Indholdsfortegnelse for 23 December 2025 i Bella

Christmas can be a tough time of ref lection, which Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway will feel this year. She’ll be spending her first Christmas at home without her late husband Derek Draper, who passed away in January 2024, aged 56, after complications from coronavirus. Kate, 58, who’s mum to Darcey, 19, and Billy, 16, tells Bella, ‘Last year was our first without Derek which was tricky, but my brother had the entire family at his. ‘I’m sure it will be emotional, but Christmas is like that, isn’t it? You celebrate the traditions and you think about the people you’ve lost and make the most of who’s around you. I think it’ll be the same for a lot of people.’…

Keen to escape the cold British weather, Rochelle Humes tells Bella she and husband Marvin will be keeping up their tradition of jetting away for the festive period. ‘Our best friends live abroad, so we go and spend Christmas with them, which we love. It’s really nice,’ the 36-year-old says. But to make sure daughters Alaia, 12 and Valentina, eight, and son Blake, five, still get the best of winter traditions – she and Marvin, 40, throw a second Christmas! ‘We’ve got fake Christmas, we do all the usual things like going to see the big man and all that jazz.’…

After waving goodbye to Adelaide Cottage over the October half-term holiday, the Wales family have now settled into Forest Lodge. Located in Windsor Great Park, it’s said that the Grade II-listed, eight-bedroom mansion will be the family’s ‘forever home’ – and it’s expected they will continue to live there even once Prince William, 43, becomes King and Kate Middleton, also 43, his Queen Consort. And after the stress of moving house with their three children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis, the family will be able to enjoy a more peaceful festive season, with Kate bringing all her cherished traditions to the Lodge. ‘I think they’re very much looking forward to their first Christmas at their new home,’ royal expert Katie Nicholl tells Bella. ‘They’re very…

Invest in a great sequin skirt – you’ll want to pull it out of your wardrobe for Christmases to come! Not a fan of dresses? A plush velvet suit will feel just as fancy while providing plenty of coverage Rewear this emerald jacket with jeans for a more low-key look…

We’ve teamed up with Second Nature, the UK’s most trusted weight-loss programme which is backed by the NHS. Second Nature aims to ‘rewire’ your brain so you can change your mind about healthy living and maintain healthy habits in the long term. Second Nature can help you reach your health goals and lose weight without harsh restrictions, feeling hungry or avoiding social situations. Our exclusive plan will help you to lose weight, feel energised and keep you full without feeling restricted or deprived. You can lose 7lb in seven days – perfect to slim down for the party season. You can then carry on the plan if needed, with the lifestyle changes that last, to lose a healthy 1-2lb a week. How to follow the plan • Enjoy meals made…

Mince pies Runner-up A lovely buttery, crumbly, sweet pastry combined with a deliciously tangy filling makes for the perfect balance. And at such a good price, these pies are ideal to hand round at larger festive gatherings. Iceland Luxury All Butter Mince Pies, £3 for six Winner A plentiful pie! Deeply filled with a decadent traditional boozy flavour, with hints of port and brandy shining through. A touch of spice and citrus rounds the flavour off with an extra-special edge. Tesco Finest All Butter Mince Pies, £3 for six Highly recommended Delicious classic pastry, deeply filled with juicy fruit. A light dusting of icing sugar gives a lovely homemade quality. A generous mince pie yet it still feels light enough to squeeze in another. (Well, it is Christmas!) Morrisons The…

For her For him MAG-NIFICENT CHRISTMAS GIFTS UNDER £20 With over 40 options – from gardening and motoring to puzzles, fashion, film and music – a magazine subscription is the ideal way to entertain everyone on your Christmas list all year. Order before 29 December. greatmagazines.co.uk, offers from £20 including delivery. Simply scan here with your smartphone to browse and find out more: For teens For kids…

Our lifestyle isn't child friendly Q I’m 29 and have been with my boyfriend for four years. We’ve bought a home together and have a nice life. His job takes him away from home for three-tofour weeks at a time, several times a year. As things stand, this is fine. I have my own friends and keep myself busy while he’s away. But now, he wants us to start a family. And I don’t want to be a single mum for 12 weeks of the year. Also, he hardly ever calls me when he’s away. The only reason he does is because I’ve told him he needs to, but if it was up to him, he’d be perfectly happy not to speak to me for the whole time he’s gone. His…

HARLAN COBEN'S RUN AWAY New Year’s Day, Netflix The new thriller from master crime writer Harlan Coben stars James Nesbitt as Simon, who finds his eldest daughter vulnerable and strung out on drugs in a city park. He finally has the chance to bring his little girl home, but things take a violent turn and Simon loses her all over again, with his search for her taking him into a dangerous underworld. The stellar cast also includes Ruth Jones, Minnie Driver and Alfred Enoch. STRICTLY: THE FINAL Saturday 20 December, BBC1 Dancing shoes on and hankies at the ready: it’s finally time for one celeb and their pro-partner to raise the Glitterball in victory as this series of Strictly comes to an end. And as if it wasn’t already emotional…

THE BECKHAMS It was a white (pyjama) Christmas when David, 50, Cruz, 20, Romeo, 23, and Harper, 14, got ready to welcome Santa down the chimney. Victoria must have been too busy singing ‘Stop right here, thank you very much’ to join in… THE RAMSAYS Gordon, 59, and Tana, 51, rallied the family together to pose in some chic Christmas pyjamas. Let’s hope there’s not a kitchen nightmare when it comes to the cooking on the big day! MARIAH CAREY All Mariah, 56, really wanted for Christmas was some matching PJs with her twins Moroccan and Monroe, 14, and it looks like Santa made her wish come true! VOGUE WILLIAMS & SPENCER MATTHEWS We promise Vogue, 40, and 37-year-old Spencer’s kids Theodore, seven, Gigi, five and Otto, three, really love…

Fresh from showing off her adventurous side on Celebrity Race Across The World, presenter Anita Rani, 48, tells Bella she puts the same efforts into her Christmas Day. ‘I do something different every year,’ she reveals. ‘Last year, I was in India for three weeks, this year I’m going big. It’s my Waifs and Strays Christmas. Friends who have nowhere else to go are coming to me, and I can’t wait. ‘There’s going to be a feast, drink, shoes off, lie on the sofa. Sleep if you want to. Do what you want, you’re with me, and I’m going to look after you.’…

Pass the Tin! The nation’s PE teacher Joe Wicks is encouraging us all to be easier on ourselves over Christmas. The 40-year-old, who is hosting a New Year’s Day special on ITV, says his favourite Xmas snack is ‘chocolates – Celebrations or Cadbury Heroes.’ Say Yule Be There Spice Girls singer-turned-DJ Melanie C, 51, is swapping her DJ decks for decking the halls with loved ones. ‘Summer’s a busy time for performers with so many gigs. Christmas is a nice time to reconnect with friends and family,’ she tells us. Christmas Curry Former Corrie star Sally Lindsay, 52, and her Style Council drummer husband Steve White, 60, have a festive family tradition. ‘We go for a curry on Christmas Eve and then come home to watch A Christmas Carol –…

She has been in countless pantomime productions across her five-decade career, and this festive season Linda Robson is treading the boards for the first Christmas in nine years, making her grand return to panto as Princess Jasmine’s mother in Aladdin at the Orchard West in Dartford. Although she hasn’t taken on the gruelling schedule in almost a decade, the 67-year-old has been a firm fixture on our TV screens, being a much-loved member of the Loose Women panel since 2012. But, of course, she is best known for her role as Tracey Stubbs in Birds of a Feather, which she starred in alongside Lesley Joseph, 80, and Pauline Quirke, 66. Here, Linda reminisces on her days with her fellow Birds and tells Bella why she loves panto so much… How…

Flicky Bob Halle Berry proved effort is back with a perfectly polished flicky bob that oozed Hollywood glamour. To recreate her sculpted shape, smooth a little John Frieda Frizz Ease All-in-1 Extra Strength Serum, £8.29, through damp hair before blow-drying in sections with a round brush to curve the end. While the hair is still warm, roll the front and side sections into Primark 8-Pack Small Hair Rollers, £1.50, leaving them in to cool completely for added lift and shape. Once set, glide over with the Remington Ceramic Straight 230 Hair Straightener, £27.99, to define the flick and add that glass-like shine. Retro Volume At the Golden Globes, Nicole Kidman channelled the ’60s with big, bouncy volume and a glossy, retro half-updo worthy of Priscilla Presley herself. To boost body,…

Christmas carrot cake Serves 10 Takes 1hr 45min, plus cooling 200g dark brown sugar 50g Bonne Maman apricot conserve 3 large eggs 225ml sunflower oil 250g carrot, coarsely grated 80g desiccated coconut 1tbsp finely grated fresh ginger or 1tsp ground 200g self-raising wholemeal flour 1 ½tsp bicarbonate of soda 3tsp mixed spice Grated zest of 1 large orange FOR THE FROSTING 250g mascarpone cheese 300ml extra thick double cream 180g light soft cheese 2tbsp icing sugar 150g Bonne Maman apricot conserve 1 Heat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C. Line a 20cm round, 10cm deep cake tin with baking paper. 2 Beat the sugar, apricot conserve, eggs and oil with an electric mixer for 3-4 min. 3 Stir in all the remaining ingredients until evenly mixed and spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for…

AQUARIUS 21 January - 19 February This is a wonderful opportunity to mix with old and new friends. But if you’re starting to feel edgy about the cost of socialising, try to be selective about how you spend your time and money. From the 20th, start dreaming about what you want 2026 to bring you. Theme of the fortnight: Looking ahead 0906 650 7240 PISCES 20 February - 20 March You have such a strong need to enhance your reputation and meet goals that you’re struggling to take life at a gentle pace. Yet doing less could bring better results because you’ll be more relaxed. Your self-confidence falters on the 21st, but don’t let it cramp your style. Theme of the fortnight: Self-control 0906 650 7241 ARIES 21 March -…

GET IN TOUCH Write: Have Your Say, Bella, The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PL. Email: bella.letters@bauermedia.co.uk facebook.com/bellamagazineUK twitter.com/bellamagazineUK instagram.com/bellamagazineUK £50 Star letter Courageous Skye ‘Doctors told us it could be our little girl ’s last Christmas’ (issue 46) filled me with compassion for Sophie’s daughter Skye. While her future is uncertain, little Skye continues to battle on. I hope and pray she has many more Christmases. I’ve donated to Julia’s House Children’s Hospice. How could I not? [Visit juliashouse.org if you would like to donate]. Jenny Harden, Mold, Denbighshire Resilient role model I loved ‘Davina’s surprise wedding’ (issue 45). As a cancer survivor myself, I admire her so much as I know how much the illness can affect you. Davina gives hope to so many people and deserves…

It’s a special time of year for everyone, but for Jenny Agutter, the countdown to Christmas has even more significance. Not only does she celebrate her birthday on 20 December, she also lights up screens across the nation on the big day in the Christmas special of Call The Midwife each year. But she will only settle down to watch herself in the long-running BBC drama after spending time with her loved ones, including son Jonathan who – like something straight out of a festive edition of the much-loved show – was born on Christmas Day in 1990. Here, Jenny, 72, tells us how she will be gearing up for the Yuletide season and fills us in on this Christmas’s Call The Midwife… What can you tell us about this…

The stars tell Bella how they’re spending the Big Day They have had a very successful 2025 – both separately and combined – and Alan Carr and Amanda Holden will be ringing in the New Year together, too. ‘I’m spending it with my second family… Amanda’s family!,’ Alan, 49, says. ‘We’re spending a New Year’s Eve together.’ Amanda, 54, adds, ‘He’s bringing his Traitors cloak!’ Alan soared to new levels of popularity after starring on – and winning – the first series of The Celebrity Traitors in November, with it being reported he is now in talks to front his own chat show on the BBC, or possibly even replace Traitors host Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing. Meanwhile, Amanda – who shares daughters Lexi, 19, and Hollie, 13, with…

It’s been almost two years since Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes announced their split, yet the former couple are still to formalise their divorce. And with 2026 approaching, sources tell Bella that nobody is willing the end of their marriage on more than Ruth, who’s looking to start the new year afresh. Ruth, 65, recently revealed that she hasn’t written off falling in love again and would even consider walking up the aisle for a second time. ‘I haven’t been put off having a relationship. I haven’t even been put off marriage, but I’m definitely not actively looking, and part of that is because I’ve realised I’m actually quite good on my own,’ she said. But now an insider tells Bella that things may have moved on as Ruth is…

With Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy and BAFTA awards to her name, Olivia Colman is undoubtedly one of our reigning stars of the big and small screens. And while she’s portrayed iconic characters such as Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Anne and the Queen Mother, it’s her legendary skills in the kitchen that she is most proud of. ‘I am a world class maker of gravy. I do more than that of course, but that is my forte,’ she says. Viewers are set to witness her cooking prowess on The Great Christmas Bake Off, which sees Olivia reuniting with her Peep Show pals David Mitchell, Isy Suttie, Matt King and Sophie Winkleman. Apart from creating showstoppers, Olivia, 51, is spending Christmas with her family – husband Ed Sinclair, sons Finn, 20, Hall,…

Sitting in the changing rooms, I sighed as the PE teacher approached me. ‘Are you going to get changed into your kit?’ she asked. I shook my head. I was in my first year of secondary school, aged 11, and ever since starting there, I’d done everything I could to avoid PE. I was overweight and one of the biggest in my year. I hated getting changed in front of everyone and being made to do sports. When I was five, my parents divorced and food quickly became my comfort. While my mum encouraged me to eat healthily during the week, my dad was really laid back and let me eat whatever I wanted on weekends. ‘Fancy a McDonald’s, love?’ he’d ask when he picked me up from Mum’s. I…

MAC Dazzleshadow Eye Shadow Stick in 'Subliminal Spark', £22 Emma Hawkins, Life & Style Writer, says, ‘I usually favour palettes, but this shadow stick has converted me. This creamy formula glides on effortlessly, requires little to no blending, and doesn’t crease or fade. It’s subtle yet adds the perfect pop of shimmer – great in the inner corners to amp up a smoky eye.’ Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Stick in 'Tasteful', £25 Lesley Jones, Acting Brand Editor, says, ‘As a longtime fan of Urban Decay’s iconic ‘Naked’ palettes, this on-the-go stick is a perfect handbag addition. Its smooth, creamy formulation miraculously doesn’t crease on my 50-something eyelids, and the flattering bronzy-brown shade builds beautifully for added drama after dark.’ Sephora Collection Metallic Colourful Special Effects Eyeshadow Stick in 'Dark Blue',…

Cost per serving £5.38 Roast turkey Serves: Depends on size of turkey Takes: See Tip 1 oven-ready turkey (bag of giblets removed if there is one) 100g butter, softened Salt and pepper 1 pkt smoked streaky bacon rashers SAGE, CHEDDAR & CHESTNUT STUFFING 170g pkt dried sage and onion stuffing 2tbsp orange juice 400g pork sausage meat 70g grated Cheddar 90g cooked chestnuts, finely diced 1 Add the stuffing to a bowl and pour over the amount of boiling water stated on the pack along with the orange juice. Leave to stand according to the pack instructions. 2 Add the sausage meat, cheese and chestnuts and mix with your hands until they all come together. 3 Add the stuffing to a large, labelled freezer bag and freeze flat until ready to use (remove…

On the morning of 29 July 2024, Taylor Swift fanatic Elsie Dot Stancombe was excited to be heading to a themed dance class as a treat. Bebe King had a new interest in bracelet-making and was attending the workshop as a surprise, while talented singer and dancer Alice da Silva Aguiar was looking ahead to the afternoon, excited for a pool day with her friends. Tragically, none of the girls would ever return home from the dance and yoga workshop. It was a crime that shocked the nation when 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana terrorised the class in Southport, Merseyside, attacking 26 children and two adults with a knife. Elsie, seven, Bebe, six, and nine-year-old Alice lost their lives and dozens more were injured. Now, in a moving documentary, the girls’ grieving…

WIN £200 Solve the crossword to find, reading from top to bottom in the shaded squares, the name of a British actress and TV host. This is your competition entry answer. See the ‘How to enter’ panel, below right. Across 1 Ancient language of India, anagram of SIR STANK (8) 7 Metal - - -, electronic device that can locate buried objects (8) 11 Hall of - - -, fairground attraction (7) 12 Pail (6) 15 Road-surfacing material (6) 18 Chisel or saw, eg (4) 19 Oak, eg (4) 20 Robot (9) 21 Eminem or Jay–Z, say (6) 22 - - - Glennie, Scottish percussionist (6) 23 Finish (3) 24 Decoration (9) 27 Film with Ray Winstone, - - - By Mouth (3) 28 Group of bees (5) 31 Wander off the beaten track (5) 34 Classic board game, snakes and - - - (7) 37…