Welcome to April

As I write, I’m just recovering my land

Hello everyone

A s a magazine editor, I need

Bright ideas

Go for bold with these brilliant buys for spring

Jenni Murray

With many of us seemingly glued to our phones, our columnist suggests a more satisfying alternative to scrolling: socialising

IN MY EXPERIENCE…

Lorraine Kelly

This month we talk… smoking

Each month our insight team conducts a poll of Saga customers to find out what you’re thinking. This month: who still smokes?

Happy as Gary

Actor Gary Oldman, 66, has won widespread praise for his portrayal of spy Jackson Lamb in the acclaimed drama Slow Horses. Now, with season four due for release later this year, he tells us about finding happiness with fifth wife Gisele and winning an Oscar for his mum

away & up Up

Ballooning is a pastime that’s inflating among the over-50s. Meet the late-life adventurers who are flying, crewing and even hand-building hot air balloons

The retirement REBELS

Record numbers of over-65s are in the workplace – and more than 35,000 over-80s, too. Why do they do it? It’s not all about the money, as we discover…

Back on the shelf

Nicola Beauman has been rescuing and republishing ‘lost’ books from forgotten authors for 25 years and has now acquired a list of 149 titles – and a cult following, too

State of the SMART

They were supposed to revolutionise our way of tracking energy use, but with almost three million failing to work properly, what does the future hold for smart meters?

It’s never too late to… be a stand-up comedian

When Marie Cross, 55, from Newport, retired from the RAF, a stand-up comedy course gave her the chance to fulfil a lifelong dream of performing on stage

How to grow happy houseplants

With the right care, houseplants can live for decades, but when the internet is awash with contradictory advice, whose guidance should you follow? Our gardening expert finds out

The power of nature

Use the longer days and Easter weekend to bring your garden to life and create a colourful and wildlife-friendly space for summer

Material girls

When Eloise Showering visited mum Suki’s new seaside pad, she soon put her design skills to use creating bold, patterned wallpapers and fabrics that turned a house into a home…

Easy as pie

Hollywood actor Stanley Tucci and his British wife, Felicity Blunt, share two of their family’s favourite dishes

Tried & tasted

this month spaghetti carbonara

Hot off the press

Our climate is changing – and so too are the grapes used by winemakers battling ever-increasing temperatures. But, it does bear some tasty fruit…

Posh… without the price tag

As Spice-Girl-now-style-queen Victoria Beckham turns 50, our columnist shows how to get her chic, pared-back look on a non-Beckham budget

Generation games

A self-confessed bad loser, our columnist considers the example it sets his grandchildren. Should he be more gracious in defeat?

Ask Dr Mark

Our expert answers your questions on falls, frequent peeing and the link between diabetes and a frozen shoulder

Not just hot air

Saunas are enjoying a revival in the UK, and contrary to popular opinion, they can be good for heart health and blood pressure

‘Why did screening not detect my cancer?’

She doesn’t drink or smoke and has a healthy diet. Yet Patsy Westcott was diagnosed with bowel cancer, the UK’s second most common cancer killer. How did her routine test miss it?

Old age, young love

Our columnist and his girlfriend are now grandparents and own up to some of the silly things they did with their own children

Paul Lewis

RETIREMENT PLANNING / MONEY NEWS

April 2024 Money news

Our expert on energy standing charges and other extras we pay on bills. Plus, council tax increases and the rising cost of running a car

TRAVELS WITH MY DAUGHTER

BALTIC CRUISE / SPA BREAKS / LETTER FROM AMERICA

Spa gazing

Thermal pools, fireside hot tubs and top-notch treatments – these super UK spa getaways will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed…

Letter from America

F irst, the good news: my 17-year-old son

Like a Rolling Stone

THEATRE / EVENTS / FILM / EXHIBITIONS / RADIO / PODCAST / TV / BOOKS

out and about

EXHIBITION Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and The Blue Rider

staying in

PODCAST

It never rains but it pours

This month brings a spate of murders, a sojourn in dystopia, a blast of inclement weather, and writing so good it’s a crime

letters

THANKS FOR WRITING TO US, WE LOVE HEARING WHAT YOU THINK

grey matters

PRIZE CROSSWORD / CRYPTIC CROSSWORD / SUDOKU / CODEBREAKER / SET SQUARE / ADD A LETTER / WORD WHEEL / WORDSEARCH / PUB QUIZ / ANSWERS

PUZZLES

SET SQUARE Place each of the digits 1-9

The pub Quiz

From song lyrics to a scientist and a Scottish historical figure, test your knowledge with this monthˇs tricky teasers

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Undesirable place of the French politician

The world according to… John Lydon

The former Sex Pistol, aka Johnny Rotten, 68, on losing his wife Nora to Alzheimer’s and his UK spoken-word tour

Word to the wise

This month our lexicographer gets her teeth into some words that describe foods – and reveals some surprisingly unsavoury origins