Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 12, 2025 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

Hat trick! Royal Ascot is usually considered the top horse-racing event in the royal calendar but now it’s facing stiff competition from the Cheltenham Festival. Always popular with equestrian Zara Tindall, who lives near the racecourse, the four-day festival has been attracting more royal visitors, including Zara’s cousin Princess Eugenie, 34, and her husband Jack Brooksbank, 38. The couple joined Zara,  43, and husband Mike Tindall to brave chilly temperatures for Style Wednesday, one of the highlights of the event. Zara showed up for all four days in a range of striking headwear. Meanwhile Mike, 46, revealed his trick for coping with all the alcohol on offer at the races. “It’s all about liver management,” he said, admitting he slips in a few alcohol-free beers among the full-strength ones.…

She’s starred in the popular Netflix show Sex Education and the Neon smash hit The White Lotus, with both roles requiring her to perform intimate bedroom scenes. But Aimee Lou Wood says nothing in her acting career has been as daunting as stripping down to her bikini. Aimee, 31, has previously spoken about her body dysmorphia, saying she once “hated my body and didn’t want to be in it at all. I felt like a floating head.” She has since overcome those feelings, but the pool scenes she filmed for The White Lotus were still a real challenge for her. “I was more nervous about bikinis than sex scenes,” says Aimee 31, whose character in the show has a boyfriend 22 years older than her. “I was more worried about…

The Princess of Wales has hinted that her family could be coming on an official visit to New Zealand. Kate revealed during a visit to army barracks to celebrate St Patrick’s Day that she’s keen to bring Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis down under. George, 11, came here with his parents in 2014, when he was just nine months old, but making the journey with all three hasn’t been an option since. However, now the children are older, a family trip is on Kate’s wish list. While chatting to members of the Irish Guards and their families at their London barracks, she told Corporal Adam Hamilton, an Australian who serves with the regiment, “George finds it fascinating that he has been to Australia and New Zealand. I would…

We’ll get to her award-winning stand-up show in a minute. And why, between punchlines, she passes around crocheted “lady bits” to audience members. But first, clinical psychologist-turnedcomedian Nicola Brown explains why she no longer lifts heavy weights or runs. It’s all part of her story tackling a “taboo” issue. “I was told I had a bladder prolapse just after I gave birth to my son 17 years ago,” shares Nicola. “It was minor and didn’t cause me much strife. I thought that’s just how it is when you have a baby and things change. “However, in my late forties, I started noticing more symptoms. I was having trouble with my bowel function not working as it normally would. There was also some urinary leakage if I sneezed more than three…

Five years ago, at 28 years old, Grace Archer was living her dream teaching in Rarotonga, swimming in lagoons and exploring the island by moped on her days off. That was until she contracted foodborne illness listeria in 2020, triggering a horror health story that started with an emergency evacuation to New Zealand. What followed was more than a month in a coma, during which time she underwent two brain surgeries and was terrifyingly locked in her own body when she woke up. There have undoubtedly been dark days, but fiercely determined to find joy again and live a full, meaningful life, Grace now faces each day with resilience and positivity. “Honestly, I never thought it was that serious,” recalls Grace, 33, thinking back to where it all began in…

Giant finger bun PREP & COOK TIME 50 MINS (+ PROVING & COOLING) SERVES 12 1 ½ cups warm water ½ cup warm milk 1 tbsp caster sugar 4 ½ cups plain flour 1 ½ tsp salt 1 cup sultanas 2 x 7g sachets dried yeast ICING 1 cup icing sugar, sifted 10g butter, at room temperature 1 tbsp hot water Few drops pink food colouring ¾ cup shredded coconut 1 In a jug, combine water, milk and half the sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. 2 Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Add sultanas and yeast. Mix well. Make a well in the centre. Gradually add liquid and mix to a soft, sticky dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until dough is smooth and…

If the thought of running a blade across your face makes you flinch, stay with us because dermaplaning isn’t about stubble, razors or five o’clock shadows. This popular non-invasive skincare treatment is all about giving your skin a fresh start. Using a fine, surgical scalpel, dermaplaning gently and painlessly removes dead skin cells and peach fuzz (vellus hair). The result? It instantly reveals a brighter, softer complexion and with no tiny hairs to interfere, it helps make-up glide on like silk. Plus it supercharges your skincare routine by allowing serums and moisturisers to absorb more effectively. STAR POWER Ideal for achieving flawless skin, Hollywood heavyweights such as Mindy Kaling, Gwyneth Paltrow, Miranda Kerr and Reece Witherspoon are all said to swear by the treatment, while A-lister Eva Mendes has embraced…

Debt itself isn’t the problem – it’s how we manage it that makes all the difference. It’s not a money issue, it’s a people issue. Life happens and sometimes debt piles up, leaving you feeling stuck and overwhelmed. If you find yourself in a cycle of paying it down only to see it build back up, it’s a sign that the real root cause hasn’t been addressed. Let’s put an end to that cycle once and for all. Here are 10 steps to help you wipe out bad debt for good. 1 Get off the credit drug If overspending got you into debt, it’s time for a personal debt detox by cutting out credit spending. Remove temptation, otherwise old habits will return and sabotage your progress. Cut up your credit…

There’s a shift in corporate America towards encouraging ladies to dress more like… well, “ladies”. Think the traditionally feminine skirts and dresses with high heels, rather than trousers with flats. Women at work are reporting pointed memos about “appropriate dress” doing the rounds, meaning not more “formal” but essentially the kind of clothes men don’t wear. I mention it because cultural shifts on the other side of the world tend to make their way here, so if you start getting a bit of side-eye at the office for your autumnal move to dress pants and brogues, this could account for it. Pay them no heed. The way women dress has always been policed and critiqued – for immodesty specifically – and also the general suspicion we’re up to no good.…

WEEKLY STAFF EDITOR Marilynn McLachlan LIFESTYLE & BEAUTY EDITOR Anna Lee SENIOR WRITER Catherine Milford CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Denise Bowden SUB-EDITOR Darren Bevan ART DIRECTOR Mirella Monteiro DESIGNERS Anna Pétursdóttir, Béla Trussell-Cullen, Debby Wei, Hayley Pearce PHOTO EDITOR Kellie Blizard CONTRIBUTORS Donna Fleming, Elisabeth Easther, Fleur Guthrie, Kasia De Vydt-Jillings, Leigh Matheson, Megan McChesney, Nicky Pellegrino, Síana Clifford ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Claire Chisholm claire.chisholm@aremedia.co.nzSENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Chloe Jordan, Amy Madden ACCOUNT MANAGER Sara Grace Aldis SENIOR COMMERCIAL BRAND MANAGER Angela Wei angela.wei@aremedia.co.nzCOMMERCIAL BRAND MANAGER Georgia van Koningsveld DIRECTORY SALES MANAGER Kim Chapman 021 673133 classifieds@xtra.co.nz ARE MEDIA GROUP MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jane Huxley GENERAL MANAGER Stuart Dick EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Henry PRIVACY NOTICE New Zealand Woman’s Weekly is published by Are Media Limited (Are Media). Are Media may use and…

Jess best friends Newly single Jessica Alba, 43, hopped over to Miami to celebrate her “dear friend” Eva Longoria’s 50th birthday. “You are a force – endlessly inspiring, hilarious, generous and full of life,” she shared. Suits you! “I love Elijah!” grinned Kiwi Yellowjackets actor Melanie Lynskey, 47, as she shared a selfie with her I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore co-star Elijah Wood, 44. We think you’re fab yourself, Mel! Cate’s swag Black Bag is described as “stylish, smart and effortlessly cool” – words that apply equally to the movie’s star, Cate Blanchett, 55, as she arrived at the film’s special screening at the Curzon Mayfair in London. WINTER WARMER There was a definite chill in the air as Anne Hathaway took to the snow in…

March 31, 2025 Hello, autumn! Okay, okay, so it’s been here a little while, but now it really feels like it’s starting to set in, with cooler mornings and evenings, those glorious golden leaves sprinkled through the trees and much shorter days. Don’t forget to wind your clocks back an hour on Sunday, April 6! In this week’s issue, our cover star, broadcaster Petra Bagust, brings her usual warmth and unfiltered honesty as she opens up about menopause and her recent diagnosis of ADHD, or aroreretini, as it’s known in te reo Māori. From page six, Petra tells writer Fleur Guthrie she is wholeheartedly embracing being “neurospicy” – add that term to the dictionary immediately! – and wonders if, in fact, there’s a little bit of “spicy” in all of…

Who Do You Think You Are was one of the Spice Girls’ biggest hits. Now the artist formerly known as Ginger Spice is telling the world exactly who she is! Geri Halliwell changed her surname to Horner following her marriage to F1 boss Christian Horner back in 2015. The children’s author and pop singer, 52, however, has recently changed her surname again to Halliwell-Horner. The name switch comes a year after Christian, 51, was caught up in a scandal in which he was accused of sending a plethora of saucy text messages to a female colleague. After an inquiry, his Red Bull team’s parent company cleared him of any wrongdoing. Geri – who shares her daughter Bluebell, 18, with former partner Sacha Gervasi, 59, and son Monty, eight, with Christian…

First there was As Ever, the lifestyle brand, then the cooking show. Now Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has announced her third venture – a new podcast. But within hours of revealing the project – called Confessions of a Female Founder, about women starting up their own businesses – Meghan was copping flak from critics, who pointed out there is already a YouTube series with the same name. There are also two similar podcasts in existence: Confessions of a CEO, which focuses on female founders, and Confessions of a Founder, also about women in the world of business. Meghan, 43, says her podcast was inspired by conversations she’s been having with women who’ve turned their dreams into realities and “scaled small ideas into massively successful businesses.” “They’re opening up, sharing their…

When Kiwi comedy icon Ginette McDonald first appeared onstage in the late 60s as suburban satirist Lyn of Tawa, fellow actor Laura Hill, 49 – party gal Toni on Shortland Street – was just a twinkle in her parents’ eyes. “I was working at Downstage [Theatre] with playwright Bruce Mason, who could do every New Zealand accent from Gore to Kaitaia. When he heard me trying various voices for the play, he encouraged me to do something for Knickers, the late-night revue he was putting on with Roger Hall,” Ginette recalls of the moment that changed her life. Following that auspicious debut, Lyn of Tawa became one of Aotearoa’s best-loved characters, with Ginette – ‘Nettie’ – who is in her 70s, forever fixed in the hearts of the nation. Laura…

Talking about her childhood, TikTok sensation Terressa Kollat is full of warm stories and a reverence for the values her lighthouse-keeper parents instilled in her growing up, living off the land. “My father always used to say, ‘If you look after nature, nature will look after you,’” smiles Terressa, 56, who treasures this sage advice. Working full-time at the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter, on her days offyou’ll find the Southland mother in the bush or at one of her secret kaimoana seafood spots, passing on these lessons of the land to others, often those struggling to overcome trauma and challenging circumstances. “They’re not coming just to learn how to gather kai – it’s a lot of women with anxiety and confidence issues or people with mental health problems,” she explains.…

Forest bathing is the translation of the Japanese term shinrinyoku – “shinrin” meaning forest and “yoku” meaning bath. It’s the wellness experience of soaking up the environment of the forest, using all five of your own senses, says forest therapy guide Mayumi Kataoka. The aim of forest bathing is not to get your heart rate up and exercise like you might during a bushwalk, but rather to slow down and relax, explains Mayumi. “Shinrin-yoku focuses on connecting with nature and feelings of relaxation instead of walking from point A to point B with the purpose of exercise,” she says. “When you slow down, your sense of awareness opens up and you can engage more with nature.” Shinrin-yoku originated in Japan in the 1980s. It was a government-led response to combat…

Everyone deserves a beautiful home, no matter their budget, but sometimes there’s simply not a cent to spare. Put your wallet back in your pocket and rejoice. We’ve got totally doable tips for breathing new life into your home without spending a cent. USE UP LEFTOVER PAINT If you’ve ever taken on a paint job, you’ve almost certainly got old paint tins lying around, with anything from a couple of centimetres to half a can of paint inside, ready to be used on a new project. Start with the practical stuff – if there are scuffed walls or chipped door frames, patching them up can go a long way towards making your home feel fresh and tidy. Then look at the creative stuff – reinvent a tired piece of existing…

TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21 Focus is on home and family. Create a cosy space that brings you joy. Financial stability is on the horizon, so review your budget. Indulge in your favourite comfort foods and take time to unwind. This is also a great week to reconnect with old friends and strengthen bonds. GEMINI May 22 – Jun 21 Your social calendar is buzzing! Connect with friends and network professionally. Communication is your superpower, so use it to your advantage. Stay curious and explore new hobbies that stimulate your mind. Embrace new learning opportunities and challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone. CANCER Jun 22 – Jul 23 Take time to journal and meditate, allowing yourself to process your emotions. A romantic gesture could deepen your…

There’s nothing like feeding your family with fruit and veges fresh from your own garden – like magical food that has sprung from mere soil and with no payment to the man! Plus, as we all know, they taste better. Well, that’s what we like to tell ourselves. When Dad wanders in with a handful of blueberries from the Vegepod, everyone knows the rules. Say, “Ooh”, “ahhh”, and “so much better than the supermarket ones”. Gobble them down and shake your head as if you’ve never tasted anything as delicious ever. We all know our roles and how to play our part. No matter how they actually look or taste, the affirmation of the moral superiority of home-grown must be underlined. Remember how we all praised organic food for its…

How do you feel about doing a solo show? You can hide behind your songs because it’s a performance, even if the songs are nakedly personal. Besides, there’s a band with you as well. But standing alone talking or just playing the bare-bones origins of a famous song is a whole other degree of vulnerability or psychic nudity! It’s taken a while to work out what to do, say and how to make it work. How does it affect you, being a part of people’s lives for so long? As you get older, do you reflect more on that? I’ve never really thought of it like that. Being part of my own life is hard enough! What are you expecting from New Zealand audiences? Spontaneity, informality and a laugh. What…

In late 2023, while broadcaster Petra Bagust was interviewing Anika Moa for her Grey Areas podcast, the tables were turned when the singer/songwriter suddenly posed a personal question mid-chat. Anika, who had been discussing living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) curiously remarked, “Do you have ADHD?” After a quick pause, Petra retorted “Noooo, I don’t think so!” But the comment stirred something that stayed with her long after the microphones were switched off. “Then in May last year, I was talking to Sonia Gray about her experience with neurodiversity,” recalls Petra. “I was like, ‘hmm what if this is me? And what if this makes me make sense?’” In the following months, after watching her youngest son Teddy, 18, also get diagnosed with ADHD, the mum-of-three began keeping a…

Donatella Versace may have been dethroned as creative director of the fashion label that bears her name but insiders say the 69-year-old has made a dignified departure. “Rather than kick up a fuss, she has dealt with her exit elegantly,” says a source. “How she has done that is beyond me.” Donatella took over as creative director of the famous fashion house in 1997 after her designer brother Gianni was shot dead on the doorstep of his Miami mansion by Andrew Cunanan. Despite having no formal training, she built on Gianni’s legacy and continued to be creative director of the flamboyant label after it was sold for $3 billion to US firm Capri Holdings in 2018. Insiders say Donatella has been removed from her role of creative director to smooth…

Queen Camilla was so moved by the courage of rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot that she wrote a personal letter to the French woman, it has been revealed. Her Majesty, 77, who has long championed services that help women affected by domestic violence and sexual abuse, contacted Gisèle after she waived her right to anonymity when her husband Dominique and 50 other men were charged with raping her while she was drugged. Camilla said she was “tremendously affected” by last year’s rape trial in Avignon, France, according to an aide, and reached out to Gisèle to commend her on her “extraordinary courage and dignity”. “As a long-term supporter of survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, the Queen wrote to Madame Pelicot privately,” says the staffmember. “It was very much her instigation…

When Football Fern and international soccer star CJ Bott fi rst shared a classroom with Ryan Preston at Tawa Intermediate School in Wellington, she had no idea at the time that the kid she’d just met would become the love of her life. But 18 years later, when Ryan got down on one knee in January and asked the Leicester City Women’s football defender to marry him, she didn’t hesitate. “It was the most beautiful proposal,” says CJ, 29, from the pair’s home in Leicester, England, where she plays for the football Super League club. “He told me he loved coming home to me every day and wanted to come home to me for the rest of his life – although at the time, I didn’t hear a word he…

1 What’s your go-to breakfast? ❍ A. Smoothie bowl with fresh fruits ❍ B. Avocado toast with a poached egg ❍ C. Homemade granola with yoghurt ❍ D. Pancakes with maple syrup 2 How do you prefer to spend your weekends? ❍ A. Cooking up a storm in the kitchen ❍ B. Volunteering for a good cause ❍ C. Gardening and DIY projects ❍ D. Hosting a brunch for friends 3 What’s your favourite type of exercise? ❍ A. Yoga or Pilates ❍ B. Hiking or outdoor adventures ❍ C. Gardening and light workouts ❍ D. Dance classes or running 4 How do you unwind after a long day? ❍ A. Cooking a delicious meal ❍ B. Reading a good book ❍ C. Crafting or knitting ❍ D. Watching a feel-good…

Chilli con carne meatballs PREP & COOK TIME 45 MINS SERVES 2 1 kūmara (250g) 2 tsp smoked paprika Olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season 1 x 400g tin of black beans  2 tsp cumin seeds  1 fresh red chilli ½ bunch coriander (15g)  250g beef mince  Zest and juice of  1 lime  200g ripe cherry tomatoes Chipotle chilli sauce 1 Wash kūmara and chop into 2cm chunks. In a bowl, toss with paprika, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.  2 Remove shelf from the  air-fryer drawer, tip in the beans, juice and all. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and season well. Replace shelf and add kūmara, keeping the bowl for later. Cook for 15 minutes at 180°C. 3 To make the…

I’m about to turn 76 and be older than I ever expected to live. I take no credit for that. It’s the brilliant health system we have, or perhaps, used to have. But I’m in awe of the doctors and specialists who’ve kept me alive. I could’ve died of a dodgy heart valve at 55. That’s what my father died of at that very age. Heart valve replacements are now commonplace and my metal valve has been ticking away reassuringly for 20 years. A benign tumour was discovered on my pituitary gland, which would have blinded me. In an extraordinary operation, it was removed, but my pituitary gland, which operates the body’s hormones, was damaged. So I’m now steroid-dependent. But how difficult is swallowing a few pills every day? Specialists…

Letters to the Editor WISE WORDS ● Winning letter Marilynn, I was intrigued to read your editor’s letter (NZWW, March 17) regarding the small quiet voice deep inside and agree with your comment that it is almost always right. In my case at the age of 90 I rely on the still small voice where all my best ideas come from. Keep up the good work, the magazine goes from strength to strength. Jan This week’s winning letter writer receives a Wet & Forget exterior house cleaning duo, worth $150! Double Bubble House Wash tackles dirt and grime from paintwork and weatherboards, while Window Witch delivers sparkling, streak-free windows without the hassle of squeegeeing. Just attach either product to your hose, then the unique nozzle delivers a perfectly diluted solution…

While the windscreen of my car was being replaced, I had to use an Uber to commute to work. It’s a bit of a mission getting an Uber at twenty past six on a weekday morning in deepest suburbia, but eventually, a game soul and his Toyota Prius ventured into Beach Haven and I got into the backseat and fastened my seatbelt. After an exchange of good mornings, I sat back and scrolled through my phone. It was a luxury being able to sit back and prepare for my radio show while someone else did the hard yakka of negotiating the rush hour. We were able to use the T3 lane, which meant when I looked up from my phone, we were sailing down Onewa Road, past the line of…