Table of contents for February 2026 in Chat Specials

Welcome to the February issue of Chat Monthly, jam-packed with all your faves. You’ll find the most baffling beauty conundrums answered once and for all (p58), calming buys for your home from just 75p (p34), and three tasty recipes with spice to add heat to these chilly nights (p44). And then there are Chat’s unforgettable, outrageous and emotional real-life stories. When Erin invited her in-laws for a meal, it turned out to be their last. What was in that gravy dinner (p18)? Lucy escaped to the sun for a dream holiday but a stroll on the beach left her fighting for her life (p12). And talented baker Suzi found a downside to her job when she scoffed herself up to 21st. Could she resist her delicious creations to slim down…

Lucy Killingsworth, 22, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire Walking along the bright white sand in my new blue bikini, I felt the waves lap my sandy feet. ‘It’s paradise,’ I smiled to my partner James, then 21, as we strode hand in hand. It was the end of June 2023 and we were just a couple of days into a dream holiday in Antalya, Turkey. My first ever trip abroad, we were spending a week in a fancy five-star hotel by the beach. We’d enjoyed the first two days filling our plates in the all-inclusive restaurant and sunbathing by the pool. Now, walking along the beach on our third evening, I felt so lucky. Only, suddenly, a twinge of pain shot through my right foot. Startled, I darted out of the water…

SuzI Saunders, 44, Kesgrave, Suffolk Helping to blow out a single candle on a supermarket sponge cake, I made a wish. It was my daughter Myonie’s first birthday, in March 2010, but I was the one with a dream. ‘Next year, I’ll make you a cake myself,’ I promised. As a fan of The Great British Bake Off, I loved seeing the intricate designs. Not like the sad-looking sponge I’d just pulled out of a box for Myonie. Inspired, I imagined making her a toadstoolshaped cake, just like a fairy house. So the following year, I gave it a whirl – and unlocked a hidden talent! After a couple of hours up to my elbows in flour, eggs and icing sugar, I was impressed with myself. ‘It looks great,’ my…

Fruity cervix Q I recently had a smear test and the nurse told me I had a ‘strawberry cervix’. She took swabs, but I’m really confused about what’s going on. Lydia, Durham A A ‘strawberry cervix’ refers to a cervix that appears red and inflamed with small red spots. This condition is often associated with an infection, most commonly trichomonas vaginalis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) The nurse took swabs to test for infections including trichomonas, bacterial vaginosis and other STIs. Treatment will depend on the results of these tests. It’s important to follow up with your nurse or GP to find out the diagnosis and if there’s any recommended treatment. Using protection during sex and ensuring regular check-ups can help prevent infections. Why won’t he go to school? Q…

Next MINIMAL LUXE Try this sleek look with a muted palette and touches of metallics B&M CALMING NEUTRALS Create a home-spa feel with plush bathroom textiles and natural accessories…

Josh Baker, 33, Margate As my daughter Lola tore the wrapping paper off a small, rectangular box, she was jumping up and down with joy. ‘Yes!’ she shrieked. ‘I knew you’d get me one!’ It was Lola’s 12th birthday in November 2024, and for months she’d been on at me to get her a phone. Now, she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. ‘I’ve set it up so it’s ready to go,’ I said, as she opened the iPhone 16 and turned it on. Lola had just started secondary school, and her first phone felt like a rite of passage. While she wasn’t allowed to use it in the classroom, we wanted her to be able to contact me and her mum, Rebecca, before and after school. Since Rebecca…

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino (£16.99, HB, Transworld) How far would you go to secure your dream home? Margo, stuck in a one-bedroom flat and desperate for a baby, keeps missing out on perfect properties. Taking matters into her own hands, she befriends the sellers and tries to negotiate a sale using all her skills – including stalking, threats and blackmail – to get what she wants. Her determination exposes childhood scars and strains her marriage to Ian. This darkly compelling story builds to a shocking, unpredictable ending, revealing how far ambition and desire can push someone. Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven (£18.99, HB, Pan Macmillan) Jennifer Niven delivers a nostalgic, sharp look behind the facade of America’s favourite TV family. In Los Angeles in 1964, Del and…

Elena Ermakova, 41, Ripley, Surrey Staring at the doctor in disbelief, I had to hold back tears. ‘I’m sorry, what?’ I said, my voice trembling with emotion. ‘Your son will have a difficult life. Are you certain you want to keep him?’ the doctor repeated. I was so shocked I couldn’t get my words out. It was September 2012, and I’d just given birth to my first child, Nikita. He’d been a longed-for baby, and I’d sailed through pregnancy. My scans hadn’t revealed any causes of concern. My husband and I had been so excited about our new arrival. And Nikita’s birth had been smooth too. But now, just a few hours after welcoming him into the world, it had all flipped upside down. Not only had I been told…

CODE CRACKER ANSWER: A LOT OF PEACOCKING FILL ME IN ANSWER: WAKANDA JUMBO PUZZLE ANSWER: TWIST AND SHOUT THE BIG QUIZ ANSWER: THE CORRS WORDWISE Aeon, ante, atone, eaten, enate, nape, neap, neat, neep, nett, nope, notate, note, oaten, open, pane, pate, paten, patent, patten, peat, peen, pent, poet, poteen, potent, tape, teapot, teat, teen, tenet, tent, tone, tope, topee. ANSWER: POTENTATE LINKWORDS BASKET, MARKED, MUSTER, CALLED, WONDER, MASTER, HOPPER, RUNNER, SINGLE, MORTAL. ANSWER: CORRUPTION CROSSWORD ANSWER: ALABASTER CIRCLE TIME ANSWER: REEVE WORD JUMBLE ANSWER: SYDNEY…

When Erin Patterson endured a traumatic birth with her first baby in January 2009, her mother-in-law was her biggest support. Gail Patterson and her husband Don moved in with Erin and their son Simon while Erin recovered. Gail was gentle and patient with Erin during that newborn haze. ‘I remember being really relieved that Gail was there because I felt really out of my depth,’ Erin said. In the years that followed, she and Simon separated and reunited again and again. In 2014, they had a second child. Once again, they turned to Gail and Don, moving to a new home nearby. So it was no surprise that Erin stayed close to her in-laws after splitting with Simon for a final time in late 2015. ‘It never changed. I was…

Danielle Broadbent, 42, Bradford Standing on the beach in Mykonos, I could feel the cameras on me. Shoulders back, hands on hips, I stood tall and proud. Because for the first time in six years, I was wearing a bikini. Ready to show off my bod to the world. It was April 2019 and I was appearing on C4’s Naked Beach. A reality TV show helping people struggling with body confidence. And I fit the bill perfectly… For years, I’d battled with my weight. Diagnosed with an underactive thyroid aged 29 in 2012, I’d watched what I ate, exercised. But nothing had worked. And eventually, at size 16, I’d hit rock bottom. With zero confidence, I hid away under dark, baggy, shapeless clothes. That’s why I decided to go on…

Best friends since they were 11, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, both 21, were inseparable. From the moment they met, they’d shared everything. Sat next to each other in class, did their homework together, hung out after school every day. They loved one another and were fiercely protective. When they enrolled at the University of Idaho together, no one was surprised. Starting in autumn 2019, they soon settled into uni life. As freshers, they spent their days studying and their nights partying. By their final year in 2022, they were closer than ever and had made more friends. They lived in off-campus housing along with Xana Kernodle, Bethany Funke and Dylan Mortensen, all 20. The girls created a cosy home filled with laughter, movie days, wine nights, baking and harmless…

Miso-glazed salmon fried rice Spicy kimchi brings bucketloads of flavour to this speedy dinner for two. SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 12 mins ● 2tbsp oil● 2 skinless salmon fillets, each cut into 3 pieces● 3tbsp miso or teriyaki cooking sauce● 200g kimchi, drained and roughly chopped, plus 2tbsp of the drained liquid● 200g pack stir-fry vegetables, roughly chopped● 250g cooked rice pouch● To serve (optional): Finely chopped spring onions, soy sauce and extra kimchi 1 Heat 1tbsp of the oil in a wok, or a large pan, over a high heat. Cook the salmon for 3-4 mins, turningregularly until golden on all sides and just cooked through. Brush with half the miso sauce and set aside. 2 Return the wok or pan to the heat with another 1tbsp oil.…

When Sarah and James met, they only had eyes for each other. ‘James and I have been together since high school,’ Sarah explains. Typical childhood sweethearts, they thought they’d be together forever. And eight years later, they’re still going strong. So much so, James has no intention of ever looking at another woman. In fact, the very idea is enough to get Sarah mad. ‘I’m a jealous person,’ she admits. They settled on a local man, Hunter. He moved in and, quickly, Sarah and Hunter, who is gay, became best friends. James became friendly with him too, and the three of them enjoyed dancing and cooking. ‘We got pretty close,’ Sarah says. Closer than most… And Sarah realised she may have got herself into trouble. She’d developed feelings for Hunter.…

After a nine-week trial in Morwell, Victoria, the jury agreed unanimously that Erin Patterson had poisoned her lunch guests on purpose. The mother of two, 50, was convicted of murdering her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson. She was also found guilty of Ian Wilkinson’s attempted murder. In September 2025, she was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 33 years. But while Patterson has been convicted of cooking the lethal lunch, her motive is still unclear. After all, she had loved her in-laws. ‘My parents are both gone. My grandparents are all gone. They’re the only family that I’ve got… I love them a lot,’ she told police during questioning. Simon, who is still married to Patterson, may never know why she laced…

When will I feel normal? Q I had a baby not too long ago and everyone keeps talking about bouncing back and getting back to normal. But nothing feels normal. My body’s different, I’m different. Just the thought of having sex again makes me anxious. My partner is really patient, but I also feel this invisible pressure building. Will I ever feel like myself again? Tina, 30 A All this talk of not feeling normal? That’s completely normal, love! You’ll never be the ‘you’ that you were before pregnancy. Your world and life revolve around this baby, and while you navigate life as a new mum you’re not going to feel very sexy, pet. Eventually things will start to feel comfortable, and with that you’ll start to feel sexy again.…

When Dani and Tucker first met at work, they quickly became friends. ‘We were both nurses, during Covid-19,’ Dani explains. ‘We met and became friends and got really close.’ So close that soon Tucker was starting to feel like this might lead somewhere. ‘I really started to develop feelings for her, so I thought, let’s give it a shot!’ Turned out Dani felt the same way about Tucker. And their relationship soon became serious. ‘We decided that we wanted to have kids early on,’ Dani says. Only, there was a bit of a stumbling block. ‘I’m a trans man,’ Tucker reveals, meaning he’d been registered female at birth before transitioning to male later on in his life. Recognising that they’d need a little help to get them on their journey…

YOU WILL NEED * Access to a photocopier* Tracing paper and pencil* 30cm of 140cm-wide dinosaur-patterned jersey fabric* 30 x 25cm rectangle of soft iron-on interfacing* 30 x 25cm rectangle of plain jersey fabric* 30 x 25cm rectangle of terry towelling* 20 x 10cm rectangle of bonding web* 2 x 2cm square of sew-on Velcro* 90cm of 6mm-wide elastic* Bodkin* Matching sewing threads Stockist: Dinosaur leaves blue cotton jersey fabric, £14.90m, plain jersey, £9.90m, both Little Legs Fabrics; littlelegsfabrics.co.uk Making paper patterns On a photocopier, enlarge the patterns by 360%, then place under folded tracing paper, matching the broken lines on the bib and tie to the fold, and draw out the outlines. Mark the arrows, notches and the position for the Velcro. Cut out all the patterns and open out…

When Melissa Wilband found out she was pregnant in early 2019, she and her boyfriend Jack were on a break. But she saw it as an opportunity to repair their relationship, so she told Jack he was going to be a dad. Presenting him with the results of a paternity test, she said he was 100% likely to be the baby’s father. After that, the couple got back together. On 30 November 2019, Melissa gave birth to a baby girl called Lexi. But following Lexi’s arrival, a DNA test revealed that Jack wasn’t biologically related to the baby after all. Jack was heartbroken. He’d really wanted to be Lexi’s dad. So brushing the hurt and betrayal aside, he stayed with Melissa. He promised to bring Lexi up as his own.…

Emma Lawton, 39, Chester My key in the front door, I stopped and listened to the sound of clattering claws bounding down the hallway. ‘Mummy’s home!’ I beamed, opening up and bending down to let my face get a good licking. My English bulldog Bella was always so happy to see me. My trusty sidekick, I couldn’t be without her. My new boyfriend Kalib seemed taken with her too. ‘Oi, where’s my cuddle?’ he smiled at Bella, coming through the door behind me to pet her. It was October 2023, and Kalib and I had only just started dating after meeting online. At 25, he was 12 years younger, gorgeous with striking blue eyes. Things had moved quickly between us. And now he was at my flat more often than…

When Louisa Dunne was born, back in 1892, Queen Victoria was still on the throne. She lived in Bristol and in 1915, aged 23, she married her first husband, city councillor Edwin Parker. The couple had two daughters together – Edna and Iris. Louisa’s home was busy, full of social and political activity, until Edwin’s death in 1945. Devastated, Louisa was only 53. And with her girls now adults, she was lonely. A few years on, in 1952, she married John Dunne. But after 10 years of marriage, Louisa found herself alone after being widowed again. home community of Britannia Road in the neighbourhood of Easton, Bristol. Petite Louisa was known on her street as someone who ‘wouldn’t hurt a fly’. She’d visit her best friend Alice’s house weekly. And…