Christmas

Mark Wright on a diet

TV Gossip

29 Dec 2011

Mark Wright is on a post-Christmas diet. The former 'Only Way Is Essex' star - who earlier this year came second on 'I'm a Celebrity. Get Me Out of Here!' - is trying to lose the extra pounds of the festive season by getting himself into an exercise…

Hayley Atwell's cheesy Christmas

Celebrity Gossip

24 Dec 2011

Hayley Atwell plans to get "p****d before 12" on Christmas Day (25.12.11) after taking culinary tips from Ray Winstone. The 29-year-old actress - who appears alongside the 'King Arthur' actor in forthcoming crime movie 'The Sweeney' - plans to try…

Serge Pizzorno wants Christmas dinosaur

Celebrity Gossip

24 Dec 2011

Serge Pizzorno wants a dinosaur for Christmas. The Kasabian guitarist would love nothing more than to find an extinct animal waiting for him when he gets up tomorrow (25.12.11). Asked what he wants for Christmas, he said: "A huge diplodocus, that…

How to survive a Christmas away from home

Top tips for living an independent Christmas

22 Dec 2011

Utilise technology Why not use video calling to talk to your loved ones back at home? This way, you can visually update each other on your Christmas presents and have face-to-face conversations. Send presents Send thoughtful gifts to your…

Lauren Goodger's extravagant Christmas

TV Gossip

22 Dec 2011

Lauren Goodger wants a "nice Bentley, a big house and a new dog" for Christmas. The 'Only Way Is Essex' star has got a luxury vehicle and a new home on her festive wish list, as well as another pet pooch, as her former fiance Mark Wright - who she…

Christine Bleakley's turkey ban for Frank

TV Gossip

21 Dec 2011

Christine Bleakley's mum has banned Frank Lampard from carving the Christmas turkey. The 'Dancing On Ice' presenter - who is engaged to the England and Chelsea footballer - explained her mother refuses to devolve any power over the traditional meal…

Phillip Schofield's 'military' Christmas

TV Gossip

21 Dec 2011

Phillip Schofield's Christmas is a "military affair". The 'This Morning' presenter - who has two daughters, Ruby and Molly, with wife Stephanie Lowe - explained the festive period in his household is "very traditional" and everyone is given their…

Tinchy Stryder's family Christmas

Music Gossip

19 Dec 2011

Tinchy Stryder is going to get his whole family together for Christmas. The 'Off the Record' star has spent a hard year touring and promoting his forthcoming fourth album, 'Full Tank', but will take time off over the festive period to be with his…

Chris Martin won't have Cold-play Christmas

Celebrity Gossip

17 Dec 2011

Chris Martin won't be seeing his Coldplay bandmates over Christmas. The group's frontman - who has two children, Apple, seven, and five-year-old Moses, with actress wife Gwyneth Paltrow - says Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland are among…

Taste test: Christmas cake

The best Christmas cake evaluated, including Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s

15 Dec 2011

Waitrose Richly Fruited Xmas Cake. £16.99 ●●●● Nicely decorated and complete with an edible icing snowflake, this cake has a balanced and suitably delicious compliment of cake, icing and marzipan and is packed with fruit. Broughton Deli…

Music-themed Christmas parties round-up

Festive shindigs on offer from Song, By Toad, Phantom Band, James Yorkston, Fence and more

13 Dec 2011

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas in Scotland’s indie village without a bunch of our favourite bands getting together to chip in for mince pies and mulled wine and treat us to / inflict upon us some of their most diligently practiced seasonal covers. Yes…

Best Christmas album 2011: Emmy the Great and Tim Wheeler’s This Is Christmas

Justin Bieber, She & Him, The Wurzels and Glee also reviewed

13 Dec 2011

Now more than ever the discerning music fan has about as much reason to look forward to Christmas as a poor Primark employee looks forward to the stampede of burly, booze-breathed horrors thundering through them at opening time on Boxing Day en route to…

Taste test: Cranberry sauce

The best cranberry sauces from Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s and more

13 Dec 2011

Hopetoun / Mrs. Bridges Cranberry Sauce with Port ●● This sauce from Mrs Bridges is so sweet and sugary, it’s a bit like eating your roast turkey with a side-order of jam. It does contain whole cranberries, but it just wasn’t saucy enough for our taste…

Taste test: Truffles

The best truffles from Waitrose, Peckham’s, Thorntons and more

13 Dec 2011

Seriously Chocolatey Truffles, Waitrose ●●● We like the creamy texture of these truffles from Waitrose, but sadly the taste doesn’t quite live up to the name. The flavour fails to pack a punch, though they are quite boozy – perhaps even a little too…

Taste test: Mince pies

The best mince pies evaluated from Peckhams, Tesco, Marks And Spencer and more

13 Dec 2011

Peckhams Mince Pies ●●●● Fluffy pastry and a top-notch mincemeat filling make this a tasty treat from one of Scotland’s best deli staples. Sure, the pastry may seem heavy to some, but it is Christmas, so why not indulge yourself? Tesco Mince Pies…

Taste test: Champagne

The best champagne evaluated, from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Moet And Chandon, Tattinger and Waitrose

13 Dec 2011

Sainsbury’s Blanc De Blancs Champagne ●●● This is a light, if slightly forgettable offering from Sainsbury’s, but as a reasonably priced bottle of fizz, it’s decent enough bang for your buck. Morrisons Champagne Brut ●● There’s something a tad…

The best comedy DVDs to give as Christmas presents in 2011

Tim Vine, Tommy Tiernan and Richard Herring among highlights

7 Dec 2011

What does it say about America that ventriloquist Jeff Dunham is among that nation’s top earning comedians? In 2009, Forbes.com placed him third behind Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock, having banked an estimated $30m. In response, an astonished Dunham…

Historic Scotland has Christmas all wrapped up

Edinburgh and Stirling castles set to host festive events this winter

1 Dec 2011

Looking to get into that Christmas spirit good and early but seeking some festive inspiration? Sometimes we forget about the very best things on our doorstep – maybe it’s because we associate them more with tourists than as places to visit ourselves but…

The Killers' cowboy Christmas track

Music Gossip

30 Nov 2011

The Killers' new Christmas song is inspired by "cowboy poetry". The Las Vegas rockers release their fifth festive track tomorrow (01.12.11) and say 'The Cowboy's Christmas Ball' has a Western theme after frontman Brandon Flowers sought ideas from his…

Christmas stuntman Matt Smith

TV Gossip

29 Nov 2011

Matt Smith had to escape a fireball for the Christmas special of 'Doctor Who'. The actor - who portrays the titular time-travelling character - performed all of his own stunts for the festive episode of the BBC sci-fi series and is hoping he is…

'Dead' Carley Stenson is returning to Hollyoaks

TV Gossip

29 Nov 2011

Carley Stenson is to return to 'Hollyoaks' over the Christmas period. Despite the actress' alter-ego Steph Roach dying in a fire earlier this year, the blonde beauty will appear as an Angel in order to stop Doug Carter from taking his own life. As…

Pantomimes and Christmas shows in Scotland 2011

Festive work aimed at young audiences in Edinburgh and Glasgow

15 Nov 2011

In the UK, pantomimes traditionally form the first encounter that children have with theatre. But for children under three years old, the noisy drama of a panto can be a disorientating and unnerving experience. However, in recent years, theatre-makers…

Christmas 2011 events in Glasgow and Edinburgh

Our round-up of some of the best festive fodder including markets, fairs and carol concerts

15 Nov 2011

Shopping To find prezzies with an individual feel or just some tasty treats, head out to a Christmas fair near you. In Glasgow, there’s the St Enoch Square annual market (from 20 Nov) and Country Living Magazine’s Christmas Fair, with homemade food…

Celebrate the life of a loved one with Light a Light

2 Nov 2011

As Christmas approaches, it’s easy to be swept up in the excitement of presents, late night shopping, work nights out and even talking about the weather. Although Christmas is a time for friends and family, it’s easy to forget this amid the noise and…

Taste test: Christmas Pudding

We track down the best from M&S, Lakeland, Coles and Tesco

28 Oct 2011

Marks & Spencer Classic Christmas Pudding £3.99 ●● This pudding does the job, but won’t make you too jolly. It has the bitterness of peel running through it, giving it the flavour of a fruitcake, is densely packed with raisins and there’s not a lot…