About

I'm a London-based journalist covering culture, travel, and lifestyle, with bylines in The Indiependent, Journo Resources, Sleaze Magazine and ShoutOutUK. 

Currently I am working in Galicia as a British Council English Language Assistant, I speak C1-level Spanish. I am Lifestyle Editor at The Indiependent, and I have an academic background in Social Anthropology (MA Hons, University of Edinburgh inc. exchange year at University of Sydney).

I am an incoming multimedia NCTJ candidate at News Associates London.

Contact me: tmgrussell@outlook.com

My Latest Work

The Indiependent •

What To Do When The World Stops Working: Blackout across the Iberian Peninsula  : The Indiependent

It began at 12:13 with a flicker. The lights in the staffroom blinked off, then just as politely, back on. Odd.Classroom to ChaosThirty minutes later, mid-class with thirty eight-year-olds, the power cut out again. Lights, the whiteboard, internet. Gone. At first, I assumed it was just our classroom. Maybe the school? But as we changed class, another teacher came in, whispering like she was delivering state secrets:“It’s all of Spain and Portugal.”Well. That’s… larger than expected.The rumour mi...
The Indiependent •

Travelling To: Porto, Portugal : The Indiependent

Porto is a city that stays with you, long after you’ve departed. The Douro River winds through its heart, separating it from Vila Nova de Gaia, resting peacefully across the river. The Dom Luís I Bridge, an elegant iron and steel marvel with its graceful two-tiered arches, stretches across the water like an unspoken welcome, uniting two cities that, while distinct in character, are bound by the river’s timeless flow. Despite their differences, Porto and Gaia coexist in a seamless harmony, their...
The Indiependent •

Overtourism In The Age Of Social Media: How Instagram Is Shaping Travel Trends : The Indiependent

As a child, I would spend hours engrossed in Lonely Planet books, dreaming of exploration, and sharing these experiences through carefully crafting guidebooks. Yet, in today’s digital age, Instagram and TikTok dictate travel trends; the path to a successful career in travel writing has shifted dramatically. Travel influencers now lead the way, profoundly impacting travellers and their destinations. For previous generations, choosing a travel destination was a process grounded in research and per...
The Indiependent •

Travelling to: Madrid, Spain : The Indiependent

To live and travel in Spain is to wander slowly, through a land that saves its sweetest secrets for those who linger. Among its many jewels, Madrid shines brightly. What might begin as simple sightseeing soon deepens into something more: sunlit mornings, lazy afternoons, and nights filled with laughter, all crowned by breathtaking sunsets.Madrid doesn’t clamber for attention. It assumes you’ll fall under its spell eventually, and it’s almost impossible not to. Grand landmarks punctuate the city:...
Shout Out UK •

Class Bias at UK Universities: 'You Speak Remarkably Well for a State-Educated Person'

It was a casual conversation, at a house party during my final year of university, when after being asked what school I attended, someone turned to me and said, ‘You speak remarkably well for a state-educated person.’ The comment was delivered with an air of innocent surprise, but beneath it lay a stark assumption: that articulacy, intelligence, and academic success are unexpected from those who did not attend private school. This moment encapsulated the classist attitudes I had so often encount...
The Indiependent •

The Camino: The Walking Adventure You Didn't Know You Needed : The Indiependent

When people talk about the Camino de Santiago, they often imagine a singular path such as the iconic Camino Francés which stretches 800 kilometres over northern Spain. In reality, the Camino is a vast network of pilgrimage routes, represented by the shell symbol, where all roads lead to Santiago de Compostela.From the rugged coastlines of the Camino del Norte to the ancient mountains of the Primitivo or spiritual way of the Camino Portugués, there’s a path for everyone. I walked the Camino Inglé...
The Indiependent •

5 Enjoyable Things to Do in Edinburgh : The Indiependent

While the Edinburgh Fringe Festival may steal the spotlight each summer, the Scottish capital is brimming year-round with hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path experiences just waiting to be explored.One of the city’s greatest assets is its abundance of green space—Edinburgh is the greenest city in the UK, and it shows. From the heather-covered hills of the Pentlands to the cherry blossoms that brighten the castle grounds each spring, nature is always within reach. Getting outdoors and enjoying th...
The Indiependent •

Book Review: Say Nothing // Patrick Radden Keefe : The Indiependent

Patrick Radden Keefe’s Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland is a gripping, masterfully told deep dive into the heart of The Troubles—one of the bloodiest chapters in modern Irish and British history. Through meticulous research and gripping storytelling, Keefe reconstructs the 1972 abduction and murder of Jean McConville, a mother of ten who was accused of being an informant and forcibly disappeared by the IRA. Say Nothing unravels the layers of memory, justice, and...
The Indiependent •

New Year's Resolutions: How To Successfully Make And Break Them : The Indiependent

As the new year approaches, I find myself once again sitting in the living room of my childhood home, with a large chocolate Santa staring at me. An annual recurrence, as I, along with many of my peers, make the pilgrimage back from adult life to my childhood bedroom for the festive season. Returning to the environment where I spent my horror teenage years becomes a period of inevitable reflection, and with the new year a mere five days away, so is the fated desire to reinvent oneself, through s...
Sleaze Magazine •

BRITISH MUSEUM SCANDAL | Sleaze Magazine

Last summer, the British Museum found itself at the centre of a major scandal, firing staff after roughly 2,000 treasures were reported "missing, stolen, or damaged". Police had been investigating the theft of items including gold, jewellery, and gems of semi-precious stones, some of which had been sold on websites including Ebay. 

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The scandal began on 16 August 2023, when the British Museum released a statement substantiating that it had identified objects missing from its collection. Ten d...