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LET’S MEET MAISIE… Maisie did a great little samba last weekend – she’s vibrant and, technically, very good. Her hurdle might be the more refined, contained dances like the foxtrot, we shall see! But you also have to win hearts and minds. She’s not playing Tiffany on EastEnders, and she’s probably not used to that. I’m looking forward to getting to know the real Maisie Smith! If she lets her guard down, she could be a real frontrunner. OH, JACQUI… Given the evidence, former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith could be in trouble from the first elimination. She does struggle, bless her, when she has to combine movement to music! Anton du Beke is definitely the best person for her – he’s patient and hey, he got Ann Widdecombe through to Week…

There’ll have been ups, dramatic downs, and there will most definitely have been tears shed! The 12 months leading up to uber-glamorous Pride of Britain Awards host Carol Vorderman’s 60th birthday is certainly not a time she’ll forget in a hurry. But in the midst of the bleakness of the Coronavirus pandemic, the keen pilot tells best things like getting into the great wide open for epic hikes, and reading of the jaw-dropping courage of the everyday heroes she’s encountered, have helped her through… Carol, another year, another Pride of Britain Awards – but very different ones this year… Yes! Well, it’s been a crazy year. And as an event, Pride of Britain has had to adapt radically. Back in April we all thought ‘oh, maybe this will all be over by October’,…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Would you buy a ‘pre-loved’ Christmas present? That’s exactly what the British Heart Foundation are asking us to do this year. The charity is challenging the public to shop sustainably by buying at least one second-hand gift this festive season and, in the process, save money and reduce waste. It will, of course, also help the BHF – or whichever charity shop you choose to visit – in its recovery from the Coronavirus crisis. ‘If you’re looking to celebrate Christmas a bit differently this year, our Charity Shop Challenge will help you think outside the box when it comes to your festive shopping,’ says Allison Swaine-Hughes, retail director at the BHF. ‘Our shops and eBay are packed with countless unique treasures waiting to be discovered, making your…

‘It’s daft to kick someone out over a fling. Isn’t it?’ You could almost hear the sound of jaws dropping when pictures circulated of a glam couple appearing to enjoy a romantic break in Rome – because the duo were none other than married actor Dominic West, 51, and actress of the moment, Lily James, 31. The pair, who were staying at the same hotel, were snapped dashing around Rome on a scooter, and lunching at a restaurant, where West appeared to be ‘nuzzling’ the neck of the young star. They were also said to have been spotted ‘necking’ on the plane. Dominic had his first big break playing womanising cop Jimmy McNulty in gritty US drama The Wire, before finding worldwide fame as cheating husband Noah Solloway in The…

Ever since Daniel Craig signed up to his fifth Bond film, No Time To Die instantly became one of the most highly anticipated films. Then Coronavirus got in the way and it has been pushed back twice, meaning April will be the earliest we get to see our favourite super-spy. With his killer smile, dark sense of humour and sharp good looks, 007 is one of our most beloved national treasures. But does his tailored tuxedo and witty repertoire hide a dark, even more disturbing demeanour? Is he, in fact… a psychopath? ‘Quite frankly, yes,’ said clinical psychologist Dr Alison Foster. ‘Psychologists use the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) created by Dr Robert Hare to assess psychopathy. This assessment looks at the presence of 20 traits thought to reflect the personality…

I’M SAD AND COMFORT-EATING My three daughters have all flown the nest, and I miss them terribly. My husband and I aren’t communicating very well and the silence in our house is deafening. I loved cooking for the girls, but now I feel like I’ve taken refuge in food. When I’m sad, I stuff my face, then feel disgusting afterwards. I’ve put on 1½st since my youngest went to uni last year – it needs to stop! Sarah, Plymouth MANDY SAYS: You’re not the first to suffer this sorrow, but that doesn’t mean it’s OK to mistreat yourself in this way! ‘Empty nest syndrome’, where you feel sadness and loss when your kids leave home, is pretty common. But it also sounds like you miss your role of being a…

Hoisin beef stir-fry This recipe is all about the homemade hoisin sauce that couldn’t be easier to make; rich, sticky, sweet and sharp, perfect with thinly sliced beef steak… PER SERVING CALS 488 FAT 16g SERVES 4 SAUCE 60ml dark soy sauce30ml cider vinegar15ml sesame oil15ml honey30ml smooth peanut butter1tsp Chinese five spice2tbsp grated fresh ginger STIR-FRY 200g rice noodles2 cloves garlic sliced1tbsp vegetable oil400g rump steak1 packet (320g) stir-fry vegetables1 red chilli, chopped Sprig of fresh coriander, chopped (optional) 1 Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and reserve. 2 Submerge rice noodles in just-boiled water, cover and leave for 8 minutes. 3 While the noodles are hydrating, fry the garlic in the vegetable oil for 30 seconds, turn the temperature to high and add the stir-fried…

TAROT TREATS… WORK YOUR LIGHT ORACLE CARDS Are you ready to Work Your Light? This beautiful 44-card oracle deck has been created to help you light up the world with your presence. By working with its five suits and connecting with your intuition, you can start living a life in alignment with who you truly are… Amazon, £14 MANY LIVES, MANY MASTERS… As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr Brian Weiss was astonished and sceptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks – then he discovered a whole new world, from the past… True story! Amazon, £12.99 AMETHYST FACETED CONE PENDULUM This striking purple stone is a powerful and protective gem with a ‘high vibration’. It also…

SCORPIO 24 October – 22 November Scorpios such as Hollywood A-listers Julia Roberts and David Schwimmer are known for their passion, their energy and their strong emotions. Some deep connections are being made with other people who share similar values and a capacity for unconditional love. AQUARIUS 21 January – 19 February You have a number of options to choose from. Don’t think you can’t do two things at once. Aquarius is a versatile sign. There’s no harm in taking up more than one offer. Try it and you will find you will manage this very successfully. Being in the right place at the right time will help boost your income. TAURUS 21 April – 21 May Routine matters are starting to bore you and life is becoming too predictable,…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES Where did PICTURE B and her new hubby honeymoon at the start of this year? (9) This is your prize answer. Enter by using the numbers at the top of the grid or at hearstmagazines.co.uk/bestcross4420 TO ENTER CALL 0900 100 0334 (UK 65ppm)†/1550 787 032 (ROI 97cpm) † ACROSS 1 It was fun while it ___, expression (6)4 Which saint’s day is celebrated in the UK on 23 April? (6)7 Naturally occurring mineral (3)8 Wild West bar (6)9 Do the front crawl, eg (4)10 The Ram is the symbol for what sign of the zodiac? (5)11 Resort in the French Riviera looks very pleasant indeed! (4)13& 18D PICTURE A Who is he? (4,6)15 Find the word missing from…

Sequins, giggles, a megawatt smile and always, always a stunning dress to show off that youthful body. Watching her with fellow judges Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse on a Saturday night, totally in control, you’d never think Strictly’s Head Judge, Shirley Ballas, had overcome so much heartache in life. But still waters run deep, and in a searingly honest interview recently, the 60-year-old opened up about the self-doubt that almost crucified her – as well as the family tragedy and broken relationships that scarred her, until, around her milestone 60th, she finally felt ‘free’. In her new autobiography, Behind the Sequins, Shirley revealed that she’d faced bullying most of her life – beginning on the council estate she grew up in on the Wirral, when other girls would laugh…

XANTHOPHYLL Despite its scientific name, xanthophyll (also known as lutein) is a naturally occurring substance found in leafy green vegetables such as spinach and kale. A powerful antioxidant with brilliant hydration and protection benefits, you’ll find it in many moisture-boosting serums and health supplements. Gwyneth Paltrow is a big fan and was so impressed with it that she has included it in her own supplements. Well, if it’s good enough for Gwynnie… TRY: NIOD Survival 3O, £25 (cultbeauty.co.uk), a fabulous serum to use at night to protect skin from free radical damage, pollution, stress, infrared and blue light. YARROW EXTRACT For centuries, yarrow has been used as a medicinal herb. Nowadays, it’s used mainly for its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it great for dry, chapped skin and sensitive…

Hazelnut Hot Chocolate This drink is a must for hazelnut chocolate spread lovers. It is rich and creamy with a hit of warming hazelnut liqueur. Sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts too, this is an utterly nutterly hot chocolate treat and it is equally delicious without the alcohol, if you prefer. Serves 2 100g milk chocolate, chopped500ml milk1 heaped tablespoon chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)4-7 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)200ml double/cream, whipped1 tablespoon finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted 1 Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat gently over a low heat until melted. 2 Place the milk in a saucepan and bring gently to the boil. Add the melted chocolate and chocolate hazelnut spread to the pan and simmer over low heat, whisking all…

Loose Women star Linda Robson has been very open about her struggles with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a mental health condition characterised by recurring thoughts and repetitive behaviours that you cannot control. At its height, she was washing her bed sheets every single day. But speaking on a recent episode of Loose Women, the mum-of-three and doting gran admitted it was an ongoing battle, and she was now concerned her whole family had a form of OCD, including her beloved granddaughters, Lila, eight, and Betsy, three. ‘I had to watch myself with my grandchildren, who you all know I love more than life itself, so when they’d come around – I’d be following them round picking things up and washing them… ‘But I had to say to myself, you’re going to…

TOP TIP This stunning dress is back in stock after lockdown. The relaxed fit and bang-on-trend print make it the perfect party dress at home!…

‘I saw a hairdresser was 15 January. ’m having a hair crisis. It’s the end of October and the last time I I’m beginning to look like Garth from Wayne’s World and I can’t really do anything about it because I cannot sit still for three to four hours, looking at myself in a mirror, wearing a mask. The thing is, I’m not that bothered. I’m not a big hair person. In fact, I find I don’t even wash it much these days. What’s the point, when you can’t really go out anywhere? It’s only when I have to be on TV that it gets a dab of shampoo. I know for a lot of women the worst thing about lockdown was not being able to see their hairdresser, or…

From wild nights out to dabbling in drugs, This Morning ’s Phillip Schofield, now 58, once took working hard and playing hard to a whole new level, according to his autobiography… In Life’s What You Make It, the dad-of-two – who recently separated from his wife after revealing in February that he is gay – writes, ‘Children’s presenters were expected to be squeaky clean. I couldn’t be bound by those restrictions.’ The presenter made his name in the ‘Broom Cupboard’ for Children’s BBC, before moving on to Saturday morning show Going Live! While always a consummate professional, bosses of Holly Willoughby’s This Morning sidekick might have been shocked to know he experimented with cannabis – although he admits he never liked it, favouring booze. In his 20s, Phil would go on wild…

HOW IT WORKS 1 Experts discovered that people who ate foods containing resistant starch (RS) – found in wholegrains, pulses, seeds and green bananas, as well as pasta, rice and potatoes that have been cooked and cooled – consumed around 10 per cent fewer calories the following day. It’s because this type of starch acts the same way as fibre, and fills you up. In fact, RS passes straight through the body to the bowel! 2 By adding these super-carbs to main dishes rather than serving as a side, meals are healthy and filling but also portion-controlled – a double whammy for weight loss. 3 Resistant starch isn’t digested, which means fewer calories, and it helps control appetite hormones, so no more horrible dips in energy and reaching for the…

HARD TO BE HAPPY FOR HER My best friend and I have struggled all our married lives to have a family – for me, the only saving grace was that we were going through it together. But, at 44, my friend has now found herself pregnant with a miracle menopause baby! I want her to be happy but, honestly, I’ve been depressed since I found out. I feel useless as a woman – and I hate to say it, deeply jealous. Why her, and not me? I don’t want this to ruin over two decades of brilliant friendship, but I can’t be around her. Will I get over this? Rebecca, Gateshead You are only human, my darling, please give yourself a break. Of course you feel envy. Your greatest friend,…

Mash with a makeover! Why not upgrade your usual mash offering with this storecupbord essential from Idahoan? Their packets of Perfect Mash Pots, £1.50 each, come in three variants, including Bubble & Squeak, Sausage & Mash and Bacon & Cheese flavours. Available nationwide at Asda. Sofa snacks We’ve found the best treat for a TV night. Coated in chocolate, M&S Choc Corn Slabs, £4 each, fuse salty and caramelised popcorn. And, because they come in their own packets, there are no rows over passing the popcorn bucket! Burgers with bite In lieu of fireworks parties not taking place this year, why not recreate typical Bonfire Night feasts at home? If it’s the hog roast you’ll be missing, head to the chilled section at the Co-op, where you’ll find their brand-new…

…BEAUTY LOVERS NYX Cosmetics Diamonds & Ice, Please! 24 Day Holiday Countdown (beautybay.com) This is a feast for the eyes (and lips, and face)… The calendar opens like a book, featuring 24 best-sellers in a selection of mini and full sizes. Highlights for us? The lipsticks which stay put for hours, and the rich pigment in the gold shadows. L’Occitane Premium Advent Calendar Although pricey, the luxuriously made box contains 24 products worth £135. Without giving away all the hidden gems, the calendar includes favourite ranges such as Shea Butter and Immortelle, as well as brand-new discoveries. No7 25 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar (exclusive to Boots) This mixture of miniature and full-sized treats is worth an incredible £172.50. The calendar itself opens like a briefcase, and each day reveals…

In her brand-new book, What Would HM The Queen Do?, an uplifting, humorous self-help guide, Gogglebox’s Mary Killen attempts to answer modern-day issues with sage wisdom, inspired by – you guessed it – Her Majesty Elizabeth II. From how to concentrate in the age of the mobile phone, to why getting over grudges is a must, each scenario is presented with a Royal case study, as well as wisdom from other famous events, speakers and authors. While hubby Giles quite literally tends to his wasp’s nest (as he thinks they should be ‘given a chance in life’), best chats to Mary about her love for Her Maj… Hi, Mary! How have you been in this crazy year? I know – isn’t it awful? But one of my best friends said…

Broadcaster and TV presenter Jeremy Vine has hosted his BBC Radio 2 show for 17 years – he’s so familiar, he’s become part of the furniture! In 2018, the 55-year-old, who has two daughters, Martha, 16, and Anna, 13, with his journalist wife, Rachel, 44, landed his own Channel 5 TV show, and he also hosts BBC quiz show, Eggheads. A busy man, Jeremy somehow found the time recently to write his debut novel, The Diver and the Lover (an epic story of love, art and politics, set in Fifties Catalonia), which is out now. Here, he tells best how broadcasting through lockdown gave him a real sense of purpose – and how important it is to enjoy the little things right now… What’s this year been like, for you and the family? Well, luckily for…

Shake up skin care with Protinol™, the latest discovery from Avon, for the power of Retinol, gentle on skin. Avon launched Protinol™ in its ANEW Skin Reset Plumping Shots: a course of seven daily ampoules that help to restore seven years of collagen loss in just seven days1. With customers praising it as ‘botox in a bottle’2, Avon’s scientists worked quickly to harness this ground-breaking technology across its best-selling ANEW day and night creams, supercharging the formula for results in just two days3. To celebrate, Avon is giving away four ANEW skin care bundles containing the Skin Reset Plumping Shots and supercharged Ultimate Day and Night Creams, plus a whole host of skin care goodies worth £1084! To enter, see right. For 10% off at avon.uk.com, enter BESTMAG10 at checkout**.…