Table of contents for 23 - 2016 in Best

Poor Hugh Grant – as you can see (right and on p5), it’s not just us ladies who find we’ve put on a few pounds when the warmer weather arrives! So, with that in mind, we’ve enlisted the help of our friends over at Slimming World, for any of you out there who aren’t feeling quite beach-body ready this year (like me – I’m currently eating a huge slice of M&S’s new Connie the Caterpillar cake, £7). But you can take advantage of Slimming World’s fantastic offer of joining for free, saving you £10, right up until 20 June. We’ve also given you four pages of their brand-new swimsuit slim-down diet. Turn to p50 to get started with me today (no more cake, I promise), then continue your journey at…

Some women, such as BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire, have shared their fight with breast cancer from the start. Yet, there are those who stun us all afterwards with the revelation of their secret battle. Last week, 5 News anchor Sian Williams, 51, went public about her cancer, a whole year after she was diagnosed. The former BBC Breakfast presenter revealed that she had undergone a double mastectomy in January 2015, following her diagnosis the previous December. ‘Nothing seems to knock your confidence quite like breast cancer,’ she says. ‘I am vulnerable and weak. I feel bruised beyond repair.’ After her diagnosis, Sian’s first thought was what would happen to her children. She has two sons, Joss, 24, and Alan, 22, from a previous relationship, and Seth, nine, and Evie, seven, with…

Singer Jane McDonald, 53, is in reflective mood when we chat. Poised to put on her ‘biggest production ever’ with a new UK tour, Making Memories, the miner’s daughter from Wakefield – who found fame on BBC reality show The Cruise in 1998 – says her philosophy these days is all about enjoying the here and now, because life has taught her that you never know what’s round the corner… Hi, Jane! How are you? I’m really well. It’s been a long time coming, to wake up in the morning, pinch myself and go, ‘You’re living the dream, Jane!’ To be spotted all those years ago, on a cruise ship doing my job, and to be where I am today – it’s a fairy tale. I’ve finally realised how flipping lucky…

Coffee and walnut cake ‘I fell in love with coffee-andwalnut cake when I moved to the UK, where it is almost a national treasure,’ says Eric. SERVES 10 l 200g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing l 200g golden caster sugar l 4 eggs, beaten l 200g self-raising flour l 3tbsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1tbsp boiling water and cooled l 70g walnuts, roasted and chopped, plus extra halves to decorate FOR THE FROSTING l 500g mascarpone cheese l 100g golden icing sugar l 1-2tbsp coffee liqueur Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 140°C. Grease 2 x 20cm diameter cake tins and line with baking paper. In a large bowl, beat the butter, caster sugar, eggs and flour together until smooth and fluffy using an electric hand whisk. Beat in…

Cashback Queen With Dragons’ Den’s Sarah Willingham How many of you have been caught out by estimated gas and electricity bills? At the moment, customers have to provide regular meter readings or they could find themselves owing hundreds of pounds they hadn’t budgeted for! Thankfully, this is about to change with the arrival of smart meters, which send automatic readings to your energy supplier, meaning accurate bills! Here’s what you need to know… HOW DO I GET ONE INSTALLED? Everyone in England, Wales and Scotland will be offered the opportunity to upgrade to smart meters by 2020. These will be provided and fitted by your energy company, along with a handheld smart meter display, at no extra cost to you. This is a big national programme, with around 53 million…

1 MUMMY’S BOY IT LOOKS LIKE TWO-YEAROLD PRINCE GEORGE IS TAKING FASHION TIPS FROM HIS TRENDY MUM! The adorable pair wore matching stripes as they picnicked near their Norfolk home recently. Princess Charlotte was also at the family day out but it’s clear George is still the apple of 34-yearold Kate’s eye. 2 ICE ICE BABY! CAVA FANS REJOICE! FIZZY FAVE FREIXENET HAS RELEASED A PERFECT NEW BLEND – JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER. The unique tipple, which is designed a little richer so it can be served over ice, is bursting with aromas of peaches, flowers and tropical fruits. Our generous Best testers were on hand to give us their verdict and were unanimously won over by the cool concoction. Pass us the bottle! 3 TO THE MAX RENOWNED…

All the money and fame in the world can’t cushion you from the politics every family deals with. As these celebs have found out the hard way, fallouts are all too common – and even making up can be hard to do… MATT LEBLANC AND DAD PAUL Last week, Paul LeBlanc, dad of Top Gear presenter Matt, 48, revealed he isn’t too happy about the way he believes his son has turned out. Paul, 73, who hasn’t seen the new host for four years, said the star is not like the lovably goofy ‘Joey’ from Friends ‘Matt’s not the Joey Tribbiani that everybody loves,’ said the former mechanic. ‘He’s still my son but I’m very hurt by the type of person he’s become.’ The fallout happened during Matt’s Friends years. Paul sold stories…

Straight Talk... With Loose Woman Coleen Nolan Last week, Harambe – a 17-year-old silverback gorilla was shot dead at a zoo in Cincinnati. Why? A four-year-old boy, Isiah Dickerson, crawled through a barrier and fell into his enclosure after an eyewitness said the little boy told his mother, ‘I want to get in the water,’ and then gave her the slip before landing with a splash. There’s been much criticism of the parents (Michelle Gregg, 32, and Deonne Dickerson, 36) for not supervising their son properly – and zoo stafff have been condemned for shooting to kill and not using a tranquilliser gun. People have even taken to the streets demanding ‘Justice for Harambe’. Look, there is no doubt this was a heartbreaking tragedy, especially as no one seems sure…

It is every parent’s worst fear. Since the mysterious disappearance of Madeleine McCann, who was three when she went missing from a Portuguese holiday resort in May 2007, many parents have been extra-vigilant about not letting their kids out of their sight abroad. And Loose Woman Nadia Sawalha, mum to Maddy, 13 and Kiki-Bee, eight, is no exception. The mum-of-two opened up about the petrifying moment when her daughters – who were doing gymnastics on the beach for about 10 minutes – came running back to their dad saying a man had approached them. ‘What single man does that?’ the star recalled with a shudder on Loose Women. The bubbly brunette, 51, had been discussing Sharon Osbourne’s comments that the McCanns were ‘insane’ to leave their daughter alone while they…

When Steps singer Claire Richards, 38, decided to go for a drastic new look, she was keen to share the unveiling with her 22,000 followers on Instagram. But it wasn’t the image of her sleek bob haircut that provoked the most comments. Instead it was Claire’s gaunt appearance in the photo, which showed her with sunken cheeks and dark circles around her eyes. Even the singer, who appeared buxom and curvy on Celebrity Big Brother in 2013, admitted that her photography left a lot to be desired saying, ‘Really weird angle! Makes my head look odd but not good at this selfie business!’ The reaction in some quarters was anything but complimentary. ‘Losing all that weight has made her look older’ and ‘She looks awful’ were just some of the…

‘IT FELT LIKE A DRE A M, BUT I HAVE THE PICS TO PROVE IT!’ Amy Carmichael, 11, from Stonehouse in Lanarkshire, met the Queen at the opening of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow in July 2015. ‘I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in July 2012 when I was seven. I was at the hospital one day when the ward manager asked me if I might like to come and give some flowers to the Queen. Of course, I said yes. I was amazed that I was going to have the chance to meet her. I had a gorgeous new dress – it was so lovely and it made me feel really special. It had flowers on it, and I had a ribbon in my hair as…

Make-up artist LEE PYCROFT is one of the most established names in the industry, with an impressive client list that includes model Elle Macpherson and actress Anne Hathaway. She is currently providing lash brand Eylure with her expertise for the launch of their new brow range. She says, ‘Your brows are important, because not only do they emphasise the structure of your face, they define your eye shape, too.’ Brush-up on your brows with Lee As we age, our eyebrows become naturally thinner. Because hair texture can give the illusion of youth and vitality, a fuller look is generally more flattering. The good news is you can achieve this look with clever tricks… When filling in your brows, opt for a colour a little a bit lighter than you would…

OLLY WILLOUGHBY DRESS-DOWN FRIDAY A blazer teamed with jeans is a great way to embrace a relaxed look without appearing scruffy. You could also replace the ripped jeans with a pair of straight leg or boot-cut jeans for an even smarter option. SATURDAY CHIC Ditch the blazer and go for a floral tunic instead. Team with a pair of boyfriend jeans for a weekend outfit that is cool and comfortable. MARVELLOUS MID-HEELS Super-chic and a great wardrobe staple…

Loose Women star Saira Khan, 46, shocked the nation when she announced on live TV that she has given her husband, Steve, permission to sleep with other women because she has gone off sex. Saira confessed, ‘We used to have a fantastic sex life. I still love my husband, we cuddle up and it’s lovely. We’ve been together for 11 years, but I’m not interested in sex ‘I’m embarrassed to say this, but I said to him, “You can go with someone else if you want.”’ Saira’s confession sparked a flurry of positive comments on Twitter. One viewer wrote, ‘I hear you sister! #loosewomen thanks for your honesty and candid discussion today on this sensitive subject.’ While another added, ‘You were very brave today, being so frank and honest. In the…

Agood laugh is one of our greatest pleasures, and part-time nurse Joanna looks forward to having fun when she gets together with loved ones. ‘There’s going to be food, family and a lot of giggles,’ says the 54-year-old from Hampshire. ‘My husband is a wine importer, so the bubbles will definitely be flowing!’ Fun moments should be celebrated with freedom and confidence. Joanna is one of the 47 per cent of women who experiences bladder weakness*, but she never lets it hold her back. ‘I’m always on the go,’ she says. ‘Meals together and entertaining are the most special times. Having fun and keeping busy are so important to me. ‘TENA Lady pads help me do both. They’re very discreet and leave me free to get on with my life.…

Why on earth does Todd come up with the plan to say Tony – who is now dead – killed Callum? He wants to protect Sarah. Todd thinks, given her state of mind, that she must be the murderer – maybe even with his brother Jason’s help, and he wants to protect them both. How does he tell the police? He goes to the station. He says he knows who killed Callum and then tells his family – so word gets out. I’ve just had a scene with Jack P Shepherd (David Platt, Sarah’s brother) where I tell him that I know who killed Callum – but I’m trying to read David for clues, to see if he knows anything. So Todd’s got a story worked out? Yeah – he’s…

How it works 1 Pick one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner every day. Feel free to repeat meals you enjoy – you’ll also find more ideas at slimmingworld.co.uk, or when you join your local Slimming World group. 2 Foods printed in bold are ‘Free Foods’, which you can enjoy freely to satisfy your appetite with no weighing, counting or measuring. Base meals around Free Foods like veg, pasta, lean meat, fish, rice, potatoes, fat-free dairy, eggs and more, and if you feel hungry between meals, snack on fruit and veg crudités. 3 As well as Free Foods, stock your store cupboard with fat-free salad dressings, artificial sweeteners, stock, herbs, oil-free passata, tomato purée, soy sauce and spices, which can be used freely to flavour meals. 4 To make sure…

WIN £5 50 Both these sets of clues lead to the same answers, revealing in the shaded squares a TV show hosted by Chris Evans (3,4) STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 8 Carving artist (8) 9 Belonging to them (6) 10 Hoped for (6) 11 Recommendation (8) 12 Dark beer (5) 13 Assess how heavy (5) 14 True, correct (5) 16 Possessor (5) 18 Conditions (5) 20 Betray craftily (5) 25 Beginning (8) 26 Far off (6) 27 The ‘Dark’ Continent (6) 28 Chewing gently (8) DOWN 1 Actor’s lines (6) 2 In spite of that, even so (8) 3 Read a subject (5) 4 Reverie (5) 5 Prevents (5) 6 Extract (6) 7 Three-sided figure (8) 15 Put a name to (8) 17 Flour grinding building (8) 19 Page edge (6)…