But 'tis the season to buy local this week, as all three mags have a juicy local story running.

The supposed ace in New Idea's hole this week is the official coverage of the Doug Howlett wedding, which the mag bought in a combo deal along with the exclusive on the rugby star's first baby.

But the real goss this week comes from the dark horse of the women's magazine pack, the Woman's Weekly - usually renowned for stories about the Queen or Mary Lambie exclaiming how she has a lot of toddlers.

The Weekly's inside story on the shock split of rugby superstar Jonah Lomu and his manager wife Fiona caught the couple on the hop, so much so that they were forced to issue a statement denying imminent divorce which ran in the weekend papers.

So the Weekly's hot oil is this - Jonah's determined to make another comeback to professional rugby, while Fiona is worried about her husband's health and doesn't think it's a good idea.

The pair aren't speaking to the mag, but Jonah's not wearing his wedding ring. A spokeswoman for the couple denies their marriage is over, so this one looks set to run. If you see Jonah round Ponsonby, I don't recommend quizzing him about it. He's extremely large.

Doug Howlett married Monique Everard earlier this month, and by the New Idea's account it was a classy, romantic, happy affair. She looked beautiful, he looked handsome, and they still look remarkably like brother and sister. There were a smattering of All Blacks, all the bells and whistles, and a humungous five-storey cake.

Doug arrived in his 1967 Chevy Impala, but no word if anyone jumped on it or not.

Woman's Day's local story du jour is an exclusive interview with Brent Todd and his chin after his sentencing on fraud charges last week.

'I've Lost Everything' Toddy declares in a six page spread, accompanied by pictures of him looking pensive and staring off into the distance, which he may be doing a lot of now he's under house arrest for a year for diddling charities out of the profits from pokie machines.

Todd can't see his kids, ruined his marriage, went bankrupt and had just pleaded guilty to procuring cocaine when the Serious Fraud Office paid him a visit. For four years he took money meant for amateur sports and blew it on holidays to Bali and wages for staff at his chain of pubs.

Excuse me if I save my sympathy for parents whose kids are stabbed to death on the street, and not a shonky ex-footy player who's got no one to blame but himself for his dodgy dealings. Forced to live in Matthew Ridge's plush Herne Bay home for a year, boo bloody hoo.

Woman's Day leads with the glamorous new Katie Holmes, which I think has less to do with the powers of transformation and more what happens when you have not much work on and tons of money. Yes, she looks awesome, and I love her new Suri-like hairdo, but if I could spend my days working out and buying fancy clothes, I would too.

NW reports trouble in paradise for Nicole Richie and Joel Madden as the birth of their baby nears. Apparently Joel is close to calling it quits as he's fed up with Nicole's princess demands and the fact that she's losing weight in her final trimester of pregnancy.

"Some friends are telling him this is the real Nicole and it has nothing to do with pregnancy hormones," the mag reports.

I don't smell a happy ending for this one. Anyone want to put a bet on? I give them six months.

Two years ago she thought she could do better, but desperate Jessica Simpson may now be regretting dumping ex-hubby Nick Lachey. While Nick's happily loved up with Vanessa Minnillo, Jessica's had a string of flings, the longest with pervy looking crooner John Mayer. In a stage five clinger alert, she's already introduced her football player boyfriend of a week to her family.

"The singer recently spent what would have been her fifth wedding anniversary poring over sentimental wedding pictures and wondering if she made a big mistake," says the mag. Nick's certainly the one that's come up smelling of roses after this split, as well as getting a hefty chunk of Jess' change in the divorce. Ka-ching!

The Day reports Reese Witherspoon's miffed that her ex, Ryan Phillipe, is flaunting his new missus around town. Actress Abbie Cornish was reportedly involved with Ryan while he was married to Reese - the straw that broke the camel's back being Witherspoon finding messages from Abbie on Ryan's Blackberry.

"She already blames Abbie for helping to destroy her marriage, and she'll be damned if she's about to let that woman steal her kids as well," says the mag.

Who cares, Reese? Ryan's lost his looks and his career stinks compared to yours. Jake Gyllenhaal is cuter and younger, and you've got the world at your feet. Live it up!

In other relationship news, the newly christened Eva Longoria Parker has been seen out not once, not twice, but three times without her mammoth wedding ring. Apparently she also wasn't pleased to receive an award in Germany inscribed 'Eva Parker.' Believe me, this girl leaves nothing to chance in front of the paps. So is there trouble in Parker paradise, or was Eva just trying to get back in the papers?

New Idea will have you believe Pamela Anderson's Hepatitis C takes a turn for the worse, and that husband number three Rick Salomon is more a carer than a lover as she sits on death's door. I wouldn't put Pam in the nursing home yet, although admittedly she doesn't look too flash - her skin looks like someone wrapped her up in leather. That woman loves to party, and I'm no Einstein but you'd think the first thing you'd do if diagnosed with Hep C is cut back on the booze.

The Spice Girls are back, and their shows in Canada and the US have been met with rave reviews - although I'm unconvinced about the Roberto Cavalli-designed outfits. Posh looks like she's wrapped in baking foil, Emma's dress looks drab, and Mel B's giraffe-print catsuit unfortunately has a pattern meeting at the seam which makes her look like she's wet her pants.

Ladies, start your engines! NW has a battle of the baby bumps, showcasing stars in all their pregnant glory. Cindy Crawford looked annoyingly and predictably fabulous during her pregnancy, as did an Oscar-winning Catherine Zeta-Jones, massive Milla Jovovich was eating a dozen doughnuts a day, and Katie Holmes still takes the crown for most bizarre bump, looking like she's stuck a basketball up her top. You could hardly notice Kate Moss', and let's just say Kate Hudson has most certainly looked better.

And that's all from the mags this week!