Millennial Love is coming back! The Independent’s podcast all about relationships, sexuality and dating is returning on Friday with a brand new look and feel.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whilst there's no one-size-fits-all approach to first dates - Rachel loves activities like crazy golf whereas Livi is more of an exhibition kind of girl - there are certain factors that make a first date more likely to be a winner. This week on Millennial Love, we're discussing the best first dates we've ever been on and what made them so great. Similarly, we also reveal the worst first dates we've suffered through - and there are certainly lots from which to choose.And from the start of a "relationship" to the end: how do you break up with someone you're "seeing"? If you're not officially in a relationship or even exclusive, how much do you owe that person? We share our own experiences and expert tips to help get to the bottom of what to say, where to do it and when - if ever - ending things via text is appropriate. Do you agree? Let us know!Follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date! https://www.instagram.com/millennial_love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The disposable culture of dating apps has made the idea of no-strings casual sex seem more prevalent and popular than ever before. But is it ever wise to be intimate with someone who you have no plans of developing a long-term relationship with? Is it even possible? What happens if one person “catches feels”?This week on Millennial Love we’re joined by writer, comedian and social media influencer Bella Younger to discuss the murky matter that is casual sex and all its tricky nuances.We also delve into how it’s portrayed on Love Island, the ITV2 reality TV series that is at the vanguard of all conversations surrounding casual sex and dating right now.You can follow Bella on @deliciouslystella.Follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date! https://www.instagram.com/millennial_love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every aspect of life feels more fast-paced than ever today, and one of the areas in which this is most apparent is, of course, dating and relationships. This week on Millennial Love we’re joined by the brilliant author of ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ and ‘Notes on a Nervous Planet’ Matt Haig to talk about how the state of the world today has affected our love lives. We’re more connected than ever, so why do so many of us also feel so alone? Matt also talks candidly about his own experiences with mental illness and how his relationship with his wife Andrea helped him get through some very difficult times, leading him to where he is today. Follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date! https://www.instagram.com/millennial_love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone's favourite summer reality series is back. There's been grafting, cracking on and plenty of muggy, melty behaviour. This week, Rachel and Livi are diving deep into the world of Love Island and the mirror up to society it holds. How much of what we see reflects real-life dating?As much as we enjoy the show, there are issues around it: why is there no body diversity and does it send a dangerous message about consent?Follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date! https://www.instagram.com/millennial_love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we're joined by social media influencer and podcaster Oenone Forbat to discuss the many issues surrounding contraception and specifically whether it's inherently sexist. Whose responsibility should it be to ensure sex is safe? If there was a male pill, would women really trust men to take it given we're the ones who would still get pregnant?We also discuss the different contraception options available and how they affect women psychologically.Follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date! https://www.instagram.com/millennial_love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know nearly half of Brits (46%) have unconscious issues with commitment? Whether you're single or in a relationship, fear of commitment is very common, as Rachel in particular knows all too well. This week on Millennial Love we reveal our own experiences with commitment-phobia, ponder whether the rise of dating apps is making the problem worse and suggest techniques for overcoming your fear of committing to a certain person, plans or relationship in general.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Mental Health Awareness Week and we are thrilled to be joined by journalist, author and mental health campaigner Bryony Gordon, who's written extensively both about her dating past and her mental health.This week, Bryony, Rachel and Olivia open up about their own experiences with mental health and how its affected their relationships. We share our top tips for telling a new partner you're struggling with a mental health issue - and how to react and help someone who opens up to you.Follow us on our new Instagram account to stay up-to-date! https://www.instagram.com/millennial_love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're joined by The Naked Professor, whose popular Instagram account is dedicated to showing the authentic and vulnerable sides of masculinity, which he does via a series of nude photographs taken across the globe.The life coach, mental wellness advocate and personal trainer, whose real name is Ben, joins us to discuss sexual dysfunction and specifically, delayed ejaculation, a condition which he has lived with all his life which means he struggles to orgasm.Also known as anorgasmia, it's a problem that is more common in women and, like the majority of sexual problems, is mostly considered to be psychological rather than physical.Follow Ben on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedprofessor/?hl=enDon't forget to join our Facebook group to stay up to date! https://www.facebook.com/groups/millennial.love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feeling good about your body - whether you're single or in a relationship - has a huge impact on how you relate to other people. So this week we're thrilled to be joined by body positivity advocate Megan Crabbe, who is perhaps better known as her Instagram handle, @bodyposipanda.Rachel and Livi share their own struggles with learning to love their bodies and how this has affected their dating escapades, and Megan shares her top tips for feeling happy in the skin you're in and embracing whatever shape or size you may be.If you'd like to fill your Instagram feed with wonderfully empowering body positive accounts, here are some of our faves:https://www.instagram.com/bodyposipanda/https://www.instagram.com/aliceandpeanutbutter/https://www.instagram.com/allisonkimmey/https://www.instagram.com/mynameisjessamyn/https://www.instagram.com/selfloveclubb/https://www.instagram.com/laikenrichelle/Don't forget to join our Facebook group to stay up to date! https://www.facebook.com/groups/millennial.love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finding a match for yourself in this day and age is nothing short of a battle. So this week, we welcome matchmaker and founder of Social Concierge Nana Wereko-Brobby to find out all about the millennials who pay for a professional to find potential soulmates for them. What makes a good match? And how does the whole matchmaking process work?We've also got not one but two brilliant dating stories sent in by you lovely listeners, both of which are sure to leave you on a high (if for very different reasons).Don't forget to join our Facebook group to stay up to date! https://www.facebook.com/groups/millennial.love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we’re talking about an issue that many straight, gay and lesbian people don’t even know is an issue: bisexual invisibility and erasure. Many bi people face discrimination, and in this episode we’re joined by freelance writer Joanna Whitehead who shares her experiences of the matter.With more millennials identifying as somewhere between straight and gay than older generations, are times changing? Why is there still a stigma around being bisexual? And what’s it like being bi on dating apps?Don't forget to join our Facebook group to stay up to date! https://www.facebook.com/groups/millennial.love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we had an absolute ball with reality TV star, entrepreneur and podcaster Jamie Laing. Whilst spilling the beans on his relationships past - from first loves to dating regrets - Jamie offers some thought-provoking insight on the concept of unrequited love. Is there anything you can do to get over it?Our other main discussion point this week is the oh-so-relatable arc of dating someone new, falling head over heels and getting smitten, then suddenly drawing back and wondering whether you're with the right person after all. Is it fear of commitment? Or hopeless romanticism?Don't forget to join our Facebook group to stay up to date! https://www.facebook.com/groups/millennial.love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love it's pure Rachel and Olivia, oversharing and telling all our bad date stories. Up for discussion this episode: date exit strategies. If you're just not clicking and you know there's no future should you stick it out? Or try and leave? Should you make up a reason or just be honest? It's undoubtedly a dilemma we've faced many a time.We're also talking about stalking potential dates on social media - a subject we certainly don't agree on (no prizes for guessing which of us is the serial stalker). Is it a good idea to Google someone before you meet up? Or is it best to discover everything in person?Don't forget to join our Facebook group to stay up to date! https://www.facebook.com/groups/millennial.love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we're joined by dating expert and head of global trends and events at Happn, Claire Certain, for an episode all about dating app etiquette. How long should you speak for before arranging a date in real life? Should you message immediately after matching? How many people should you chat to at once?We also tackle the tricky matter of coming across friends on dating apps. If you say yes, are you leading them on? Equally, if you say no, is it rude? Or could it be the start of a blossoming romance you never even considered?Don't forget to join our Facebook group to stay up to date! https://www.facebook.com/groups/millennial.love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we're joined by Made In Chelsea's newly single Sam Thompson to discuss where - and how - on earth you're supposed to meet a potential romantic partner nowadays when everything seems to happen on apps. We're also pondering whether, for a relationship to be successful, you need to feel overwhelming lust from the very start. Can you grow to fancy someone? Or do you need to want to jump their bones at first sight?Sam, Rachel and Olivia share and compare experiences in an attempt to get to the bottom of the matter.Don't forget to join our Facebook group to stay up to date! https://www.facebook.com/groups/millennial.love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Getting your heart broken sucks, there's no two ways about it. This week on Millennial Love, we're joined by former dating columnist and author of Bad Romance Emily Hill to discuss heartbreak and how to get over it. The past week has also seen relationship experts speaking out about the perils of 'overdating' - ie. dating too much. Could it really be that going on too many dates is stopping us finding love? With Rachel a serial dater and Olivia, well, the opposite, we ponder what the sweet spot might be.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we welcome the brilliant trans activist Charlie Craggs to help us get to the bottom of how important it is to have common interests with a romantic partner. Could you date a Tory if you're a passionate Corbynista? Do opposites really attract? And does it matter if your date isn't 'woke'? (Don't know what 'woke' means? Fear not, we explain.) Let us know your thoughts on the episode by joining our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millennial.love/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Actor Demi Lovato recently schooled us all in how to flirt on Instagram. Some say it's shameless, others say it's brilliant - either way, it's got us thinking about how we use Instagram to try and catch the attention of our crushes.One of the most obvious ways is with a so-called 'thirst-trap,' which is essentially just a picture of you looking really hot.This week on Millennial Love, we're also discussing the role of religion in relationships, with Helen and Sabrina sharing their experiences of dating as a Christian and Jew respectively. Does being religious make it easier or harder to find love? We try to reach a conclusion.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The anonymous account of one woman's bad date with actor Aziz Ansari is the topic on everyone's lips this week, which ties in rather nicely with the launch of a new app that's meant to be used to officially give someone sexual consent. However, we feel there are a lot of problems with apps like this, and as usual, we're sharing all our thoughts in this week's episode. We're also pondering imbalances in relationships: is one person always punching above their weight? And is it necessarily a problem?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social media has created a whole new way to chat someone up: sliding into DMs (direct messages). But is there a correct etiquette for this? Is there a way to do it without being creepy? We share our thoughts on the matter this week on Millennial Love.We're also discussing 'the ick' - the inexplicable feeling of disgust you sometimes develop out of nowhere towards someone you're dating, even though you were totally into them before. Where does it come from? Do men get the ick too? We try to get to the bottom of all these mysteries.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The topic on everyone's lips this week has been 'Cat Person', the short story about the early stages of dating someone which was published on the New Yorker and went viral - many young women have found it incredibly relatable, but it's also controversial in some ways, which is the main topic we're discussing this week. We're also talking about sex - there's a stereotype that after sleeping with someone, a woman always falls in love with them, but is that true? And what's the science behind it? We delve in.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love, we're joined by dating and relationships psychologist, Madeleine Mason. Did you know there are three main attachment styles? Madeleine explains what they are and we work out which category we fall into. We also discuss how we develop our attachment style and what we can do about them. As a relationship expert who got engaged after four months of dating by using her own techniques, Madeleine is in prime position to talk about how you find 'the one', if such a concept exists - we quiz her on her secrets.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we're joined by love and relationships coach (and all round romance guru), Ar'nie Rozah Krogh. In the light of the royal engagement announcement, we're thinking about fairy tale romance - why are we so obsessed with the idea of being swept off our feet and is it a problematic ideal to hold? Ar'nie also shares her thoughts on millennial dating, we discuss the plethora of apps that have become the norm and soak up her advice for young singletons on finding love.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love, we're talking about the so-called 'friend zone'. Does it really exist? Can straight men and women ever be just friends? And in millennial dating, showing actual interest in someone is rare, but why is being too eager considered a no-no? We discuss what it means to be too keen and enjoy another dating disaster of the week - keep sending them in!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we're joined by vlogger, blogger and podcaster Lucy Moon to discuss a very millennial problem: f***boys. What are they, where have they come from and how do you spot one? Equally linked to modern dating is drinking - Lucy tells us about her experience sober dating and we wonder whether lunchbreak dates are the way forward.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we're joined by International Brand Director at Bumble, Louise Troen, for an episode all about the feminist dating app. Why are there better looking men on Bumble? How do you craft the perfect opening line? And how would Louise rate our Bumble bios? We discuss all this and more, and are set a dating challenge for next week.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As temperatures drop, we discuss the perhaps unsurprising news that flings with colleagues are more common in winter (watch out for mistletoe at the office Christmas party). We also debate what constitutes cheating - does a kiss count? And what about flirty messages? And considering we have our fair share of experience on dating apps, we chat about what people say in their profiles that result in a rapid left-swipe.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Few people think they're adept at flirting, but what makes a good flirt? This week on Millennial Love we share our flirting fails and discuss when flirty fun becomes sexual harassment. We also chat about a very millennial dating phenomenon (and problem): ghosting. Is it ever OK? Listen now as we delve into the murky waters of dating etiquetteSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love we're joined by the brilliant YouTuber, author and general sex-positive awesome person, Hannah Witton. First up, we're talking porn - is it ruining sex for a generation? Or does it have an unfairly bad rep? We also discuss contraception and how it's a huge headache for so many women. And as Hannah is now coupled-up after being single for years, she shares what she's learned about getting into a relationship with long-time singletons, Rachel and Olivia.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With allegations against Harvey Weinstein growing in number everyday, this week on Millennial Love we discuss sexual harassment in the workplace and how we can tackle it. We also consider the advice of a criminal barrister, who has spoken out to say men shouldn't sleep with women who've consumed alcohol because alcohol compromises your ability to consent. And Tinder has launched a new feature that's meant to be feminist, but we reveal why we're far from convinced.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Millennial Love, we discuss why millennials are so obsessed with playing it cool while dating and are so afraid of showing vulnerability. We also ponder how society's expectations of your relationship status changes over your 20s, and we wonder: is monogamy over?Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second episode of Millennial Love, we discuss Match.com’s study which has revealed the perfect man and woman, the worrying rise of sex robots and the divisive question of whether a man or a woman should pay on the first date.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first episode of Millennial Love, we discuss the rise of engagement rings for men, the disturbing act of sexual assault known as stealthing and share our thoughts on the start of cuffing season once again.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Independent's Lifestyle team are launching a new podcast, Millennial Love.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/millenniallove. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.