All posts tagged: cosy

Pete Wicks confirms Olivia Attwood romance with cosy Instagram photos from Ibiza

Pete Wicks confirms Olivia Attwood romance with cosy Instagram photos from Ibiza

Published by Daniella Wilson

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Reality TV stars Pete Wicks and Olivia Attwood have “hard launched” their relationship on Instagram. It is the first time that Wicks, 37, has acknowledged the relationship on social media, following months of speculation. The former The Only Way Is Essex (Towie) star shared a number of black-and-white photos of himself and Attwood, which were taken on a recent trip to the party island of Ibiza, with his 2.1 million Instagram followers. They included a photo of the pair sunbathing on a boat and one of them snuggled up together on a beach. There were also group photos with their friends and a short video of Wicks backflipping off a boat and into the ocean. In the caption, Wicks wrote “I guess someone has …

D-topia review – cosy sci-fi mystery takes aim at AI | Games

D-topia review – cosy sci-fi mystery takes aim at AI | Games

Published by Sam Flores

In the far future, on a planet that is not Earth, AI is in charge. This entity is no Skynet-esque killer robot but a machine that cares for humanity. Manifesting most visibly as cute droids, the technology is pervasive – embedded in everything from the design of the sleek architecture to the gorgeous, mostly sunny artificial weather. The so-called Optimization System has but one responsibility: ensuring the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. In less skilled hands this game might have felt like an undergraduate seminar on the limits of utilitarianism. But Japanese studio Marumittu Games elegantly marries its philosophical concerns with smart design choices. You play as a young, unnamed Facilitator tasked with tending to both the city’s bots and its human residents. Each morning you wake up, sleepily loping off to the bathroom before sitting down for an exquisitely rendered breakfast, and then embark on your day’s work. Like everything else in this near-future scenario, labour is designed to cause as little frustration as possible, amounting to simple maths brain teasers …

Critics Are Calling Netflix's Little House On The Prairie A Cosy 'Must-Watch'

Critics Are Calling Netflix's Little House On The Prairie A Cosy 'Must-Watch'

Published by Sam Flores

Little House On The Prairie is now streaming on Netflix Little House On The Prairie is an American institution, and it’s now back in Netflix’s cosy new adaptation. Based on author Laura Ingalls Wilder’s semi-autobiographical accounts of growing up on the American frontier in the 1870s and 1880s, the streamer’s new eight-part series follows a beloved book and the original TV show, which ran in the late 1970s and early 80s.  So, can this new take on the source material live up to its predecessors? This new adaptation, which follows the Ingalls family as they leave Wisconsin to start a new life on the frontier in Kansas, modernises the source material for a contemporary audience. Critics have mostly praised these updates, which fix some of the more problematic depictions of women, minorities and Native Americans. While plenty of reviews have praised the show’s performances, production value and script, it’s fair to say that the wholesome and twee nature of Little House Of The Prairie isn’t for everyone.  Here’s what critics are saying about the 2026 …

How to style a cosy snug in modern homes

How to style a cosy snug in modern homes

Published by Daniella Wilson

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Homes are a place to relax, and as the trend for open-plan living takes a dive, the traditional ‘snug’ room is making a comeback. Interior designers say the snug, which originated as a cosy little room off the bar in 19th-century pubs, is becoming more and more popular, as homeowners look to utilise normally smaller spaces within their property as cosy, informal living areas, in direct contrast to the knocked-down walls and open-living spaces of the noughties. “After years of seeking ways to maximise open-plan living, there’s a palpable hunger for something altogether more intimate and sheltered in UK homes,” observes Gabriele Pittau, chief design officer at poltronesofà. “The snug – a small, warm and comfortable retreat – is experiencing a renaissance.” He says …

BBC viewers left heartbroken by cancellation of cosy series after 14 years

BBC viewers left heartbroken by cancellation of cosy series after 14 years

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter The BBC recently revealed many shows would be cancelled as part of its “evolving commissioning strategy” – and one casualty has been revealed in the form of wildlife favourite Winterwatch. Viewers have been left saddened by the axing of the cosy series, which launched 14 years ago in 2012 as a spin-off to seasonal programmes Springwatch and Autumnwatch, which started in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Winterwatch, which explored British wildlife in the colder months of January and February, was presented by Chris Packham and Kate Humble, with Michaela Strachan replacing Humble when she left in 2013. Co-presenter Iolo Williams joined the fold in 2019. ‘Winterwatch’ has been cancelled by the BBC (BBC) Springwatch will return as normal in May 2027, for three weeks. Autumnwatch was axed in 2023 after a 17-year run. While Winterwatch is no more, the BBC is releasing …

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book review: A cosy, creative collectathon

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book review: A cosy, creative collectathon

Published by Daniella Wilson

A star rating of 4 out of 5. Yoshi’s back! That is, to be honest, all there is to say… right? Well, hopefully not, because we’ve written a full review of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book for you. Ever since his first outing on the SNES, where he battled Bowser’s forces while protecting a baby Mario (those annoying cries still haunt us), Yoshi’s side adventures have been fun explorations into the Mario universe, and this entry is no different – with Yoshi quite literally writing the book on creative creatures and collectathons. The Mysterious book in question is Mr E, an anthropomorphised leather tome complete with monocle and a moustache to be envied (one day, top lip… one day you’ll feel the warm embrace of an iconic cookie duster). With Bowser Jr running riot amongst his pages in search of a unique creature, Mr E tasks the Yoshis with exploring his pages to remove the pest, while at the same time studying the creatures within to fill his sheets with as many encyclopaedic discoveries as …

The rise of cosy gaming: is this the closest many young people will get to home ownership? | Games

The rise of cosy gaming: is this the closest many young people will get to home ownership? | Games

Published by Sam Flores

Name: Cosy gaming. Age: Has its origins in social simulation games such as Harvest Moon (1996) and The Sims (2000). Appearance: Virtual, mindful, far-fetched. You mean video games? Yes, but cosy. What makes this gaming cosy? The kind of gentle, low-stakes time-wasting – the virtual farming of Stardew Valley, say – that people find relaxing. I relax by shooting zombies. Everybody’s different, but gentle, non-violent world-building continues to be a big trend in video games: in 2020 just 19 cosy games were released on the distribution service Steam; in 2025 there were 616. And what’s new in cosy gaming? Home-owning. Come again? The latest cosy games include Hozy, which allows players to “clean, paint, and decorate abandoned homes with satisfying mechanics and intuitive controls”. It sounds like serving a community sentence. Think of it as making the world a brighter, tidier, more aesthetically pleasing place, one abandoned house at a time. But not really. No, it’s just a game. But some people find painting virtual walls very rewarding. The kind of people who have never …

Yes, your candle is cosy. But it could be damaging your health

Yes, your candle is cosy. But it could be damaging your health

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore During the winter months, when days are short and cold and nights are long and dark, creating a warm and cosy indoor atmosphere can feel especially important. Where I live in Denmark, around 75 per cent of the population burns candles two or more times a week, and 34 per cent use them daily during the winter months. In fact, Denmark is often said to be the country with the highest per-capita candle consumption in Europe. Danes burn around 5.8kg of candle wax per person per year – the equivalent of about six bags of sugar. Yet, nice as they can look, studies show burning candles is one of the biggest sources of indoor air pollution. This is because when burning, candles emit a large number of ultrafine particles. These particles are so small that they are invisible to the human …

“Quirky” and cosy ‘odd pairing’ detective drama drops new-series episodes to UK streaming

“Quirky” and cosy ‘odd pairing’ detective drama drops new-series episodes to UK streaming

Published by Sam Flores

All episodes of the new series of Harry Wild, the “quirky” detective drama starring Jane Seymour and Rohan Nedd, have been released on a UK streaming service. Created by David Logan, the series follows Seymour as a retired English professor named Harry Wild who frequently involves herself in the police investigations handled by her detective son, Fergus Reid. The synopsis reads: “A recently retired English professor discovers a knack for investigation and interferes with the cases assigned to her police detective son.” UKTV Related: Best streaming services All six episodes of season four have now been added to U, meaning viewers in the UK can stream them for free. As well as the fourth season, an additional two-part special, titled ‘You Are Cordially Invited to an Assassination’ has been added to the streamer. Rounding out the cast on the series are Kevin Ryan, Paul Tylak, Rose O’Neill, Danielle Ryan and Anthony Delaney. On IMDb, Harry Wild has a user rating of 7.2 out of 10 based on over 5,000 reviews, with viewers praising Seymour’s character. …

Iran tries to cosy up to Europe to increase pressure on US

Iran tries to cosy up to Europe to increase pressure on US

Published by Sam Flores

In a move designed to increase pressure on the US to make compromises in its conflict with his country, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi has been briefing European capitals on the nature of the offer Iran had been willing to make about its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and future stewardship of the strait of Hormuz during the weekend talks in Islamabad. After the inconclusive talks, Araghchi held phone briefings with the French and German foreign ministers, Jean-Noël Barrot and Johann Wadephul, as well as the Saudi, Omani and Qatari foreign ministers. It is understood he stressed that Iran did not regard the Pakistan-led process as exhausted even after 21 hours of intensive talks. Europe has been sidelined on the Iran file by Donald Trump for more than a year, as the US president focused on working with Israel, while Tehran has largely dismissed European governments, seeing them as inveterate creatures of America. But the signs of the deepening transatlantic split, and the intense pressure being applied to European economies, has led Iran to review …