David Beckham is to guest edit the October 22 edition of Country Life magazine to mark his 50th birthday year. David, who played for his country 115 times and was captain of the England football team for six years before he retired from the game in 2013, has long been a fan of this magazine, a fact he lost no time in telling Editor-in-Chief Mark Hedges when they first met nearly two years ago. ‘As soon as we were introduced, David told me how much he loves Country Life,’ recalls Mr Hedges. ‘He reads every issue from cover to cover and it’s been a great companion to him as he’s developed his own life in the countryside.
‘I’m absolutely delighted that David has agreed to guest edit the magazine, especially as it will be my 1,000th issue since I became Editor. I know he has a deep love of the countryside, which has grown since he retired as a professional footballer, although he is, of course, still extremely busy as a businessman and an ambassador for a host of causes, such as UNICEF and The King’s Foundation, as well as being co-owner of Inter Miami CF in the US and Salford City Football Club in the UK.
‘As a global football icon, with a passion for the countryside, his dogs, chickens, bees and his garden — notably trees, roses and vegetables — I’m excited to see what his special commemorative issue will bring.’
David Beckham says: ‘I am honoured to have been invited to guest edit an edition of a magazine that I have always admired and read. I am really looking forward to working with the editorial team to produce an issue that will celebrate what the countryside and the great British landscape means to me and my family.’
This one-off edition will feature David Beckham’s favourite view and his best-loved recipe, as well as his rural champions and the craftsmen and women who have helped to shape his home in the Cotswolds, together with an insight into how the countryside has come to play an increasingly important role in his life.
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Living on the edge? A lighthouse for sale on a clifftop on one of the most remote islands in BritainBressay Lighthouse was built by the father and uncle of the 'Treasure Island' author.
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'A phenomenon that has shaped Britain’s landscapes and wildlife for millennia': A five minute guide to mast yearsThe ground is already littered with acorns and beech nuts, notes Florence Allen, thanks to a phenomenon called mast years, or mast seeding.
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Who is older — Brad or Tom? Country Life Quiz of the Day picture special, September 10, 2025Your face will be a picture after doing Wednesday's quiz.
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Debo Mitford on her childhood at Asthall Manor, from Nancy's 'coming out' dance to Unity's peach-pinching waysThe late Dowager Duchess of Devonshire looks back on her childhood in the Cotswold idyll of Asthall Manor.
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Sophia Money-Coutts: What’s the deal with tipping these days, given that literally everything has become more expensive?Our modern etiquette columnist goes through the dos and don’ts of tipping.
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How many strings does a viola have? The Country Life Quiz of the Day, September 9, 2025A viola is larger than a violin and has a deeper sound, but how many strings does it have?
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A Pink Panther actor, a little ditty and some very long fingernails appear in this Country Life Quiz of the DayPeter Sellers, a Cuckoo and a Guinness World Record holder walk into a bar... It's quiz night in the bar.
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What everyone is talking about this week: We need to trim school holidays — or give parents a tax breakWeek in, week out, Will Hosie rounds up the hottest topics on everyone's lips, in London and beyond.
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Mama, oooh... it's the Country Life Quiz of the DayFriday's quiz has a little bit of Queen, a little bit of Hitchcock and a whole lot of personality.
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What sort of fruit is a McIntosh? The Country Life Quiz of the Day, September 4, 2025Test your general knowledge in Thursday's Quiz of the Day.
