Meanwhile, the focus on royalty and aristocracy in magazines such as Hello! is proving less popular.

Sky Customer Magazine, printed in Germany by Gruner + Jahr, topped the list with a circulation of 6.12m copies an issue.

Hello!, printed by Polestar Greaves, suffered a 37% circulation drop to 347,461 copies in the six months to 30 June 2003.

But Heats rising popularity shows no sign of slowing. The Emap title, with text printed by St Ives Peterborough and cover by Wyndeham Impact, boosted its circulation by 2% in the last period and 18% year on year. Its distribution is now over 560,000 copies a week.

The circulation of Cosmopolitan, published by NatMags and printed by Polestar Chantry, remained static over the six-month period and dropped 2% year on year. But its sister, CosmoGIRL!, aimed at the teen market and which moved to gravure at Polestar Purnell earlier this year, raised its circulation by 46,176 copies an issue in the six-month period.

Cosmos rival, Cond Nasts Glamour, printed by Cooper Clegg in Tewkesbury, continued its steady circulation increase with a 7% rise this period, taking its total distribution to more than 576,000 copies.

Less expensive TV magazines also seem to be more popular. TV Choice, printed by Quebecor World in Corby, enjoyed a 7% rise this period, while circulation of Whats on TV, produced by Polestar Watford, rose by nearly 60,000 this period, taking its total to nearly 1.7m.

Top five increases in circulation
TitleCirculationSix-month increase
1. TV Choice966,78764,546
2. BBC Gardeners World352,99663,993
3. Whats on TV1.69m58,762
4. CosmoGIRL!183,00047,378
5. Glamour 539,52131,767

Story by Emma Heap