Journalist · Brand storyteller · Culture writer
Tanika Thota
I write the stories behind fashion, lifestyle and the brands people love, then turn them into campaigns that get read, shared and bought.
Selected work
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ReviewHotpod Yoga review: yoga in a 37 degree inflatable pod
I tried a heated class inside an inflatable pod at 37 degrees. Here is how it went, and who it is for.
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News reportArnold Sports Festival 2026: record crowds, heavy lifts, body movement returns to Birmingham
On the ground at the NEC, where around 100,000 fans came for lifting, bodybuilding and the fitness brands around them.
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Trend featureThe most athletic generation: why Gen Z are prioritising fitness more than ever
Why young people in the UK are putting strength and endurance first, and the pressure social media adds along the way.
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Feature“Safety isn’t seasonal”: the women’s-only run club created to keep women safe at night
Hundreds of women lit up Battersea Park for a free 5K, the final stop of a global movement built around running without fear after dark.
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Media analysisPolitical representation and bias: the Labour Party vs its rising opposition, Reform UK
A close reading of how GB News framed Labour and Reform UK across four days in January 2026, looking at headlines, sources and ownership.
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Health feature2025 Wrapped: diet and health trends that dominated this year
A round-up of the diets people talked about in 2025, from high-protein and OMAD to the Mediterranean, and which ones the evidence backs.
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Travel & cultureVietnamese Women’s Museum, Hanoi
A visit to the museum telling the story of women in Vietnamese history, from family life to the guerrilla fighters of wartime.
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ProfileCircus performer Sadie Lee has attended university to pursue her dream in the performing arts
A Chinese pole artist who turned down a place at Leeds to study performing arts, and how strength training sharpens her circus work.
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Trend featureTrending: modern-day calisthenics movement, and why people are using their bodyweight to gain strength
How pandemic gym closures pushed people towards bodyweight training, and the park communities that now make it easy to start.
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The growing global visibility of South Asian art
Why South Asian artists are gaining ground in museums and auction rooms, and what it means for those still seeking representation.
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Travel guideHoly grails when travelling to South East Asia
Seven travel essentials for first-timers heading to South East Asia, picked from first-hand experience.
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Sport featureIs it harder to become successful in combat sports for women?
Women are headlining more big events, but a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete explains the tougher road in training, sparring partners and investment.
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Trend featureHow social media is affecting the fitness industry and athlete performance
How Gen Z turned gym culture into a social activity, and the sponsorships and misinformation that come with fitness creators.
On video
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01
Watch on YouTube ↗
Modern-day calisthenics movement, and how people are using their bodyweight to gain strength
The video version of the calisthenics feature, on my YouTube channel.
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02
Watch on YouTube ↗
Can social media affect athlete performance?
Interviews with athletes on how social media shapes their training and performance, alongside my written piece on the same topic.
Behind the scenes
Good stories start with paying attention to people.
The studio, the street, the friends around the work, and the pieces I design and make myself.
Recognition & press
- NowCEO & Founder, neek neekIndependent clothing brand
- SoonMusician, album on the wayReleasing soon
- AlwaysConfidence in front of the cameraPresenting, modelling and on-screen storytelling
About
Tanika ThotaGood copy is reported. It knows the customer, uses their words and says one clear thing.
I trained as a journalist, and it shows in how I work. I start with a question, talk to the people closest to it and check every claim before it goes near a headline.
That discipline makes marketing better. I move between newsroom deadlines and campaign calendars without changing how I think, and I care as much about the last paragraph as the first.
Commissions · Campaigns · Full-time roles
Let’s make something people finish.
tanikathota777@gmail.com