Table of contents for 28-2023 in Best

Fiona Phillips announced her Alzheimer’s diagnosis last week, aged just 62. ‘It’s ravaged my family – and now it’s come for me.’ I defy anyone not to be moved by those words (read more on pg 10). How does she feel about that? Angry. In part, because her mother, father, grandparents, and uncles have already lost their own battles with this horrible disease. Who can blame her? It’s a heartbreaking situation. For those, like me, who are menopausal and possibly suffering from forgetfulness or ‘brain fog’ (as Fiona describes it) and bouts of anxiety, it may also have struck a note of fear. My mother has Alzheimer’s. Should I now go for a test? Or do I just live in hope that these are menopausal symptoms and Fiona’s fate won’t…

The roller-coaster world of dating circa 2023 can be a scary prospect at the best of times – but imagine finding yourself single for the first time in 17 years, through no fault of your own? It must be even more mind-boggling. And so, it was for best agony aunt Vanessa Feltz, when she prepared for her first date since splitting with musician Ben Ofoedu at the start of this year – after the musician admitted to cheating on her, as well as ‘sext-messaging’ another woman behind Vanessa’s back. The TalkTV presenter, 61, opened up recently about her reaction to signing up for reality show Celebs Go Dating, which airs later this Summer. It involves a host of celebs setting out to find love – and Vanessa confessed that she…

TOP TIP Layer a tight fitting T-shirt underneath a sun dress when the weather lets you down.…

THE WAY I SEE IT… Wise words from our feisty, fearless and funny columnist ‘I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve written about the grey issue of hair. Especially women’s hair. Now, Melinda Messenger has kicked it all off again by appearing on TV with a head full of grey at the young age of 52. And, as ever, people seem to be obsessed with the fact that a woman might actually be happy not to dye her hair as it goes grey! Funny that no one’s interested in the fact that Melinda Messenger – the bubbly blonde with the big boobs who became famous after appearing on bus shelters advertising double glazing – recently completed a Master’s degree with outstanding results, no, let’s just talk about her…

TOP TIP! Go eco-friendly and opt for biodegradable wipes where possible and never flush wipes away, always dispose in a bin.…

For anyone with a mortgage, these are worrying times. For someone coming to the end of a fixed rate one, it’s literally panic stations. What has been historically a long period of really low mortgage interest rates has ended – with a huge bang. People who were enjoying rates as low as 2.65 per cent are now looking at fixed rates more than twice as high. At the end of June, the Bank of England hiked interest rates for the thirteenth time since December 2021 to 5 per cent – the highest level since the 2008 financial crash. According to data company Moneyfacts, the average two-year fixed rate mortgage is now 6.4 per cent while a five-year rate is 6.01 per cent. It also found that only 27 per cent…

1 Drink up Keep water in your car in case of traffic. As for flying, ‘the humidity on a plane is lower, which may lead to faster rates of dehydration,’ warns Alex Glover, senior nutritionist at Holland & Barrett. Increase your intake and cut out dehydrating drinks like caffeine – and beware a pre-flight tipple, which ‘can cause stomach irritation’. 2 Manage motion sickness This is all to do with your senses. ‘In cars, motion sickness can result from a mismatch between what your eyes see and what your body feels,’ explains Dr Elise Dallas, GP at The London General Practice. ‘In planes and boats, turbulence and rocking can contribute.’ If you can, ‘choose a seat that minimises motion, like the front of a car or over the wings of…

Everyone’s thoughts were with Fiona Phillips last week when the news broke that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. And now the 62-year-old former GMTV host has broken her silence on her heartbreaking health update – and how she is on a drug trial in the hope of slowing, even reversing, her diagnosis. Fiona is one of around 40,000 people under 65 with ‘young Alzheimer’s’, for which early diagnosis is key for the most effective treatment. She lost both of her parents to the disease – her mum Amy started showing signs in her 50s and died, aged 74, in May 2006, while her dad, Neville, was diagnosed shortly after and passed away, aged 76, in February 2012. Her grandparents and uncle also had the disease and now Fiona…

When we pick up the phone to Loose Women anchor Kaye Adams, she’s not long back from a family holiday, with partner Ian and their two daughters Charley, 21, and Bonnie, 16. She and Ian met 30 years ago when he was her tennis coach – something the pair have no doubt reminisced about while enjoying watching Wimbledon together over the past couple of weeks! But when she’s not embracing her downtime, Kaye, 60, is busy fronting the ITV lunchtime show that propelled her to fame. Here, she tells best why she never walked down the aisle, forcing herself to like the ageing process, and why she’s now a ‘one-drink wonder’. Hi Kaye. How’s your Summer going so far? Summer weather seems to have deserted Scotland, unfortunately. But we had…

Q In Summer I sweat so much. I’m always hot and sticky, and my skin is dry. What can I do? A DR AAMER SAYS: Sweating is perfectly normal and not restricted to just armpits. The sodium in sweat can also be irritating and have a dehydrating effect. However, excessive and uncontrollable sweating, called hyperhidrosis, can be bothersome. See your doctor first to rule out any underlying conditions, as there are many treatment options including topical creams and oral medications. Muscle-relaxing injections, for example Botox, can help stop excessive sweating and is most effective for underarms, hands and feet. It works by disabling the eccrine and apocrine glands to stop them producing and secreting sweat from the body. A few strategically placed injections will give protection within a few days…

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 £250 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…

On the tennis court with Penny, Susie and Naomi, we’d been feeling the stifling heat of the sun as we played one of our regular Tuesday games. We’d stop for breaks, a drink of water and a chat, but we played as well as we always did, keeping a rally going as long as we could and enjoying it all. OK, so it wasn’t Wimbledon but nothing beat a game of tennis with my friends. Our only concession, being older, was that we played doubles now, not singles – but, I’d often think, ‘It’s amazing we’re on the court at all!’ For there weren’t many of us our age who still played tennis at my local club – maybe five or six of us. We didn’t discuss our ages, but…

ARE THEY JUST USING ME? I’m a divorced mum of three, in my late 40s. Since I split from my ex, six years ago, I’ve had absolutely no luck in meeting a man online that wants to reach date number three, never mind embark on any kind of relationship! I feel like the men I’m attracting only want me for one thing – which makes me feel desired initially, but then totally hollow. I’m starting to worry there’s something fundamentally wrong with me and my confidence is at an all-time low, Vanessa. Please, help. Lucy, Gateshead Online dating is a numbers game. It’s all about kissing a good few frogs until you find your Prince Charming. If you feel used after having sex with a bloke you barely know, with…

Presenter Anthea Turner loved… THE SATSUMA COMPLEX, BY BOB MORTIMER (GALLERY UK) I absolutely loved Bob Mortimer’s first novel. I’ve always loved Bob – I’ve met him on various occasions and watched most things he’s ever done on TV. I’ve always thought there was a warmth, a kindness and even a shyness about him, even as a comedian, taking a rise out of somebody. And those qualities come out in this book. We think we know Bob Mortimer, his humour with Vic & Bob can be surreal, off-the-wall. But The Satsuma Complex, his offbeat romantic thriller, though it has those surreal elements, is entirely different. It’s about an unremarkable man called Gary, who works in a London solicitors’ firm, who ends up entangled in a detective mystery, after going for…

Coronation Street actress Paula Wilcox is still remembered as flirtatious Chrissy in the hit Seventies sitcom Man About the House. Since then, she’s clocked up appearances in a host of shows, from Grantchester and Boomers to Emmerdale. She first walked on to the cobbles three years ago as Elaine Jones, the long-lost mother of taxi boss Tim Metcalfe, but viewers fear that her days could be numbered as she’s now engaged to cobbles serial killer Stephen Reid. In real life, Paula, 73, lives in London with her husband, American businessman Nelson Riddle. Here, she talks to us about fame, her favourite decade and staying in shape… Hi Paula, do you get recognised more on Corrie than on Man About the House? About the same. Man About the House comes up a…

CONO SUR BICICLETA SAUVIGNON BLANC, £6 ON OFFER (RRP £7), TESCO With refreshing flavours of grapefruit, green apple, and pineapple, Cono Sur’s Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect drink for summer. Five stars from us! OPPO BROTHERS CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SNACKING BALLS 180ML, OCADO, £4.50 These bite-size treats made with creamy vanilla ice cream enrobed in thick Belgian milk chocolate, and studded with roasted hazelnut pieces, are the perfect snack for any time of day! BETTY BUZZ GINGER BEER, £2.49, WHOLE FOODS Blake Lively’s much-anticipated drink mixers have finally made their debut in the UK, and we are in love! The Age of Adaline actress has launched five flavours perfect for your Summer barbecue!…

Piers Morgan is never one to fade into the background – and thus it was at the recent Tric Awards, where his old pal Susanna Reid and her GMB crew reigned triumphant. Yes, the proudly controversial 58-year-old was on top form at the industry event in London, revealing that he had his own plan for how he would like ‘save’ troubled daytime show, This Morning – by getting himself on there. ‘I would quite like to read a headline saying, ‘Piers Morgan is a saviour.’ I like that. I can live with that. I have had worse.’ But speaking of ITV, he added mischievously, ‘They can’t afford me, unfortunately. No. I think I have done it. I did five years on Good Morning Britain, and I had a brilliant time.…

While many people think it, Dr Hilary recently cleared up the misconception that Alzheimer’s is hereditary. ‘The answer to that is no,’ our columnist explained. ‘The vast majority of cases do not have a genetic preposition. The greatest risk factor is age. One in 14 people over the age of 65 develop the disease, increasing to one in six over the age of 80. Only around one in every hundred cases are linked to an inherited gene, which may be identified through genetic blood testing. Your risk of carrying the gene is greater if one or both parents developed Alzheimer’s dementia under 65, and the younger they were the bigger the chance. So, for most they will not be genetically predisposed – so lifestyle issues such as healthy diet, taking…

She had a whirl on Strictly last year, but Kaye has confessed the experience hasn’t given her the reality TV bug, far from it. ‘Strictly was never on my bucket list,’ Kaye tells us. ‘It made me slightly wary of reality shows, because you do expose yourself in a way that I didn’t particularly anticipate. I think I’d be a bit nervous for another reality show.’ So, she and Nadia won’t be following in co-star Denise Welch’s footsteps and appearing on Channel 4’s Hunted? ‘Oh God, no – we’d kill each other! Somebody would be under the patio,’ Kaye laughs. ‘The thing with Nadia and I is that we can fall out quite badly in these situations, but we’re like squabbling toddlers, in that we’ll be shouting at each other and…

TV fans will know that whenever This Morning’s Holly Willoughby and former co-host Phillip Schofield were up for an award, they almost always won it. But, for the first time in four years, Holly, 42, failed to pick up a gong at the TRIC Awards held at London’s Grosvenor House – and was overshadowed by another ITV star. Holly and the rest of the This Morning team were nominated in the Daytime category against A Place in the Sun, Escape to the Country and Father Brown. But when the winner was announced, This Morning lost out to A Place in the Sun – and the mum-of-three was nowhere to be seen. According to reports, Holly’s no-show was down to ‘prior commitments’. However, since, many have speculated that it was also…

Preparing the day’s donations at the Food Bank, I looked over at my husband Neil and smiled. We’d come a long way since he’d started handing out flasks of soup to the homeless on the streets of Gillingham, where we lived eight years ago. It was just the two of us back then but now we had a 100-strong team of volunteers, as well as a few members of staff, and together we were helping 17,000 people in need every month. I’d met Neil on Tinder in 2015 after my daughter Emily, now 32, signed me up. I hadn’t been keen on the idea but, once I started swiping, I was immediately drawn to a photo of Neil Charlick, 52. There was just something about him. He looked friendly, and…

Butternut orecchiette bake Serves 4 Ready in 45 minutes • 1 large butternut squash• 300g dried orecchiette (or other small pasta shapes)• 2 tsp smoked paprika• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes• 1 tbsp tomato purée• 600ml boiling vegetable stock, suitable for vegans• 400g can cherry tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes)• 250g small chestnut mushrooms, halved if large• A few fresh rosemary sprigs, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan 160°C)/gas mark 4. Halve the squash lengthways and peel it (you might find it easier to use a small sharp knife), then scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the deseeded part into crescents, then slice the solid part into chip shapes. Put all the squash in a large non-stick roasting tin or baking tray and add…

MAGNESIUM FOR ANXIETY? I suffer and have suffered for years from crippling anxiety. I over-think terribly and get into damaging mental loops. I read somewhere recently that magnesium can help – what do you think, is this backed up by science? And should I take it in tablet form, or soak in a bath of magnesium salt? Lorraine, Poole DR HILARY SAYS: There is some evidence to suggest that magnesium supplements can help with mild anxiety, whether generalised or as a result of premenstrual syndrome or postpartum issues. A review published in 2017 looked at 18 different studies, although many of these relied on self-reporting and were therefore subjective and less conclusive. Magnesium is thought to have a regulating effect on the pituitary and adrenal glands which help with responses…

POST-HOLIDAY BLUES So, I’m back from my hols in Italy, and I seem to have landed with a bit of a bump. After the initial euphoria of seeing the house still standing and the roses alive, the novelty of being home wore off pretty quickly. Everything that was left in the salad tray had turned to sludge, the midge bites on my bum and boobs that I’d scratched turned into big red scabs and my fake tan had worn off, bar the occasional crusty stripe. It’s always a bit of a come-down returning from a holiday. It is hard not to wake up in the morning thinking, ‘Yes, but this time last week, someone was making my breakfast and I didn’t have a thing to worry about, apart from whether…

For the week 11th-17th July with Psychic B CANCER 22 June – 23 July You discover personal power by allowing your sensitive side to shine through. Using intuitive instincts and sharp acumen to reinvent yourself in a career or on a personal level. The new moon on the 17th has your back, with confident thinking, new ideas born now could be epic. LIBRA 24 September – 23 October A new moon on the 17th brings positive light on your career zone. This can be a very creative time, giving you the persistence to achieve your highest aspirations. A surge of intuition brings confident, convincing conversations, leading you to people from all different social groups. CAPRICORN 22 December – 20 January A new moon on the 17th encourages you to let…

Sunday morning. Fran gazed around. She’d opened every window downstairs to try to banish the smell of beer and the aroma of cigars (cigars, for Pete’s sake!). She’d probably have to spray a load of air freshener, too. Operation Destroy Last Night’s Evidence was still, however, in its early stages. Her parents would be back from the airport in less than two hours. Which meant less than two hours to chuck the empties from last night’s party, scrub that curry stain off the carpet tiles and – what was that? It had sounded like a noise upstairs. What with rushing around in a panic as soon as harsh daylight had highlighted the disaster scene downstairs, she had yet to inspect upstairs. Which now struck her as a foolish oversight. She…

MURDER ON THE BLACKPOOL EXPRESS Comedy murder mystery starring Johnny Vegas and Sian Gibson. A murder mystery tour group gets nervous, as the real body count rises! This instalment is joined by sequels Death on the Tyne, and Dial M for Middlesbrough. All three instalments streaming from Wed 12th. BROOKLYN Moving drama about an Irish immigrant (Saoirse Ronan) who leaves rural Ireland behind and lands in bustling Fifties Brooklyn, New York and finds herself caught up in a romance – before her past catches up with her, and she must pick between two countries, as well as two men. Available from Thurs 13th. YESTERDAY Following a road accident, singer-songwriter Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) wakes up in an alternative reality, where no one seems to have ever heard of The Beatles.…

Starting his career as a popstar in the Communards, Richard Coles, 61, had a wild time in the Eighties before becoming a Church of England vicar, but neither career was to last. He stood down as a vicar earlier this year, believing the Church is insufficiently welcoming to gay people. He also left his role on BBC radio’s Saturday Live when it relocated. But none of that stopped him launching a flourishing career as a novelist and, following the sad death of his husband Rev David Coles in 2019, finding love again with actor Richard Cant. We caught up to talk dancing, dogs – and new beginnings. How are you Richard? Very good, I’ve just been on a wonderful tour for Bookshop Week. I went to St Andrews and did…