Independent Studio has announced the line-up for Season 2 of Lucie McInerney’s podcast Like This, Love This, following the success of its first season.
Fascinating guests drawn from the full spectrum of culture – actors, authors, media heavyweights and social media personalities – bring a book, film, podcast and TV series they can’t stop thinking about to the table with Lucie.
A fanatic for all things cultural, Lucie is a journalist with more than 15 years experience, including stints at The Independent and The Telegraph.
The podcast’s launch was targeted strategically to topics which matter to The Independent’s culturally engaged audience and has proven a hit among listeners. Season 1 featured Jen Brister, Louisa Young, Patrick Grant, Shabaz Ali and more.
Episodes of Like This, Love This have a strong average completion rate of 70%. More than 560,000 people have been reached through social media and the podcast has 418,000 video views on social media.
Independent Studio is where The Independent’s journalism and content comes to life in talent-led media – with podcasts being the perfect platform for truly independent voices like Lucie’s to build deep engagement and create cultural capital across in-demand verticals.
Like This, Love This Season 2
Out now – Jack Edwards: Myths, Modern Classics and The Importance of Empathy
The latest season of Like This, Love This is out now with Jack Edwards, who goes by the moniker of the “internet’s resident librarian”. The content creator and BookTok bibliophile sat down with Lucie to discuss influences on his cultural life, his experience at Durham University, his upcoming book and more. With millions of followers, he has become a cultural influence in the literary world (even hosting the International Booker Prize livestream) and is currently working on his first novel while expanding his podcast presence.
Jack’s episode reveals someone who sees stories as a form of community-building and believes culture should feel welcoming rather than exclusive. He speaks with real affection about the storytelling comfort of “no-plot-just-vibes” TV, the emotional honesty of working-class narratives, and the power of art born from places of conflict, from Ireland to Sri Lanka.
He champions accessibility in literature – challenging snobbery, celebrating translated fiction, and expressing his love for audacious debut works – and frames reading as a tool for empathy rather than prestige. Underneath it all is a philosophy that learning is lifelong, creativity belongs to everyone, and his own legacy is simply to help people unlock the best version of themselves.
Book choice: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. Film choice: Good Will Hunting. Podcast choice: Myths and Legends with Jason Weiser. TV choice: Derry Girls.
20 November – Hayley Morris
Hayley is a British comedian, actor and writer who built a huge following through short-form sketches like “Me vs Brain” and “The Support Group” Her debut book Me vs Brain: An Overthinker’s Guide to Life became a Sunday Times bestseller, and she’s now expanding into filmmaking with YouTube short-film series and other storytelling projects.
Hayley’s episode shows her as someone whose entire creative identity is built on perseverance, emotional honesty, and humour as a survival tool. She talks movingly about growing up shy, pushed gently into creativity by her dad – whose homemade comedy sketches became the foundation of her internet career – and about the long, 12-year slog from uploading YouTube skits in 2009 to becoming a “sudden overnight success” in 2021. Her stories of burnout, ADHD, intrusive thoughts and the existential wobble she experienced during Covid reveal a performer who channels her messiest, most vulnerable inner world into comedy that makes millions of people feel less alone.
At the same time, her cultural choices showcase her love of stories about resilience, female ambition, emotional complexity and people who “keep going” even when everything tells them to stop. Above all, Hayley comes across as warm, self-aware and quietly fearless – someone who leads with heart, makes community from her own anxieties, and believes deeply in the healing power of humour, creativity, and relentless determination.
Book choice: Reid’s Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins. Film choice: Sing Sing. Podcast choice: Good Hang with Amy Poehler. TV choice: Hacks.
27 November – Alex Lawther
Alex is an actor known for his breakout turn as a young Alan Turing in The Imitation Game (2014), which earned him the London Film Critics’ Circle Award for Young British Performer of the Year. He went on to star as James in the BAFTA-winning TV series The End of the F***ing World (2017-19) and appeared in high-profile projects including Andor. He is currently starring in the BBC One drama series Leonard and Hungry Paul.
Alex’s conversation paints him as a gentle, self-aware artist drawn to intimacy, vulnerability, and the emotional truths that sit beneath the surface of stories. He reflects on fame with humility, reframing praise as a recognition of collaboration, and speaks candidly about keeping ego in check. His creative compass points firmly toward human relationships – evident in his film For People In Trouble and in his admiration for raw, low-budget, and queer cinema like Weekend.
He’s fascinated by origin stories, early works and unconventional forms revealing a curiosity that values intention over polish. What emerges is a portrait of someone who approaches art not as performance, but as an ongoing exploration of connection, authenticity and emotional depth.
Book choice: Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Hetty. Film choice: Weekend. Podcast choice: Reversal Of The Muse by Laura Marling. TV choice: Veneno.
Lucie McInerney, Host of Like This, Love This said: “I am really excited to open up the studio doors and welcome a whole new season’s worth of guests. From influencers, to authors, actors and actresses, I love delving into each interviewee’s story choices and using them to reveal something about their character and personality. With one season under our belts, Season 2 promises to be even better, more insightful and even more fun.”
Olivia Foster, Executive Producer, Independent Studio, added: “With a fascinating and varied selection of guests and Lucie at the helm, we’re excited to launch Season 2 of Like This, Love This. Building on the success of the first season, we’ll be bringing you more recommendations, more stories and more insights into the minds of some of the UK’s biggest names.”
