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With the government recently unveiling the ‘rule of six’ – banning social gatherings of any more than six people, both indoors and outdoors in England, amidst the country’s steep rise in Coronavirus cases – many questioned how it would affect them personally, particularly with the festive season on the horizon. And one of those pondering just what exactly this would mean for them, was This Morning host Holly Willoughby, 39. Recently on the morning show, the concerned-looking presenter questioned out loud just how it meant Christmas Day might pan out for the Willoughby family. Asked whether she was going to have to choose between her mother, Lynne, or her father, Terry, this Christmas – due to having a family of five – the realisation of the conundrum seemed to dawn…

How many times do we utter those three little words, just in case? I know I say it numerous times a day to myself – and I know I’m not the only one. The sun is shining, there’s not a cloud in the sky and yet we can be heard saying, ‘Take an umbrella, just in case.’ Or, ‘Buy some extra milk, just in case.’ Or, ‘I’d better put some make up on today, just in case.’ Or, ‘I’ll keep this old dress/skirt/pair of shoes (delete as appropriate), just in case.’ Lockdown has made many of us reassess our lives. In the Chinese language, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters – one meaning ‘danger’, the other ‘opportunity’. Crisis, therefore, is an opportunity to grow. Those of us who…

‘I like to be naked outdoors’ Musician Jess Maison, 35, is single and lives in London I’ve grown up with parents who are very liberated about nakedness. I used to call them ‘crazy old hippies’, but today I can see they’re far from crazy. They’ve given me an incredible gift – and that’s to be proud of my body and not be prudish when it comes to my naked form. My body is far from supermodel perfect – but I’m happy with what I see in the mirror. Yes, of course, I’d like to lose some weight, but that doesn’t stop me from being able to relax when I take my clothes off. When I look at my naked reflection, I don’t see any flaws; I see a woman who…

SON HAS LOST HIS MOTIVATION My 24-year-old son lost his job in the travel industry during lockdown and, though he was upset at the time, he’s had zero motivation to find another one since. I understand it’s tough out there right now, but to have no drive to even look for something else is concerning me! I think I’ve made his life at home a bit too comfortable – but it has always just been the two of us, so I’m sure I can be forgiven for spoiling him! I mention jobs to him daily, but, if anything, it seems like I’m annoying him. What should I do? Isla, Dumfries Stop enabling him. You are making life so cosy and delightful, it’s hardly surprising your disappointed son, who is dealing…

The doctor’s face was grave. ‘A slipped disc in your back is causing the pain,’ he said seriously. ‘You need an operation but because you’re morbidly obese, we can’t go ahead. You need to lose weight.’ It was January 2018 and it wasn’t the first time a doctor had warned me to slim down. Although his words were ominous, I didn’t take them seriously. I was a busy childminder who worked long hours, running here, there and everywhere after my children. ‘If I can keep up with them, I can’t be that unfit,’ I told my boyfriend of five years, Stuart Wiseman. Yes, I was a size 20 but at 5ft 9in, I didn’t let it hold me back. I was still confident, wore bright clothes and an even brighter…

Persian-spiced lamb with pomegranate pilaf Created by Jane Asterley, from the Oxton Slimming World group in Merseyside. Serves 4 Ready in 3 hours 45 minutes, plus chilling 800g lean lamb leg steaks, all visible fat removed, chopped into bite-sized pieces500ml lamb or chicken stock FOR THE MARINADE: 2 tbsp red wine vinegar1 level tsp sweetener2 tbsp ground cumin1 tbsp cinnamon2 tbsp tomato purée2 red onions, chopped FOR THE PILAF: 250g dried bulgur wheat and quinoa mix2 vegetable stock cubes4 green cardamom pods, roughly bashed1 tsp ground turmeric200g mangetout, halved diagonally200g fresh pomegranate seeds, reserving some to serve200g radishes, finely sliced4 spring onions, finely sliced Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon10g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, reserving some to serve 1 Mix together all the marinade ingredients in a large…

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS… It’s going to be a long winter. As the pandemic gets back off the floor, round two is going to be long and hard. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got this far looking forward to things. Events and celebrations that have been delayed, but which many of us felt would come again, in a flurry, when the time was right. As we enter the short days and long nights of winter, time seems to be in no hurry to give us the Christmas present we all yearn for – and it’s not yet another face mask! IS LOOKING GOOD BAD? Dr Luke Evans is an MP who wants celebs to declare whether their social media or magazine pics have been tweaked or enhanced.…

BIG HITTERS Troubled Blood Robert Galbraith Sphere, £20 They’re back! Strike and Robin return in a hefty tome that, at nearly 1,000 pages, could be a murder weapon itself. The detective duo are tasked with finding a doctor who vanished 40 years ago – and the sizzling sexual tension between them is hotter than ever. The Kingdom Jo Nesbo Harvill Secker, £20 On a remote mountainside in a Norweigian town, brothers Carl and Roy endured an unhappy childhood. After their parents were killed in a car accident, Carl moved to the States. But when he returns, along with his new wife, buried secrets start to surface. Brilliantly chilling. MODERN LOVE Just Like You Nick Hornby Viking, £16.99 Forty-something Lucy, a white middle class North Londoner, goes dating post-divorce – only…

Celebrity Karaoke Club sees seven celebrities unleash their vocal prowess, as they head into a karaoke bar with the hopes of winning this exciting competition, with everything from epic solos to group battles. Here, former Jungle Queen and Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, 29, reveals why this is the show to watch… What made you decide to take part? I was actually a karaoke virgin until two years ago and I’ve always loved singing and performing. Then, once I started doing karaoke, I was addicted! As soon as they said the word ‘karaoke’, I was in! What can viewers expect? There are some people who take it seriously, some who don’t take. It’s really fun. If you’re at home, I imagine you could pour yourself a prosecco and sing along with…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES What is the first name of PICTURE B’s son, who has been a pro on 19 series of Dancing with the Stars? (4) This is your prize answer. Enter by using the numbers at the top of the grid or at hearstmagazines.co.uk/bestcross3920 TO ENTER CALL 0900 100 0921 (UK 65ppm)†/1550 787 026 (ROI 97cpm) † ACROSS 3 A new ___ sweeps clean, saying (5)6 Historical period (3)7 In the Bible, who was the father of Cain and Abel? (4)8 Look for the ne’erdo-well among the different ROLES (5)10 Snail track (5)11 & 4D PICTURE A Who is this? (3,6)12 The Financial Times Stock Exchange100 Index sounds like flirty fun indeed! (7)14 There are 10 in a decade! (5)17…

Long for an exciting adventure? Cosmos is offering one lucky best reader the chance to win a Scottish Highlands Escape Tour for you and a guest, departing 28 March 2021. Departing from Edinburgh and arriving in Glasgow, the tour takes you to beautiful locations including St Andrews, Pitlochry, Inverness and Oban, visiting iconic destinations like Edinburgh Castle, the Culloden Moor battle site and Ben Nevis Whisky Distillery. For more information about the holidays Cosmos offers, visit www.cosmos.co.uk. For details on how to enter this competition, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at hearstmagazines.co.uk/best3920 by 9 October 2020. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2712 by midnight on 9 October 2020. Calls cost 30p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access charge, and will last no longer…

Nadia Sawalha, 55, and husband Mark Adderley opened up about their biggest regret – and it’s a surprising one. Discussing their new book, Honey, I Homeschooled the Kids (£11.99, out now), on Loose Women, the pair – who tied the knot in 2002 – admitted that they were still haunted by a decision they made about their girls’ education. ‘The biggest mistake we made was sending them to private school…’, confessed Nadia. ‘I regret one huge parenting decision above everything else – and it’s the belief that if you pay for your child’s education, it’s the right thing,’ she admitted, ruefully. Mark went on to say, ‘I feel so stupid that we were so conventional in that thinking. What I found so disheartening about the whole thing is that it works if your…

TOP TIP! Soft pink is a great neutral shade, it works brilliantly teamed with black, brown and navy.…

EMAILS Down by more than 5,000 in 45 minutes. I’d hoped to get them down to zero, but that would have been going from one extreme to the other. It’s balance I’m looking for, a point that’s all too easy to miss. Instead of castigating myself for what I haven’t yet managed, I need to pat myself on the back for what I have achieved. UNDIES A good result! Some bras to charity, others chucked and the ones I’m keeping all fit properly! As for the knickers, 25 pairs have gone in the bin. My undies are now filed by colour and I can actually see the bottom of the drawer for the first time in years. It’s not stopping there, either. If one of my kept bras feels uncomfortable…

IS MY MOTHER-IN-LAW BIPOLAR? I’ve been with my husband for a few years now, and I’ve come to notice how extreme his mother’s behaviour is. When I met her, she went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable in her home, showering me with hugs and gifts – then by dinner time – she’d had enough and wanted us all to leave. Initially, I thought something had happened between her and another family member, so I said nothing–but three years down the line, she still has dramatic ups and downs. I avoid seeing her now, she’s such a loose cannon. I know it’s not personal – she treats everyone like this. Am I right in thinking there is more to this? Sharon, Edinburgh MANDY SAYS: There might well be…

BREAKFAST: Nothing SNACKS: Pastries LUNCH: Sandwich and crisps SNACKS: Kids’ leftover fish fingers and chips DINNER: Chicken and chips, ice cream BREAKFAST: Slimming World Full English LUNCH: Tuna salad DINNER: Spaghetti Bolognese with extra vegetables…

In the clearest sign yet that she’s ready to move on from her ex, BGT presenter Ant McPartlin, Strictly makeup artist Lisa Armstrong chucked some of his possessions on to the street, for passers-by to look through and literally take away. Items including an old dressing gown, some Newcastle United football shirts, a pile of board games and books belonging to the 44-year-old Saturday Night Takeaway host (who is thought to have sifted through what he wanted to keep) were placed in boxes outside the former marital home in West London, so people could pick through them free of charge. Lisa, who is reported to have been given £31m as a divorce settlement, is now believed to be ready to move on herself. Ant was granted a decree nisi last October after Lisa, 43,…

Chameleonic actress Keeley Hawes is known for playing complex, difficult characters – and this week, she’s back on our small-screens with powerful new drama, Honour – a two-part ITV series recounting the horrific true story of Banaz Mahmod, a young woman murdered by her own family, in a so-called ‘honour’ killing for falling in love with the ‘wrong’ man. Mum-of-three Keeley, 44 – who is married to fellow actor Matthew Macfadyen – plays real-life DCI Caroline Goode who tirelessly fought to bring Banaz’s murderers to justice (she is now retired, after 33 years in the London Met police force). In one powerful scene from the show, Keeley’s Caroline asks, ‘What kind of people think anything in the world is more important than their children’s lives?’ Indeed, Keeley, star of Bodyguard and The Durrells,…

Overhanging trees jostled for space with abundant undergrowth as Kate pushed her way through the ferns which lined the muddy path. ‘Is this path on the map?’ Pete snapped, cursing as a bramble caught at his jeans. ‘Of course,’ replied Kate. ‘It’s marked as a green lane.’ ‘Green lane? What’s that, then?’ ‘Unsurfaced roads, once in common use but now only suitable for walkers and mountain-bikers. You should treat them with respect, because the faeries still use them.’ ‘Faeries? Good grief, Kate, grow up.’ He may well not believe in them, thought Kate, but that’s not to say they didn’t exist. She’d read the section in the guidebook which dealt with the legends of Ireland, and had been enchanted by the idea of mysterious and powerful beings living in the…

Soap star Alex Fletcher first shot to fame over 30 years ago, as 12-year-old Jacqui Dixon in Liverpool’s Brookside – a role she played right up until 2003, when the soap ended. But now she’s equally well-known for her role as Diane O’Connor in Hollyoaks. Over the past 10 years, her character’s dramatic storylines have included an IVF struggle, having her baby daughter swapped and, most recently, struggling to support her husband, Tony (played by Nick Pickard), who’s been coping with erratic behaviour and mood swings, after being spiked with testosterone – by his own dad! You really need to watch it… Here, Alex – who lives with her actor husband, Neil Davies, and children Yasmin, 15, and Hanson, four – explains the cast’s emotional return to filming after lockdown, and how she struggled…

She’s beautiful, happily married and successful – but Loose Woman Andrea McLean’s shock revelations show the dangers of judging a book by its cover. In her autobiography, This Girl Is On Fire, the star confesses that the stresses of midlife pushed her to the brink of suicide. And the horrific anxiety she’s suffered in recent years culminated last year, in a breakdown in front of a make-up artist. ‘My friend, Donna, rubbed my back as tears of humiliation, embarrassment and, weirdly, relief ran down my cheeks. “What do you want?” she asked. “It can’t be this… You’re making yourself ill and I’m worried about you”.’ ‘I couldn’t deny it any longer,’ Andrea admitted, ‘I was having a nervous breakdown.’ Even though she’d been taking anti-anxiety medication since December 2018, Andrea…

TOP TIP A white shirt doesn’t have to be stuffy! A pretty lace design that will add a touch of glam to plain black trousers.…

ROSE OIL The ‘queen of all flowers’ has been used since ancient times and is ideal for mature and dry skin because of its ability to help radiance, soothe dryness, and slow down the ageing process. Rosehip oil is considered the more luxurious oil and famed for its high content of vitamin A, E, C, B1 and B2 and helping to lock moisture in. It’s a great choice for treating dull skin and suits all skin types. TRY Pixi Rose Oil Blend, £26, restores lost moisture and encourages luminosity. For extra hydration, add one or two drops to your moisturiser. DIY Face spritz and toner: Gently pull petals from seven roses and place them into a colander under a lukewarm tap. When clean, add to a pan of 1.5l distilled…

Zoom catch-ups with loved ones, virtual cooking classes and online shopping; we’ve all been glued to our screens in recent months. The consequences are being felt – and seen. Excessive screen time isn’t just affecting your eyeballs, it also speeds up the signs of ageing to the entire eye area. Here’s how to prevent accelerated ageing. 1 PUFFY LIDS If your digital tablet habit comes with a side order of salty nuts and a G&T, don’t be surprised if you see puffiness around your eyes. ‘Salt, alcohol and coffee are major culprits,’ says ophthalmic plastic surgeon Mrs Shah-Desai. ‘So is sleeping on your face. The pressure weakens the area and its lymph drainage, which can lead to swollen eyes when you wake.’ Sleeping propped up on an extra pillow makes…

HOW IT WORKS 1 Follow the menu (right) – it’s extra easy! You can start on any day you choose, swap days around if there’s a meal you really fancy or repeat days if there’s something you particularly enjoy! You’ll find more ideas at slimmingworld.co.uk. 2 Foods printed in bold are ‘Free Food’, which you can enjoy freely to satisfy your appetite without needing to weigh, measure or count at all. Base meals around Free Food, like lean meat, fish, meat substitutes including plain tofu and Quorn, pasta, rice, potatoes, eggs, pulses, fat-free dairy, fruit, vegetables and more. If you feel hungry between meals, snack on these foods. For the very best weight loss, reach for fresh fruit or vegetables first. 3 As well as Free Food, stock your store…

Slipping on my trainers, I headed out to the garden. We may have been in lockdown because of the Coronavirus, but that was no excuse not to exercise. Inspired by all of the people I’d seen on the news, running marathons and climbing mountains in their outside space, I’d decided to go for it too. Yes, I may not have been quite that fit to start with, but as I huffed and puffed my way around the grass, I was so proud of myself. Just 18 months ago, I could never have dreamed of running. But now my body was in better shape than it had been in decades and was up to the challenge! When I married my husband Bhubhinder, now 48, in April 1998, I was 24 and…

LIBRA 24 September – 23 October Librans like Catherine Zeta-Jones and Gwyneth Paltrow are creative and imaginative. This would be a great time to find a fun way to put your wishes on paper. Get creative by using paints, inks and images. Make a vision board and believe in your dreams. CAPRICORN 22 December – 20 January Knowing you and a partner share the same goals will give you the confidence to make some important decisions. After long talks together you will feel sure you are doing the right thing. Invitations to small events give you something to look forward to. Accept the ones you and your amour can both attend. ARIES 21 March – 20 April Being generous comes as naturally to you as breathing. Raising money for a…

THE PAIN OF EMPTY NEST SYNDROME He came into our lives in 2002 and I know it’s a bit of an over-reaction, but I feel he is leaving our lives in 2020. Many of you will be about to experience this, and many of you will have experienced it already, but Eamonn and I are preparing for the shock of Empty Nest Syndrome, as our son, Jack, leaves for university. Jack is Eamonn’s fourth child, but he’s my one and only, so forgive me if I might be feeling this harder than his father. Neither Eamonn or I had the university experience and I don’t think our lives are any the worse for it but, ironically enough, it’s me who has pushed the whole idea with Jack. In my heart,…

Banaz Mahmod was a vibrant 20-year-old Iraqi Kurdish woman, from Mitcham, South London. She was murdered, on the orders of her family, in an ‘honour killing’ [or shame killing – the murder of a member of a family, due to the perpetrators’ belief that the victim has brought shame or dishonour upon the family, or has violated the principles of a community or a religion] because she ended an abusive forced marriage and started a relationship with a close friend. A tragic tale, too, of police failings, Banaz had gone to the police multiple times before her murder in 2006, telling them about her husband’s abuse and her family’s threats to her life. Four months later, she was dead. Banaz’s uncle and father had her raped and murdered, and her body…

At 30 years old, reality TV star Binky Felstead (real name Alexandra) has done pretty well for herself. With a three-year-old daughter India (whose daddy is the gorgeous Josh Patterson, who also starred in Made In Chelsea), a busy work life and even a new man on the go, Binks is no longer in a world once ruled by ‘bad’ boys and bizarre friendships. The star recently revealed that she bonded with her now fiancé, businessman Max Darnton (who she met last January at a friend’s 30th at Soho Farmhouse) over their interest in psychics, pendulums and crystals. After discovering that both their mums had attended the College of Psychic Studies (cosmic in itself), Max, also 30, paid for Binky to have a ‘love reading’ before their first official next…

‘I’ll have a bambino grande cappufrappu-maccucciniato au lait, please!’ That’s what I ask for when I visit a café. And that’s what I get. Probably. All the coffee-based drinks below are hidden in the usual way, except one – but which one? SEARCH ME! AMERICANO CAFÉ BOMBON CAFÉ AU LAIT CAFÉ NOISETTE CAPPUCCINO CORTADO DOPPIO ESPRESSO FLAT WHITE FRAPPE ICED COFFEE LATTE LONG BLACK LUNGO MACCHIATO MAROCCHINO MOCHA RISTRETTO SUDOK-GO! Fill the grid using the numbers from 1 to 9 only. Each number must appear once in every column, row and 3x3 square. Now, off you sudok-go! ALL SOLUTIONS ON THE NEXT PAGE FACE TIME Have a look at the motley crew below. Who are they and what connects them all? Solution on right. CODE NAME Celebrity model and TV…

DAY 1 Flying into Glasgow, I was greeted by the tour guide, and bused into the city for an escorted tour of Scotland, organised by Cosmos. On day one, the first full gathering of the clan was not until 5.30pm over drinks. We gently bonded over dinner in the hotel, then mostly retreated to our rooms, knowing we had breakfast at 7am and to be on the road by 8am. DAY 2 Our day began with a drive around the sights of Scotland’s largest city, past the 12th-century cathedral, statues of local heroes Robert Peel, Walter Scott, Joseph Lister, et al, along Georgian terraces and squares built by the tobacco merchants, the ‘Virginian dons’, and weighty Victorian civic buildings celebrating the wealth accrued from shipbuilding on the Clyde. We then…