Innholdsfortegnelse for 2-Jan-2025 i Woman's Weekly

Presenting our age “There’s an argument for saying that it’s better to differentiate the generations not by categories such as baby boomer, Generation X or millennials but by which Blue Peter presenters you remember. I have to admit I’m Valerie Singleton and even Christopher Trace (probably something Lady Bracknell wouldn’t approve of me revealing), but I crossed over to John Noakes and others. However, there will be readers who are team Lesley Judd, Sarah Greene, Janet Ellis or many others. But for my children, it was Konnie Huq and Matt Baker in particular. Matt, of course, has gone on to have a glittering and varied career post-Blue Peter. See page 8.”…

After joining Blue Peter in 1999, Matt Baker stepped into a dream telly career, travelling the globe, filming everywhere from Sydney and Japan to Egypt and the Arctic Circle. But it was in a BBC edit suite that he received the grounding that would one day take his career to the next level. ‘I spend a lot of my time producing, editing and directing now, which is the love I developed back on Blue Peter. When I came off-air, I’d sit for hours with the editors who were making all the shows and little films. I loved that side of it,’ says Matt, 47, who later joined The One Show, the BBC’s hit nightly programme, which he presented for nine years before quitting in 2019 to launch his own television…

“I recently went to South Africa for two weeks on my first solo holiday, which was absolutely extraordinary. It was like a geography textbook come to life. You’re so close to nature and history there, which are both lovely things. Their history is so complicated but they’re keen to share it with you. It’s a very open and incredibly friendly country. My husband John, who passed away four years ago, used to organise everything when we went away. I would be like, ‘OK, just tell me where I need to be and when!’ I’ve never done a trip where everything is arranged for you by a company, so that was a totally new experience. There’s something really lovely about leaving the arranging to someone who knows all the best places…

3 OF THE BEST... Fitness buys 1 WHETHER YOU’RE ON A WALK OR A WORKOUT, this ultra-wicking, no-sweat T-shirt will keep you dry and comfortable. Zero Rules Technical T-shirt, £30, columbiasportswear.co.uk. 2 BUILD MUSCLE AND BOOST YOUR HEALTH for better balance and agility through to a reduced risk of serious health conditions, such as dementia and cancer. Lonsdale Neoprene Kettle Bell, 4kg, £5, Sports Direct. 3 HIT THE MORE CHALLENGING POSES, whatever your flexibility, with this foam yoga block. £5.99, Decathlon. NEWSFLASH Drink tea or coffee to protect your heart Having caffeine can improve your cardiovascular health, says a new report. Daily tea and coffee drinkers have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, found researchers from Sapienza University in Rome. Two or three cups a day will help…

It was the night when the roles for the forthcoming panto would be finalised. Due to a lack of experienced male actors, Sharon had been asked to play Slug, one of the Ugly Sisters. She was hoping her husband Vincent could be persuaded to play Lettuce. As the director turned to him, she held her breath. ‘Vincent, I’d like you to play one of the Ugly Sisters, opposite your wife. What do you think?’ Sharon wasn’t surprised when Vincent shook his head. ‘Thanks, Jack, but I’d rather not. I’m not sure it’s me.’ ‘I understand your reluctance,’ the director replied. ‘The problem is, we have some new people coming along. I could ask one of them, but the role needs somebody with acting experience. The panto may be called Cinderella…

Sonny Boy by Al Pacino (£25, HB, Cornerstone) Hugely respected within the film industry, actor Al Pacino’s career has included all-time movie classics such as the Godfather trilogy, where he was mesmerising as Michael Corleone, and others including Serpico and Scarface. Legends don’t come much larger, and this revealing autobiography charts a troubled upbringing, and his early life in New York City’s South Bronx. Here, he established himself as a fixture in avant-garde theatre, so while Pacino was already in his 30s when his big film breaks came, his love for his craft was already deeply ingrained. A gripping insight. A Thousand Feasts by Nigel Slater (£20, HB, HarperCollins) It’s a memoir, but not as we know it… For years, Nigel Slater has kept notebooks of curiosities and wonderings, and…

SWAN LAKE – WITH DUCKS Is it dance? Is it circus? Is it comedy? You’ll enjoy all of those and more in Circa’s Duck Pond, a dazzling interpretation of Swan Lake. The show features stunts, feathers, sequins and an army of flipper-clad ducks, as well as black and white swans. The Australian-based company brings Duck Pond to London’s Southbank centre from now until 30 December. ✱ duckpond.live Ancient and modern We’ve followed the progress of bison in Kent and water buffalo in Exmoor, but the latest rewilding plan for Scotland aims to see 15 magnificent tauros bulls roaming free, in Trees for Life’s 4,000-hectare Dundreggan estate near Loch Ness. They’re bred to be genetically close to ancient aurochs, wild cattle that became extinct four centuries ago. The tauros bulls will…

Experience the dramatic landscapes and spectacular sights that are characteristic of winter by going for a restorative walk in the natural world. The stripped-back vegetation and extremes of weather turn ordinary scenes into extraordinary ones. Stunning stars If you want the best view of heavenly bodies shining brightly in the night sky, you need to travel away from light-polluting cities and towns. For best results, visit one of the Dark Sky Discovery Sites that are dotted across the country, open to the public and officially recognised as the best locations for stargazing. To find one, visit gostargazing.co.uk. If getting to one of these sites is impossible, good results can be had in rural or semi-rural areas when there isn’t a bright moon in the sky; typically, the days before and…

1 WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS A splash of illuminator in all the right places makes skin beam with health. Swipe MAC Jelly Slime All-Over Highlighter, £28, maccosmetics.co.uk, across the cheekbones, eyelids and even on your collarbone, for a flattering gleam that will catch the light at every angle. 2 GILDED GLOSS New Year calls for extra pizzazz. MUA Nourishing Shimmer Lipgloss in Ethereal, £4, muastore.co.uk, drizzles lips in dazzling shine, a glistening finish and a super-caring formula of peptides, vitamin E and nourishing oils – which are all designed to treat chapped, weather-worn lips. 3 MAGICAL MANICURE Elevate your manicure for the party season with a sprinkling of glitter. Apply a coat of clear or coloured polish, then use a small make-up brush to gently dab Manucurist Nail Art Biodegradable Glitter,…

Cheesy salmon omelettes These any-time, ‘royale’-style omelettes are served with a quick cheese sauce. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 15 mins ✱ 20g unsalted butter ✱ 2 garlic cloves, crushed ✱ 2-3 large handfuls spinach, kale or other greens, shredded ✱ Handful chives and dill, finely chopped ✱ 4 medium free-range eggs ✱ 70-100g smoked salmon ✱ Lemon wedges, for squeezing FOR THE SAUCE ✱ 100g Brie or Camembert, roughly chopped ✱ 100ml single cream 1 For the sauce, put the cheese and cream in a pan and heat gently until melted. Whizz with a stick blender until smooth. 2 Meanwhile, melt 10g butter in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min, then add the greens and cook for a few minutes until…

Are only children healthier? The 1946, 1958 and 1970 British birth cohort studies show that only children aren’t disadvantaged compared to people with siblings, considering their middle-age health. No differences in risk of heart problems, hypertension, high triglycerides, diabetes and inflammatory risk markers were found between only children and those with siblings, at any age, in any cohort. However, compared with only children, cancer risk and poor general health were higher in those with three or more siblings. METFORMIN REDUCES COVID RISKS Adults taking metformin (the UK’s most commonly prescribed anti-diabetes drug) for type 2 diabetes have a lower risk of developing long COVID or dying after COVID-19 infection than people with diabetes on other anti-diabetes medications, according to the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative. Health records from 90,000 patients showed that…

Mulled pear custard pots An elegant riff on a trifle with a festive spiced syrup. SERVES 6 READY IN 30 mins, plus cooling and setting ✱ 75cl bottle of mulled wine✱ 100g soft brown sugar✱ 6 small pears, peeled✱ 50g frozen redcurrants, plus extra for serving✱ 6 gelatine sheets✱ 600ml pot fresh custard✱ 200g ginger cake✱ 300ml double cream, softly whipped✱ A few toasted, flaked almonds, chopped 1 Put the wine and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the pears and simmer gently for 15 mins until tender. Cool completely in the wine. 2 Cut the pears into quarters and core. Simmer 250ml of the wine mixture for 10 mins until reduced to a syrup. Pour half over the pears and…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Four fabric fat quarters ✱ Matching sewing thread 1 Cut two 25x45cm pieces from each fabric. Take four of the pieces and arrange into your preferred order. Sew right sides together along the short edges with a 1cm seam allowance to form a strip. Press seams open. Repeat with the remaining fabrics in a different order. 2 Matching the seams, pin and sew the two strips together along the long sides, with right sides facing and a 1cm seam allowance, to make a tube. 3 Turn the tube right side out and match up the seam allowances at the open ends. Pin and sew the openings together, with right sides facing and 1cm seam allowance. You will only be able to sew about three-quarters…

Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS Basket 54cm/21¼in wide x 20cm/8in deep. Cushion 54cm/21¼in wide, to fit 60cm/24in-diameter cushion pad. MATERIALS Basket 7 x 100g (81m) balls of James C. Brett Amazon Super Chunky (80% acrylic, 20% wool) in Dark Grey (11)*. Size 8mm crochet hook; removable stitch marker. Cushion 1 x 100g (280m) ball of Hayfield Bonus DK (100% acrylic) in each of Cream (Aran 993), Pink (Magenta 564), Light Grey (Platinum 559) and Blue (Denim 994)*. Pair each of 3.25mm (No. 10) and 3.75mm (No. 9) knitting needles; 60cm-diameter cushion pad. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk TENSION Basket First 5 rounds form a circle measuring 10cm across, using 8mm hook. Cushion 24 stitches and 30 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3.75mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS Ch, chain; dc, double crochet; dc2tog,…

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 are allowed. There is one nine-letter word in the grid, for which the clue is: Central part of a region. Average = 20 More than 40 = well done LINKWORDS Fit 10 words into the grid so that each links with the end of the word on its left and the beginning of the one on the right. Then unscramble the letters in the shaded squares to make a word. CLUE: Athletic event comprising five different disciplines. Crossword Try the easy or cryptic clues, then rearrange the letters in…

ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR Sometimes staying silent is the best thing to do. Think before you speak and share your thoughts only when asked. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY This is the time to get your health in order. Only you know what needs your attention. Make a plan and follow it. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN Creating order in your home environment is vital now. If you make a start immediately, it will gradually get easier. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL Finding ways to compromise may be a challenge. It’s not always easy, but it will restore harmony to your relationships. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG Sharing is caring. By nature you are very generous. Explore this side of your character and endeavour…

“Do you remember Dallas, the popular TV series in which the Ewing family seemed to spend all their time squabbling about business deals? That’s when they weren’t having plot-explaining dreams or being shot. Well, for the past couple of days I feel like I’ve been the baddie in a Dallas Christmas special. Which, I suppose, would make me Mrs JR. You’ll perhaps remember from last week that my little sister Deb has announced that she’s bought the bookshop belonging to her fiancé, Miles. As a surprise this was right up there with, ‘Sorry, Anne dear, but I’m not going to divorce my wife,’ says Henry VIII, or, ‘It’s a kind offer, but I’m allergic to apples,’ says Eve. It’s true that she has cash by the sackload, having done very…

Letter of the week Childhood treasures I’m writing in response to Susan Wyatt’s letter [1 October 2024 issue]. I have kept all my dolls from the 1950s, including several Rosebud dolls. When my mother sadly passed away, I found knitting patterns from 1950s issues of your magazine. My mother knitted the outfits and, along with the dolls, they are much treasured. I don’t have family to pass on my ‘treasures’ and only wish there was a museum where such memorabilia could be displayed. Also attached are photos of souvenirs from the coronation of our late Queen, and an article published in Woman’s Weekly in 1953 about the Royal Family. I hope they will be of some interest. Frances Pearson, Bath LOOK WHAT I MADE I am a novice at crochet…

THE SKIRT Choose swooshing A-line sequins over a figure-hugging pencil style for a more flattering shape. Switch up your look and try pairing it with long leather boots and a crisp white shirt. THE DRESS With its sheer fabric and keyhole neckline, this dress ticks all the boxes for demure sequins. Outerwear can be tricky with maxi dresses, so opt for a cape, which adds to the glamour. THE JACKET A versatile kimono-style jacket is perfect for adding easy sparkle to any outfit or for extra arm coverage. Pair with luxe fabrics such as velvet and satin, and finish with beaded accessories. THE TROUSERS Opt for wide-leg trousers, which are flattering for all body shapes. Pairing a longer tunic top in a similar tone means there’s no need to tuck…

He keeps moaning about his health Q My husband is hugely overweight. He constantly complains about his aching knees and back, but when I suggest that losing weight would help, he gets cross. He used to blame me for buying too much food. I now don’t do most of the shopping and rarely cook our meals. If he wants to be fat, that’s his choice, but the grumbling has to stop. Jenna, Birmingham A Your husband is clearly not looking after himself and that is not healthy. Recent research by Norwich Medical School, using a new MRI technique, has identified that men over 70 with high blood pressure who are obese and have high alcohol consumption are five times more likely to develop heart disease. Maybe you need to discuss this type of information, rather than focus on…

Cool customers While plants in the garden lie dormant, garden centres are packed with a selection of tender flowering plants. Some, like azaleas, naturally bloom in spring but are forced into an early show for the festive season. For others – cyclamen and jasmine – midwinter is their usual time to shine. Whatever you choose, extend their flowering life by keeping them at an even temperature, away from cold draughts and hot radiators. Scented cyclamen Indoor cyclamen, also called florist’s cyclamen, is a delicate plant with showy, often fragrant flowers that last for up to two months. Blooms are carried on slender stems that are held above heart-shaped, marbled leaves. Give cyclamen a cool, airy, bright spot (try a north- or east-facing window) with a temperature of 10-15C. Water from…