Indholdsfortegnelse for 27th Oct 2025 i Woman's Own

Ghoulies and goblins, witches and pumpkins – they are all out in full force and I am thrilled! Like our brilliant columnist Dawn Neesom, I love Halloween – I’ve got a stash of costumes (you are NEVER too old to dress up!), more ghost-shaped chocolates than is good for me, and so many fake spiders I find them for weeks after the event! Sounds a bit much, I know, but oh well! If you are a lover of the spooky season too, we’ve got plenty for you, with easy treats to wow guests (p32), and cute and creepy decorations from just 99p (p40). We’ve also got a brilliant cookbook for every reader (turn to p6 to find out more), all you need for shiny, glossy hair (p28), and on p16…

THIS TOXIC ADDICTION NEEDS TO STOP It’s time to give our kids their childhood back Forget the Halloween horror movies, ghost stories and trick or treaters – there’s something far scarier than any All Hallows’ Eve hokum going on. And it’s possibly happening in your home right now. Possibly happening in your very hands… Social media. Something that’s more addictive than those cute little chocolate pumpkins and neither social, nor media. A recent study revealed that our attention spans have been reduced to just 15 minutes – that’s the length of time we manage to watch the telly, read a magazine or chat to family before we reach for our mobile phones. Of course it isn’t all bad. There’s some great content on social media, from educational and inspiring, to…

Chocolate cobweb cheesecake PREP TIME: 30 MINS, PLUS SETTING COOK TIME: 5 MINS CALS: 527 FAT: 44G SAT FAT: 27G CARBS: 29G SERVES 12 Flavoured with white chocolate and a hint of spice, you can make this spooky dessert a couple of days ahead. YOU WILL NEED 250g Lotus biscuits 110g unsalted butter, melted 250g white chocolate 400g soft cheese 1tsp vanilla extract 400ml double cream 2tbsp salted caramel spread, warmed Spider decorations, to decorate (optional) You will need: 20cm springform cake tin, greased and the base lined HOW TO DO IT 1 Whizz the biscuits in a processor to a fine crumb. Tip into a bowl and mix in the melted butter. Press into the base of the tin and 5cm up the sides, then chill for 30 mins.…

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 of these is the largest entirely man-made lake by volume in the United Kingdom? CONISTON COWLYD DERWENT ERNE GRAFHAM KIELDER LOMOND MAREE MORAR NEAGH NESS PADARN RUTLAND TAY TEGID 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: neatly trimmed. 25 = average. More than 45 = well done CROSSWORD ACROSS…

Film AFTER THE HUNT In cinemas 22 October Julia Roberts stars as a college professor who finds herself at a professional and personal crossroad when a student levels an accusation against one of her colleagues, threatening to expose a dark secret from her own past. Also starring Andrew Garfield. Music SAM RYDER Heartland (Artist Theory Records), 17 October He blew us away when he represented the UK in 2022’s Eurovision, coming second. Now Sam Ryder is back with a follow-up album to his hit debut, There’s Nothing But Space, Man! ‘This record is a collection of songs attempting to convey the feeling of the last couple of years,’ he said of the new album. Event SHOCKTOBER FEST 21 October-1 November, Tulleys Farm, Crawley, tickets from £43 It’s spooky season! Get…

Walking into the restaurant, my heart was pounding in my chest. ‘This is it,’ I thought to myself. ‘My first date.’ I’d got dressed up for the occasion, donning a slinky new dress. And I’d carefully applied make-up and put on a pair of heels. Now, here I was at a restaurant in London ready to meet my date for the evening. But I was incredibly far out of my comfort zone, because this wasn’t just my first date with the gentleman I was meeting, it was my first date, ever! While most women get their first ever date out of the way in their late teens or early 20s, here I was, in my mid-50s, feeling more nervous than ever. ‘I HAD THE BIGGEST SMILE ON MY FACE’ I’d…

‘Heartbroken’ Lorraine ‘I WON’T QUIT’ Lorraine Kelly has opened up on the forthcoming cuts happening at ITV Daytime, admitting she is devastated by what is happening – but does not plan on leaving the channel. The 65-year-old host is seeing her show Lorraine cut to just half an hour from 2026, while many of the behind the scenes teams are now working over multiple programmes in a bid to cut costs. Speaking about what is about to happen, she said, ‘It’s really heartbreaking to split up the team, a lot of my team have been with me for more than 20 years and they’re my friends. I’ve grown up with them. They were babies when they started with me and now they’ve got babies of their own.’ When asked if…

TAKE A BOW Ribbon detailing adds a high-fashion feel to this fluffy knit. Cardigan, £38, sizes xs-xxl, Next SHOULDER SWINGER A slouchy tote will hold all of your essentials. Bag, £29.99, stradivarius.com HINT OF PRINT Swap out your table textiles for a patterned cotton set. Napkins, £3, flyingtiger.com WITCHES’ BREW Add a spooky touch to your morning tea break. Mug, £20, Emma Bridgewater at John Lewis & Partners AUTUMN AROMA Fill your room with notes of amber and mandarin. Diffuser, £12, Dunelm DRESS THE TABLE Add some seasonal fun to mealtimes with just a few autumnal finishing touches. Plates, from £4 each, napkins, £10 for set of 4, cutlery, £20 for 16 pieces, pumpkin bowl, £10, glass lantern, £10, scalloped placemats, £6 for set of 2, mini faux decorative pumpkins,…

WILL HIS DIAGNOSIS MEAN JOB LOSS? Q My husband was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 10 years ago. He is currently taking three different medications and, at his last review, they told him he will probably need to start insulin. He is an HGV driver and says he will lose his licence if he takes insulin. Is that true? We can’t afford for him not to work. A The DVLA has strict guidelines, but you can still hold an HGV license if you are on insulin. Your husband will need to demonstrate that he has six weeks of stable sugar levels while using insulin. Your husband will also need to inform the DVLA when he starts insulin and will need to take some time off work, but not permanently.…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr At times you struggle to stop yourself running at 100 miles an hour. With Saturn retrograding in your sign, you can give yourself a break and pause for a moment. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May Your love of beautiful things can make you a little overindulgent. Have whatever you desire in moderation, or you’ll regret having too much of a good thing. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun Your mind and heart aren’t in sync at the moment because of the many ideas whirring around your mind. Consider your priorities and what’s most important to you. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul You’re naturally open and receptive to others, so perhaps you can find new ways to help your friends and family. This…

THE KILLING STONES by Ann Cleeves (£22, HB, Macmillan) A terrible storm wreaks havoc on one of the small islands of Orkney. In the aftermath, boisterous, well-loved Archie Stout is found dead, near a Neolithic stone inscribed with ancient markings. Detective Jimmy Perez, an old friend of Archie’s who lives in Orkney with his family, begins to investigate. Delving into the lives of the locals, he discovers that there is more than meets the eye to this quiet community of islanders. As dark secrets are unearthed, Perez races to find the killer before they strike again. The latest instalment of Ann Cleeves’ popular Jimmy Perez series is utterly gripping. REMAIN by Nicholas Sparks and M Night Shyamalan (£22, HB, Little, Brown Book Group) Following a stint at an elite psychiatric…

DREAM KARDASHIAN The only one of Kris Jenner’s grandchildren to have the Kardashian surname, Dream is the daughter of publicity-shy Rob, who barely makes appearances on the family’s reality show, and rapper Blac Chyna. The youngster, eight, made waves recently when she appeared on the catwalk at New York Fashion Week – clearly taking inspiration from her supermodel aunt, Kendall. NORTH WEST With Kim Kardashian and Kanye West as parents, North, who is the eldest of four, was always destined for fame. As well as modelling, the 12-year-old has sung on her dad’s albums and last year she made her stage debut as Simba in The Lion King at The Hollywood Bowl. TRUE THOMPSON Khloé’s daughter True towers over her cousins thanks to her dad Tristan Thompson’s genes, who’s a…

Some brides have a precise vision of what their big day will look like, from the exact shade of cream linen napkins to the number of roses in their bouquet. But for all the delight I took in planning my wedding day in 2018, I had only two must-haves: that I would marry Chris, then my partner of four years, and have my best friend Emma by my side as chief bridesmaid. Yet when that October day arrived, there was a space at the altar and an empty seat on the top table where she should have been. Emma’s absence still shocks me. Of course, the run-up to a wedding can be fraught if the bride becomes a diva. Arguments happen. But Emma and I had not had a petty…

Buy of the week Revamp your wind-down routine with Pukka Night Time tea (£4.75 for 20 bags, Sainsbury’s). Blended with lavender, camomile and valerian to help you drift off. HEALTH MATHS 3 steps to cure a cold sore If you do one thing Face your fears head on Are your worries and phobias holding you back? As we start to age, we often have much more life experience, and responsibilities and disappointments, which can make our fears feel more intense. Additionally, experiencing stress, juggling the demands of daily life and beliefs about what’s ‘safe’ or ‘appropriate’ can further discourage us from taking any risks. But small practices can make a big difference. Dr Elena Touroni*, a psychologist, says try breaking your fears down into smaller, manageable steps. Afraid of public…

People gossip all the time Q I’ve started work at a very toxic place. The people I work with spread gossip about each other, creating an atmosphere where no one trusts anyone. I can’t say anything, as even the managers are like this. I enjoy the work, so what should I do? A While you may not be able to fix the culture, you can protect your own mental space. Be polite, professional and emotionally detached from the drama as much as possible. Bear in mind that toxic workplaces often lead to burnout and depression, so keep an eye out for other job opportunities for the sake of your health. HE’S A NARCISSIST Q I’m married to a man who I think is a narcissist. He says demeaning things, has…

With Halloween rapidly approaching, the horror film fans among us will revel in the excuse to indulge in gory flicks. But while most viewers separate fiction from reality, there have been disturbing cases where individuals claimed to be inspired by horror films when carrying out violent copycat crimes. We take a look at people who have seemingly been motivated by gory films to commit terrible crimes. SLASHER HORROR Cinema goers in 1984 gasped when Freddy Krueger slashed his victims with a glove fitted with razors in A Nightmare on Elm Street. But when Daniel Gonzalez watched the horror flick years later, he fantasised about becoming the fictional fiend. By 2004, unemployed Gonzalez, 24, was spending most of his time at home in Woking, Surrey, watching horror films and playing computer…

READER QUESTION Q What exactly should I look for when choosing an energy efficient dishwasher? A As well as checking its energy rating label, you should also consider the size of the appliance you need, says Energy Saving Trust. For example, if you live alone and buy a family-sized dishwasher, you may never fill it and only run it half-full. This could mean you’d be wasting energy because a smaller dishwasher could do the same job without using as much power. Find out more information at energysavingtrust.org.uk. Go green for less Check out these plastic-free Kind2 shampoo bars: full size bars (80g), designed to replace two bottles of shampoo, cost £12.50 each (plus postage) but try the discovery size of the Sensitive or Rebalancing bars (30g) for just £5 plus…

She is said to have declared that ‘enough is enough’, as Lady Beckham looks to move on from her fight with son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola. Amid the release of her new Netflix documentary and the heartbreak of the family fall-out, the 51-year-old fashion designer is reportedly looking to the future, knowing in her mind that they will all eventually be able to come together. Discussing her decision to include him in the documentary, an insider said, ‘It was very much a rollercoaster of emotions because of the big thing that’s still affecting her, her fractured relationship with Brooklyn. But it also made her realise that she can’t keep raking over the heartbreak of this situation with him, enough is enough, now.’ The source added, ‘She knows he will,…

Vicky McClure ‘MEETING THE QUEEN MADE ME NERVOUS!’ The Trigger Point star on having a royal visit while filming the latest series… Expect more tense moments when the London-based drama about a team of bomb disposal officers – known as EXPOs – returns for a third six-part run. Vicky McClure reprises her role as EXPO Lana Washington, who, along with her colleagues, investigates a new bomb threat in the UK’s capital as someone targets individuals and demands revenge. But as Lana assists in helping to find the bomber and avert disaster, she’s quietly wrestling with some personal issues… ‘WE HAD A NICE CHAT’ ‘She’s not coping,’ reveals Vicky. ‘She has experienced a lot of loss, which was always going to catch up with her eventually, and this is the start…

TAKE THAT TO THE BANK Bank of Dave: The Musical, based on Burnley businessman Dave Fishwick’s celebrated efforts to set up a community bank, will debut next May. ‘It’s bonkers seeing someone sing and talk like you on stage,’ Dave tells me. Boasting a director who’s also worked on Kinky Boots, the show launches at Salford’s Lowry theatre, followed by a run at Leicester’s Curve, for starters. Cast details haven’t been revealed, but Dave was blown away by Rory Kinnear, who played him in two Netflix films. ‘Rory looks and sounds like me more than I do!’ he jokes. YOU’RE BOOKED, MATE! I bumped into Loose Women’s Penny Lancaster, who has recently been on the publicity trail for her new book Someone Like Me. I’ve known the model, author, presenter…