I'm about to get my next issue of @empiremagazine drum out and start going hell for leather on it. BUT, first of all, I want to say something SINCERE

Obviously, this has been tough year for everyone. It's been a challenging year for @empiremagazine. Not only were many shops (aka places you buy magazines from) closed for long periods, but people found money tighter than ever AND cinemas shuttered AND productions paused

People expressed concern for us. And it did mean we had to stop and ask: what is EMPIRE in a year without cinemas (even momentarily) and without the usual slate of films? Not necessarily what do we do, but what are we? WHO are we? (sorry to get existential)

And it became clear to me that we're more than a magazine. We're a community. A family. And we needed each other more than ever. We might not be cramming into cinemas together right now, but we still wanted to come together to talk about films. But also life! Love! The West Wing!

A SUBSCRIBER wrote to us to say what a joy it was to hear the magazine dropping on the doormat every month. Audible constancy. A continuing connection. A bit of life that sticks around and *feels* the same

And I'd like just to thank everyone who's stayed with us this year. Renewed subscriptions, bought mags online, read our digital editions, signed up for podcasts, joined our quizzes, talked to us on here

Your continued support and companionship in the toughest of years has been incredibly moving for me, @NickdeSemlyen and the entire team. We've tried to fill @empiremagazine with the same passion and expertise and substance and love as we ever have

Cinemas, film, is not out of the woods yet. We know there's potentially quite a long path back but we believe that there is a path back. And we *WILL* be sat shoulder to shoulder with you in the pictures again. In the meantime, just thank you. We're here as long as you are

(And we have 7,834 ideas for next year that I can't wait to tell you about but essentially: PRINT LIVES, BABY)