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I’m currently on holiday in Turkey. Kalkan, to be exact – an amazing shopping Mecca, where the beach clubs and food are fabulous (try the Korsan for sea views, cocktails that match your personality, and fantastic food). When I told our columnist (my mate) Carol McGiffin, she screeched: ‘Can I come? I love Turkey.’ I laughed. I am here with a friend she doesn’t know. ‘She will like me!’ she huffed. I agreed she could join us. For various reasons, Carol hasn’t made it yet but it made me laugh when she said, ‘I invite myself all the time. Nights out, holidays… people love it!’ Do they? See page 19… The almost exact same scenario happened in a bar last night when a lady shouted out to a passing man: ‘Barry!…

The new Lilibet era is officially here! Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, shared a photo of their daughter, Lili, taken on her first birthday during her great-grandmother the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations last week… Named in honour of HM’s childhood nickname, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor turned one last Saturday, during Harry and Meghan’s brief UK visit for the Jubilee. To mark the occasion, close friends and family were invited to a backyard picnic at Frogmore Cottage, the couple’s home on the Windsor estate, where they stayed during their flying visit. The photograph, in which the flame-haired toddler looks strikingly like her father at a similar age and sharing big brother Archie’s hair colour, was described as ‘candid’ and ‘spontaneous’. It was taken by the photographer Misan Harriman (a close…

Tucking my youngest son into bed, he had his cuddly toy dog cradled to his chest. I gave him a kiss goodnight, before bending down to give him another one. ‘That one’s from Mummy,’ I said, before turning out the light. I’d lost my lovely wife Clare to Covid in January 2021, and it had been a huge shock and adjustment for all of us. There were times when I didn’t think I could carry on, but looking at our boys – Ben, now 19, Lucas, 12, and William, eight, gave me strength. They’d been the light of her life and I knew it was up to me to do her proud in raising them. I’d first met Clare when I was 18 and working for a catering company. She…

HOW IT WORKS 1 According to Dr Mosley, ‘It’s crucial to find a diet that’s not only sustainable but suits your lifestyle.’ That’s why his online programme, The Fast 800, can work, as they are based on healthy Mediterranean-style eating that boosts energy, as well as helping you lose weight. 2 By eating 800-1,000 calories a day, based on lean protein with lots of colourful fruits and veggies, it’s easy to reach your slimming goal. Switching to a plan that includes two days of fasting, eating just 800 calories a day, then following five non-fast days sticking to portion-controlled meals, you’re less likely to stray off track. 3 Choosing foods rich in protein and fibre with lots of healthy fats, including olive oils and nuts, will help to curb your…

It’s tough being single and looking for love, never mind adding in the worry of catching Monkeypox! But let’s put that to one side for a minute… Pouring out my woes to Bridget, she decided I should join her dating site. Tinder, she reasoned, is a long shot for finding a wife. Well, God loves a trier and you do have to be in a race to win it, so I paid for the premium rate, allowing me to not only see who ‘liked’ me, but also who viewed my profile. Whoa! What a mistake. Firstly, there were hardly any likes from anyone that I was attracted to, but more depressingly, the noncommittal ‘viewers’ looked like a line-up of police arrested shots - and they were the ones who weren’t…

1 SMOOTH AND CREAMY NYX Professional Makeup Shout Loud Hydrating Satin Lipstick in Red Haute (£8, lookfantastic.com) You only need one swipe of this highly pigmented lip colour to transform your smile and you won’t have to keep reapplying it, as the colour lasts for up to four hours. It has a creamy formula that is infused with nourishing mango and shea butter, so it will glide smoothly on to your lips, protecting them from becoming too dry. Available in 20 shades. 2 PARTY LIPSTICK L’Oréal Paris Color Riche Intense Volume Matte 16hr Lipstick in Coral Irreverent (£9.99, boots.com) Easy to put on with a slim bullet that allows for more precise application, this has a light, matte powdery finish that stays put, with ingredients that include hyaluronic acid to…

DOUBLE TAKE We dread to think what this crowned lemur from Chester Zoo has spotted among the trees… any guesses?! JUST JAW-DROPPING Whatever this prairie dog has seen, it’s enough to pause his beetroot block munching! JUST SAY CHEESE Oh ‘hay’ there alpaca, were we interrupting a little snack there? PEEKABOO! Trust this little potto to poke its tongue out! HORSING AROUND Who knew the folk at Godstone Farm, Surrey, loved having a natter?…

With a very strong sense of its own culture and history, Wales may be small in size but huge in character. Among stunning landscapes, with legends of dragons, grand castles and incredible landscapes, there’s plenty of choice if you’re considering a move here. To narrow it down, we’re turning our attention to Conwy in the north west, recently named among the best places to live in the UK*, and there are plenty of reasons why. First let’s look at the history (always good for adding character to a place), and there’s lots of it. Edward I built the town in the 1280s and surrounded it with walls – to keep the Welsh out (not very nice, but there was a civil war on). Happily it’s now accessible to all, the…

Dearest Ben, Everyone knows that I’ve been fighting a bitter battle with my weight. For years, I yo-yo dieted. Always in the full glare of the public eye. As the second most famous fat person in the UK after Dawn French, things escalated until I couldn’t even bite into an apple in the street, without someone yelling ‘Oy, V, don’t eat that!’ out of a lorry. In 2010, you kindly supported me through a gastric band operation – and when it all went wrong in 2019, you held my hand through the aftermath of having the band removed and a simultaneous gastric bypass. You have been magnificent – truly non-judgemental and endlessly understanding. So, I know what I’m going to say next will drive you crazy. But please don’t go…

A list of things tossed into Dylan’s guitar case today: • A boiled sweet (red) • A chewing gum wrapper • A casino chip (white) • Money: £17.46, to be precise (rejoice!) Dylan wasn’t sure if people were confused, or if they were actual monsters, but when he was busking, a lot of non-money ended up in his open guitar case. Do I look like a bin? (‘With your hair all long and stringy like that, you look like you’ve been dragged out of a bin,’ his mum would probably say. She didn’t understand that his shoulder-length brown hair was rockstar-cool.) He stooped to pick up the final item that had landed in his case while he’d been playing. It was a cuddly toy. A sloth, with long arms and…

Actress Keeley Hawes shines as a gifted psychotherapist in this small-screen adaptation of John Wyndham’s eerie 1957 sci-fi novel, The Midwich Cuckoos – about a small English commuter town where nothing much happens – until, in the twilight hours of a Summer’s day, it’s plunged into panic. People pass out without warning. Anyone who tries to enter meets the same fate. When the mysterious blackout is lifted, life for those affected returns to apparent normality – except, every woman of child-bearing age inside the zone has suddenly fallen pregnant. As tensions simmer, it’s up to psychotherapist Dr Susannah Zellaby (Keeley), to support those affected. Susannah’s own daughter, Cassie, has fallen pregnant and Susannah is deeply concerned about who, or what, is behind this phenomenon… but when these strange children are born…

TV personality Gail Porter is currently facing off with some scary spirits in a new TV show. If you haven’t tuned in yet, Spooked Scotland, which explores the country’s rich history of hauntings and the supernatural, sees the chatty, upbeat 51-year-old lead an expert paranormal team, as they investigate incredible stories and creepy locations, by day – and (of course) by night. Edinburgh-born Gail, a former model who has been admirably open about her past struggles – including divorce (from Dan Hipgrave, lead guitarist of the band Toploader), alopecia and the mental health struggles that led to her being sectioned – tells us more… Gail, have you always had a fascination for things that ‘go bump in the night’? More things that are… a bit different. I said to my…

BEST TRAVEL WRITER SIOBHAN WYKES TRAVEL SNAPSHOT When you launch a new ship and call it ‘Beyond’, you must be confident that it will be ‘beyond’ almost anything cruise has offered before. Not unexpectedly, given the name Celebrity Cruises, Kelly Hoppen (seeing the reaction to her design) and Ronan Keating amongst others flocked to the ship’s inaugural UK sailing. Why? Well, the onboard experience is a major reason to choose this female-captained ship that holds just over 3,000 passengers across 17 floors. Let’s hear it for the girls… and Captain Kate McCue – a modern-day mermaid who believes ‘if you can see it, you can be it’. The first woman to captain a cruise ship and an inspiration to little girls worldwide. INSIDER’S GUIDE Downloading the Celebrity Cruises app on…

best columnist with the rapier wit, Jenny Eclair – novelist, TV presenter and queen of the witty one-liner (she joked earlier this year that she misses the menopause ‘as it gave me a licence to act like a maniac!’), is back later this year with a new set of dates for her hilarious, Sixty! (FFS!) stage tour. Here, we catch up with the star – who’s been married to designer, Geof Powell since 2017 – they have grown-up daughter, Phoebe – about everything keeping her busy… Jenny, your Sixty! (FFS!) tour has been extended, what can we expect?! Yes, I originally wrote it to coincide with my 60th, in March 2020. The tour was rudely interrupted for 18 months by a global pandemic. So, it may be called Sixty! (FFS!)…

Opening another overdue gas bill, I scrunched it into a ball and dropped it into the bin. It was just one of many problems I had no idea how to tackle. ‘Something has to change,’ I kept telling myself. But I didn’t know what that was. Early in 2005, I’d left a toxic relationship behind. I had no money, nowhere to live, and I was juggling trying to work while raising my three sons, Ethan, then three, Toby, then two, and six-month-old Aspen. To say I was under pressure was an understatement. Emotionally, I was very fragile, and my confidence was low. I had debt-collectors knocking at the door, and we were living in a small rented flat. We’d left behind a beautiful country cottage and a comfortable lifestyle. I…

Chicken BLT Burgers with Blue Cheese Cream This simple homemade burger knocks the socks off anything you can buy in the shops! Hands-on time: 30min, plus chilling Cooking time: About 15min Makes 6 FOR THE BURGERS/CREAM 700g chicken thigh fillets 2tbsp finely chopped chives1½tbsp wholegrain mustard1tbsp runny honey50g fresh white breadcrumbs1 medium egg, beatenOil, to grease and rub125g soft blue cheese, we used Saint Agur100g soured cream1 small garlic clove, crushed2 small ripe avocados, halved, stonedand peeledJuice of 1 lime6 slices thick-cut streaky bacon TO SERVE 6 brioche burger buns, halved and toasted2 ripe tomatoes, sliced6 soft lettuce leaves 1 To make the burgers, trim and discard any sinews from the chicken, roughly chop then pulse in a food processor until it resembles mince. Empty into a large bowl and…

TOP TIP! Perfect for whisky loving dads who also love a sweet treat!…

WANT TO GROW YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS DINNER? Some crops, like parsnips and kale, need to have been sown earlier this year if you want to enjoy them on your festive plate. However, there’s still time to plant other vegetables that’ll be ready in time for you to tuck into come 25 December. POTATOES: Your normal spuds should be more than halfway through their growth period, but you can also grow for December, too. Look for ‘late season’ seed potatoes that have been specially made to withstand colder weather and grow through Autumn and Winter. Maris Peer and Charlotte are good classics (find these at suttons.co.uk). Unlike others, late-season ones don’t need to be chitted beforehand (the process where shoots grow while you store them somewhere cool and airy, like an…

Home for me and my partner Matthew Wilden, a head chef, is a one-bedroom Fifties garden flat in Kings Heath, Birmingham, that we’ve rented since August 2018. When we moved in, the whole house was a white box, so I was eager to start decorating with colour, pattern and unique artwork. But because we rent I had to think of cost effective, nonpermanent decor solutions so we won’t lose our deposit if we decide to move. For my work, as a creative manager at Harvey Nichols, I have to come up with lots of temporary designs, so I used these skills to think about my home. I came across some decorative tape in Ikea and tried applying it to my kitchen cupboards. It completely changed the look so I started…

INGROWN TOENAIL – HELP! Doctor Hilary, I have had a really painful ingrown toenail on the big toe of my left foot for a couple of months, and nothing I do helps it. Recently, it’s become tender and slightly red. Can a doctor do anything about this, or do I just need to put up with it, and cut it as much as I can? I have diabetes so I’m mindful that I don’t want this getting any worse. Barbara, Hastings DR HILARY SAYS: Ingrowing toenails are painful and because they cut into the skin at the side of the nail they can introduce bleeding, inflammation and infection. As someone with diabetes you certainly do not want that, because higher blood sugar levels make the risk of infection and its…

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…

JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION In cinemas now Picking up from Fallen Kingdom, dinosaurs are now roaming the Earth, and man must guard its position as the apex predator. Original Jurassic Park fans will delight in the return of Laura Dern and Sam Neill. A huge dollop of nostalgia – plus fright after fright! LICORICE PIZZA On Blu-Ray and DVD now Paul Thomas Anderson fans will love this sunsoaked Seventies Californian romance, about a boy who sets out to woo an older woman, starring Cooper Hoffman (son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Alana Haim (of indie band Haim). Sexy, smart and with a gorgeous dream-like quality, it’s a joy. ELVIS In cinemas now Baz Luhrmann, the ingenious director of Moulin Rouge!, brings the King to life. Showing his rise to…

Actress and theatre star Denise van Outen has revealed she has joined an online dating app, following her painful split last year from partner Eddie Boxshall – except she’s ‘too scared’ to use it yet! The star, 48, who appears in the new series of Channel 4’s Celebrity Gogglebox with Blue singer Duncan James (replacing her ex, Eddie, on the sofa), has confessed she’s ready to change her ‘old-fashioned’ approach to finding a man. Appearing on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, she said: ‘I did download a dating app the other day, but I haven’t gone on it. I’m too scared.’ She added, ‘It would be my first ever. I’ve never done it before. I know it is the modern way but I’m also very old-fashioned – my morals, my…

William Arthur Philip Louis Mountbatten-Windsor was born on 21 June, 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital, London. The first time the world caught a glimpse of him was in the traditional ‘Royal baby’ shot on the hospital steps – a little bundle held by proud mum Diana, as a happy Charles looked on. At home, William was nicknamed ‘Wombat’ by his adoring parents, who insisted on taking him with them when they set off on a Royal tour of Australia in 1983, when he was just nine months old. (A departure from the normal Royal way of doing things). On 15 September 1984, Prince Harry arrived and two-year-old William toddled in to St Mary’s to meet his baby brother. William first went to Wetherby School, then Ludgrove – before moving on…

SOPHIE We’re spoilt for choice with products to keep us looking good. But sometimes, the golden oldies work the best. Old-fashioned staples are still my go-to ingredients – and here’s why they deserve a spot on your dressing table! BOOTS TRADITIONAL GLYCERIN AND ROSEWATER, £2.39 Rosewater is that magic potion that skincare enthusiasts swear by. Mum still uses it as a toner and grandmother Rosina made her own. Thought to be one of the oldest beauty products, it’s my must-have to boost overall radiance with its antioxidant properties. But it has other uses: ● Decant into a spray bottle and spritz on the back of your hand. While still damp, apply your favourite powder eyeshadow to your hand to turn it into a sheer, creamy formula. ● Spritz down your…

MOVE OVER GIN Tequila is fast becoming the tipple for Summer. If you fancy whipping up a cocktail with a kick, splash out on of a bottle of Cazcabel Reposado Tequila, £24.99 from Amazon and Master of Malt. It’s rested in oak barrels for nine months, so the result is a traditional agave flavour with a subtle hint of oak. Try mixing 50ml of tequila with 25ml of lime juice and then top up your glass with Fever-Tree Spiced Orange Ginger Ale and a dash of Angostura bitters. SAY CHEESE! Looking for a Father’s Day foodie treat? Then check out this Father’s Day Cheese Selection by The Cheshire Cheese Company, available from Cartwright & Butler. The combination of Black Bob Extra Mature Cheddar, Caramelised Onion & Rioja Cheddar and Smokey…

Squinting into the mirror, I concentrated on keeping my hand steady as I carefully drew a pink line around the outside of my natural lips. Then taking a brush, I began to fill them in with one of my favourite hot pink shades. My overdrawn lips had always been part of my signature look and it could take me 30 minutes alone just to create the perfect pout. Not that my smackers were popular with everyone – I did get some comments from haters on social media, telling me I looked ‘grotesque’ and ought to start acting my age. Luckily, my skin was as thick as my layers of make-up, so I tried to ignore them and focus on all the positivity – regularly posting videos, encouraging women to have…

We have teamed up with Henry, one of the UK’s most reliable vacuum brands, to give three lucky readers the chance to win a Henry Allergy vacuum worth £199.99! Awarded with the Seal of Approval from the British Allergy Foundation, Henry Allergy is scientifically proven to reduce exposure to dust and allergens throughout the home for improved air quality. Best of all, the bags inside Henry Allergy offer a hygienic, mess-free alternative by locking dust inside the bags allowing you to empty them with no dirt, dust or hair escaping, to help keep allergens at bay. Visit myhenry.com for full details. To enter, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at hearstmagazines.co.uk/best2522 by 1 July 2022. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2716 by midnight on 1 July…

Just how does she do it? How does Christie Brinkley, the model immortalised in the hit Uptown Girl – penned by her rocker ex-husband Billy Joel – look so incredible at 68? Obviously, good genes must play a part, as well as a person’s mindset – she previously said, ‘It all has to do with your spirit and the energy that you deliver, that you bring into the room with you.’ But could it be that some of Christie’s secrets lie in her penchant for rolling up her sleeves and getting back to nature, in her garden? Christie, who often graced the cover of Sports Illustrated back in her days as a supermodel, often posts pictures from the grounds of her Hamptons home. And the latest set of snaps were…

With sunny days and balmy evenings finally here, what could be better than getting stuck into some super Summer reads. Deirdre O’Brien presents her pick of the bunch ROMANTIC READS The Summer Trip Isabelle Broom Hodder, £7.99 (23 June) It’s been 18 years since a Summer in Corfsu changed Ava’s life forever. But a decision to return to the island for a holiday with her teenage daughter leads to unexpected reunions – both familial and romantic. Gloriously sun-kissed escapism. An Island Wedding Jenny Colgan Sphere, £11.99 (23 June) On the Scottish island of Mure, Olivia and Anthony are planning an opulent wedding at a new hotel, while Flora and Joel hope to keep their own ceremony low key. But will the course of true love run smooth? The final in…

GOING OUT THE GUNPOWDER PLOT Remember, remember the fifth of November… well, you will after you attend this stunning recreation of the activities of Guy Fawkes and Co! Visitors can travel back to the London of 1605, where virtual reality tech and live theatre transports guests to the heart of the conspiracy. Harry Potter star Tom Felton plays Guy Fawkes. See Gunpowderimmersive.com STRANGER THINGS Are you brave enough to enter the Upside Down? This brilliant immersive experience will whisk you on an adventure inside Hawkins Lab, featuring a brand-new Stranger Things storyline. Once you’ve escaped you’re free to explore an Eighties-themed medley with food, drinks, special merch and more. See Strangerthingsexperience.com ALCOTRAZ MANCHESTER: CELL BLOCK THREE-FOUR In the heart of Manchester now lies a secret home to a speakeasy prison.…

WIN 1 X £ 200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES ACROSS 1 Sequence (6) 7 Citizen (8) 8 Male person (3) 9 Casino employee (6) 10 After the beginning of (4) 11 Manor (anag) (5) 13 Bed covering (7) 15 Dietary need (7) 17 Less (5) 21 Repetition of a sound (4) 22 Be contingent upon (6) 23 Extremity (3) 24 Inventive; creative (8) 25 Solicitor (6) DOWN 1 Season (6) 2 Without pattern (6) 3 Climb (5) 4 Taken as a whole (7) 5 Association created for mutual benefit (8) 6 Conflict (6) 12 In spite of the fact (8) 14 Discovering (7) 16 Put down on paper (6) 18 Broadly (6) 19 University lecturer (6) 20 Tumble from a horse (5) Which US state has…

WHICH FAMOUS PERSON WOULD YOU WANT TO BE HAUNTED BY? The lead singer of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain. I want to ask him what happened. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SCARY MOVIE? The Shining. It’s psychologically scary, which is the scariest kind. The book was amazing and they nailed the film. Or American Horror Story. WHAT OTHER THINGS SCARE YOU IN LIFE – ASIDE FROM THE PARANORMAL? Politics. Enough said on that topic, I think!…