Table of contents for April 7, 2015 in Best

It snowed in Manchesterlast week and I knewimmediately that my trainto London would be delayed orcancelled – it’s a given. Everythingcomes to a standstill when there aresnowflakes… or leaves… or it’s toohot in summer and the line ‘melts’. I wouldn’t mind, but the weathermen warned us about the ‘JanuaryBig Freeze’ last November, yet stillit seems no one’s prepared. I would say British Gas cheered meup with the news they’re cutting ourbills, but that won’t happen untilspring, when the nights are lighterand our homes naturally warmer. That’s kind of them… The new place to marry isStarbucks. Why would you want to?If Imet a bloke who suggested a coffee house as a wedding venue, the marriage would never happen! NEWMEANING TOPLAYGROUNDWARS Five-year-old AlexNash, from Cornwall,was invited to abirthday party ona dry ski…

They hit the catwalk over two decades ago, but have thesemodels stood the test of time? LINDA EVANGELISTA She’s still got it! Mother-ofone Linda, now 49, is eclipsing many of today’s young rivals with her wrinkle-free looks. One of the original ’90s supermodels, who coined the phrase: ‘We don’t wake up for less than $10,000 a day’, the beauty has always said she’ll age gracefully. But she recently admitted she won’t be against a nip and tuck. “I probably will have surgery. I want to look good.” And she still does. Linda clearly follows a great skincare routine, as she has that ‘supermodel glow’. But there may be some filler in those plump cheeks. She’s admitted to Botox, but likes to keep movement, so might have Sprinkles, where tiny amounts…

WITH SAVVY SHOPPER The year has got off to a rocky start for the supermarket chains, after we were all a little thriftier at Christmas than they would have liked. Once again, the discounters won big over the festive period: Aldi saw sales increase by 22% and Lidl 15%, compared to Christmas 2013. Waitrose was the only non-discounter to sell more than the previous year and M&S food sales were up 17% during the Christmas week. Sainsbury’s TasteThe Difference range also fared well – proof that we all like a little luxury. The losers were the big four – Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s. Morrisons did so badly that its boss, Dalton Philips, got the chop. Tesco is wooing us with big long-term discounts on branded goods. It has cancelled…

Last year couldn’t have been busier for presenter Phillip Schofield. Not only did he continue to frontThis Morning, but he also hosted BAFTA winning game showThe Cube and provided voiceovers for ITV2’s popular Educating Joey Essex series. Then, in December 2014, Phil, 52, took on the biggest challenge of his TV career when he was on air for 24 hours non-stop in aid of Text Santa – an event which must have left him exhausted. However, rather than taking it easy, 2015 is set to be even more hectic. As well as another series of The Cube, Phil is adding to his manic schedule with a brand new ITV game show, You’re Back in the Room. The programme – which he began filming last week – will see five strangers…

I hovered on the snowy pavement outside the coffee shop, the pale sky threatening yet more snow, my fingers numb beneath my gloves. Would he already be inside waiting for me? I imagined his heart racing as he debated his words and planned what to say. For a moment I almost felt sorry for him, but reined it in. Words lined up in my head, too, as I wondered how we got to this point. Why things had gone so wrong. My world had started falling apart when my mother died two years ago. And now, as I looked through the window, trying to pick him out in the crowd, I wondered if he would make excuses for himself, perhaps say it meant nothing. Or maybe he would say the…

The Notebook Monday, 8pm, Sky Movies HD Adapted from the best-seller by Nicholas Sparks, the film charts the story in flashback of Noah and Allie (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) who fall in love in 1940. But after they are suddenly torn apart, they have no choice but to move on, before being reunited years later. The ending is a real tearjerker, too. I Am Legend Friday, 9pm, ITV2 You’ll be on the edge of your seat as this apocalyptic thriller begins. Will Smith stars as New Yorker, Dr. Robert Neville, who believes he is the only survivor after a man-made virus wipes out the earth’s population. Trying to find a cure for the disease, Robert finds himself fighting mutant ‘Darkseekers’ – but is he really the only surviving human?…

Golden girl She’s Hollywood’s newsweetheart, after winningthe Golden Globe for BestSupporting Actress.And it looks likeDownton Abbey’sJoanne Froggatt –aka Anna Bates – isset to make the USher new home afterputting in an offer onan LA mansion. Theglam star’s certainlycome a long waysince the days whenshe bought herKit-Kats in Rita’sKabin in Corrie… HOME COMFORTS Fallen off thediet wagonalready? Noworries. Sit backand relax onthis cosycushion. Flower power You don’t need a big budget to indulge indesigner luxury.We love the latestOrlaKiely body products, packaged in hericonic retro design.They smell bloomin’marvellous, too. Centre court to centre stage After seeing how much herfuture mother-in-law enjoyedher Strictly Come Dancingexperience last year, AndyMurray’s fiancée Kim Searsis considering following inJudy’s dance steps. “Andy’sdead set against it,” reveals asource. “Kim’s met Anton and,seeing how much fun Judy had,she’s mulling it…

Staring into the biscuit tin,my husband, Peter, asked thequestion I’d been dreading. ‘Where are those biscuits?’ ‘Umm… I ate them,’ I confessed. Onesitting was all it had taken. At 17st 6lb, a size 22, I was the shapeof the biscuit barrel Peter was holding. I’d been chubby as a child, but it waswhen I went to university that I reallylet myself go. Suddenly able to eat whatI wanted, I tucked into conveniencefood and takeaways. My size 12 body expanded so much,that, by the time I graduated three yearslater, I had to squeeze into a size 18. I’d been with Peter for four years bythen, after meeting when we workedtogether at McDonald’s in ourhometown of East Kilbride. We moved in together straightaway,and when we got engaged I vowed tolose weight for…

Rose Brighten& Refine FacialScrub, £8.99,Superfacialist Feelin’Dandy:PerkMeUp Lip &Cheek Kit,£25.50,Benefit Creme Puff Blushin Lovely Pink,£8.99,Max Factor SuperLustrousLipgloss inPink Pop,£6.99, Revlon HappyLightLuminousSerumPrimer,£10.99,Bourjois Lift &Brighten EyeComplex, £13,Sanctuary bd TradeSecretsDreamShineHighlighter,£7.99,Tesco FairydropsScandalQueenMascara,£18.50,love-makeup.co.uk KissZing™in Peonies ina Pod, £16,Origins Contains light reflecting particles…

Whether in the CBB house or in everyday life, looking gorgeous 24/7 requires a little effort! Luckily, you don’t need a full-onmake-up regime to give your looks a lift. These clever buys will deliver a quick beauty boost, day or night! BECAUSE I’M HAPPY For a brilliant mid-winter boost, check out the divine Laughing Buddha range by Rituals. The products each contain uplifting ingredients like Mandarin, Sweet Orange and Yuzu. AMAZING CONCEALER, £19.50 If it’s good enough for a supermodel, it’s good enough for me! I’ve been told that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley relies on this wonderful concealer when she needs make-up in a hurry. Why? It’s a brilliant multitasker, so you can use it on dark circles, to even out skintone or to cover up blemishes. You only need to use a tiny…

WITHMONEY-SAVING GURU 1 WHAT IS PAYPAL? PayPal enables you to make online purchases with security and peace of mind. Your personal and financial information is never exposed online or shared with the businesses you buy from. There are now LOADS of websites that allow you to make a purchase with PayPal. Instead of using a credit card (and worrying about fraudulent security issues), you just log onto PayPal to make the purchase. Using a credit card often comes with additional fees, but PayPal is largely FREE, so very cost-effective. Even airlines offer it as an option and it is the preferred payment method for most eBay buyers and sellers. 2 MAKING IT WORK FOR YOU… The big benefit of PayPal is that it is free (as long as you use…

ARIES 21 Mar to 20 Apr Are you in or out of a project? A friend needs an answer – follow your hunch, even if it seems illogical. You’ve reached a milestone and you’re stronger for it. It’s time to celebrate! CALL OUR STARLINES 0906 654 2310* (UK) 1550 776 967* (ROI) TAURUS21 Apr to 21 May Someone’s bright idea could be less lucrative than either of you hoped – so set limits. A man’s advances are about as sexy as socks, but he’s trying! Think of more stimulating options. CALL OUR STARLINES 0906 654 2311* (UK) 1550 776 968* (ROI) GEMINI 22 May to 22 Jun Your planet Mercury going backwards could tip up nicely arranged plans – but something even better will emerge.Workmates make things cushy, but a…

This week’s BREAKING NEWS TALKING POINT Not in my name Lots of people have got touchy about the Government writing to every mosque in the country asking Muslim leaders to do more to root out extremists and those who preach hate. I can identify with the sensitivities for and against this. In the Northern Ireland I grew up in, as a Catholic, I was often unfairly equated with being a supporter of the IRA. Such an assumption was ignorant, but I always knew it was understandable because, like it or not, if you favoured a United Ireland or supported the IRA, you were most likely also assumed to be a Catholic – many were shamed by such an association. Yes, they could have political views, but few saw bombing as…

You play a Secret Service spy in Kingsman: The Secret Service – did you ever have an ambition to play Bond? Of course, 007 was among the fantasy figures when I was a kid. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was the first film I ever saw. I don’t know if I’d go as far as to call it an ambition, but playing the suave, elegant, detached man in a suit, you know – it’s iconic! The film is hilarious, but there’s a lot of violence… Yes, it is quite intense at times. For me, it’s satirical. And if you’ve ever seen Laurel and Hardy or Punch and Judy, then fights can be funny. That said, Harry is such a gentleman. Do you think manners are a dying art? No! I…

LOVED-UP DANNY’S Afterweeks apart,EastEnders’Danny Dyer putson a united frontwith partnerJoanne ‘I have girlsthrowingthemselves atme every day’ Since hestrolledinto theQueen Vicas lovableMickCarter inDecember2013,DannyDyer hasbecomeTV’shottestproperty. The cheeky Cockney geezernow has an army of fans – theDyehards – and was even giventhe coveted Christmas Daystoryline to top it all. Lastweek, he won Best Performanceat the National TV Awards,and the star clearly lovesthe adulation. “I have birdsthrowing themselves at meevery day. I like the powerof it,” he admitted. So no wonder there wasfrenzied speculation afterreports he’d spent a fortnightholed up in a hotel just sixminutes fromElstree Studios.Officially, this was said to bebecause of heavy filmingschedules. But some wonderedwhy he wasn’t commuting hometo partner, JoanneMas, andtheir three children in Essex. Danny’s roving eye has gothimin trouble in the past. In2009, he admitted to cheatingon Jo,…

1DON’T LOOK BACK ‘Never beat yourselfup,’ says health coachRachael Phillips (rachphillips.com). ‘Give yourself someslack but, most importantly,make sure you keep going.’ 2 SOCIALMEDIA Tweet and Facebook yourdiet progress to friendsand family. You’re less likely to give up if theworld is watchingyou along the way. 3 PICTURE POWER Pictures are a great mental toolfor helping you slim. Try usingan unflattering photo of yourselfa s a screensaver on your mobileto m otivate you when you’refeeling weak and lazy. 4IT’S OKTO SAY NO If your friend offersto buy you a glass of wineafter work, be confidentenough to say: ‘No, thanks.’Social situations are a bigfactor in sabotaging dietsbefore they get going. 5 SIZEMATTERS You know thesaying: ‘Your eyes aretoo big for your belly’? Trytricking your eyes intothinking you’re eatingmore. A slightly smallerplate could dothe…

Whether she’s playing Silent Witness’ Dr Nikki Alexander, or gracing our screens on TV chat shows, Emilia’s undeniable love of clothes always shines through. She knows just how to style her slight frame in classic designs. Her refreshing choices are never obvious, and are worn with her own natural elegance. PRETTY INPRINT At the Royal Academy for the opening of The Summer Exhibition in a Luisa Baccria £2,420 dress and £425 Louboutins. SHEER ELEGANCE At last year’s Military Awards she pulled out all the stops in a £6,960 Valentino gown and priceless vintage diamonds. STATEMENT POPPIES She chose a £260 Alice and Olivia tuxedo jacket and £420Mui Mui shoes for The Good Housekeeping Institute Gala. GET THE LOOK Perfect for the Spring…

Plain and simple, but always a favourite with my brood. Now, I’ve said ‘mince’ in the ingredients, but my mum always used to make her shepherd’s pie with leftover roast lamb, which I would love to do – trouble is, there’s never any left in my house! THE PERFECT WAY TO WARM UP IN WINTER Baby shepherd’s pies SERVES 4 ● 2 tbsp sunflower oil ● 800g best-quality lamb mince ● 1 onion, finely chopped (grated if you don’t like bits) ● 1 garlic clove, crushed ● 1 tbsp plain flour ● 500ml beef stock ● 1.2kg potatoes, washed, peeled and halved ● 30g butter ● 185ml milk ● salt and black pepper ● 200g Cheddar, grated Heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium-high…

CHANGING HER DIET HAS TRANSFORMED THE GLAMOROUS STAR VISIT US ONLINE! Looking for more information on our latest diets? We’re just a click away! ‘I’m a dancer so there’s pressure to In 2013 she look good’ For three months a year she’s on television in front of 10 million viewers on BBC’s Strictly, dancing in costumes that require the confidence of a Victoria’s Secret model. But, behind the scenes, it seems Kristina, 37, who was paired with Simon Webbe from boy-band Blue on last year’s show, is as prone to body concerns as any other woman. “I am conscious of my appearance. I’m a dancer, so there’s pressure on me to look good. During the Strictly run I perform live against 12 other professional dancers. “Ballroom is a viciously competitive world and every…

Both these sets of clues lead to the same answers, revealing in the shaded squares a film starring Emma Stone (7) TOENTERCALL:09016094232 (UK61ppm)† /1550716023(ROI 97cpm) † CODE:PUBSTN14859 STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 1 Stressed again and again (8) 5 Take for granted (6) 10 The ----- Deadly Sins (5) 11 Immediately (9) 12 Directed music (9) 13 Plane captain (5) 14 Observed (4) 15 ‘Carmen’, e.g. (5) 18 Possessed (5) 20 Pretty and twee (4) 22 High-born person (5) 24 Artisans (9) 26 Helper (9) 27 Subsequent to (5) 28 Ten-year period (6) 29 Amicable (8) DOWN 1 Six-legged creature (6) 2 Ten more than 10 Across (9) 3 Painful result of over-exposure (7) 4 Have life (5) 6 Hair cleaner (7) 7 As far as then (5) 8 From the land…

Midsomer Murders Return of the long-running mystery drama, starring Neil Dudgeon and Gwilym Lee. At the Luxton Deeping Crime Festival, the manuscript of a newly discovered novel by deceased writer George Summersbee is stolen. Meanwhile, local artist Suzie Colebrooke is electrocuted by a boobytrapped roulette wheel. Can DCI Barnaby untangle a web of jealousy and obsession to find the ruthless killer? EastEnders:Greatest Cliffhangers Countdown of the top 100 suspense-filled moments in the show’s 30-year history. We expect the Mitchell family to feature heavily in this… Maleficent Angelina Jolie stars in the untold story of Disney’s iconic villain – an evil fairy who put a spell on Sleeping Beauty for 100 years. It turns out that Maleficent is really nice – and, if King Stefan hadn’t cut her wings off, she…

BROKEN DREAMS Coronation Street, 7pm & 7.30pm, Mon & Fri; 7.30pm, Wed SCHEMING PL A N Corrie actress Catherine Tyldesley opens up about the on-screen chemistry between Eva and Jason… Things seem to be going well for Jason and Eva… Yes. Eva believes that, finally, after many failed relationships, she has found the person she is supposed to be with. Is it a problem that Eileen’s house is so overcrowded? Well, this does fuel Eva’s ambition for her and Jason to have a place of their own – it’s the right time for them to settle down. Will she talk to Jason about this? When she finally plucks up the courage (over a homemade dinner – the true way to Jason’s heart!), he loves the idea, and Eva’s ecstatic. But…

BEAR ESSENTIALS Dr Dolittle would be delighted with the latest offering in animal tourism. The JamalaWildlife Lodge experience at the National Zoo and Aquariumin Canberra, Australia, offers guests the chance to get closer to the animals than you would in your average hotel room. So if having a bath in front of a big grizzly bear is at the top of your ‘to do’ list, then you’re in luck. HOP IT! Who knew kangaroos love a good selfie? This one looked overjoyed to join in the camera fun with some tourists. Next thing, he’ll be applying a filter in Photoshop.Meanwhile, just out of shot was a giraffe busy getting to grips with a selfie stick. OK, not really. SHARK ATTACK Is this the worst uncle in the world? Toy sculptor…