The Times Magazine – August 1, 2026

Summary

"Welcome to the New Lads' Weekend" — white robes, dad bods, no drunks allowed — reads the cover line on The Times Magazine August 1 2026, a men's health special that redefines male bonding as alcohol-free retreats. The cover date 01.08.26 launches the month with a 14-page men's physical and mental health package.

The feature well runs: Caitlin Moran, Phil Wang on comedy and race, Helena Christensen on supermodel life, Sathnam Sanghera on midlife lads' weekends, Dr Peter Meades on men's mental health, broad bean and Greek summer recipes, a 41-year-old terminal cancer patient whose pain was ignored by doctors, Mo Gilligan's fried chicken challenge, Lady Violet Manners on manor life, Giles Coren at Beefy's by Lord Botham in Southampton, and Robert Crampton's Beta male column.

Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Men's Health

p.14 · My Midlife Lads' Weekend — Sathnam Sanghera
Sanghera attends a men's retreat in the Cotswolds: no alcohol, no phones, no competitive activities. The weekend costs 450 pounds per person and includes cold-water swimming, group therapy, and cooking classes. The 15 participants ranged from 38 to 62. Book a retreat starting on a Friday; the Sunday closing session is where most participants report breakthroughs.

p.20 · A New Approach to Men's Mental Health — Dr Peter Meades
A clinical psychologist presents a program called "Men's Sheds 2.0" — skill-based group sessions (woodworking, car maintenance) with a licensed therapist embedded. The pilot program in Sheffield showed a 40 percent reduction in self-reported anxiety scores after 8 weeks. Search for a Men's Shed near you through the NHS social prescribing directory.

▸ Interview / Profile

p.7 · What I've Learnt — Phil Wang
The comedian discusses how his British-Malaysian identity shapes his material. He says British audiences laugh at race jokes when they recognize the stereotype, not when they feel accused. His current tour runs 90 minutes without an interval.

p.8 · "Our Supermodel Lives Were Insane" — Helena Christensen
The supermodel reflects on the 1990s fashion industry before diversity, before social media, before union representation. She says she was paid 10,000 dollars for a 1994 Versace campaign that would cost 500,000 dollars today. Her advice to young models: own your image rights from the first contract.

p.38 · "Doctors Ignored My Pain. Now I Have Terminal Cancer at 41"
Haelwyn Adams describes visiting 7 GPs over 14 months before a scan finally revealed stage 4 bowel cancer. The NHS trust has since reviewed its referral guidelines. Adams's oncologist says her tumor had been visible on a 2024 ultrasound that was not reported. Request a copy of every scan report in writing before you leave the appointment.

▸ Food & Lifestyle

p.27 · Eat! The Best Broad Bean Recipes for Summer
Three broad bean dishes: a simple saute with pecorino, a broad bean and mint bruschetta, and a bean-and-ricotta pasta. The saute takes 10 minutes from bean to plate. Double pod the beans if they are larger than 1 inch.

p.42 · Mo Gilligan's Fried Chicken Challenge
The comedian attempts to eat a 14-piece fried chicken platter in under 30 minutes for a new YouTube series. He made it through 10 pieces before tapping out at 23 minutes. The challenge was filmed in one take at a chicken shop in Brixton.

p.48 · To the Manor Born — Lady Violet Manners
A profile of the modern aristocrat who runs a membership club on the family estate. Membership costs 2,500 pounds per year and includes shooting rights, a key to the walled garden, and access to the library. The library contains 1,200 volumes, none published after 1900.

Editor's Take

The men's health special is conceptually strong — alcohol-free retreats, skill-based therapy, cold-water swimming — but the execution is uneven. Sanghera's piece is excellent: specific about cost (450 pounds), structure (no phones), and outcome. The Dr Meades program evaluation (40 percent anxiety reduction) gives the section credibility. The Haelwyn Adams cancer feature is devastating and necessary; the advice to demand written scan reports is the most important service item in the entire issue. The Gilchrist chicken challenge is silly but brief. The plano-format fashion pages are pure filler. Advertising is moderate; one spirits ad is ironically placed opposite the no-alcohol retreat piece.

Strengths
• Men's retreat feature with 450-pound price and participant age range
• Dr Meades Men's Sheds 2.0 with 40 percent anxiety reduction data
• Haelwyn Adams 7-GP diagnostic failure with actionable report-copying advice

Weaknesses
• Mo Gilligan chicken challenge is disposable digital-native content in a print format
• Fashion pages feel like filler between health features

Verdict: Recommended — The men's health content justifies the purchase for male readers over 35.