Innholdsfortegnelse for August 18, 2025 i Woman's Own

This issue marks the launch of our Young Minds Offline! campaign. Online, children are at risk of being exposed to harmful content – they’re suffering mental health issues, being groomed, bullied, and taking part in dangerous trends, even taking their own lives. All of this needs to stop, and we believe that by banning social media for under-16s, children will be happier, safer and ultimately lives will be saved. We’d love for you to join us by signing the petition – turn to p52 to find out how. I really believe that every signature is a step closer to making children’s lives better and we need your help to make that happen – and to get the government to listen. Under age means under threat – and it’s time we…

Stacey Solomon is anxious to make a change, following a string of career heartbreaks, but reportedly feels like she’s ‘in no man’s land’. The former X Factor contestant suffered a string of criticism in recent months, after she was publicly upset at losing out on a BAFTA and came under fire for being out of touch on her reality show Stacey & Joe, with husband Joe Swash. Now, after the ‘brutal’ backlash, she’s unsure what to do next. ‘THERE WAS SO MUCH RIDING ON THAT SHOW’ An insider told Woman’s Own, ‘There was so much riding on that show with Joe. She thought it would be their Osbournes or Kardashians moment – the chance to become a proper TV power couple brand, with their kids in tow. But the backlash…

HAILEY BIEBER We get it, Hailey. You’re a stunning supermodel married to one of the world’s biggest music stars. You founded a hugely successful beauty brand and get papped every time you leave the house. But couldn’t you have let your friend – model and influencer Stephanie Shepherd – have her moment in the spotlight on her big day? No? OK then. CHERYL What does one wear to a friend’s wedding but feathers and jewels? And no, we’re not talking accessories but Cheryl’s actual dress. The former X Factor judge didn’t hold back when she attended TV exec Nigel Hall’s celebrations at London’s fancy Claridge’s Hotel. KYLIE JENNER Hailey went all-out at her own wedding to Sorry singer Justin, but Kylie wasn’t about to let the pair take centre stage.…

Beach day A block-colour swimsuit is both flattering and chic. Stash some crochet shorts in your bag as an easy cover-up post-splash too. Barbecue Give a simple T-shirt a fancier spin by teaming it with this season’s must-have postcard prints and a classic pair of raffia heels. Fancy brunch When two printed pieces contain the same colours they can create a fashion-forward kind of clash that really works. Shiny metallic finishing touches will up the glam factor. Afternoon picnic Picky bits in the sunshine calls for floaty frocks and a bag big enough to hold all your al fresco essentials. Finish with sunglasses in a similar tone and you’ll be all set. City staycation For a weekend away, pack a matching co-ord that can be worn together and then with…

ANXIETY IN THE WORKPLACE Q My new boss at work is making my life awful – and it’s affecting my health. I’m having trouble sleeping and I just feel anxious all the time waiting for her to find fault with me. My husband says I should just hand in my notice, but we need the money. Please help. A Speak to your GP about this. If you are in a state of constant anxiety and chronically sleep deprived, you’re not in the best place to be making decisions that will affect your family finances. Your GP can sign you off from work for a while to give you some rest, and may suggest some nonaddictive medication to ease your anxiety. Meds keep me awake Q I was first diagnosed with…

Looking down at my size-26 frame, I felt embarrassed and nervous, but determined. ‘I need gastric surgery,’ I told my GP. Thanks to my appetite, I’d been heavy since my school days, and I’d been trying to lose weight for as long as I could remember, but nothing worked. Now, at 5ft 3in and 20st, I was desperate for help. ‘You’ll need to lose weight first,’ my GP replied. I wanted to scream. If I could have lost the weight, I would have! It was late 2020, and I was a 32-year-old married mum with a daughter, then four, and son, three, and my size was destroying my life. My kids were growing fast, but I couldn’t keep up with them. We lived five minutes from the beach but I…

CLUES & ARROWS Fill in the clues in the direction of the arrows. Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Wordsearch Which grape variety was so popular in the 19th century that in South Africa it was called ‘Wyndruif’ or ‘wine grape’? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BACCHUSBARBERACABERNETCHENINCORTESE GAMAYGLERAGRUNERMALBECMERLOT MUSCATNEROPINOTSEMILLONSHIRAZ Wordwise You have 15 minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the grid. Each word must contain four or more letters, one of which must be the central square. No proper nouns, plurals or foreign words. There is one nine-letter word, for which the clue is: something without equal. 25 = average. More than 45 =…

Film FREAKIER FRIDAY In cinemas 8 August This long-awaited sequel picks up 22 years after Tess (Jamie-Lee Curtis) and Anna (Lindsay Lohan) had their identity crisis, with Anna now having a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the challenges that come when two families merge, the mother-daughter duo discover that lightning might indeed strike twice. Music CRAIG DAVID Commitment (Believe), out now Legendary singer Craig David will be providing this year’s summer anthems with his ninth studio album. Expect to dance all night long and sing your heart out to these new tunes. Tour 2:22: A GHOST STORY – UK TOUR Until 4 July 2026, multiple locations including Glasgow, Birmingham, Southampton and Cardiff, tickets from £15 Following a successful run in the West End, 2:22:…

TV presenter, campaigner, documentary maker and Loose Women panellist Katie Piper, 41, has been in the public eye for over 15 years, but how well do we know her? Here, the star, who lives with her husband Richard and has two daughters – Belle, 11, and Penelope, seven – fills us in on the things that make her happy. 1 Item in your wardrobe A pair of wedges that I bought recently. I love a high heel and these are really high, but because they’re a wedge, they’re really comfortable, too. They’re also a neutral colour so they go with everything. 2 Reality show I like First Dates – is that reality? I like seeing real people go on dates, it’s really cute. 3 CELEBRITY HERO That’s a tough one.…

Kate FORCED TO SELL HOME Kate Garraway has had to put her second home up for sale in a bid to help clear her £800,000 debt. The Good Morning Britain host bought the property in North London back in 2004, a year before she married late husband Derek Draper, but it is now on the market and is expected to sell for as much as £2 million. A source said, ‘Kate takes paying off the debts very seriously and she’s always said she’d go to any lengths to achieve that. This is just part of that commitment, even if it does mean she’s had to lose the flat which she actually purchased years ago… Like many people, she was keeping it as a financial safety net which she thought she…

Andrea McLean has shared details around her ‘stressful’ and ‘tough’ decision to move to Spain from the UK, following a period of ill health and the failure of her business. The former Loose Women panellist and third husband Nick Feeney have packed up their worldly possessions into a car to make the big move with their dog Teddy, and in a series of videos online, she told followers about what has been happening since. In the first upbeat clip, she cheerfully revealed that the pair were ‘on their way’ in the middle of France, exclaiming, ‘We did it!’ However, in a follow-up after they had reached Spain, the 55-year-old star – who has children Finlay, 23, and Amy, 18, from her two previous marriages, while Nick has daughters Tia, 23,…

Buy of the week Whether you’re off to a festival or on a camping trip, keep your hair and scalp clean with FreshWipes Rinse-Free Shampoo Cap (£5.99 for one, freshwipes.co.uk). HEALTH MATHS 3 steps to use an electric toothbrush Fresh breath and protection against cavities and gum disease. If you do one thing Spot hidden germs Feel like you’re always doing housework? You’re not alone. In the UK, we spend up to 10 hours a week cleaning*. But are our homes germ-free? ‘Keeping it clean isn’t just about what you see, it’s also about what you don’t,’ says expert Lynsey Crombie**. Most of us have germ hotspots that we overlook, such as light switches, TV remotes, dishcloths, fridge handles and drawers. ‘When these commonly used items go uncleaned, they become…

He has a secret child Q After 22 years of marriage, I’ve just found out that my husband has a five-year-old child. The affair ended when the baby was born, but he’s been secretly supporting this son for years. I’m furious and I want him out, but he says it will ruin him financially and I need to think about our kids’ feelings too. What should I do? A Your fury is a natural response to your husband’s deception, financial dishonesty and the damage done to you and your children. Right now, your priority needs to be you, not his attempts to minimise the fallout. That said, avoid any big decisions in this emotional state. Consider a temporary separation to create space, and consult a lawyer to understand your rights…

Skincare for your hands Your hands are just as ravaged by the elements as your face, but rarely do they experience the same level of pampering. Take a cue from your facial regime and use vitamin C to protect hands each morning, followed by a retinoid in the evening to rev up collagen production and smooth out crepey, see-through skin. You can use the same products you apply to your face, or if you’d prefer a separate line-up for hands, there’s Boots Vitamin C Brightening Hand & Nail Serum, £3, Boots, and No7 Pure Retinol Hand Cream, £17.95, Boots. Spot of bother Since your hands are always on show, it’s common to see dark spots crop up. Nivea Luminous 630 Anti Dark Spot Hand Cream, £6.99, Boots, is designed to…

Dear Eva, I often think back to that moment when you were first placed in my arms. Minutes old, it was the beginning of your life, but it was the start of a new life for me, too. After a long labour, you were finally here – my first baby. The next day, in September 2020, we went home with your daddy Justin, then 31. We loved you so much, but you were unsettled, Eva, hardly sleeping and losing weight. I can still remember when the doctor first suggested something might be wrong. The enzyme levels in your liver were high and you were admitted to Hereford County Hospital’s children’s ward. ‘DESPERATE TO HELP, I GRABBED MY PHONE’ Despite tests, doctors couldn’t pinpoint the problem. As you lay in your…

Every morning, I have a ritual – and it’s not slathering on expensive face cream! I check my current account. After breakfast, I open my banking app and scrutinise income and outgoings for that week, then month, and adjust my budget accordingly. As we all know, the unexpected can happen. Recently, the living-room TV stopped working so I had to spend £149 on a new set, split with my partner John, 64. As usual, I shopped around for a good deal and while I wouldn’t call myself tight, I’m definitely frugal. ‘MONEY GIVES YOU SECURITY AS WELL AS FREEDOM’ I’ve always had this approach to spending, thanks to my parents. At six, my accountant father opened my first building society account and deposited £50 to kick-start my savings. It was…

Cheese and date sausage rolls MAKES 8 A moreish twist on the classic. Trust us, you’ll want to make a double batch! YOU WILL NEED 1tsp fennel seeds¼tsp peppercorns1tbsp cooking oil1 onion, thinly sliced400g sausage meat1 small handful parsley, roughly chopped100g melty cheese (we used Cheddar and Stilton)50g dates, pitted and chopped320g ready-rolled sheet puff pastry1tbsp English or Dijon mustard1 medium free-range egg, beaten1tsp nigella or black sesame seeds (optional) HOW TO DO IT 1 Dry-fry the fennel seeds until aromatic, then crush them along with the peppercorns. Heat the oil in the pan and gently fry the onion until golden. Cool, then mix with the sausage meat, parsley, cheese, dates and crushed fennel/pepper, until combined. 2 On a lightly floured surface, unroll the pastry, then brush with mustard. Shape the filling…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr This year the planets all align just for you, helping to increase your independence, confidence and self-esteem. So, focus on activities that help you in all of these areas. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May Occasionally a lone wolf, you need space to process your feelings. Walk in nature, soak in the bath, and contemplate how you’d like to proceed for the rest of 2025. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun With Uranus now in your sign you can expect flashes of inspiration and sudden insights. Act on these accordingly, as this is a once-in-a-lifetime transit for you. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul Venus in Cancer helps you to attract beautiful things. This might be a new car, item of clothing or friend.…

SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW by Cathy Bramley (£16.99, HB, Orion) When single mother Magnolia Jones loses her beautiful 23-year-old daughter Brontë in a tragic accident, her only hope of healing lies in an unexpected adventure. After finding her late daughter’s travel journal filled with gap year plans, Magnolia decides to honour her memory by embarking on the dream trip in Brontë’s place. Her adventures span the globe, from Nepal and Australia to Bali, where by chance she is reunited with an old flame – Brontë’s father, Jackson. Magnolia hasn’t seen him since she was a lovestruck traveller in her early 20s. Can they begin to heal together? A poignant tale about grief and new beginnings. IT MIGHT NEVER HAPPEN by Emily Slapper (£16.99, HB, HarperCollins) A tender, raw, and painfully…

Jodie Whittaker ‘THE ACCENT WAS REALLY HARD!’ The former Doctor Who star on twisty thriller One Night… In the six-part drama, Jodie Whittaker plays Australian banker Tess, who’s been living in the UK for many years and returns Down Under – two decades after being subjected to a terrifying sexual assault, of which she has little memory. ‘I’LL GIVE MYSELF AN A FOR EFFORT’ After arriving back, with her wife Vicki (Kat Stewart) in tow, Tess’ past soon rears its head when she resumes contact with her estranged pals, budding novelist Simone (Nicole da Silva) and lawyer Hat (Yael Stone), who were with her on the fateful night. ‘Tess has fought against the memory of this place,’ says Jodie, 43. ‘It feels like a weakness to have these fractious friendships…

Sir Elton John could prove to be the unlikely solution to the Beckhams’ family crisis after he held a lunch with his godson Brooklyn Peltz Beckham in the South of France. The legendary musician is said to have a particularly close relationship with the Beckhams’ eldest child, and met up with him and his wife Nicola in Cannes, where he reportedly tried to convince them to end the row. The pair were holidaying in the area with Nicola’s family. ‘They had a really fun long lunch in the South of France, where Elton and [his husband] David have a beautiful villa, and besides a very brief chat on the subject that dare [not] rear its name, they discussed loads of other, much more light-hearted matters. Elton has said his bit…

WE ARE THE REAL CHAMPIONS Sorry lads, but when it comes to sports, us women just do it better According to men, football has been ‘coming home’ since 1966. So long that us women decided that, for God’s sake, we’d go and get it ourselves. Which we did. And we even gave it a light dust on the way. (Before any blokes make that joke!) So, congratulations to the most successful football team the UK have ever produced - England’s Lionesses. Champions of Europe – twice. Now bring on the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which kicks off on Friday 22 August as England’s Red Roses play the USA in Sunderland. Scotland and Wales will also fly the flag for the home nations at various stadiums across the UK. Now before…

Walking is free, easy, really good for your health and waistline, and the whole family can join in. But heat and holidays can often get in the way of hitting that daily step count. However, with our expert tips, tricks and tweaks, it’s easy to move more – and you could lose up to 2lbs a week along the way. UP YOUR INDOOR COUNT Bring some of your daily steps indoors and incorporate them into everyday tasks. March on the spot while you brush your teeth or salsa-step while you’re cooking dinner. Walking on the spot for two minutes of teeth brushing is approximately 200 steps. Twice a day, that’s 400! USE THE HOTEL STAIRS How often do you find yourself popping into the hotel lift, even if your bedroom…

Summer is a time of relaxation, which means allowing your brain to rest, too. If you don’t ease your mental load every once in a while, you’re at risk of burnout and brain fog. ‘You might start to notice increased fatigue, poor concentration and feeling irritable,’ says psychological wellbeing practitioner Siobhan Codner at Nuffield Health. Try these easy practices to feel lighter and brighter. SORT RACING THOUGHTS Overwhelmed by travel plans, money worries or other life stresses? Having a brain that won’t switch off can lead to anxiety and depression if left unchecked. Here’s what can help… ✣ CREATE A WORRY CHARACTER Turn that nagging voice in your head into an actual person. ‘Imagine a character who’s constantly worrying about things,’ says hypnotherapist Chloe Brotheridge*. ‘Imagine how they look, think…

Muted orange This season’s take on orange is softer and more wearable than a more zingy, citrus hue. Go for muted terracotta or sun-baked clay tones such as OPI Nail Lacquer in Apricot AF, £9.95, nailpolishdirect.co.uk. It’s a colour that will take you easily from summer into autumn. Nicely nude ‘Finding the right nude shade to suit your skin tone can be tricky, especially for black and Asian skin,’ says nail expert Julia Diogo. ‘Using the wrong colour can make your skin look dull and ashy.’ Bio Sculpture Nourishing Nail Polish in Savannah Dusk, £15.95, biosculpture.co.uk, is the perfect pinky nude on darker skin. While Dior Vernis Nail Polish in Muguet, £29, dior.com is beautiful on paler skin. Lemon drop Model Hailey Bieber sets manicure trends and this summer her…

Sighing, I stared at the illuminated screen of my phone, trying to think of something witty to say that wouldn’t be cheesy, clichéd or off-putting. ‘Don’t forget to change your age!’ my friend warned. ‘DON’T TRUST EVERYTHING YOU’RE BEING TOLD’ It was 2024 and, newly single after 31 years of marriage and an amicable divorce, I’d decided to dip my toe into online dating. But as my friend earnestly explained that most men would set their age limit to ‘under 60’ (even if they were far above that themselves), I panicked and did as she said. ‘You don’t look your age so no one will guess,’ she laughed as I decided I was 55 – six years younger than my real age. This was just one of the realities of…

Asda Tesco Sainsbury’s…

OLIVIA ATTWOOD Panellist Olivia, 34, has spent some of the summer in Greece filming the second series of her show, Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends. And while she said filming in the heat is hard and the hours are gruelling, days off spent around the pool drinking rosé make it all worth it. Work hard, party harder, Liv! JANE MOORE Having split from husband Gary in 2022, Jane now enjoys girls’ trips and her most recent holiday was to Mexico. Jane, 63, stayed on Holbox Island. ‘What a glorious trip it has been. This island has something for everyone of all ages and budgets and has the most brilliant atmosphere. Have loved it,’ she said when she left. COLEEN NOLAN Coleen and daughter Ciara, 24, were lucky enough to go to…