Innholdsfortegnelse for September 29, 2025 i Woman's Own

I’m always so impressed by people who do things. I know that might sound silly, but what I mean by that is the people who give up their time to make a difference. It’s the volunteers of the world – the unsung heroes fighting for our environment, for others to have the same freedoms we often take for granted, for education – who deserve all the accolades. On p38, we speak to three inspiring women who are determined to help others. Liz, Sally and Wendy – thank you. And thank you to all the other people who give up their time – whether that’s helping at your local library, donating to a food bank, encouraging recycling, taking part in a protest, the list goes on. Everything makes a difference. Enjoy,…

While a bloodbath of job cuts at ITV is expected to soon land, the cast and crew of Loose Women have already said goodbye to a much-loved member of staff. It is widely expected that the redundancies on the channel will begin in January, but it seems the sad goodbyes to colleagues have already begun - with Ruth Langsford, Nadia Sawalha and Coleen Nolan bidding an emotional goodbye to a producer they had become friends with. Dream career Jordan Rowley had worked on the show for four years, and wrote a post online thanking those on the show for his time there. ‘[I’ve] gone from making teas and coffees to producing my very own shows, something my younger self could only have dreamt of,’ he said. ‘I can’t begin to…

ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES? Their name might not actually be Jones, of course, but are your neighbours richer than you? Thought this kind of thing went out with The Good Life (remember that?) but in today’s cash-strapped, cost-of-living times it appears not. Now a newspaper has put together a report tracking the relative wealth/poverty of the UK. Using Office for National Statistics figures the study also lays bare the truth about what jobs earn what. First, congratulations if you earn £31,602 because that makes you Mrs Normal no matter what job you do. This is the average salary for full- and part-time employees across the UK. The highest earners are pilots and air traffic controllers, with a median salary of £96,415. That puts them in the top…

Buy of the week Bunions causing uncomfortable rubbing? Compeed’s Bunion Plasters (£7.29 for five, Boots) provide instant pressure relief and help to prevent blisters. HEALTH MATHS 3 steps to… beat burnout If you do one thing Cut your cholesterol Did you know that your diet could be putting you at risk for heart disease and strokes? Cholesterol is a type of blood fat, made in the liver, that we need to stay healthy, but too much can clog our arteries and lead to health problems. ‘Many people eat too much saturated fat, and that’s when the problems start,’ says senior nurse Christopher Allen. Particular offenders include cakes, biscuits and pastries, plus fatty meats, such as lamb chops, processed meats like ham, and full-fat dairy products (cheese, margarine and butter). Instead,…

I’m lonely and bored Q I’m in my late 40s and lately I’ve been struggling with a deep sense of worthlessness. I’m divorced, and my only son has moved away with his girlfriend. My job and dating life feel stagnant, and many nights I find myself home, bored and lonely. I feel like my best years are behind me. A These feelings are completely understandable – divorce, an empty nest and dissatisfaction with work or relationships can leave anyone feeling isolated and stuck. But this is when it’s most important to push yourself, even just a little, to try something new. Action creates momentum and momentum leads to change. Try one new thing each week: join a hobby group, take a class or explore a new interest. Anything that expands…

When it comes to marriage, we all like to think that the commitments we make at the start remain as strong as ever throughout our relationship. But the reality is that this it isn’t always the case. According to a new study, married men are more likely than women to have affairs during high-stress periods of their life, such as changing jobs, moving home or because of financial pressures. Of course, many women cheat too. In the UK, around a third of marriages end in divorce and infidelity is one of the most commonly cited reasons. But why is it that men tend to take more risks when it comes to affairs than women? Woman’s Own investigates and speaks to a someone who is no stranger to being ‘the other woman’,…

READER QUESTION Q Are bicycles generally covered on home insurance policies or do I need separate cover? A Most home contents policies do – but don’t assume this without checking. Even if it is included, the cover may be limited. As an example, most policies will cover a bike while at home but protection when you’re out is often an optional feature. Find more info at which.co.uk. Go green for less Save 20% off your first order of haircare and bodycare products at KinKind, which includes their new Refillable AntiPerspirant Deodorant Starter Pack. It comes with a plastic-free ‘Forever Case’ and a refill already supplied inside (was £12.45, now £9.96) with offer code WELCOME20 at kinkind.co.uk. Offer ends 29 December 2025. T&Cs apply. UK only.* 3 easy ways to...…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr The Full Moon in Aries this month helps you take charge of a situation that’s been causing you some stress. You know what to do, so act on your inspiration. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May Occasionally, your faith can waiver, especially if you’re unsure of the plan. Try focusing on what’s in front of you. One step at a time, then things will become clearer. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun Uranus has been in Gemini for a few months, shaking up the status quo. If you feel unsettled, think about acting on some of the ideas that you have had. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul You’re receiving back some of the good energy you put out a few months ago. Know…

THE TIME HOP COFFEE SHOP by Phaedra Patrick (£9.99, PB, Bloomsbury) Would you leave everything behind for the perfect life? Once upon a time, Greta had it all. As well as being a happy wife and mother, she was the well-known star of the Maple Gold coffee commercials. These were the golden days, before Greta’s family life grew fraught with tension and her fame faded. One day, after wishing for a perfect life in a mysterious coffee shop, Greta wakes up in the fantastical world of Mapleville, straight out of the coffee commercial. Will she choose this dream come true over the beautiful mess of the real world? A feel-good delight. THE NAKED LIGHT by Bridget Collins (£18.99, HB, HarperCollins) The Face has watched over the village of Haltington for…

WILDE CHILD Catching up with The Masked Singer’s Joel Dommett is always a hoot – and gives the doting dad an opportunity to scroll through his phone to show me snaps of his family, wife Hannah and son Wilde, who was born just after Joel hosted the National TV Awards two years ago. There’s no sign of the terrible twos, yet. Joel tells me of the apple of his eye, ‘He does have some favourite words. He loves blueberries but can’t say it yet so he calls them boobies!’ BARRIE CARRIES ON It’s impossible to believe former Corrie and Carry On icon Amanda Barrie has turned 90 – and she reveals all in her memoir, I’m Still Here: My 90 Years. I never tire of hearing her tales of working…

TELL-ALL BOOK ABOUT MEGHAN? The Duchess of Sussex could be the focus of a new book, written by her former best friend Jessica Mulroney. Publishers are said to be keen to get Jessica, 45, to write all about the souring of their relationship, which resulted in pictures of her with Meghan being deleted from Instagram. Meghan met fashion stylist Jessica while filming the TV drama Suits, and Jessica’s children were page boys and bridesmaid at Meghan’s wedding in 2018. Now, Jessica could be set to earn a seven-figure sum for her story. A source said, ‘Jessica’s explosive story is the one publishers want to get their hands on. She could command up to a seven-figure dollar sum depending on what she is prepared to say. There’s huge interest in Jessica’s…

FOR THE FRILL Elevate the classic denim shirt with statement ruffles. Top, £22.50, sizes 6-22, F&F at Tesco BEADED BEAUTIES Prepare to dazzle in this bold drop design. Earrings, £12, Accessorize SKIN SAVIOUR Brightens and conceals. MCoBeauty 4-in-1 Colour Corrector, £6, Superdrug THE RIGHT LINES Keep your belongings neat and tidy. Basket, £3, flyingtiger.com GLAM GLOSS Hydrates lips. Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment, £17, Boots SWEAT IT OUT Dress down Sundays just got chicer. Sweater, £22.99, sizes xxs-xxl, H&M BRIGHT SPARK Display on the mantelpiece or table for a pop of colour. Candlestick, £5, Primark SNUGGLE UP Create a cosy reading nook with beautiful blankets and mood-boosting foliage. Throw, £20, banana leaf plant, £65, plant pot, £15, all Matalan; other items, stylist’s own FRESH START With nourishing oils. Neal’s Yard…

Matalan Bonmarché M&S Primark In association with Bonmarché Lisa Snowdon shares her wardrobe staples for autumn as part of her first style edit with British high street fashion brand Bonmarché: ✽ A tailored pinstripe suit brings instant sophistication and versatility – effortlessly styled for both smart and casual looks. ✽ Leopard-print jeans make a bold statement and work with neutral knits or structured layers. ✽ A crisp white shirt is a wardrobe hero – style it by tucking it into tailored trousers or jeans for a polished look. ✢ The collection of timeless staples is on sale now, and is available in 225 Bonmarché stores nationwide, online at bonmarche.co.uk and also via the Bonmarché app.…

Does ketchup take up room in the fridge because you’re unsure about keeping it in the cupboard? Or do you still treat bug bites with toothpaste, as that’s what you did growing up? When it comes to wellbeing, there’s lots of advice we follow, or things we avoid, because of folklore or rumours – but what are the facts? We quizzed our experts on these health myths to discover if there’s any truth in them. Here’s what you need to know. True YOU CAN’T MIX SUPPLEMENTS WITH CERTAIN MEDS It’s safe to take some supplements alongside medication, but others can reduce effectiveness or amplify side effects. ‘St John’s Wort can interfere with antidepressants and the contraceptive pill, while high doses of vitamin K may affect blood-thinning medications like warfarin,’ says…

Whether that ‘Spidey sense’ has kicked in when you feel something isn’t quite right, or you have found yourself saying ‘yes’ to an offer without fully thinking it through, your gut can be a powerful decision maker. ‘It’s a feeling that might be experienced as a profound certainty – a clear, calm knowing,’ explains the psychotherapist Sophie Scott*. But are you reading those signs correctly? Take our quiz to see if you follow your head or heart in life, and get advice on how to act when it matters. Take the test Grab a pen and circle the answers that you feel best apply to you, then read on for our expert advice. 1 YOU’RE OFFERED A NEW, BETTER JOB BUT IT MEANS RELOCATING. YOU… ■ Immediately say ‘yes’. You…

Creamy tomato and chicken gnocchi SERVES 4 A tasty one-dish dinner that’s bound to be popular with the whole family. YOU WILL NEED 1tbsp olive oil, for frying4 small skin-on chicken breasts1 onion, chopped500g pack gnocchi6 sage or basil leaves, plus extra, finely sliced, to serve1 fat garlic clove, crushed400g tomato passata150ml chicken stock3tbsp crème fraiche3tbsp freshly grated Parmesan HOW TO DO IT 1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the chicken breasts, skin-side down, and fry for 4 mins until the skin is golden. Turn the chicken and add the onion to the pan. Fry for a further 3-4 mins, stirring the onion occasionally to stop it from catching. 2 Season with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken, add the gnocchi and fry for 1 min,…

Olivia Attwood first shot to overnight fame when she signed up to Love Island in 2017. Since then, Liv has quietly worked her way up the ranks in the TV world. Two years ago she became a Loose Women panellist, and earlier this summer she made her debut hosting This Morning, alongside seasoned presenter Dermot O’Leary. In recent weeks, Olivia - who is married to footballer husband Bradley Dack - has been the focus of media attention on her relationship with Pete Wicks, who she works alongside on radio. She admits the pair are ‘close’ and they holidayed with other friends in Ibiza recently, but that she ‘doesn’t get invested’ in what people have to say. It was also revealed that the house in Cheshire that she shares with Bradley…

Sitting side by side on the sofa, me and my partner Gawain, then 27, exchanged a smile. Curled up in his arms was our newborn baby daughter Rose, sleeping blissfully. And curled up, just as tiny, in my arms, was her twin sister Reese. It was June 2015 and the girls had made me the happiest woman in the world. They were a picture of perfection, and I hoped they’d help to bring me and their daddy closer. Because, for a while, things hadn’t been great between me and Gawain - or Rush, as everyone called him. We’d met online in 2014 and while things had been amazing at the start, after falling pregnant, Rush, a helicopter mechanic in the US Navy, had begun to change. He’d started checking my…

Watching the band up on stage, I felt so proud. ‘That’s my dad,’ I boasted to my friends as he drummed along to rock music. Aged 10, I loved going to his gigs. I’d tag along to rehearsals and knew all the words to his songs, but, having been adopted, it was no surprise that I hadn’t inherited any of his musical talents. I was just five when my parents sat me down and explained they’d chosen me to be their daughter. Still so young, I hadn’t really understood what it meant, except that they loved me. ‘You’ll always be our girl,’ Dad told me. Only now, in 1990, I was starting to notice how different I was from the rest of our family. As well as not having any…

WHAT’S WRONG WITH MY EAR? Q My husband snores really badly, so I wear earplugs at night. When I took them out the other morning, there was a funny popping sound in my left ear, and ever since that ear has felt itchy and sore. I haven’t worn the plugs since as I’m worried that I may have damaged my ear. What do you think? A Using earplugs or hearing aids can commonly lead to infections developing in the outer ear canal. This is called otitis externa. Make an appointment to see your GP, who will examine your ear and confirm the diagnosis. They will probably prescribe some ear drops for you, and you should avoid using earplugs until the symptoms are completely resolved. How do I find out my…

PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF WRITING STEP 1 Ready, set, go! Before applying any make-up, it’s important to prepare your skin first. Use a hydrating serum, face cream and, of course, your daily SPF to create the perfect canvas. Then, taking W7 The Dewy Fixer Setting Spray, £4, www.w7makeup.co.uk, give your face a generous misting of product. Despite being a setting spray, this can also be used as your primer and your first make-up step. It’s packed with hydrating ingredients that prevent make-up from fading or smudging. Don’t forget to use it as your final step at the end, too. STEP 2 Breathable base You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a good-quality foundation, and Barry M Fresh Face Foundation, £7.99, Superdrug, is proof of this.…

Next AUTUMN REFRESH Embrace the seasonal trend for cosy knits, pumpkin motifs and warm orange hues Matalan COUNTRY COOL Keep to a neutral palette with touches of sage green and gourd designs for this subtle nod to the season…

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 The Fallas festival involving fireworks and bonfires is held in which city every March? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BARCELONABILBAOCADIZCUENCAELCHEGIRONAGRANADAMADRIDMALAGAMURCIAPALMASEVILLETOLEDOVALENCIAVIGO CROSSWORD ACROSS 10 Kirstie __, presenter of Location, Location, Location (7) 20 Shaken (7) 26 Larry __, actor who played Archie Mitchell in EastEnders (4) 31 Seminar (6) DOWN .. in Hollywood, 2019 alternative history film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie (4) 6 Itinerant (10) 14 Drums (10) 17 Pests (9) 18 Adorn (8) 22 Rub (6) 23 Matt _, star of TV series Doctor Who and The Crown…

Film ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER In cinemas 26 September When a despised enemy returns after 16 years, a group of ex-revolutionaries come back together to rescue the daughter of one of their own. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro. Tour LEWIS CAPALDI TOUR 23-30 September, multiple locations including Nottingham, Cardiff and Dublin After two years away from the spotlight, Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi made a spectacular return at Glastonbury in June. Now the star is back on stage once more with new music, as part of his worldwide tour. Show THE RETURN OF THE LEGENDS UK TOUR 23 September-17 October, multiple locations, tickets from £30 After a sold-out 2024 tour with rave reviews, former Strictly professionals Brendan Cole, James Jordan, Pasha Kovalev, Vincent Simone and Ian Waite…

Lorna Watson ‘I’M AMAZED BY WHAT THEY COME UP WITH!’ The Sister Boniface Mysteries star on the return of the cosy crime drama… Returning for a fourth series of the Father Brown spin-off, Lorna Watson reprises her role as the scooter-riding, crime-solving nun who knows her way around a Bunsen burner, which once again means having to don Sister Boniface’s habit and wimple… ‘I love the costume,’ says Lorna. ‘It changes the way you move and it changes the way you listen because everything’s a bit muffled under the wimple. You get used to it but when you take it off at the end of the day, it’s like hatching out of an egg. Suddenly you can hear and the world is different!’ ‘IT’S VERY COLOURFUL AND VARIED’ As usual,…

Wow, I almost didn’t recognise you!’ my friend Anna said as I walked into a bar recently to meet her for a drink. And even though I have known her since primary school, there was one very striking reason. I have, over the past five years or so, gone gradually lighter from brunette to ‘bronde’, until finally becoming a fully fledged blonde, and it’s definitely given me a new lease of life. Like Princess Kate, it wasn’t until I was in my 40s that I started to, er, ‘lighten up’ and now I wish I’d done it sooner. TAKING THE PLUNGE While my brunette locks were never quite as perfect as Kate’s (who I’m guessing has an army of hair stylists), like her, I had long brown hair for decades.…