Table of contents for 14-2021 in Best

I happen to be a Catholic. A practising one, so Easter is a happy time for me. For years, friends have asked in incredulous voices when I say I’m off to mass: ‘Are you religious? You aren’t the type.’ But what is ‘the type’? And that is what the current show Pilgrimage: The Road to Istanbul (Friday, 7.30pm, BBC Two is the final episode), does so well. From presenter Adrian Chiles, a Catholic convert, to former politician Edwina Curry, who’s Jewish, and broadcaster Mim Shaikh, a British Muslim, the programme examines how similar our religions are at their core and that believing in a God or not – Dom Joly is a non-believer who ‘went along because I’m obsessed with travel’ – most of us just want to live and…

Former Strictly Come Dancing star AJ Pritchard, 26, has not left his girlfriend Abbie Quinnen’s bedside, since she was horrifically burned, after their video for social media ended in disaster. The accident, which happened on 19 January, but which Abbie only went public with in an Instagram post last week, is almost too horrendous to contemplate. The professional dancer and her famous boyfriend had been filming, when a wine bottle exploded in her face, instantly setting her hair and clothing alight. ‘Whilst we were attempting to create a glass bottle into a vase following a YouTube tutorial, it went terribly wrong and it resulted in me incurring injuries and burns requiring continuous hospital treatment over the past seven weeks,’ Abbie revealed. The 23-year-old and AJ, who began dating in 2018, would do…

Following a five-year hiatus, Kay Mellor’s addictive drama The Syndicate is back for a fourth, standalone series, which Kay describes as ‘a story of low-paid kennel workers in Yorkshire who think they’ve won the lottery – but have been robbed of their ticket’. The chase to confront the culprit takes the group to the wealthy French Riviera, where they find themselves well out of their depth! The brilliant cast includes former Line of Duty star Neil Morrissey, Shakespeare & Hathaway ’s Mark Benton, former Corrie star Kym Marsh and Kay’s own daughter – former Emmerdale actress Gaynor Faye, 49. Here, Gaynor – who has spent lockdown with her long-term partner, Mark Pickering, and their two children, Oliver, 20, and Lily, 17 – explains how hard the past year has been for her children, why she wants to open a Buddhist centre,…

It was when my mum, Monica, went into a care home in December 2017, aged 86, that I stumbled upon an envelope that tilted my world on its axis. Written on it were the words: ‘I am and will always be not the same, but different’. My mother was, indeed, unlike anyone else. A reserved woman, she preferred her own company, always retreating into a book or the garden of our Yorkshire home. There wasn’t a lot of touching or hugging, but I felt close to Mum. Without exchanging words, we knew things about each other intuitively. If I had a headache, she’d know, and I could often tell what she was thinking by the way her lips would tighten. I learnt to read her silences. Which makes it all…

The countdown is on for hair salons to reopen across the UK. But while, we’re waiting, you can help take back control of your stressed-out hair with our Top Tips for adding, moisture, soothing scalps and smoothing frizzy ends… 1 GO BACK TO BASICS From shampoos to stylers, hair products are booming and it can be just as overwhelming as skincare to finding the right one, so why not take a simpler approach? Sanex have now put their fragrance-free skin care know-how into shampoos (one being anti-dandruff with an antibacterial agent) to restore the hair’s moisture, putting a stop to fly away ends, and soothing the scalp. From £2.99. 2 ADD BACK LUSTRE With our hair longer than many of us are used to, even if you got a trim before…

HOW IT WORKS 1 How many times have you caved in when it comes to dieting because belly rumbles get the better of you? It makes slimming a slog and nearly impossible to stick to. But the good news is it doesn’t have to be that way. Regular snacking not only makes dieting easier but it also helps you slim more successfully. It keeps your energy levels constant and your mood more positive because low energy is linked to low moods and a lack of motivation. 2 Follow the plan (opposite) which includes three small meals and – here comes the best bit – 10 snacks per day. Now if that doesn’t make you jump for joy then we don’t know what will. You can have two of the same…

TOP TIP! After a long and dreary Winter, give your garden a clearup to get ready for the sunny days ahead.…

Turn over for more Individual chocolate ripple pavlovas Frangelico is a wonderful hazelnut liqueur, but you can use Amaretto, Cointreau, Kahlúa or even Baileys if you like (or replace the booze with 1tsp vanilla bean paste). Hands-on time: 25min, plus cooling Cooking time: About 40min Makes 6 100g dark chocolate, 70 per cent cocoa solids, chopped3 medium egg whites150g caster sugar¾tsp cornflour¾tsp white wine vinegar200ml double cream2tbsp icing sugar, sifted3tbsp Frangelico or other liqueur1tbsp chopped roasted hazelnuts 1 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove bowl and allow chocolate to cool completely, but not set. 2 Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan)/mark 1. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Put egg whites into a large, clean bowl and beat with…

It started with First Dates, then along came Married at First Sight, but just when you thought reality shows couldn’t go any further, Channel 4 has dreamed up Strangers Making Babies. Yes, that’s right. A programme that will match people who have never met to have a child together. OK… Starting a family is, of course, traditionally the domain of a loving couple who decide that adding to their numbers is the next stage in their relationship. Co-parenting in itself is nothing new – anyone who has been separated or divorced will understand the concept of raising a child together in two different households. But deliberate co-parenting is a far more recent idea. One where neither partner wants a romantic relationship with the other person, just to start a family…

My younger sister Geri is what our aunt Vicky calls ‘a caution’. Geri likes being in a relationship. She’ll no sooner split from a bloke (and she usually does the splitting) before she’s moving on to ‘fresh meat’, as Mum once charmingly put it. And Geri falls head over heels every time. ‘Linda,’ she’ll say breathlessly on the phone. ‘You’ve got to meet Max/Neil/etc. He’s the one!’ Which made my head spin because, the previous month, Alex/Kev/Sanjay had been ‘the one’. I moved to London after college, and Geri moved north to work as a beautician. We saw each other at weekends or texted, Geri giving the lowdown on her hectic love-life. Meanwhile, I was a onebloke-at-a-time kind of gal and I’d been single for a while when Geri phoned…

ARIES 21 March – 20 April New contracts and business opportunities are around for Arians like outspoken former Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan and This Morning favourite Phillip Schofield. They should keep their eyes open for opportunities that point them in the right direction. This could mark the start of a new chapter. CANCER 22 June – 23 July Someone will try to persuade you into doing something you aren’t very keen on. When, later in the week, they find themselves in trouble, you will be glad you didn’t let them talk you into it. This is a wonderful time to get outside and enjoy the beauty and joys of nature. Take a stroll and clear your head; you’ll be much more productive afterwards. LIBRA 24 September – 23…

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: LOCH NESS TO LONDON Thursday, Sky One and Now TV, 9pm We can’t go on holiday yet but at least we can tune in to Freddie Flintoff, Jamie Redknapp and Romesh Ranganathan’s road trip that starts in Scotland – with a guest appearance from Jack Whitehall. Bound to be fun! THE MICHELANGELO CODE Tuesday, Sky Arts, 9pm It’s the largest, most ambitious painting in the world – but the hidden meaning has kept people talking for over 500 years. Art critic Waldemar Januszczak is given access to the Sistine Chapel to figure out what the ceiling fresco is trying to say. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT Sky One and Now TV Episode four is live on Friday but we recommend binge-watching the whole thing! After a date…

Vanessa Feltz, broadcaster, best agony aunt, fiancée of musician Ben Ofoedu and grandmum extraordinaire, is never one to do anything by halves – and that includes Easter. Here, the 59-year-old opens up about why she goes ‘all out’ for the season of daffodils, Spring lambs – and eggs, eggs and more eggs… I confess I’m one of those folksy people who, several years ago, forked out for an ‘Easter tree’. It’s white, with lots of accommodating branches and has sparkly lights threaded through its silvery limbs. I adore it. Frankly, it’s only with great difficulty that I resist turning it into a Valentine’s tree, Barbie tree, Gary Barlow tribute tree and Halloween tree. I have been known to adorn it with all kinds of pretty and personal stuff for my grandchildren’s birthdays.…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION DNA - The new match maker? Maybe it’s not in his kiss… or his eyes. New Netflix drama The One is set in a future world where science – to be exact, a DNA test – matches couples. The show is based around the idea that in the future humans no longer leave love to fate or chance, and instead pairings are made based on science. Could happy couples and lasting marriages really be made in a lab? Is there one person you’re genetically predisposed to fall passionately in love with? This sci-fi drama has had us all talking – could your happy ever after be down to genes and found in a test tube? Let us know what you think… WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell us…

WHAT IS ALGAE SKIN CARE? One of the best ingredients from our oceans, it’s thought more than 30,000 species of algae grow there. There are two different types: first, macroalgae, like kelp and seaweed. This is divided into three main groups – brown, red and blue/green. The second type is microalgae, common ones include spirulina and chlorella. These have a smaller molecular weight so they can better penetrate skin. Both macro and micro types have unique properties, and are sometimes combined into one formula for enhanced results. DIFFERENT BENEFITS • Brown algae is rich in antioxidants and excellent at fighting free-radical damage like pollution. It also helps wound healing by protecting the skin’s elastic fibres. • Red algae helps absorb UVA rays, making it a great choice for Summer. •…

Join our campaign and get your finances sorted at hearstmagazines.co.uk/ffbest for money-saving tips and brilliant advice on being financially savvy. 1 THE BASICS Few would argue that women face more of an uphill struggle when it comes to achieving financial freedom than men. Not only is there still a gender pay gap but a £100,000 pensions gap to contend with too. Research from Scottish Widows showed that young women face 37 years longer at work to close the gender pensions gap. Research from Charles Stanley Direct also shows that 85 per cent more women than men haven’t tried investing, so their money isn’t growing there either. We may be some years away from closing these gaps, but the good news is there is something we can do to help close…

EASTER JOY OR DESPAIR? I am so utterly fed up with not seeing my parents. My two teenage kids really miss their grandparents, too. Vanessa, can you tell me, can we go and spend an afternoon with them in their garden this Easter? Honestly, I get so confused with all the changing restrictions that I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. There are seven of us, counting me, my husband, our children and my parents. I just don’t want to be breaking any rules without even realising it! Julie, Winchester Don’t worry. You are fine to visit your folks over the Easter break. It can be confusing, but the regulations state that, from 29 March, you can meet for outdoor gatherings of six people or two households, including private…

Ayala Rosé Majeur Champagne, £36.25 (thewhisky exchange.com) Our testers noted crunchy green apple, pink grapefruit and peach all jostling for attention. Underlying this pale pink rosé is a delightful biscuity note, partly thanks to three years of ageing and the high proportion of chardonnay in the blend. It could happily be paired with salmon through to strawberry cheesecake. 86/100 BEST SUMMER FRUIT FLAVOUR M&S Champagne Delacourt Rosé Brut, £27 (ocado.com) One of two pink Delacourt Champagnes in the M&S range, and the drier of the two. Packed with wild strawberry and red cherries, alongside a touch of pink grapefruit – and yes, we fully endorse drinking alongside Percy Pigs! 77/100 JOINT RUNNER-UP Waitrose & Partners Rosé Champagne, £26.99 (waitrose.com) Not far behind our winning bottle is Waitrose & Partners’ superb…

BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN Shirlie’s passion for petals is evident all over the house – from the bathtub to the mantelpiece… THE KITCHEN A clean, stylish monochrome look in this room. Shiny black kitchen cupboards, clean white surfaces and big smiles… PARTY, PARTY! Who wouldn’t love to go to a party at this house with Martin on the decks and Eighties tunes blaring out, it would be pure gold! THE OUTSIDE FIREPLACE This is the perfect place to entertain guests when they are allowed in our gardens! This outside fireplace is magical… THE HOME OFFICE We got a glimpse of this lovely office while the pair were doing a Zoom call. We’re loving the muted grey shelves… SHIRLIE’S SHED Shirlie loves gardening and flowers, she says this shed is her…

KILLER THRILLERS Who is Maud Dixon? Alexandra Andrews Tinder Press, £16.99 Florence has dreams of being a writer, so when she’s offered a job as a PA to a reclusive bestselling author, she jumps at the chance. But a research trip to Morocco goes horribly wrong, leaving her in hospital and with an opportunity…This superslick story is deliciously dark. Every Vow You Break Peter Swanson Faber, £12.99 On her hen weekend, Abigail meets an attractive stranger, and has one last fling, only for the supposed one-night stand to turn up at her wedding – then her honeymoon. But she has more to worry about than an obsessed ex. A smart thriller that will keep you guessing. HEART-WRENCHING STORIES Last Night Mhairi McFarlane HarperCollins, £7.99 Since her teens, Eve’s been secretly…

1 FOOD FOR THOUGHT While we are still following Covid guidelines, you must avoid touching or sharing food. That means bringing, preparing and eating your own food separately. Avoid sharing food, plates/dishes, utensils, etc. 2 PACK AND CARRY Ditch the fancy hamper and go for a cooler backpack or shoulder bag that’s easier to carry and will leave your hands free. 3 BRING A BLANKET Sitting on damp grass isn’t fun, so make sure you pack a waterproof blanket. George at Asda currently have an Ozark Picnic Blanket on line for just £10 with a four star rating from shoppers.. You will still need to socially distance, so everyone will need to bring their own. It’s a great way to make sure you stay two metres apart. 4 LOCATION, LOCATION,…

BRIGHT BLOOMS… What’s Spring without a bunch of lovely daffodils? This bouquet, containing 50 of them, is sure to bring a splash of sunshine into any home. £12.99, from eflorist.co.uk GET CREATIVE These are ‘egg’-stra special! Hanging ceramic eggs are fun to decorate with acrylic or porcelain paint pens – a great way to get crafty with the family at home this Easter. £31.89 (with paint pens), from bakerross.co.uk GO POP! It may be another slightly different Easter this year, but it doesn’t mean we can’t have fun! With four bottles of Freixenet and two glasses, this set is the perfect way to kick off the long weekend in style. Including two sparkling rosé and two classic prosecco. £43.80, from slurp.co.uk…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES What does PICTURE C call her fanbase? (7). This is your prize answer. Enter by using the numbers at the top of the grid or at hearstmagazines.co.uk/bestcross1421 ACROSS 3 All set, prepared (5) 6 ANAGRAM SOBEE 7 Woodwind instrument (4) 8 PICTURE A Name this Duck (5) 10 Joaquin Phoenix won his Best Actor Oscar last year for his role as the title character in what film? (5) 11 ANAGRAM TOBIR 12 What is the name for a nine-sided shape? (7) 14 DR MAE turned out to be a figment of my imagination! (5) 17 Group of bees (5) 20 Birds of a ___ flock together, adage (7) 23 Underground drain (5) 24 What is the body’s main…

Lorraine Kelly stunned viewers of her morning ITV show when she revealed that vicious social media trolls told her she was ‘going to die’ – after seeing footage of her receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The straight-talking Scot – whose documentary on the 25th anniversary of the Dunblane tragedy moved many to tears – admitted to feeling ‘emotional’ after getting her first jab. Speaking about her experience with ITV medic Dr Hilary Jones, aiming to reassure viewers about how smooth the process is, she revealed, ‘It’s just so quick and so easy. I felt my arm was a teeny, teeny bit sore, but that was it.’ A video of Lorraine receiving the vaccine was subsequently posted online – but she was hit with critical online reactions. ‘The reason we put stuff…

TOP TIP Jersey is crease-free and easy to wear!…

…solving no one’s issues CAROL’S PODCAST OFFERS LAUGHTER, IF NOTHING ELSE ‘There was a time, in my angst-ridden teens and 20s, when I would worship at the altar of “agony aunts”, hanging on their every word, soaking up their empathy. I would stay up and listen to the late-night agony slots on the radio. Anna (Raeburn) and the Doc, on Capital Radio, were legendary. I had an admiration for them that was reserved for seniors of authority – they were authoritative, trained, professional people who could do no wrong and were awesome in their relentless need to help others. But then everything changed and you no longer had to be qualified to give advice – suddenly everyone was an expert. From journalists to television personalities and pop stars, eventually they…

TOP TIP! Less is more – brush off excess polish on the bottle neck to avoid your application becoming too gloopy.…

With nationwide restrictions easing but the country not yet out of lockdown, just how will Easter celebrations look for the Queen, the Cornwalls and the Cambridges? Queen Elizabeth is expected to remain at Windsor Castle, where she has been isolating for most of the pandemic, with Prince Philip – who was recently discharged from hospital in London, following heart surgery. Though she must be thrilled to have him back in time for the festivities, it will be another muted celebration for the monarch, who most likely won’t see the wider family – including a new arrival, Zara and Mike Tindall’s baby boy, Lucas. A socially distanced meeting with one part of her family may still happen in castle grounds, but with the Prince in his fragile state of health, it…

Watching my two children play, I fought back tears. I had something important to tell them – and absolutely no idea how to… I was only 26 when I noticed a dimple underneath my left breast in 2011. Back then, I was a student nurse and engaged to Mat. Being diagnosed with multiple breast cancer tumours was a shock – you never think it’s going to happen to you. Over the next seven months, I had a mastectomy, chemo and radiotherapy. It was gruelling, but worth it. The doctors told me the cancer had gone. The relief was indescribable. Although I needed ongoing hormone treatment, I could look to the future. Mat and I bought a house at the end of 2013, got married in April 2014, and I finished…

HOW DO I CONVINCE MY SON TO GET THE JAB? My son, 22, has absolutely zero interest in getting the vaccine. Especially now he’s reading about various countries holding off on AstraZeneca for the time being. I understand young people have different sensibilities over this and he’d probably live if he got the virus, but I don’t want him putting himself or anyone else at needless risk. How do I get through to him, Dr Hilary? Liz, Gateshead DR HILARY SAYS: I believe persuasion is better than coercion. I would encourage your son to research how many billions of lives have been saved in the past hundred years through vaccination. Ask him to research what the polio virus did to people, or how lethal smallpox, tuberculosis and cholera have been.…

Do you have a story you’d like to share with our amazing army of best readers? We’re looking for real-life stories from women just like you and your friends – and will pay up to £200 for all those that make it into these pages. Stories can be funny, sad, emotional, inspirational – just like some of the examples on this page. The only rule: they must be true. Have you been on a diet that changed your life? Have you battled against tough times and come out fighting? Have you found love or happiness against the odds? If you – or a friend – have a story to share, whatever the subject, do drop us a line, with your contact details, a photo and a brief outline of your…

I vividly recall conversations with my daughters Bo, now 20, and Martha, nearly 17, at various points in their lives – unplanned and all ageappropriate – to impart to them my experience and advice about how they need to be mindful in social situations where they might be in danger because they are women. It might have been – and I’m ashamed to admit this – about how they might consider what they are wearing; or how they should behave in order not to attract the ‘wrong’ kind of attention from men; or how they need to be extremely careful about not being left alone (with a man or men) or walking home alone at night (in front of a man or men). All these conversations were being had because…

LIVE LIFE BETTER In the ‘A Clutter-Free Life’ episode, dedicated to Spring cleaning, Melissa Hemsley is joined by writers Emma Gannon and Sheila Chandra (author of Banish Clutter Forever) with tips on how to refresh our homes. On Spotify. JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM For the spiritual among you, this insightful podcast offers brief but fascinating reflections from a variety of different people on what the Easter scripture readings mean to them. On Player FM. BERTIE’S EASTER EGG HUNT One for little ones (or the young at heart), in this delightful story the annual Easter Egg hunt in the Palace Garden is heading for disaster, and Prince Bertie the Frog’s about to take the blame! On Apple Podcasts.…