Dear Reader,

Is it weird to admit I have a slight crush on the Mooch? I bet you do too if you’re a listener to The Rest is Politics US. He’s just so damn bougie. Which is why we were chuffed that Anthony Scaramucci said yes to writing for this year’s Great British Brands which is published today. Dubbed the New Frontiers issue, and welcoming publishing supremo Dylan Jones as its editor-at-large, our annual bible of British luxury is a must-read for anyone interested in the creativity, ingenuity, innovation, experience and hard-won resilience of our finest British businesses. There’s so much to be proud of – and we must resist the doom-mongers and the naysayers. So for fans of the Mooch (who writes brilliantly about ‘the special relationship’) or fans of the general brilliance of Britain, this one’s for you.

Lucy Cleland
Editorial Director

Staying In

Declutter your home

With the dust now settled on another festive season, we’re left to deal with the aftermath: a properly cluttered home. Fridge corners are filled with expired products, bobbly jumpers are crammed in the cupboard, and the home office is stacked with piles of old papers. We might be a way off from spring, but the time is ripe for a decluttering session. So where to start? There’s Marie Kondo’s six-step KonMari method – top tip: only keep things that ‘spark joy’ – TikTok’s viral post-it note process – designed to keep track of how often you use things – or maybe Gen X’s favourite decluttering activity, ‘lessting’ – a focus on simplifying spaces. (But, if all else fails, own it. Make your mess intentional with the curated clutter trend, says Etsy trend expert Dayna Isom Johnson. ‘Items don’t always need to be tidied away in a cupboard that’s already bursting at the seams,’ she explains. ‘It’s all about thoughtfully displaying your belongings instead.’ Time to make some space on the shelf…)

Binge Industry

The BBC’s juicy investment banking drama Industry wasn’t an immediate hit, but the show has slowly built up a cult following over the years – with the brilliant season three propelling it into the mainstream. Fans are eagerly awaiting the fourth series, which drops on Monday (12 January), but if you’re yet to delve in now’s the perfect time to binge the first three. Created by former bankers, the BAFTA-winning series follows a group of graduates as they navigate the cutthroat yet glamorous world of high finance – a world filled with sex, drugs, backstabbing and ruthless ambition. It boasts a stellar cast of young stars: Marisa Gabrielle Abela, Harry Lawtey and Myha'la to name a few, with Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington joining in season three as tech founder Sir Henry Muck. Long-time fans, here’s what to expect from season four.

Place a bid in our charity auction

This year, C&TH is supporting Farms for City Children, a charity founded by Lady Clare and Sir Michael Morpurgo which aims to give more young people meaningful access to the natural world. As part of this, we’re running a special silent auction in aid of their vital work. If you’re at home this weekend, why not place a bid? Among the prizes are a showstopping six litre Methuselah from Champagne Telmont, VIP tickets to Chelsea Arts Festival, and dinner for two at STK Steakhouse. You might be Dry Janning and staying in this month, but February could be a whole lot more fun if you secure one of the lots. Enter here, auction closes 30 January 2026

Going Out

Stay at a Hamnet filming spot

The wait is finally over. Following months of mounting five-star reviews and Oscar nomination announcements, the much longed for Hamnet has officially hit cinemas. Adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s novel of the same name, this new masterpiece from director Chloé Zhao tells the tragic love story of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley), and what happens when their young son Hamnet catches the plague. While a cinema visit is an absolute must, why not immerse yourself further in the Tudor world with an overnight stay at the cottage where Hamnet was filmed? Located in the heart of the Herefordshire countryside near the historic village of Weobley, Cwmmau Farmhouse was used as the site of Agnes’s childhood home and the spot where the two lovers meet. A National Trust owned property, this Tudor home can be booked for an idyllic weekend escape – making it the perfect base for visiting the other Hamnet filming locations dotted around Herefordshire.

Do Breathwork at FRAMELESS

London’s immersive hub FRAMELESS typically focuses on bringing art to life, but this January it’s putting wellbeing in the limelight through a powerful new breathwork experience. BBC Radio 1 Decompression Sessions host Stuart Sandeman is reimagining his signature Breathpod method for the gallery, blending breathing exercises with music and visuals: digital landscapes mirror the rhythm of breath while frequency-tuned soundscapes work to lull visitors into a state of deep zen. Sandeman describes it as ‘an invitation to slow down, tune in and experience a sense of presence and energy in a way you can carry beyond the gallery into the rest of your 2026.’ He’s hosting a guided session at the Breathpod x Frameless Lates takeover on 17 January, complete with alcohol-free cocktails from Clean Co and DJ sets (£20pp), but you can check out the experience any time until 6 February. Book at frameless.com

Dine at new restaurant DakaDaka

Georgian restaurants are on the up in London, and DakaDaka, expected to open on 17 January, rides this wave to bring eastern European cuisine to Mayfair. Behind the new opening is talented duo Mitz Vora, previously head of culinary concepts at the Raddisson hotel group, and Giorgi Mindiashvili, who has led the food and drink visions for Ennismore, the Hoxton, and the Adjara group. What can we expect? For starters, it’s taking on hallowed site 10 Heddon Street, which has in the past been a pop-up space. The duo are clearly hoping the magic dust of previous residencies remains – the venue hosted the earliest iterations of restaurants Manteca and Fallow which proved cult favourites. Then there’ll be the modern Georgian fare that makes judicious use of seasonal British produce – the team has teased handmade Khinkali and Khachapuri filled with dollops of Neal’s Yard Dairy cheese, as well as plenty of hand-shaped shoti (bread). An impressive natural wine list containing over 100 exports from the country will be a highlight, but you can also count on bracingly strong cocktails based on chacha, a grape-vodka from the region that ranges between 40-80 percent ABV. Before you go – here’s a tip – ‘cheers’ in Georgian is ‘gaumarjos’. Bookings now open via sevenrooms.com

Three of the Best…

London Workout Classes

Tara Lee’s Yoga Class, The Life Centre

‘It took years to find the right instructor, but practicing with Tara is when I finally caught the yoga bug. Her classes are fiery, and that’s what I love most, I feel myself building strength and pushing my limits.’ thelifecentre.com

Camilla Hewitt, Wellness Editor

Lagree, Studio FIX

‘Like a fool, I went for a legs and glutes Lagree class as my first exercise after Christmas – yet it’s my abs that ache, every Lagree workout going deep into the core and finding dormant pockets I didn’t know existed. The point of Lagree – which takes place on a Megaformer, like a souped-up Pilates reformer – is ‘time under tension’, each movement slowed, muscles shaking like jelly, to strengthen without stressing the joints. Totally addictive.’ studiofix.co.uk

Lucinda Baring, Deputy Editor

Paola’s Body Barre

‘Nowhere in London gives you a better burn than Paola’s Body Barre, the barre/pilates hybrid workout created by Aussie fitness queen Paola di Lanzo. Using just small weights, balls and bands – plus your own bodyweight – you’ll be put through your paces, but somehow the classes are always enjoyable and fly by. If you’re a first-timer, watch out you don’t accidentally book the Burn class, which throws in quick bursts of HIIT (think jump squats and mountain climbers). I’ve been going to the Fulham studio for years now, but there are also PBB classes at KXU in Chelsea, MAD in Mayfair and the recently opened Fulham Pier.’ paolasbodybarre.com

Ellie Smith, Digital Editor

Find more picks here

Staying in Forever…

Property Of The Week

Traitors got you dreaming of turrets? Dating back to the 12th century, Bellister Castle is a truly historic relic. Developed over the centuries, the main bulk of this Grade I listed castle was built during the 1600s – with stone rumoured to be from the nearby Hadrian’s Wall. Complete with a pele tower, lodge, elevated motte and four poster beds aplenty, this eight-bedroom property is set within 4.5 acres of Northumberland National Trust parkland. Plenty of space for you to host your own Traitors inspired challenges.

On the market for £2.5m. Find out more at sandersonyoung.co.uk

Competition Time

Experience Dublin at its most elegant with an indulgent two-night stay at The Chancery

Win a £3m Buckinghamshire dream home with Raffle House

Win a £700 Sofas & Stuff voucher plus Skye McAlpine’s signed book

Psssst…

Fighting the urge to break your New Year’s resolution? You’re not alone: the second Friday of January, AKA today, is dubbed ‘quitter’s day’ as research shows it’s the point at which most people are likely to ditch their grand pledges.

The Full Story

Meet Rising Star Josh Finan

Olivia Emily meets the lead from new BBC drama Waiting for the Out

If you haven’t come across Josh Finan’s name just yet, trust us when we say you’ll soon be seeing him everywhere. Breaking through as Marco in BBC hit The Responder – for which he earned a BAFTA nomination – and since gathering credits across Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen and FX’s gripping Say Nothing, this 2025 Screen International Star of Tomorrow has a stellar 2026 ahead, beginning with leading a prime time BBC drama.

Based on Andy West’s memoir The Life Inside and adapted by Dennis Kelly, Finan stars as Dan in Waiting for the Out, a young philosopher who begins teaching a class at a men’s prison – before everything begins to unravel. And in February he will join Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Emmett J. Scanlan and more in Lisa McGee’s much awaited return to screenwriting, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast.

We sat down with the rising star to find out more.

Hi Josh, how’s life going at the moment?

Life’s good, thanks. I’ve just come back from a mad and wonderful trip up to the Arctic Circle on an Interrail pass. I got from St Pancras to Narvik, meeting a friend along the way, and stopping off at some beautiful places before arriving in Norway where we were greeted by the Northern Lights. Things aren’t always this interesting but you’ve caught me at a good time!

Can you give us an elevator pitch for Waiting for the Out?

Waiting for the Out follows Dan as he embarks on a new job: teaching philosophy in prison. Almost immediately he begins to be haunted by the spectre of his father who served time when Dan was growing up and was a particularly malevolent presence in his life. As the weeks go by, Dan battles jointly with the complications of the job itself and the mental crisis it provokes in him as he becomes certain he too will end up behind bars.

You’ve starred in so many fantastic series in a supporting role but this is your first leading role. How does it feel?

Initially I was quite daunted by the prospect of stepping up to a character like this, but I was relieved once filming got going that, actually, everything I’d learnt playing supporting roles was still applicable. I always like to turn up ready to play and give options, and despite the size of this role and how carefully Dennis Kelly had constructed him, I still felt very able to experiment and not feel like I had to get anything ‘right’.

You play Dan – how would you describe him?

What Dennis has done with the character of Dan is a real gift. He’s someone who seems like one thing – an ostensibly middle class, gentle, introspective, slightly nervous, ultimately quite likeable man who visits art galleries with his mum and wears pink shirts. Characters in the show presume to know him and make assumptions based on his outward appearance, but the truth is quite different. He is wrestling with the guilt he feels about the life he lives now versus one he feels like he escaped from, and this gives way to a whole multitude of feelings. He’s quick to panic, is liable to explode with rage, is obsessive and compulsive, and far less of a pushover than he may initially seem. In short, he is a gem of a character and I’m very grateful for the chance to try and do him justice.

It’s quite heavy material. What did it feel like to dig into?

It is heavy material, but bizarrely there is something quite gratifying about digging into it and trying to make sure we’re telling it right. We shot the scenes in the flat where Dan has panic attacks and stresses over his stove in the third week. They were taxing and quite emotionally draining, but it was the first time in the shoot where the character really clicked with me and I felt like we were onto something. It was hard work but felt gratifying to set his demons free like that, knowing that that’s what the story required.

Who has been your favourite actor to work with in the past?

That’s a very tough question but there’s nothing quite like working with Emily Fairn who I’ve done two seasons of The Responder with. I’ve never known someone to so successfully give themselves over to imaginary circumstances. She has seemingly limitless reserves of empathy and is one of the most playful and alive actors I’ve ever met. If she ever reads this she will bully me mercilessly.

Do you live in the town or the country? Which do you prefer?

I live in East London but love heading out into the countryside. I went to Sheffield Uni and still have pals there who I often escape to for walks in the Peak District.

Quickfire

• I’m currently watching… Joachim Trier was a significant influence on Joseph Charlton who I just did a short film with, so I’ve been going back through his films.

• What I’m reading… Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico

• The last thing I watched (and loved) was… Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

• What I’m most looking forward to seeing… Hamnet

• Favourite song of all time… Oh god…. ‘Let it Be’?!

• Band/singer I always have on repeat… If I can’t decide, I’ll stick on Chaka Khan and go from there.

• My ultimate cultural recommendation… A lifetime membership at the Prince Charles Cinema.

• Cultural guilty pleasure… The All Things Butter videos.

Read the full interview here