There's more content than you would believe. Hopefully this will make finding it a bit easier...
University of Nottingham Graduate Ayo Oyelola Chats American Football, Chasing Crazy Dreams and Joining the Jacksonville Jaguars
Mon 15 Aug 2022Nottingham and the NFL have hardly gone hand-in-hand over the years - but with the University of Nottingham graduate Ayo Oyelola recently joining the Jacksonville Jaguars, they do now. We catch up with the defensive back ahead of the 2022/23 season…
We Chat to the Harlem Globetrotters’ Corey “Thunder” Law Ahead of the Group’s Visit to Motorpoint Arena
Wed 10 Aug 2022Corey “Thunder” Law - basketball superfan, Globetrotter, world record breaker - chats shooting hoops and entertaining an audience of thousand ahead of his visit to Nottingham in October...
LeftLion Screen Podcast #6 - Jorden Myrie Interview; Thor: Love and Thunder Review and More
Fri 05 Aug 2022After a couple of months away from the microphones, Screen Editor Jamie Morris and Assistant Editor George White return for a new episode of the LeftLion Screen Podcast - much to the delight of the millions of superfans across the globe...
We Sit Down With Nottingham’s Ben Norris and Cassie Bradley Ahead of Their Trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Thu 04 Aug 2022Two-time UK national poetry slam champion writer Ben Norris is taking his new show Autopilot to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, starring Cassie Bradley. The two Nottingham born actors chat with us about the themes of the play and how it compares to other projects they've been involved with...
Inside Art of Football’s Mission to Make the Beautiful Game a Source of Community, Identity and Celebration
Fri 22 Jul 2022Just a couple of avenues up from the LeftLion offices sits Art of Football, a Sneinton-based arts and fashion brand that centres around - you guessed it - football. They’ve seen their bucket hats on Ian Wright’s head, they’ve collaborated with Umbro, and they’re still only just getting started. We chat to Director Luke Cuthbert about immortalising people’s memories, the importance of community, and their plans for the future…
We Sit Down With the Organisers of Nottinghamshire Pride 2022 to Discuss What People Can Expect
Fri 22 Jul 2022Craig Martin, co-chair of Nottinghamshire Pride, chats to us about the exciting plans for this year's celebrations...
Meet the Nottingham Lions, the LGBT+ Football Club Aiming to Make the Sport a Safe Space for All
Thu 21 Jul 2022Founded over sixteen years ago, the Nottingham Lions have been trailblazers in our city’s sporting scene ever since - with the LGBT+ friendly football club bringing together people of all abilities and walks of life to enjoy the beautiful game. We sit down with Robbie Jacques, the club’s Social Media and Commercial Officer, to hear all about their story so far, and explore how the world of football can become a more inclusive, tolerant place…
Notts Filmmaker Oliver Blair Lifts the Lid on His New Short Film The Tree
Sun 17 Jul 2022We chat to director Oliver Blair about how he walked a fine line between tragedy and comedy to depict grief in his witty, yet poignant, debut short film, The Tree, which follows two characters dealing with the loss of their father…
Nottingham Author Georgina Wilding Lifts the Lid on Her New Book Hag Stone
Thu 14 Jul 2022Named Nottingham’s first young poet laureate in 2017, Georgina Wilding isn’t new to the poetry scene. But despite being involved in the art for over ten years, she’s only just released her first poetry collection - Hag Stone. Pulling childhood memories through a surrealist lens, the book, which muses on the grittiness and joys of growing up, has been met with great acclaim from authors including Henry Normal and Cathy Grindrod. We chat to Wilding about girlhood, being a working class poet and what her writing process is like…
Nottingham Legend Richard Whitehead MBE Chats Titles, Targets, and Giving Back to the Community
Wed 13 Jul 2022Nottingham-based athlete and motivational speaker Richard Whitehead MBE has won an array of medals at the Paralympics, but his influential work goes beyond the track. We caught up with him about his greatest achievements and the importance of giving back to the community…
We Chat to Rising Star Harleighblu About Her New Album, Hideout, and What the Future Has in Store for the Notts Artist
Tue 12 Jul 2022For quite some time now, neo soul queen Harleighblu has been making a name for herself across Nottingham, the UK, Europe and the US, with her iconic dreads, signature style and soulful vocals. Last month saw the launch of her new album Hideout, made in collaboration with American rapper, singer, producer and songwriter, Illa J. Fresh off the back of the album launch, her new video for one of the record’s tracks, Soulsearching, and the launch of her new Nottingham DJ night, Milkshake, we caught up with Harleighblu to find out more about her whirlwind year so far…
Author Rosie Wilby on Queer the Shelves, Her New Book and Being Known as The Queen of Breakups
Mon 11 Jul 2022Last month saw Queer the Shelves, a two-day celebration of LGBTQ+ books and writers, take place at Waterstones in the city centre. Organised by local editing and publishing company, Global Wordsmiths, and funded by Arts Council England, the event saw over twenty international LGBTQ+ writers taking part in Q&A panels, readings and mingling with readers at an after party held at Nottingham’s oldest – and only – LGBTQ+ pub, the New Foresters. Some writers were well known, others on their first published work, with every genre covered. The keynote speaker was comedian and author Rosie Wilby, known for her stand up, podcast, and now two books on the theme of relationships. We caught up with her just as the busy weekend drew to a close...
Nottingham Wrestler Joseph Conners Chats WWE, House of Pain Wrestling Academy, and Crafting a Career in Sport
Mon 11 Jul 2022Having come up through the House of Pain Wrestling Academy, Nottingham lad Joseph Conners has achieved what very few in the world of wrestling have. From performing for audiences around the world, wrestling for Next Generation Wrestling and, most impressively, WWE at their 2017 and 2018 UK Championship Tournaments, he’s come a long way since first stepping into the ring. We caught up with the wrestling legend to find out what’s next…
LeftLion Screen Podcast #5 - The Road Dance Director Richie Adams, the Best Summer Blockbusters of 2022 and More
Fri 27 May 2022This month we're joined by Richie Adams, the man behind The Road Dance - one of the highlights of the Nottingham International Film Festival...
Notts CrossFit Athlete and Coach Lucy Campbell Discusses Women in Strength Training and Putting Two Fingers Up to Stereotypes
Sat 21 May 2022Combining strength training, gymnastics and high intensity workouts, Nottingham’s CrossFit box has attracted quite a cult following. We caught up with CrossFit athlete and coach Lucy Campbell to talk about women in strength training, the camaraderie of group workouts and letting go of weight-loss goals…
We Chat to David Gill, One of the Last Remaining Blacksmiths in Nottinghamshire
Sun 15 May 2022From forging the hammer of Thor, the Norse god of thunder himself, to creating the ploughs that drove the British Agricultural Revolution, blacksmiths have played a crucial role in human history for millenia. Yet now there are only around 600 left in the entirety of the UK. We chat to David Gill, one of the last remaining blacksmiths in Notts, about the importance of the practice, what drew him to his line of work, and why interest in the craft is on the rise…
Nottingham Biographer Miranda Seymour on the Incredible Life of Jean Rhys
Tue 03 May 2022Born on the Caribbean Island of Dominica, Jean Rhys is most well known for her seminal novel Wide Sargasso Sea, the postcolonial feminist prequel to Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre.
A misunderstood and enigmatic woman, Rhys caught to attention of biographer Miranda Seymour who travelled to Dominica to learn more about her life. We catch up with Seymour in anticipation of her new book I Used To Live Here Once, The Haunted Life of Jean Rhys...
Going Places: Sustrans’ Clare Maltby on Walking and Cycling-Friendly Cities
Wed 30 Mar 2022Since the pandemic hit, getting around on our own steam - whether that be through walking, cycling, scooting, or skating - has seen something of a renaissance. This goes hand-in-hand with an increased awareness of our human need for access to green space and the ongoing climate crisis. With infrastructure popping up to support this trend, and various schemes hoping to help communities get on their bikes, our Environment Editor Adam Pickering had a chat with Clare Maltby - the Nottingham-based Director for the Midlands and East region at leading active travel charity Sustrans - about the work the charity’s doing to make it easier for people to get around in environmentally friendly ways, creating healthier communities, and breaking the car habit.
Nottingham’s Anjli Mohindra Talks Vigil, the Television Workshop and What’s Next for Her Career
Wed 30 Mar 2022Fresh from starring in Vigil, one of the BBC’s most popular series ever, and Munich: The Edge of War, one of Netflix’s most popular films of the last year, West Bridgford’s Anjli Mohindra chats to us about her love for Notts, her time at the Television Workshop and what’s next for her career…
The Novice Director Lauren Hadaway Chats Sports Dramas, Surrealism and Diversity in Cinema
Fri 25 Mar 2022Up-and-comer Lauren Hadaway’s directorial debut The Novice is making huge waves in the industry and it’s easy to see why. We catch up with Lauren to discuss the film, its inspirations, and the state of the wider cinema scene...
Meet West Bridgford’s ALT BLK ERA, the Sisters Delivering Powerful Messages Through Their Music
Thu 24 Mar 2022We hear from Nyrobi Beckett-Messam, one half of the Notts duo "defying traditional expectations for young black artists"...
DiY Collective Veteran Harry Harrison Discusses His New Book, Dreaming in Yellow, and the Importance of Rave Culture
Wed 23 Mar 2022We chat to Harry Harrison, founding member of DiY Collective and author of new book Dreaming in Yellow: The Story Of The DiY Soundsystem, which takes a look back at rave culture...
Nottingham Fashion Designer Rebekah Peters Lifts the Lid on Her Iconic Clothing Made From Preloved Bedsheets and Curtains
Tue 22 Mar 2022Notts' own Rebekah Peters is helping to lead the way in the preloved fashion game. We catch up with her to find out more…
Nottingham-Born Influencer Lauren Black Lifts the Lid on Social Media’s Impact on Body Image and Mental Health
Wed 16 Mar 2022We chat to Lauren Black, an influencer from Nottingham with over 120,000 followers on Instagram, about the potential mental health challenges for models online, how she’s using her own platform for good, and her work on BBC documentary The Instagram Effect, which explores the darker side of an ever-expanding digital world…
Legendary Filmmaker Don Letts on Nottingham, Countercultures and Being in Front of the Camera
Thu 03 Mar 2022Iconic filmmaker, musician and raconteur Don Letts has directed over 300 music videos for a diverse range of artists from The Clash to Bob Marley. Now, the camera is turned on himself in a documentary exploring his career and his relationship with the UK’s punk scene in the seventies. We hear all about the upcoming film, Rebel Dread, ahead of its run at Broadway Cinema...