Celebrity

It looks like something out of a fairy tale.

It’s easy to see why this was named the best place to live in the UK. It’s got cobbled streets, Tudor buildings, colourful timber-framed houses, bustling market square, and range of independent businesses.

After several days of rain, the sun appeared just as I arrived to walk through the town chatting with locals enjoying the sunshine in the market square, exploring independent shops and admiring the timber-framed houses. This historic Essex town was named the best place to live in the UK by The Sunday Times in March 2025, topping a shortlist of 72 locations. Judges considered schools, transport, broadband speeds, mobile signals, access to green spaces, and the quality of the high street.

In stark contrast to so many dwindling high streets found across the country, Saffron Walden appears to be thriving with its bustling twice-weekly markets and a town centre that is estimated to be home to over 200 independent shops, cafés and restaurants. In 2024, the high street was also named among Britain’s top 32 by experts from Cheffins estate agents.

The town hosts its market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, a tradition dating back to 1141, and it’s a favourite spot for celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and his son River, with the celebrity chef having spoken in the past of visiting every Saturday. The TV star spoke highly of the community spirit and variety of produce at Saffron Walden Market, which was voted Best Small Outdoor Market in 2018.

He previously said: “I’m so lucky to have one of the best markets right on my doorstep. Saffron Walden is an absolute treasure trove of artisan suppliers, from Dan at Crystal Waters fishmongers to Saffron Wholefoods making incredible ingredients.

“Going every Saturday morning is the highlight of mine and River’s week – he loves it even more than me! We look at what’s in season, what looks good and what’s crying out to be cooked up! It’s a great way to connect with the local community and support the best of the best. I couldn’t love my local market more, make sure you go out and support yours.”

Felicity Norton, who has lived in Saffron Walden for more than 35 years, said the town’s charm has never faded. She said: “I’ve always loved Saffron Walden. It’s changed over the years, but it’s still a lovely, quiet little town.”

The town’s sense of place is rooted in both its history and stunning surroundings, from the grand stateliness of Audley End House and Gardens to peaceful walks through Bridge End Garden, a beautiful restored Victorian garden. The market town’s roots stretch back to at least the Neolithic period, evolving through a Roman-oBritish settlement and an Anglo-Saxon community before expanding under the Normans into a thriving medieval market centre, later gaining wealth and its distinctive name from the flourishing saffron industry of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Despite challenges facing high streets nationwide, Saffron Walden continues to attract a mix of independent retailers alongside well-known names such as Holland & Barrett. While some much-loved businesses and banks have closed over time, the town has welcomed a wave of new ventures bringing fresh energy.

Locals highlighted beloved stores including Between the Lines, Harts Bookshop, Talents gift shop and a number of independent clothing boutiques. Organic coffee shops like Esquires and Chater’s, a bakery, restaurant and cafe which even has its own on-site distillery, are among the places to stop and linger.

We were told by many local business owners that Chater’s must not be missed and that Oliver often goes there. It is known for its bold, seasonal cooking using the best local ingredients.

Among Ms Norton’s favourite spots is Neon Leo, described as “such a fun shop – they sell really different things in there”. Neon Leo is a rental and pre-loved fashion store founded by best friends Mandy Weetch and Abigail North in 2023. Located on Market Row, the shop is truly a world of its own, filled with colour, laughter and positivity. When entering the store, customers are greeted with a beautiful selection of clothing, sequins, glitter balls and art. Ms Weetch told the Express: “Saffron Walden’s got a huge amount of independent businesses.”

Ms North added: “The community is really active. People want to be part of it, whether you’re a business owner or a customer. We’ve never experienced that anywhere else.”

The pair said the town’s collaborative atmosphere sets it apart, with independent shops actively supporting one another and they also highlighted how Oliver comes every weekend to support local traders. Neon Leo hosts events emphasising confidence and self-expression through fashion, a movement they’ve dubbed “fashionism,” celebrating the power of women dressing how they want and defying outdated style rules, whether through small accessories or statement pieces.

“Ultimately, you should wear what you want, wear what you love,” Ms Weetch said.

Burtons Butchers is also beloved by local residents. The longstanding family-run shop serves premium meat products to customers, restaurants, hotels, and catering companies across East Anglia.

Since 2010, more than 1,000 butchers have closed across the UK, and the number of butchers in the UK has generally been shrinking in recent years, according to data sources such as Statista. The town also has a fishmongers, a beautiful independent bookshop and a library. Burtons Butchers was established in 1984 and serves a range of meats including venison sausages and local pork, beef and chicken sausages.

Andrew Northrop, manager of Burtons Butchers, said on market days there’s a great bustle, a “great energy” and “enthusiasm” from people for their town. “People like to see it do well and wish to support,” he added. Jamie Oliver often buys meat from the butchers and comes in with his family. They are proud to be his supplier and enjoy seeing him and having a chat.

Mr Northrop added: “You have to enjoy what you do, and when you’re passionate about it and enthusiastic people respond to that, and enjoy coming in here and the experience of coming in.”

I can’t believe it’s happening to us.

“The Kelly Clarkson Show,” the Daytime Emmy Award-winning series hosted by the Grammy-winning musician, is ending after a seven-season run. Kelly Clarkson announced Monday that she had decided to step away from hosting the daily talk show.

In a statement, Clarkson said she made her decision to prioritize spending time with her children. The former singer had two children, in 2014 and 2016, with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, who died in August at age 48.

“I have been extremely fortunate to work with such an outstanding group of people at ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show,’ both in Los Angeles and New York,” Clarkson said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision, but this season will be my last hosting ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show.’ Stepping away from the daily schedule will allow me to prioritize my kids, which feels necessary and right for this next chapter of our lives.”

The syndicated talk show launched in September 2019 after Clarkson, who won over TV audiences as the first-ever winner of “American Idol,” in 2002, returned to the world of musical reality competitions as a coach on “The Voice” in 2018. “The Kelly Clarkson Show” showcased the “Since U Been Gone” singer’s affable, approachable charm in her sit-down interviews with celebrities and everyday heroes, as well as her talents in popular segments including “Kellyoke,” which saw Clarkson sing covers of other people’s songs.

“I am forever grateful and honored to have worked alongside the greatest band and crew you could hope for, all the talent and inspiring people who have shared their time and lives with us, all the fans who have supported our show and to NBC for always being such a supportive and incredible partner,” Clarkson added in her statement. “This isn’t goodbye. I’ll still be making music, playing shows here and there and you may catch me on ‘The Voice’ from time to time. … You never know where I might show up next. But for now, I want to thank y’all so much for allowing our show to be a part of your lives, and for believing in us and hanging with us for seven incredible years.”

The seventh season of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” kicked off in September and production will continue as planned. Clarkson will continue to host Season 7, with a few yet-to-be-announced guest hosts. The episodes for Season 7 will run through September.

YOU can barely explore the Cotswolds without bumping into a famous face or two.

While not strictly true – the region stretches 800 square miles after all – it is certainly the spot outside of London which has the highest proportions of A-Listers.

The most popular place is Chipping Norton, with everyone from David Cameron to Jamie Oliver living nearby.

Yet many of them have chosen to live in the smaller villages to get away from any overzealous tourists wanting to catch them.

So here are some of the lesser-known villages which have welcomed famous faces over the years, as well as what to do in each destination.

Coates

Liam Gallagher is the latest celebrity to move to the Cotswolds, choosing Coates for his home.

Read more on the Cotswolds

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This is England’s ‘quiet corner’ overlooked in favour of the Cotswolds

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The lesser-visited Cotswolds town with one of the UK’s prettiest high streets

The tiny village doesn’t have any pubs or shops, but there is the nearby Coates Roundhouse, one of the few remaining on the River Thames, as well as the Sapperton Canal Tunnel.

Otherwise you will have to head to the the nearest pub just down the road, the Thames Head Wharf, or to Cirencester which is a 10 minute drive.

Great Tew

The Beckham’s famously live near Chipping Norton, but they are in the village of Great Tew.

Here you’ll find the 16th century Falkland Arms pub, which also is a four-star hotel.

And next door is the thatched roof Quince and Clover at Great Tew, for a tea and cake.

For other activities, just outside the village is everything from celeb-loved Soho Farmhouse, to clay pigeon shooting and flying schools.

Chadlington

Another member of the Chippy Crew, Jeremy Clarkson famously lives near Chipping Norton and the village of Chadlington.

It has the cosy Cafe de la Post, run by an Australian couple with freshly made pastries and breads, or The Tite Inn pub with a popular beer garden in the summer.

Pick up some bits from the local Chadlington Quality Foods deli, or hop down the road to Clarkson’s Diddly Squat.

Little Farringdon

Near Lechlade is the tiny village of Little Farringon – where model Kate Moss is said to love.

Due to its size, you won’t find much to do here. However, it is right by Horseshoe Lake, a massive water activity centre with everything from kayaking and sailing to swimming and paddleboarding.

For pubs, cafes and hotels, the town of Lechlade is a three minute drive – make sure to pop into the aptly named The Riverside pub for a pint and place to stay right by the water.

Bisley

Home of the former Rivals author Jilly Cooper until her death last year, Bisley is another small village off the beaten track.

The only thing to do in the village is head to the 17th century The Bear Inn pub, which has been praised for its old world vibes.

Time is right and you might stumble into their annual flower show, or annual music festival in the summer.

Chalford

The home of actor Jamie Dornan, the larger village of Chalford is to the west of the even bigger Cirencester.

Bizarrely, it has previously been compared to Switzerland due to its steep hills and alpine feel.

Otherwise there is RMC Retro, a technology museum with vintage consoles and arcades, as well as a number of art galleries.

Grab some fresh produce at the local Chalford Village Shop, before stopping for lunch at the Lavender Bakehouse & Coffee Shop.

Dani Dyer, Gabby Allen and Emily Seebohm all passed the gruelling course in North Africa

Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins ended with a bang, as it celebrated an all-female line up of winners for the second time in the show’s history. Dani Dyer, Gabby Allen and Emily Seebohm all passed the “horrendous” course, while finalists Ben Cohen and Mack Horton stood down.

Airing on 26 January, the final of eight episodes of Celebrity SAS saw the five finalists face one last test. Over the previous episodes, Chief Instructor Billy Billingham and his Directing Staff, Jason Fox, Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver, put fourteen recruits from the UK and Australia through a condensed selection course designed that stripped them of sleep and tested their strength.

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Some chose to withdraw and others were culled from the process, but Dani, Gabby, Emily, Ben and Mack all made it to the final test – interrogation. During the test, both Ben and Mack chose to quit, making the women the winners.

Chief Instructor Billy delivered the final verdict: “Eight days ago you came from both sides of the world. Fourteen arrived. Three stand before us. Just because you stand on the finish line doesn’t mean you’ve passed this course.” Not leaving the three in suspense, he then added: “It’s a rare moment to say — congratulations to all three of you. You’ve passed this course.”

Looking back on the achievement, Dani said it was “horrendous”. She said: “Every single moment was horrendous. But to hear that I’d passed — it’s the best feeling in the world. If I can do this, I can do anything.”

She added: “I definitely am a lot stronger than what I think I am…I can’t believe I’ve actually been able to do it. I’m really proud of myself.” When she realised all the winning recruits were women Dani continued: “I love it because we are strong women. We go through so much as women, mentally and physically.

“That final day with the interrogations and the noises, the animals in our ears, the pig noises, the scratching, it was awful. I thought I’d messed up. I thought I grassed everyone up. That was in my head. But we are strong women. We really are.”

Olympic swimmer Emily said she wasn’t surprised that three women won. ““I wasn’t surprised it was the three women, but I was surprised the two guys (Ben and Mack) didn’t make it because they were so strong. I was always trying to keep up with them during tasks, so to not see them at the end was shocking.”

Gabby said she thought they three of them were “boss b***hes” for getting through the ordeal. ““I can’t believe that out of fourteen people, it’s us. Well, I can — because we’re boss b***hes. Standing there with two women at the end meant everything to me. My whole brand is about empowering women from every walk of life. Men are strong, but women show time and time again that we can do just as much. We were lifting the same weights, trying just as hard. I wouldn’t have wanted to be there at the end with anyone else. We built a bond you could never replicate.”

Gabby and Dani both rose to fame on dating show Love Island, with Dani winning series four, and Gabby taking the crown in All Stars two. “The whole cast surprised me in different ways but Dani surprised me,” Gabby said.

“I felt protective of her, but she held her own and never gave up. Standing next to her at the end was incredible. Two girls from Love Island showing everyone what we can do.”

Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is available to stream on Channel 4.

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