The singer, who achieved fame on Pop Idol 21 years ago, on what he learnt about himself — and the former health secretary — on the military reality TV show
Read MoreWriter and editor
Sarah Beeny: My Breast Cancer? I See It as a Blip
A year since her diagnosis, the TV presenter tells Hattie Crisell she’s ready for her next chapter
Read MoreIs Paris Now Cooler than London? Mais, Oui
Hattie Crisell on why the French capital is losing its uptight reputation and taking on Londres as the city for hip bars and restaurants
Read MorePlant Watering in Paris? It’s a Tough Job but Someone Has to Do It
Forget a rental or hotel. If you want an authentic experience without breaking the bank, this is the answer
Read MoreI’m Madly in Love with Paris — but Could I Live Here?
A short-term house-sitting stay has Hattie Crisell head over heels for the French capital. Will the novelty wear off?
Read MoreInside Shein, China’s $15 Billion Fast Fashion Factory
The Chinese clothes company is taking over the world, with its rock-bottom prices and ‘sinister’ marketing. But at what cost? Hattie Crisell orders a whole new wardrobe for £180
Read MoreOne of the Happiest Periods of My Life Took Me Entirely by Surprise
Don’t get your hopes up and you’ll have good times, according to new research. Here Times writers reveal the great experiences that came out of nowhere
Read MoreLost Cat by Mary Gaitskill Review — Why Grief Is a Thing with Fur
The search for a lost cat reveals hidden family turmoil in this affecting true story, says Hattie Crisell
Read MoreHow to Survive Tropical Nights — Don’t Have Sex, It Could Be Deadly
I have spent the past week in a cold bath, curtains drawn and electric fan inches from my face, wheezing with bad-tempered effort as I type the words “It’s so hot” and send them repeatedly to everyone I know
Read MoreThe Glass Hotel by Emily St John Mandel Review — Ghosts, Guilt and Grief
Phantoms crowd this tale of a disappearance and a Ponzi scheme, says Hattie Crisell
Read MoreWhy Having Weird Dreams During the Covid Crisis Isn’t that Weird
In late April, in the depths of lockdown, my friend Claire dreamt that she casually murdered her husband, decapitating him with a shovel. “I remember thinking, ‘Well, this is a bit of a shame,’ ” she tells me. “There was reluctance and I felt a bit bad about it — but for some reason it just had to be done”
Read MoreIs Raya How the A-list Find a ‘Seksbuddy’ These Days?
Raya, for the uninitiated, is a dating app with a difference — the difference being that most of us aren’t welcome
Read MoreCleanness by Garth Greenwell Review — a Tale of Tenderness and S&M
This melancholic novel examines desire and shame, says Hattie Crisell
Read MoreWhen Will I Be Hugged Again?
Yes, the roughly eight million of us in single-person households in the UK have escaped homeschooling. We don’t have teenagers sulking round the dinner table, in-laws coughing on the butter, or partners with whom we had hoped never to have to spend 24 hours a day. Life alone in lockdown, however, has its challenges
Read MoreMy Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell Review — the Teacher Who Loved to Abuse
This debut story of grooming is gripping and all too plausible, says Hattie Crisell
Read MoreMy Week In Isolation: A Fever Diary
When you’re well enough to ask your mum to deliver kalamata olives can you really have coronavirus? Hattie Crisell on seven days of sickness and paranoia
Read MoreYes, TV’s 'Love Is Blind' Is Mad — But So Is Millennial Dating
The show in which couples blind date through a wall is obsessive viewing, and here’s why
Read MoreMaison Lesage: Behind the Scenes at Chanel’s Embroidery Atelier
Hattie Crisell gets rare access to the place where Chanel’s couture is embellished
Read MoreMarian Keyes: ‘I Thought I Would Never Feel Normal Again, Let Alone Happy’
The bestselling Irish author has dealt with big issues in her fiction and in her own life, she tells Hattie Crisell
Read MoreThe Guests Are Due at Eight. So What on Earth Should I Cook?
Quick and easy, but wildly impressive. We go in search of the recipes for dinner party success
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