Índex per 06-2020 a Best

‘After more than 20 happy years together, Phil and I have decided to go our separate ways. We will always share a great friendship and our lovely children,’ was the shock tweet released last week by Fern Britton and her husband, TV chef Phil Vickery. The sad news comes just a month after the former This Morning presenter lost her beloved father, Tony Britton. The much-loved actor passed away at 95, days before Christmas – and it must have been a terrible blow for the star, who has spoken openly about her struggles with depression over the years. ‘Always thought you two would be together forever!’ Phil, 58, and Fern, 62, who share a daughter, Winnie, 18, tied the knot in 2000, after Fern’s split from first husband Clive Jones.…

One thing, as far as recent ‘Markle’ developments go, is very clear – although Meghan was once a self-proclaimed ‘daddy’s girl’, those days are long gone. ‘I don’t know who she is any more,’ her father Thomas said in a recent television documentary. For her part, in the letter that has raised the possibility of them coming face to face in court, she wrote, ‘You have broken my heart into a million pieces.’ The formerly devoted pair have had no contact since before Meghan married Prince Harry in May 2018, unless you count the regular interviews the 75-year-old former lighting director gives to the media, in which he slams his famous daughter. He has not met Harry or his grandson, Archie, and he dramatically declared he ‘doesn’t think he will…

Red alert Take this combo out of the office Double trouble An all-in one dress needn’t mean an all over print! Bloomin’ lovely Add romantic drama with a flowing floral frock Ditch the dress Date night doesn’t need to mean a fancy frock…

Do you have a habit of committing to the same signature scent? It can be hard to prise ourselves away from an old favourite, especially when the number of perfumes on offer are so overwhelming. But maybe now is the time for you AND your man to step out of your comfort zone with an updated fragrance for the new decade…. Fake it yourself Make your own scented moisturiser The key to a fragrance lasting all day is to layer it but if you’ve saved up for a pricey perfume, it may be a stretch too far to buy the accompanying body lotion. So try mixing the two. Add a couple of drops of fragrance to your moisturiser just before applying. According to experts, the best time to put scented…

Chocolate and raspberry fondants Be careful not to overbake these oozy puddings. Serves 2 Prep: 15 mins plus cooling Cook: 15 mins Per serving: 419cals, 8g protein, 29g fat (16g saturates), 30g carbs (28g total sugars), 2g fibre 40g (1½oz) butter, plus extra for greasing50g (2oz) dark chocolate, chopped 1tsp flour1tsp cocoa powder, plus extra to decorate2 medium eggs, separated25g (1oz) caster sugar6 raspberries, plus extra to serveDried raspberries, to decorate (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) gas 4. Grease two 175ml (6fl oz) pudding moulds. 2 Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Cool slightly for 10 minutes. Stir in flour, cocoa and egg yolks. 3 In a bowl, whisk egg whites until medium peaks form, then…

COULD IT BE MAGIC? It looks like magician Ben Hanlin might be coming into his own… Lifting his partner Carlotta above the shoulders, rotating her on the dismount while still skating? That was an extremely difficult lift and he pulled it off. And Joe Swash seems to have done his homework and come back with a vengeance, too. I think, bar Lisa, the ladies should really watch out, because they’re still looking a little wobbly – and the guys mean business… OH NO, SHE DIDN’T… Look, I love Maura Higgins, but she’s been stumbling. When she comes out of a lift, she kind of lands on two feet and locks her legs. The audience booed me when I critiqued her but you know what? I can boo back! That element…

Saoirse, how was it making Little Women? It’s been wonderful to watch Greta Gerwig take on this huge film – I don’t think any of us realised how big it was until we were in it! It’s brilliant and I never say that about my films, but it’s really special. Was it great teaming up with Timothée Chalamet, who you worked with on Lady Bird? It’s lovely working with the same people again because you develop a really good rapport with them. Timmy and I had loads of scenes together this time and lots of fun. It’s amazing we’re not sick of each other yet. How did it feel to provide a new take on a story as well loved as Little Women? It’s maybe more relevant today than at any other time…

Q The skin on my face looks blotchy and make-up never looks right. What can I do about this? Charlotte, Ipswich A DR AAMER SAYS: Redness and blotchiness usually occurs because our bodies are trying to heat themselves, bringing blood close to the skin’s surface and dilating capillaries. Your skin could benefit from a treatment facial using cannabidiol (CBD), a substance found in the cannabis plant. There are no psychoactive effects and it has anti-inflammatory properties, helping to soothe and calm your skin. Three drops of CBD oil are administered, then skin is double-cleansed, followed by a deep, relaxing tissue massage. Finally, a mask is applied, removed with a tonic, finishing with a light application of CBD cream. From £120 per facial. LESLEY SAYS: Ensure that skin is effectively cleansed…

TOP TIP! Some wildlife charities (www.appalachianwild.org) take old mascara wands to brush baby animals…

HOW IT WORKS Valentine’s Day just wouldn’t be the same without a bit of chocolate and maybe a tipple or two, would it? We’ve put together the perfect diet plan that includes red wine and chocolate with a treat every day, so you can make the most of this time of year without worrying about your weight. What’s more, you could lose up to a stone along the way. So, whether or not there’s someone special in your life, it’s time to treat yourself because you deserve it. Get ready to indulge while you lose the bulge… GETTING STARTED • Follow the plan (right), which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, one snack and one treat per day. • Drink at least eight glasses of fluid daily, including water, sugar-free squash, tea…

STILL A VIRGIN AT 46 I hate admitting this on paper, but here goes – I’ve got to 46 without ever losing my virginity. I’m not sure why. I’m single, but I have a strong faith, which has put me off sex outside marriage. Now it’s become such a huge elephant in the room, I wonder if I ever will. I do date but as soon as we grow close, I worry he will think I’m a freak, if he discovers the truth. My very patient friends tell me I should just get it over and done with, before it consumes my life any further – go out, get drunk and have some no-strings sex, but I don’t like the idea of that. Should I just do it?! Mary, Portsmouth…

Veggie delight Enjoying plant-based meals just got more convenient! Check out Co-op’s tasty range called GRO, it features alternatives of favourite dishes such as chilli con carne. Our fave is the Kashmiri pizza, which combines cauliflower and a mozzarella-style vegan cheese. Pick one up for £3.50. GO LOW! High in fibre and low in calories, these delicious Birthday Cake Squares, £2.89 for a box of five, have a sweet vanilla and marshmallow flavour and are just 90 calories each! Limited edition, so grab a box while you can. Check out fibreone.co.uk for more diet treats to smile about… Percy gets saucy… If you can’t leave M&S without a pack of Percy Pig sweets, then you’ll love the new Percy Pig sauce, £2. It tastes just like the sweets and is…

….her new album, Heavy Love I never thought I’d do music again, so being here in the position where I’ve just released an album after 20 years means the world. And I’ve bared my heart and soul a little bit on it too… …her sons realising Mum is a pop star It’s been suggested that they don’t like me wearing a leotard, but it’s all in good jest. What’s been so lovely is them being able to come to live gigs and the studio. I really involved them in it. …loving her Strictly stint It’s a mad circus of a show. It’s good and bad, but it was really nice all of a sudden to have a real purpose every morning and turn up to a show I loved doing…

PERRI KIELY, 24, was 13 years old in 2009, when he back-flipped his way to fame on Britain’s Got Talent as part of street dance group Diversity. Now, after topping the leader board on Dancing On Ice, he tells best what it would mean to him to win, how his partner, Vanessa Bauer, helps him beat the pressure, and treasuring the support of his mum and his 77-year-old granny… You must be very pleased with your recent performances on DOI? I am, but I was so nervous the day I topped the leaderboard! I don’t know why. I just thought everything was going to go wrong and I would fall over! But as soon as I got on the ice, it all seemed to fall into place and, at the end, I was buzzing. I think…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT Morzine is a thriving Alpine village set deep in the Chablis mountain range between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc. It’s a ski resort in the winter but when the snow melts it becomes a popular destination for biking, hiking, alpine climbing – and adrenaline-fueled activities that are not for the faint-hearted! But it’s not just for the super fit, if you prefer to explore at your own leisure, or take a guided walk that includes cheese tasting, it’s all on offer. INSIDER’S GUIDE From abseiling down waterfalls to jumping in cold rivers, prepare to go wild and try ‘canyoning’. If that sounds a little out of your comfort zone, you could just hire an e-bike and follow the famous Tour de France route through the mountains to enjoy…

Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan horrified her fellow panellists – and viewers at home – when she revealed that thugs had once decapitated her now 19-year-old daughter Ciara’s rabbit. The revelation came about as the panellists debated the controversial Netflix series Don’t F*** With Cats – which tells the brutal story of psychopathic animal killer Luka Magnotta, who filmed himself killing cats. ‘When Ciara was very small, about two or three, we got her a rabbit and it used to run around the back garden,’ recalled Coleen. ‘We got up one morning and some horrible, horrible kids, teenagers, had climbed over the garden wall and decapitated the rabbit.’ That a twisted killer could have sneaked into Coleen’s garden while she and her young family were at home, is chilling, to say the…

Last Monday was cheeky chappy Iain Stirling’s 32nd birthday, and it seemed his girlfriend and Irish presenter Laura Whitmore had papered over the cracks that started to appear in their relationship – at least for the day. ‘Happy birthday to the best person I know,’ she gushed, posting a picture of the couple kissing behind the South African villa. But the current Love Island host had revealed earlier that she worries the ITV show could impact on her love life with the narrator – especially if he cracks too many jokes about her… The Irish beauty, 34 (who is standing in for Caroline Flack), admitted it ‘could be the end of our relationship!’ ‘I have no idea what he is going to say and no control over that because I…

TOP TIP! Wear a sheer blouse under a classic shift to give it a bold new look for 2020. TOP TIP! Valentine’s Day ball? Go all out with a floor-length frock. This jersey style dress teams with flats or heels. TOP TIP! A swing style dress is figure-forgiving and will look super glam teamed with heels.…

As the first airlifts of Brits from China went ahead, Jeff Siddle, 54, told of his agony at seeing his family torn apart. He and his nine-year-old daughter were offered flights out of Wuhan – but because wife Sindy, 42, is a Chinese national she was not allowed to leave with them. ‘My wife is distraught,’ he told BBC Radio 4. ‘I had to make a decision where it’s either my daughter, who’s got a British passport, and myself to leave – and leave my wife here in China – or the three of us stay. We’d have to have a nine-year-old child separated from her mother. Who knows how long that could be for?’ Jeff and his daughter were expected to be among the first airlifted out of the…

AQUARIUS 21 January – 19 February When Aquarians like American singer/songwriter, Carole King, and This Morning presenter, Holly Willoughby, feel as if they’re being pushed from varying directions they will find it easier to cope by focusing on one thing at a time. It’s important to take a break when you need it. PISCES 20 February – 20 March Your money prospects are improving. If you’re struggling to keep up with bills and expenses, news about a financial opportunity will make you hopeful for the future. A generous offer from an older relative or loan application approval could be the answer to your prayers. Creative projects will go well. ARIES 21 March – 20 April Accept the chance to take on an unfamiliar role. You will do well with this…

£1 PER SERVING Warm lentil and halloumi salad This is a simple filling recipe that can be whipped up in no time. Reminiscent of humble village food found on many a Greek kitchen table, halloumi can easily swapped for equally delicious crumbled feta… PER SERVING CALS 319 FAT 22g SERVES 4 2tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling1 medium onion, diced1 clove garlic, finely slicedPinch of smoked paprika100g baby plum tomatoes (about a handful), halved1tbsp vinegar390g tin green lentils, drained and rinsed100g baby spinachJuice ¼ lemon, plus zest15g of mixed fresh herbs (parsley, mint and coriander)1 packet of good quality halloumi, cut into eight slices widthways 1 Fry the onion and garlic in half of the olive oil until they start to soften (about five minutes), then add the smoked…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES This year marks the twentieth-anniversary of one of 7A’s best-loved films – which one? (8,6). This is your prize answer. See below for details on how to enter. TO ENTER CALL 0900 100 0921 (UK 65ppm)† / 1550 787026 (ROI 97cpm) † CODE: PUBSTN20079 ACROSS 7 & 20D PICTURE A Who is she? (7,4) 9 What is international radio code for the letter ‘T’? (5) 10 Archer’s missile (5) 11 This type of ‘pursuit’ is what you call a game that sounds pointless! (7) 12 ___ for the count, expression (3) 13 In the Disney universe, what type of beauty is Princess Aurora? (8) 16 In Spanish cookery it’s an omelette, while in Mexican cuisine it’s a thin…