Table of contents for 32 - 2016 in Best

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, someone dreams up another TV show guaranteed to stir up a bit of controversy. Everyone knows by now that Celebrity Big Brother is car-crash viewing. (No amount of money would entice me into that house). Incredibly, this hasn’t dissuaded a whole new cast list of wannabes from degrading themselves yet again (see p20). So when the first of them starts to crumble, you have to ask, is it worth it? That series, though, seems old news compared to the new one that’s got everyone flustered. Hello, Naked Attraction! Ever wondered what the new spin on a TV dating show could possibly be? Better turn to p50 for the full monty. Enough already! Sadly, this is farewell from me, as I’m off to…

Like every wife, I presumed I’d be with my husband, Alan, forever. That I’d met the man I was going to grow old with and, after retiring, we’d spend more time together, going on nice holidays and having fun with our grandkids. But sadly I was wrong, and at 66, I found myself facing the future alone and heartbroken. Alan, 68, and I met as teenagers at a dance. I was dating his pal at the time but soon realised Alan was the man for me. I was quiet and shy and he was confident and outgoing, but somehow it worked. We married a year later and went on to have three children. By summer 2014, we’d clocked up 48 years of wedded bliss and were still going strong. One…

An off-shoulder top with jeans is an easy-towear combo for a relaxed weekend gathering. A statement jacket makes the perfect high summer cover-up. Team it with a folksy blouse now and a jumper when the chill sets in. If you want to give your wardrobe an instant update, you can’t go wrong with a bomber jacket. This denim style looks great teamed with a sun dress, but would also work well with a pair of jeans and classic white T-shirt.…

JOE SWASH A receding hairline, or – gasp! – the beginnings of a bald spot, must be devastating for a man. And imagine how it must feel when you’re constantly being photographed or filmed, like these celebs. So it’s no wonder they’ve resorted to surgery to ‘fill in the gaps’. It’s a case of gone today, hair tomorrow… I’m A Celebrity... 2008 victor Joe Swash, 34, revealed last week that he’d had his thinning locks sorted at 27, as he worried work would dry up. ‘It made me feel better,’ he said on Loose Women. ‘I was on TV, so that might have had something to do with it. I just thought I started ageing a bit, looking older than I am.’ Ex-EastEnders star Joe said he’d been ‘too embarrassed’…

What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a question we were all asked as children. We’re made to think we need to pick a career and stick with it until we retire. But why limit ourselves to just one? I didn’t, and my life has been richer for all the experiences my different roles have provided. For me, getting the right work-life balance has always been important and that’s probably why I’ve changed career so many times. That, and the belief that we’re only here once – if there’s something you really want to do, I believe you should go for it. Which is exactly what I did. In my 20s, I got my first proper job as long-haul cabin crew with British Airways. It was…

Did you know, some foods contain a secret slimming ingredient, inulin, which you can harness to help you lose weight? It’s a type of fibre found in a variety of fruit, vegetables and herbs. Inulin isn’t easy to digest, and experts believe it helps us feel fuller for longer as well as helping to turn off the hunger switch in our brains. It’s also a prebiotic – it boosts the growth of good bacteria in our gut, improving bloating and generally keeping our tummies happy. So we’ve put together this plan… HOW IT WORKS • Our seven-day meal plan includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and one snack a day. • Drink at least eight glasses of fluid daily, including tea and coffee (black), water, herbal tea and sugar-free squash. • Follow…

Since she returned to Emmerdale last year, Carly Hope has formed a firm bond with Marlon Dingle. But, since they took things a step further, the future of their relationship is on shaky ground. Neither regrets what happened, but do they want to risk their friendship? Actress Gemma Atkinson (Carly) knows what she’d like to see happen with Marlon (Mark Charnock). Hi, Gemma! So, how is Carly feeling after her moment of passion with Marlon? Really confused! Though she likes Marlon, she’s worried about their friendship. They’re both unaware of how the other one truly feels. They’re following their heads, not their hearts. How does Marlon’s daughter, April, react to the situation between her dad and Carly – her babysitter? April’s a smart little girl. She’s spotted that Marlon and…

If you haven’t seen it already, then brace yourself, because you’re in for a shock. Channel 4’s Naked Attraction is a stripped-back (literally) TV dating show where the contestants pick their date from a range of naked bodies on display. It may have over 1.4 million viewers, but it has been panned by critics – and they’re not the only unhappy ones… ‘HOW WILL YOUNG PEOPLE U NDERSTAND HOW TO DATE?’ Mumof-four Angela Epstein says, ‘There’s very little I can tell our 12-year-old daughter that she doesn’t already know. Thanks to computers, mobile phones, iPads, and a circle of equally savvy friends, today’s pre-teens (and younger) are turning adolescence into a white-knuckle ride. Yet, just because information is now disseminated so easily, that’s no excuse for offering the green light…

THIS WEEK... SHOP SENSIBLY Speak to other parents to find out how well clothing from different shops lasts. And don’t be afraid to buy more expensive items – like blazers or sports kit – second-hand. You can of ten donate your old stuff to the school’s second-hand shop – they will give you back a percentage of what they make. PRICE WARS Supermarkets have uniforms on sale from the start of the summer holidays, but be prepared, as stock sells out quickly. Although Asda was the cheapest for a full uniform set last year, it’s now jumped to £7.50. So Aldi and Lidl are the shops to watch. Aldi offers a jumper, two cotton polo shirts and trousers or a skirt for less than £3.69, but as its uniform is…

1 COOKWARE COLLABORATION IF YOUR KITCHEN IS FEELING A LITTLE DULL, THE LATEST PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN JOHN LEWIS AND ‘NATURALLY FAST FOOD’ CHAIN LEON IS SURE TO BRIGHTEN UP YOUR COOKING. The 40-piece range, which goes into stores this month, includes statement kitchen staples that incorporate LEON’s bold colours and iconic illustrations. Can we open our own LEON now? Small storage jar, £4; medium storage jar, £6; large storage jar, £8; yellow stock pot, £24; red casserole dish, £120; chopping board, £45; colander £18; wooden tool set, £18; set of two tea towels, £12; oil infusing bottle, £10; tapas dishes, £10 each. 2 BASIC-ALLY HOT SHARON STONE’S CERTAINLY GOT THE RIGHT INSTINCTS WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING IN SHAPE. Posing in a black-andwhite bikini with no make-up and wet hair, the…

DOVE SERUMIN-OIL, £6.99 Nourishes deep inside the hair shaft to prevent split ends. ELEMIS JAPANESE CAMELLIA BODY OIL BLEND, £34 A light, scented body oil, rich in plant collagen. OGX ANTIBREAKAGE KERATIN OIL SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER, £6.99 each Keratin proteins and argan oil help to resist breakage caused by brushing and styling. MANUKA DOCTOR BRIGHTENING FACIAL OIL, £19.99 Kourtney Kardashian uses this oil for a luminous glow. TRILOGY CERTIFIED ORGANIC ROSEHIP OIL, £16.50 Keeps wrinkles at bay. It’s rumoured the Duchess of Cambridge is a fan! CLARINS INSTANT LIGHT LIP COMFORT OIL IN RED BERRY AND RASPBERRY, £19 each Punchy pops of colour with hazelnut oil to keep lips super soft. BURT’S BEES CLEANSING OIL, £16.99 Removes dirt and make-up to leave skin squeaky clean. ELIZABETH ARDEN EIGHT HOUR CREAM…

Strawberry and raspberry tart WITH A VANILLA CRUMBLE BASE MAKES 2 Prep: 40 mins, plus 2 hrs chilling and cooling Bake: 10-15 mins FOR THE CRUMBLE BASE • 50g unsalted butter, chopped • 100g rye flour • 40g light brown sugar • 1tsp vanilla powder FOR THE STRAWBERRY AND RASPBERRY GANACHE • 350g white chocolate • 125g unsalted butter • 75g strawberry purée, with 10 per cent sugar • 75g raspberry purée, with 10 per cent sugar • 100g caster sugar • 20g liquid glucose FOR THE DECORATION • Mascarpone cream • Strawberries and raspberries • Lemon verbena leaves YOU WILL ALSO NEED • 2 × 12cm cake rings • Piping bag, with round nozzle 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Place the cake rings alongside each other on…

If I go out for a coffee with friends, I feel guilty. If I pop to the pub on the way home from work, I feel guilty. Wherever I go, I’m always checking my mobile phone to make sure I’m not needed at home, despite the fact my only son, now 25, has long since upped and left. But it’s not him I’m worried about – it’s my beloved, ageing mum, Jean, 83, that I’m constantly concerned for. She moved into a granny flat next to our home in Southam, Warwickshire, after my father died suddenly of a heart attack just a few years ago. Although in relatively good health, my mum is frail. She can’t walk very far, let alone drive, so she’s dependent on me to take her…

Both these sets of clues lead to the same answers, revealing in the shaded squares a film with Emma Roberts (5) WIN £550 STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 6 Distended, blew up (7) 7 Ruined ship (5) 9 Party thrower (4) 10 In an enjoyable way (10) 11 Things on an agenda (5) 12 Own up to (5) 14 Is not (abbr.) (4) 16 Drinking vessels (4) 17 Look up (5) 18 Gain a goal (5) 22 A new colony (10) 25 Tacks on (4) 26 Twelve-month spells (5) 27 More mucky (7) DOWN 1 Small unit of length (10) 2 Loses one’s footing (5) 3 Perimeter, boundary (4) 4 Turn, coil (5) 5 Spotted, noticed (4) 6 Lacking height (5) 8 Slaying (7) 13 Government by the voters (10) 15 Stage paintings…

Since bowing out of This Morning in 2001, Judy has, for the most part, shunned the public eye – in contrast to her gregarious other half Richard Madeley. As for her thoughts on social media, well, they have always been damning. Last year, Judy, 68, said on the topic, ‘It makes some of the worst of these people feel important, and like they’re being listened to.’ And last week, she addressed the subject again. ‘I’m not on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram or any other social media site,’ she declared. ‘I’m no masochist. These virtual worlds are the repository of routine personal abuse.’ She then revealed a shocking detail that must have made her mind up for good. Her hubby, Richard, 60, had been subjected to death threats online, for…

For long-standing fans of Dawn French, her recent behaviour – even for the colourful comic – has seemed out of character. Expecting a few witty quips and autobiographical tidbits as Dawn talked about her new book, According To Yes, the audience at a literary festival were left slack-jawed when she began to talk about crack cocaine instead. ‘I said no to drugs, but I wish I’d said yes,’ confessed the 58-year-old at the Port Eliot Festival, which is not far from her Cornwall home. She’d had many opportunities to ‘get high’ before now, she added, saying, ‘I intend to do loads!’ This led to a stunned silence from fans as they tried to work out whether this was an elaborate joke, or the crazy confessions of a national treasure. ‘I’d…

THIS WEEK... I think most teenagers will have tried alcohol before they’re 18 – with or without their parents’ blessing. An image of Liz Hurley at a wedding with her 14-year-old son, Damian, appeared last week, and it looked like a champagne glass may have been photoshopped out of his hand. It’s naïve to think your kids have never touched a drop, and I believe it’s crucial to talk to them about all of it – the drink, the drugs, the sex. I did it with my three, and they always felt they could approach me. My 15-year-old daughter, Ciara, won’t drink. She hates it. She’s adopted my attitude to alcohol! I honestly wondered if she was just saying it, but I spoke to her friends, who all drink, and…