heat (magazine)

heat is a British entertainment magazine published by EMAP Consumer Media, and edited by Mark Frith along with Lucie Cave (the features editor). As of 2004 it is one of the biggest selling magazines in the UK, with a regular circulation over half a million. Its mix of celebrity news, gossip and fashion is primarily aimed at women, although not as directly as in other women's magazines. It also features movie and music reviews, TV listings and a major celebrity interview.

heat was launched in February 1999 as a general interest entertainment magazine, at a cost of more than £4m. However, unlike other Emap launches before and after, it was not an immediate success, with a circulation below 100,000. A series of revamps quickly repositioned the magazine as a less serious, more gossip-oriented magazine aimed at women, and circulation quickly grew. A series of high-profile celebrity relationships, such as between David and Victoria Beckham, and Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt provided ample material, while reality shows such as Big Brother and Pop Idol grew popular at just the right time to help fill pages.