Table of contents for 30 September 2025 in Bella

As last year’s finalist La Voix gets ready to battle it out for Strictly’s glitterball trophy, a whole new batch of queens are ready to sew, act and lip sync their way to glory as RuPaul’s Drag Race UK returns for its seventh series - and this time there’s a celebrity twist. For the first time, famous faces will be stepping into the Werk Room and undergoing a glamorous transformation at the hands of the contestants fighting to be crowned the UK’s next Drag Race superstar. EastEnders favourite Diane Parish, Corrie legend Shobna Gulati, singers Michelle McManus and Charlotte Church, Tracey Beaker star Dani Harmer and Celebrity Big Brother winner David Potts will all be getting dragged up as part of the challenge. On hand to help Mama Ru, Michelle…

It was a big moment in Kate Garraway’s household last week, as the presenter, 58, put on a brave face while dropping her 19-year-old daughter, Darcey, off at university. With January set to mark the second anniversary of her late husband Derek Draper’s death, Kate recently admitted that it ‘never gets easier’ as she also took her son Billy, 16, along to his first day at a new sixth form college. As well as being an emotional support for her children, Kate has had a lot of financial stress to deal with in recent months. Her media company lost £288,000 in 2024, and the Good Morning Britain host was also left with up to £800,000 of debt from caring for Derek, who was 56 when he passed away following a…

Standing in front of her dad Ruchit, my daughter Kaiya recited the words we’d rehearsed and my heart melted. ‘We are a family of three, but we have got one more to make four,’ she said. Ruchit looked puzzled for a moment, then the penny dropped and tears welled in his eyes. It was June 2014 and I’d been keeping the fact that I’d fallen pregnant with our second child a secret so Kaiya, two, and I could surprise him with the news on Father’s Day. When we discovered we were having a girl, Kaiya picked out a pink bunny and blanket for her. After some problems leading up to Kaiya’s birth, I was being monitored more closely and, at a scan I had at 28 weeks, the sonographer said,…

Blueberry & lemon cheesecake cake Serves 12-16 Takes 1hr plus chilling FOR THE SPONGE 450g butter, plus extra for greasing 450g caster sugar Zest of 1 lemon 9 eggs 450g self-raising flour 2⅓tsp baking powder 250g blueberries, plus 250g extra, to decorate FOR THE BUTTERCREAM 600g butter 1.2kg icing sugar Juice of ½ lemon FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING 450g soft cheese 200ml double cream 75g icing sugar Juice of ½ lemon 200g lemon curd Tip If you want your blueberries evenly dispersed throughout the cake, toss them in a couple of tablespoons of flour before folding into the batter 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C fan. Grease and line 4 × 20cm round cake tins. 2 For the sponge, cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest together for 3-5min until light…

£50 Star letter Sensational Stephanie It was refreshing to read Bella’s interview with the iconic Stephanie Beacham in issue 35. I have been a huge fan of hers since she was in Dynasty and The Colbys during the ’80s. Reading about her took me back to those days. It’s not often we get to read about celebs like Stephanie so thank you. Also, at 78, she is looking glamorous and beautiful as ever! Manisa Kuinkel, email, Harrow Save Eastbourne My family has visited Eastbourne every year since before the Second World War. Part of the attraction has always been the beautiful Carpet Gardens, full of vibrantly coloured flowers, which are an absolute delight for all ages. I was absolutely horrified to see photos of what’s in their place now –…

I get so angry with my son! Q I grew up in a bad family. My dad was a scary man and, after he left, my brothers took over as the bullies of the house. I was so terrified of them. They pushed me around and threw things at me. I was treated in hospital for my injuries several times. No one protected me. I remember a nurse asking me if I was being abused, but I didn’t know what that meant so I said no. I have not seen them for over 20 years, but I still have flashbacks and moments when I feel I’m back there. I now have a son, who’s five, and a three-year-old daughter. I know that big brothers are mean to their little sisters,…

PRIZE crossword WIN £200 Solve the crossword to find, reading from top to bottom in the shaded squares, the name of a British music star. This is your competition entry answer. See the ‘How to enter’ panel, below right. Across Down COMPETITION AND GIVEAWAY RULES Competitions open to residents of the UK (including Channel Islands and the Isle of Man), Eire or BFPOs, aged 18 or over, except Bauer Media employees, its affiliated companies, any promotional partners, or their families and anyone connected with the competitions. Enter by text, online or phone. No purchase necessary. Answers must be the product of own work. Unless expressly stated, travel expenses and spending money is not included. There is no cash alternative to prizes and no alternative holidays can be offered. Prizes are…

Claire Sweeney has expressed her heartbreak at the shock death of her ‘dear friend’ and ex Ricky Hatton. The world champion boxer was found dead at his home on 14 September aged 46, just weeks before a planned comeback. ‘I’ve needed a few days to process the devastating news about my dear friend Ricky,’ she posted. ‘My thoughts are with his family… Ricky, we adored you. Love you always.’ Claire, 54, and Ricky dated for eight months last year, after competing on Dancing On Ice together.…

Prince Harry has insisted that he was only telling ‘the truth’ and not acting out of ‘revenge’ with his many revelations, which have widened the rift between the Sussexes and the royal family. The Duke of Sussex, 41, opened up about his family fallout as he addressed his highly public claims in TV interviews, a Netflix series and his tell-all memoir Spare. ‘It is not about revenge, it is about accountability. You cannot have reconciliation before you have truth,’ he said in a recent interview. ‘I know that [speaking out] annoys some people and it goes against the narrative. ‘The book? It was a series of corrections to stories that were already out there. One point of view had been put out and it needed to be corrected. ‘I don’t…

Slimming WORLD At primary school, all the other girls would run around in their burgundy and-white checked summer dresses, but even the biggest size wouldn’t fit me. Mum ended up buying me a plain red second-hand dress instead, and I stuck out like a sore thumb. By the age of 15, I was wearing size 16 trousers and had picked up the nickname ‘Fat Fay’. I laughed along because I told myself I didn’t care what I looked like, but sometimes it did sting. I didn’t finish my GCSEs; instead, I fell into a relationship, and by the age of 20, I was pregnant with my first son. In 1998, I married for the first time in a size 18-20 dress. The marriage only lasted nine months, but my weight…

Glow like a celeb Want to know the secret to Dame Helen Mirren’s flawless skin? She says it’s all down to L’Oréal Paris’s ‘fabulous foundation’, which offers a natural-looking finish that doesn’t sink into fine lines. Available in 43 shades! Correct and protect CC creams use colour-correcting pigments to neutralise redness, dullness or discolouration and are an excellent choice for those seeking light to medium coverage. Tropic’s offering adjusts to your skin tone and offers protection against harmful UV rays for added benefits. New launch Minimise mess Simplify your make-up application with this mess-free buy. You can apply it using your fingers, a brush, or swipe the stick directly onto your skin before blending. It’s also buildable, allowing you to adjust the coverage to meet your needs. Keep it light…

SCORPIO 24 October – 22 November Secrets that were cleverly hidden are starting to come to light. They include facts and ideas that you’ve been resisting because of the way you feel about them. It will be a huge relief if you can begin to accept the inevitable or find better ways to deal with it. Theme of the week: Decisions 0906 650 7237 SAGITTARIUS 23 November – 21 December It’s a terrific week for spending time with kindred spirits, whether you’ve only just met or you’ve known them for ages. Spend time with someone you respect or admire on the 27th. A family problem is a cause for worry on the 29th. Theme of the week: The future 0906 650 7238 CAPRICORN 22 December – 20 January Right now…

It was a big night for This Morning, with celebrations as it reclaimed the Best Daytime crown at the National Television Awards earlier this month. It was the first time the public-voted prize had gone to the show since 2022 – and a notable first win for presenters Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley. ‘It’s really emotional because the team put in such a huge amount of effort into making this show every day, five days a week. That’s no small measure,’ Ben, 50, told us in the winners’ room, as Dermot O’Leary, 52, thanked the team ‘who have had to endure an awful lot of s***’ and colleagues who ‘have been through the mill’. Cat, 48, added, ‘We’re so lucky to enjoy the job that we do, as much as…

Owling around Kelly Osbourne has introduced her mum Sharon to falconry, where they got up close with some ‘glorious’ owls. ‘The experience was nothing short of magical,’ said recently widowed Sharon, 72, as Kelly, 40, added, ‘My feathered heroes!’ Holly’s hotline Holly Willoughby joined celebrities Tom Hardy, Hugh Grant and Billie Piper to answer phones to raise millions of pounds for charity at BGC Group Charity Day. The former Dancing On Ice presenter, 44, said she is ‘so proud’ to support Together For Short Lives. Happy woof-day! Vicky Pattison’s dog Max celebrated his third birthday with a paw-ty with doggy cake, ice creams and canine-inspired cocktails. ‘You have brought us so much joy,’ she said of the rescue pooch.…

She wowed fans when she took to the stage to accept an accolade for Gavin & Stacey at this month’s National Television Awards, and it’s not the first time that Ruth Jones’s shrinking figure has been the hot topic of conversation. The actor – who not only wrote the hit BBC sitcom with pal James Corden but also played his on-screen love interest Nessa – looked incredible in a burgundy, sequinned gown, as she picked up the Comedy gong alongside her co-stars. Back in 2011, Ruth, now 59, said it had taken 22 months of calorie counting to drop four and a half stone to a size 16. ‘I wanted to make a positive change for me, and I haven’t looked back,’ she explained. ‘I have done loads of diets…

Jean-ius jumpsuit This comfy jumpsuit will have you looking great with minimal effort – simply add some accessories and you’re good to go Dress to impress Dark-wash dresses instantly look more polished, especially when they’re slightly form-fitting Great lengths A versatile midi skirt will look equally fabulous when paired with ballet flats, trainers or even high heels Statement shirt Team your jeans with striking silhouettes such as a puff sleeve blouse for a fresh look Wide strides Perfect for the office or a nice brunch, wide-leg styles walk the line between casual and dressy…

Joe Wicks is a sugar addict. Yes, the man with the multimillionpound fitness business, who kept us moving during lockdown with his PE videos, has been a lifelong slave to the sweet stuff. And recently he’s come clean, in more ways than one. Joe recently told his 4.8 million Body Coach followers that once he had a taste of sugar, he’d go ‘gangbusters’ and his binges on cakes, sweets, biscuits, fizzy drinks and ice cream, as well as natural sugars, such as honey and fruit, were out of control. Announcing a self-imposed seven-day sugar-free challenge, the dad-of-four said, ‘This will be hardest thing I’ve ever done. Harder than IronMan, the Marathon or Three Peaks.’ Many of us will find this relatable. Maybe not the mountain hiking or the 26-mile runs,…

Walking into the crowded pub, I was excited for the night ahead. It was 1989, I was just 18, and the pub was buzzing. My friend turned to me and said, ‘You’ll get to meet Gaz. You’ll love him.’ Then just as we’d put our orders in at that bar, a man came strutting over. With gorgeous eyes and a beaming smile, I couldn’t stop staring at him. ‘That’s Gaz!’ my pal said before he introduced us. ‘Hiya,’ he said, giving me a hug. We spent the whole night laughing and I felt such a strong connection. ‘I think he’s The One,’ I said to my friend with a grin. But after that night, I didn’t hear a peep from him. I then heard that he’d moved to America and…

DWAYNE JOHNSON The Moana actor, aka The Rock, 53, was thrilled with his catch of the day, giving his social media followers an up-close view of the scaly creature (as well as his impressive physique!). WILLIAM AND KATE While on a trip to Scotland, the Prince and Princess of Wales put their fishing skills to the test as they headed out on the open seas – getting up close and personal with one particularly large fish. PARIS HILTON While we’re most used to seeing Paris, 44, glammed up on shopping trips, the Stars Are Blind singer went back to basics as she popped down to the beach. DAVID BECKHAM It turns out his talents aren’t only limited to the football pitch! David, 50, has taken to country life like a…