen?’ moments, My Sweet 16 will go down in television history as a format that cannot be topped, from the girl who arrived to her party in a coffin (you okay, sis?) to Pharrell Williams casually performing at another, legend has it MTV views have been down ever since the show ended. All that’s really left to say is, may we all channel the same OTT party planning energy for every future birthday to come. Gold throne arrival, anyone?  

Pimp My Ride

Star eye emojis everywhere, let us not forget the iconic Pimp My Ride. The US series was produced by MTV and hosted by rapper Xzibit and ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2007. If you were living under a rock during this time or are too Gen Z to recall,  each episode followed the journey of taking a seriously lacklustre car and restoring, customising and allround transforming it from functional to downright ridiculous (but kind of badass).

Whilst sometimes questionable in their design, each car was kindly ‘pimped’ to the personalities and needs of its owner, for example one avid badminton player had a badminton net installed in the back of his Caravan, and a surfer got a clothes dryer in the back of his Volkswagen- cute! Everything from paintwork, accessories, tires, rims, electronics, and mechanical work was considered to make each car the best it could possibly be, with seemingly no expense spared in bringing the wildest and wackiest of creations to life in the name of creating the perfect car. 

If you fancy a road trip down memory lane, episodes of note include the functional and fashionable pool table truck of season 3 (episode 25), the one and only van with a hot tub for relaxation on the road (season 3, episode 1), and of course theToyota RAV4 (season 6) with a chocolate foundation in the back, naturally. Anyone fancy switching up their Fiat 500 for something a little more interesting?

MTV Cribs

“Hey MTV and welcome to my crib!”  If you ever fancied a peek inside the world of the rich and famous, MTV Cribs was the show for you. First airing in September 2000, the show featured tours of the homes of over 185 celebrities including musicians, actors, and athletes over the course of its 13 seasons, including names such as Naomi Campbell, Pamela Anderson, Ludacris and The Osbournes. 

The most watched episode though? It comes as no surprise that top of the list is the special one-hour episode showcasing the inside of Mariah Carey’s New York penthouse. From describing her shimmering golden sofa as the more ‘serious’ part of her home, to hopping on the Stairmaster in heels against a panoramic New York backdrop, the episode was and remains a true inspiration to all. Who needs Architectural Digest anyway?

In 2021 it was announced the show was BACK, premiering in August of last year and featuring the homes of Martha Stewart, Big Sean, Rick Ross, Snooki, and other stars. May MTV Cribs never die!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Considered part of a wave of 90s media featuring strong female leads (we love to see it), Buffy The Vampire Slayer was an American supernatural drama series (based on the 1992 film of the same name, FYI) that has gone down in history as one of the best of its time. Premiering in 1997 and coming to an end in 2003, the series follows Buffy Summers, the latest in a line of young women known as “Vampire Slayers” chosen by fate to battle against vampires, demons and other forces of darkness. Despite desperately hoping for a more normal life, Buffy embraces her fate as the series progresses and steps into her power as the strong female protagonist that no doubt inspired young women everywhere during this era.

Episodes reached between four and six million views on original airing, and between Buffy’s yk2 grunge style (baby tees and all) to the iconic soundtrack album that followed, there are endless memorable moments that make this throwback one we wish had never ended.

Made 

A pay rise please for whoever was working across MTV’s show in the 90s and 2000s, we give you yet another memorable classic: Made. The self-improvement reality TV series followed teens with a serious goal in mind- to be “made” into everything from singers, athletes and dancers to skateboarders.

The hopeful cast were joined by a “Made Coach”, an expert in their chosen field, with the aim of helping them attain their goals over the course of several weeks. Over the course of 15 seasons and 280 episodes, some serious transformations were undergone, and whilst we’re unsure if any of them did ever ‘make’ it, the journey to watching them try was as wholesome as it comes!

Punk’d

Created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, Punk’d was an American hidden camera show that pranked celebrities in some of the most weird and wonderful ways. The show’s first prank? Aiming high, the team first punk’d Hollywood legend Justin Timberlake, where he was led to believe that government agents were seizing his home and valuables because of unpaid income taxes. The moment was so memorable within popular culture in fact that it was ranked  #3 on Time Magazine’s list of Epic Moments in Reality TV History- high praise indeed! 

Other iconic moments include Taylor Swift thinking she caused a wedding party to have to jump ship after setting off fireworks with pal Justin Bieber that caused a beachside explosion, to Zac Efron being framed for robbing a store whilst shopping with HSM costar Ashley Tisdale. Punk’d was the dictionary definition of chaotic energy and we can’t help but love it more because of it.  

Today is International Nurses Day, a day observed around the world on 12th May – the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth – to recognise the contribution nurses in the UK and around the world have made to society. 

On the frontline throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they have faced the most unprecedented challenges over the past two years whilst leading patient care, and this day offers a chance to learn about the reality of the work they do day in, day out and the issues they face whilst simply trying to do their job just like the rest of us. 

Whilst the weekly applause and rainbow drawings displayed in windows may have disappeared, this annual day acts as a reminder to give thanks for the incredible work they do to put the needs of strangers before their own. 

Here we’re celebrating the best of humanity and the life and soul of the NHS – the people behind the PPE and the moments that made them the remarkable nurses they are today. 

Chloe’s Story 

My route to nursing wasn’t traditional. I didn’t do well in college and didn’t have a  career path/plan in place. I was already working in housekeeping in the hospital, then went on to work in care and radiology. I knew I wanted to make nursing a career, so I applied for an access course and then went to university. I am now a Nurse Practitioner in primary care, looking after patients with both acute and long term conditions, cervical screening, childhood immunisation program, travel health, COVID-19 vaccines, flu vaccines and palliative care. 

I was shielding during the height of the pandemic due to my own health issues so I worked from home throughout. It took a while to adjust. A visual assessment of a patient is key to nursing, as you can imagine. It helps highlight other ongoing medical/social issues, so not being able to see patients or how patients were presenting, and not being able to use visual cues to complete a holistic assessment was tricky. This meant that appointment times increased to try and pick up on things that would be easily identified face-to-face.

In a  hospital, no amount of training will prepare you for being handed the keys for the first time or being the charge nurse for the first time. Whereas in the community I struggle with my own autonomy and not having that constant sounding board of the MDT at my fingertips. The dynamic between the MDT is much like any working dynamic. I think it has a lot to do with personalities and respecting what role people play. Nursing very often is gut instinct and sometimes you have to advocate for your patients and your instinct. There’s often a different rapport patients have with nurses vs doctors – patients tend to ask questions much more openly around us. I’d say This Is Going to Hurt is probably the most realistic representation of health care thus far. That said, there’s definitely some discrepancies (and inaccuracies) between TV shows and reality for sure.

The work life balance can be hard to manage as shifts don’t tend to follow a pattern. This was one of my main reasons for leaving acute medicine. I didn’t ever really mind night shifts themselves, it was the swapping back to days that was the struggle for me. My balance now is much better in primary care, despite the frequent late finishes.

The most rewarding thing for me is helping patients when they’re at their most vulnerable and unexpected moments. Also seeing a patient succeed on their health journey will never fail to make me smile!

Chloe

In terms of the future of nursing, looking at fair pay and retention of nurses needs to be addressed to protect those training now. I’ve often thought I’d like to work for a humanitarian company like Gavi vaccine alliance but right now I’m happy where I am. Knowing you can’t save everyone, as well as the verbal abuse, can be emotionally exhausting. It takes a lot of empathy, quick thinking and a strong stomach but for me, it’s more than just a job. Nursing was the best decision I made, there’s a lot of ups and downs but I wouldn’t change my path.

Rachael’s Story

After not getting into vet school at 18, I started working at my local hospital as a Porter whilst reapplying. After not getting a place for the second time, I went to study Zoology at university and continued portering in my holidays. After finishing uni and some travel, I continued working as a Porter and never really found a job I wanted to do that was relevant to my degree. I had started volunteering for The Cinnamon Trust walking dogs for elderly owners who were no longer able to themselves. I developed good relationships with the owners and enjoyed popping in for a chat as much as the dog walk. Combined with my hospital experience I decided to pursue a career where I could work with the elderly, and that is what led me to decide to apply to nursing school.

I am now a band 5 registered nurse working in A&E. Once patients have been triaged to the area I’m working in, I assess the patients, and perform investigations, such as taking bloods that are appropriate to the patient’s presentation. I also assess the patient’s acuity to see if the patient can wait to be seen in time order or if they require a doctor to review the patient as a priority. I liaise with the doctors to prescribe any treatment I feel they need in the meantime, such as pain relief or anti sickness, to make the patients more comfortable. Once they have been reviewed by a doctor or specialty, I am then administering and evaluating any treatment, continually assessing the patient and ensuring safe discharge from the department. This also encompasses meeting a patient’s needs, including hygiene, nutrition and hydration.

Working in the height of the pandemic was tough. So much wasn’t known and still isn’t about the virus so the fear element was definitely a constant presence. The fear of catching the virus ourselves or passing it on to our loved ones. I was fortunate enough to work somewhere where we had sufficient PPE, but that was a lot to get used to, wearing all of that PPE for the best part of 12 hours wasn’t easy. It was very hot, there was little opportunity to rehydrate, the FFP3 masks would often leave sore marks. I developed contact dermatitis initially from the PPE. I lived alone and so found it hard to come home from a tough day and to not have that social contact as a release from work. Another tough aspect was the very sick patients whereby they weren’t responding to treatment. Nothing we were doing was improving their condition, and these were young people with no previous conditions. I think it caused a lot of staff across the NHS to burn out.

For my own mental health, I think it’s important to decompress after work. Sometimes it’s just watching some good old trashy reality tv. Reading a book. Crying if I need to if it was an emotional day. It’s definitely better for me to acknowledge how the day made me feel, process it and then I can move on. As a newly qualified nurse, I didn’t do this and ruminating over things is definitely not good for my mental health. It’s good to have a balance of friends that are nurses because they completely understand what it’s like, but also to have people outside of the profession who maybe aren’t quite as jaded as we can be!

When it comes to the dynamic between members of staff, in general in A&E, I find there’s a good relationship with the doctors! It’s all about having mutual respect and trust. Most doctors are approachable, there’s not really the old fashioned  hierarchical attitude of doctors, they genuinely know the value and importance of the role of nurses. 

I have witnessed it in practice, but thankfully I think it is much less common than it was. Like anything in life, you’re going to come across people you don’t like, or like more than others. It’s about maintaining a good professional working relationship despite how you personally may feel about someone. 

I do weirdly love watching medical dramas! I think as a general rule though, the tv shows are highly unrealistic! In Grey’s Anatomy the doctors seem to do it all, nurses don’t seem to exist or if they do they are normally portrayed in a negative light or are being belittled by the doctors. I think most shows don’t show the real pressures we are under. They also tend to get the medical information drastically wrong! Which is hard to watch. I have read This Is Going To Hurt and it was very relatable, including the heart breaking bits and the reasons why he sadly chose it was best for him to leave the profession. I can’t speak for how well they have translated that to screen though!

I love that nursing is a job where I’m constantly learning, every day is a school day! I also find medicine super interesting which helps! I like that no two days are the same. It’s a very sociable job. It’s a privilege being able to care for people in their hour of need. It’s very rewarding when you give treatment and see dramatic improvement in the patient’s condition or you’ve been able to relieve their pain and discomfort. People have had such interesting lives and I love hearing from them what stories they have from along the way! On the flipside, one of the worst things is the verbal and physical abuse you get. People can forget that we are human and we are just doing our best in what are often less than ideal circumstances. Some people it seems they become a patient and feel as though they have a right to physically or verbally abuse healthcare staff. It can be a very thankless job. This went to an extreme with people attending protests calling NHS staff murderers saying the whole pandemic was a conspiracy we are all in on. So disheartening and insulting at a time that was really difficult for us all.

The work life balance is also hard to master. Nights really affect me and so having any plans in the days after finishing nights I find really difficult. I have always had a job where I’ve worked weekends but I still find it hard when my non-nursing friends have every weekend available and I have to have some serious planning to make sure I’m free on that date! I try to use requests wisely to ensure at least once a month I have a weekend off. Try and coordinate things like going for breakfast with work friends when we finish nights. I think it is also finding the right workplace that works for you! When you know you are somewhere where the same group of you is always on nights and weekends, that the rota is not done fairly, that can definitely impact on your work-life balance!

Looking to the future, sadly I think there’s quite a blame culture in my experience of the NHS. It can often feel like if a complaint were to be made, you’d be thrown under the bus and the complainant believed over the nurse every time. I think overhauling this culture would go a long way in ensuring nurses feel supported and protected.

Being a nurse is challenging, educational, emotional and rewarding. It takes empathy, personable skills, and adaptability. No amount of training can prepare you for that first year where you are a newly qualified nurse and suddenly you’re in the numbers!

Rachael

It feels completely different to being a student nurse. I definitely didn’t realise how much the nurse I was working with would be doing when I thought I was running the show as a student! It is no longer a little list of jobs you can do, you are responsible for all of the patients in your care! It is quite a leap. Even getting used to finding your voice enough with the doctors and learning to delegate work to others in the team took some getting used to for me! As a student I had very little interaction with the doctors and suddenly they valued my clinical judgement!

I personally feel that self-awareness is very important in being a nurse too. You have to acknowledge the limits of your skills and knowledge and recognise if you have made a mistake and constantly reflect and learn lessons on how you can improve your practice. Nursing is such a diverse career that I think there isn’t a single profile you can give for what makes a good nurse.

I do think A&E for me isn’t long term. It’s a place with quite a high turnover of staff. At some point I may consider doing a masters and going into advanced practice. I may venture to Australia and work there for a bit. I don’t have any solid plans to leave yet but the possibilities are endless!

Something to take away for Innational Nurses Day: Be nice to your nurses! Recognise that they do an amazing job, probably so much more than you realise unless you know a nurse personally!

Dan’s Story

I am a Ward Charge Nurse on a General Medical Ward. (Effectively a Deputy Ward Manager). 

Working during the pandemic was mentally, emotionally and physically draining. I have seen things that I will never forget throughout my whole career.

Something I would take away from International Nurses Day 2022 is to remember what being a nurse means to me, especially on the days when I feel like giving it all up. Being a nurse takes pride, compassion, care, emotion, empathy and excellent interpersonal skills. Nurses are warriors. 

Dan

The most rewarding thing about being a nurse is the job satisfaction and feeling like you have made a good impact on someone’s situation, the worst thing about being a nurse is feeling undervalued and underappreciated. I doubt that nurses will ever feel valued and protected until the government actually take responsibility and make the profession of nursing feel like it is a valued part of society. Many nurses often feel like their nursing pin is hanging by a thread, so to speak.

Alice’s Story 

I studied children’s nursing at University of Birmingham for 3 years after finishing my A-Levels. When I was looking at what A-Levels to take, nursing felt like a good option for me because I’ve always enjoyed working with people, especially children. The career interested me and I had a heart for caring for people so it just felt right. I qualified as a nurse in July 2020 in the middle of the pandemic! But I’d worked in Paediatric Intensive Care as a student nurse prior to this.

Now, I’m a band 5 staff nurse in PICU (Paediatric Intensive Care).  It involves looking after very poorly babies and children and their families. We look after children on a 1:1 basis, which basically means there is one nurse to each child. We look after lots of ventilated children on lots of different medicines and work alongside the multi-disciplinary team to give the best care that we can.

For me personally, the biggest challenge is when you can’t do anything else for someone. You’ve tried everything and there’s nothing more you can do and it truly can be heart-breaking. It’s also challenging when you don’t feel appreciated for all the hard work you put in, whether that’s from other hospital staff or families. 

You’ve definitely got to love it and it’s not for the faint-hearted (you need a strong stomach!). You’re dealing with life and death everyday so you have to be prepared for that. Obviously, you have to be caring and have a heart for looking after people. No amount of training can ever prepare you for your first resuscitation or death and the reactions of the parents. It’s not something normal to witness and it affects you more than you think it would. 

At first, I found the work/life balance hard too but I’ve definitely got better at it. With the hours we work, we tend to do 3-4 shifts a week when you’re on full time hours. On my days off I try to utilise them the best way I can, to have a rest but to also see my friends and go and do things. Night shifts are a little different because of sleeping in the day, you feel like you never see anybody, but after a day shift I sometimes go and see my friends and spend time with them. The NHS also offers flexible working and my unit is really accommodating- having that definitely helps with work/life balance. 

For me, the most rewarding thing about nursing is definitely the moments with the families. Giving a new mum the chance to have her first cuddle with her baby because they were too poorly before is one of the best feelings. It’s also so rewarding seeing the patients get better and go off to the wards and then home. The majority of families hugely appreciate the care their children receive and to hear that from them is rewarding because you know you have done a good job and it makes you feel accomplished. 

Being a nurse means being there for a child and their family through their hardest, darkest times. Caring for them and doing your best to ensure they receive the care that they need and deserve. It really is the most rewarding job ever.

Alice

Don’t get me wrong, the hours are long and it’s not an easy career but you take so much out of it. You can literally change or save someone’s life and not everyone can say they do that as their day job! I love working on PICU and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Maybe one day,  when I’m older,  I might think about community or GP nursing, but for now I’m happy where I am. 

This International Nurses Day, I’d love to see more support for nurses and for people to recognise that these past couple of years have been especially tough. Throughout the pandemic, we felt really valued but that has definitely reduced. I have to also be *that* person and say a pay rise would be nice. Nurses work such long hours and there are some that struggle to make ends meet. Celebrate your friends and family members that are nurses because you never know what they’re going through!