Table of contents for 30 - 2016 in Best

It’s around this time of year that the Best offices are inundated with photographs of celebs on holiday, invariably showing off their tanned and honed bikini bodies while diving off a yacht in the Med or frolicking in an infinity pool, daiquiri in hand. This instantly puts me in a bad mood. Firstly, I’m in the office, and therefore not on holiday myself. Secondly, even if I were, it wouldn’t be on a yacht. And thirdly, I always want their abs. So it’s refreshing when stars who have regained their curves are pictured proudly in their swimsuits (we salute you, Kelly Brook). Looking beautiful doesn’t have to be about your weight – which is why, this week, our diet pages come from the guru who is changing the way the…

Ruggedly handsome, humorous, down-toearth James Martin was, for a good 10 years, one of the best reasons to turn on your TV of a Saturday morning. So when the Yorkshire-born celebrity chef, 44, announced he was quitting his regular slot on BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, it left viewers bereft. Now, four months on, James has revealed the horrific incident that prompted his shock decision to go. ‘At an awards ceremony in Dubai last year, a bloke on stage dropped dead, eight feet away from me,’ said James. ‘He was my age, and had a similar job. At that moment, I decided my career had to change.’ There were rumours that James was leaving the show due to budget cuts and even, hilariously, because he didn’t like an alleged ‘no cooking…

KATE MOSS & LINDA SHEPHERD Kate Moss shared her big moment on the silver screen with her mother, Linda Shepherd, by walking the red carpet together at the premiere of Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. The pair looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. Kate not only has Linda to thank for her modelesque looks, the 42-year-old credits her for keeping her grounded when she was starting out, too. She said, ‘My mum always said I wasn’t photogenic. She was like, “Kate, do you really think you can be a model?”’ DAVID WALLIAMS & KATHLEEN WILLIAMS David Walliams looked pleased as punch as he stepped out with his mum, Kathleen, at the Chelsea Flower Show. The 44-year-old comedian is so close to his mother that he’s even helped her get…

Ozzy & Sharon After all she’s put up with from Ozzy Osbourne over the years – namely his drug rampages – Sharon announced she’d had enough in May, after accusing the rocker, 67, of infidelity with hair stylist Michelle Pugh. She said, ‘I'm 63 years of age, and I can't keep living like this.’ But sources say Sharon’s in no hurry to make the split official. ‘It's a huge decision,’ says one, ‘she’ll see how things shake out before deciding what to do.’ Neither party commented on the affair rumours, but the pair were recently seen in LA, looking happy. Maybe it’ll work out – after 34 years, it’d be sad to give up now. Arnie & Maria In 2011, Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger’s wife of 25 years found he’d…

GUACAMOLE SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH 222 CALORIES PER SERVING ● Flesh of 2 large avocados ● Juice of ½ lemon ● 1-2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped ● Pinch of paprika ● Small handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped ● 1 garlic clove, finely chopped ● 1 shallot, finely chopped ● 1tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ● Sea salt and black pepper 1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mash together with a fork until you get the desired consistency, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. DAIRY-FREE ALTERNATIVE TO BUTTER Try avocado spread on bread or crackers. I mash it on toast with cayenne pepper and pink Himalayan salt. WHITE FISH WITH PARSLEY BUTTER SERVES 2 350 CALORIES PER SERVING ● 4 new potatoes,…

There are high expectations for this year’s X Factor. With audition shows set to air next month, what drama can we expect? Simon Cowell spills the beans to his brother Tony You’ve reunited some old faces for this year’s panel. How are they getting on? It was interesting – I felt like the new boy at school, because all three had worked with Dermot [O’Leary] when they were last on the panel together, and I wasn’t on the show then [in 2012 and 2013, when Gary Barlow was the fourth panellist]. But I’m very happy with the way it’s working this year. Have there been any arguments between you? Very few, actually – although I think that might change during the live shows! Why do you think this year’s judges’…

What makes your character, Chrissie, frame her boyfriend Andy for Lawrence’s shooting? The final straw is when Chrissie overhears what she believes to be Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) sharing yet another moment with his ex Bernice. Chrissie flips and decides to reclaim her power. Poor Andy… There’s a large part of Chrissie’s anger that comes from the past – her ex-husband Robert, Andy’s brother, cheated on her. But Andy is the one who suffers. He’s in the wrong place at the wrong time. So is this a case of two birds, one stone? Chrissie protects her son, Lachlan, and gets revenge on Andy, all at the same time? Exactly! It starts off with her desperately trying to find a way to protect her son. When Andy behaves badly, she wants to…

THIS WEEK... STAY LOCAL A great source of info is wherecanwego.com, which allows you to search your area for all sorts of things to do. Loads of local events are free, and you’ll find quirky, fun activities that you might not have thought of SAVE WHILE YOU’RE THERE Taking a picnic and plenty of snacks will stop you spending in pricey cafés. Gift shops are also a big draw for the kids, so give them £2 and let them choose something. For a little one, it’s pretty cool to have your own money, and it’s a good way for children to learn its value, too. Childcare vouchers Great news! Childcare vouchers and tax credits still run over the summer, and can go towards Ofsted-approved play schemes or activities. You pay…

1 HELLO, HOLLYWOOD! After directing adele in her Hello video, film-maker Xavier Dolan, who told her she was ‘a natural’ in front of the camera, is said to want the singer, 28, for a cameo in his latest film. If she does feature in The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, she’ll rub shoulders with A-listers Natalie Portman, Nicholas Hoult, and Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington. Nice work if you can get it! 2 ROCK TO THE FUTURE! COLDPLAY FANS IN NEW JERSEY were treated to the sight of Back to the Future star Michael J Fox rocking out on stage with the band to two classic tracks from the 1985 hit film. Brave Parkinson’s sufferer Michael, 55, strapped on a guitar and belted out Chuck Berry’s Johnny B…

The setting for the proposal couldn’t have been more romantic: a picturesque peak in the Lake District, where financier James Matthews got down on bended knee and presented Pippa Middleton, his girlfriend of just over a year, with a sparkling diamond ring, after first asking her father, Michael, for her hand. She said yes – and their wedding is set to be the biggest society bash of 2017. But just who, exactly, will her sister Kate and husband Wills now be related to by marriage? James, 40, is an incredibly successful, self-made multi-millionaire. He manages a hedge fund, investing other wealthy people’s money, and lives in a £17m Chelsea town house with a cinema and an underground car-stacking garage. He also owns a private jet. But he’s no spoiled, trust-fund…

SCARLETT MOFFATT: ‘I NEED TO SORT MYSELF OUT AND LOSE WEIGHT’ Most people pile on the pounds by sitting on their sofa watching telly but Scarlett Moffatt, the 25-yearold Gogglebox star, has slimmed down after doctors warned her about her weight. She said, ‘I went to the doctor’s. I was classed as – it’s really embarrassing – obese. I’ve been tested for diabetes because my BMI puts me in the danger zone. It was a real scare. I need to sort myself out and lose weight.’ The former size 16 reality TV favourite, who’s been dating hairdresser Luke Crodden for three months, added that he motivated her to join the gym. The barmy brunette said, ‘I’ve just started exercising quite a bit. I’d say I do HIIT [High Intensity Interval…

LESLEY REYNOLDS’ renowned skin and anti-ageing clinic on London’s iconic Harley Street, and her weekly advice columns and acclaimed beauty blog, mean she truly understands the importance of looking and feeling fabulous. And, after two decades in the beauty industry, there isn’t anything that Lesley doesn’t know about the world of cosmetic treatments and skin care. Combat problem complexions Forget teenage skin tantrums, during the perimenopause and menopause stages – usually between the ages of 40-60 – skin will throw an even bigger wobbly. Fine lines, sagging, wrinkles, dryness, breakouts and redness – blame it all on fluctuating and declining hormone levels, namely oestrogens and progesterone. But the good news is you can fight back – here’s how… • EXCESSIVE REDNESS/ROSACEA Oestrogens have anti-inflammatory properties, so a decline in levels…

It all sounds harmless enough – an interactive game that uses the cute characters from a 90s Japanese fad. Once downloaded to a phone, players have to capture and train virtual creatures, known as Pokémon, who appear in the ‘real world’ via a technology called ‘augmented reality’. This is where the phone’s camera digitally places a Pokémon onto the screen. GOTTA CATCH ’EM ALL The game’s creators, Niantic, an offshoot of Nintendo, claim they want to encourage people to ‘get outside and walk around’. And the game has caused a global sensation since being released in the US and Australia. It launched in the UK a couple of weeks ago, but not without some serious concerns expressed by groups like the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to…

THIS WEEK... After almost every family holiday, I get back feeling like I want to book another trip away – just for me. It was worse when the kids were younger, of course. I took Jake to Florida when he was only two years old, and he screamed all the way there. The other passengers hated me, I hated them back because there was nothing I could do, and he fell asleep just before we landed, when the air hostess told me to wake him up and put him back in his own seat. Long car journeys are just as bad – kids get bored senseless and, if their colouring books aren’t cutting it, you end up playing ‘I Spy’ for three hours. And then there’s the squabbling… oh, God,…

Many people think of those who have suffered sexual abuse as victims. But I’m a survivor of what I’ve been through, not a victim. And not only am I coping with my horrific past, I’m using it to help others, too. I’m not sure how old I was when my dad started abusing me, but I can’t have been much more than six. I was just discovering my body and had realised I got tingly feelings when I put my hand between my legs. I was so surprised, I told Dad. But instead of telling me it wasn’t appropriate, he replaced my hand with his. I was so young, I had no idea how wrong that seemingly simple action was. And although I didn’t like the feeling, I loved the…

Hi, Ellen, it’s taken 13 years for Finding Dory to get made. The writer, Andrew Stanton, said he didn’t want to make a sequel, but you bombarded him into it. How did you do it? I had a talk show. Had I not, we would not be sitting here today. Every time a sequel came out for another movie, I’d say, ‘Are you kidding me?’ It became a running joke. Then Andrew ruined my joke by doing another movie. How did it feel to have the original part of Dory in Finding Nemo written specially for you? I hadn’t worked in three years, so I was thrilled. Andrew said, ‘You are the bumbling idiot in my head, your voice is so repetitive.’ Did Dory save your career? Yes. It took…

WIN £550 Both these sets of clues lead to the same answers, revealing in the shaded squares a TV show with Davina McCall (4, 4, 6) STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 8 Makes loans (8) 9 Travellers’ accommodations (6) 10 Cold time (6) 11 The present time (8) 12 Was aware of noise (5) 13 Two sheets of paper folded in half (5) 14 Atlantic, e.g. (5) 16 Put by money (5) 18 Outline sketch (5) 20 The work force (5) 25 Personal rain shelter (8) 26 Groups of singers (6) 27 Escargots, e.g. (6) 28 Metric weight (8) DOWN 1 Like, respect (6) 2 Germs, etc. (8) 3 Neck warmer (5) 4 Taking advantage of (5) 5 Revealed (5) 6 Artist’s room (6) 7 Relaxing break between lessons (8) 15 A rite,…

Let’s face it, few of us are enthusiastic about the ageing process (unless you’re Joanna Lumley, who apparently couldn’t wait to turn 70 recently). And 68-year-old Judy Finnigan is no different. Last week, the former This Morning presenter revealed she’d had a ‘disturbing’ encounter, which reminded her of how unpleasant this growing old business can be, no matter how ‘gung-ho’ you attempt to be about it. She explained that people still frequently come up to her and her hubby – and former This Morning sidekick – Richard Madeley, 60, to say that, while watching the morning show ‘in their student days’, they felt the TV couple were like their ‘surrogate mum and dad’. Meeting one enthusiastic fan recently, though, the Richard & Judy Book Club champion had to force a…

Tamzin Outhwaite has added a new string to her bow presenting Dateline, a series investigating unsolved crimes – a subject she knows a bit about, having starred in New Tricks and EastEnders! Acting is still her priority, however, although she’s looking forward to taking the rest of the summer off, having just finished the West End production How The Other Half Loves. The 45-year-old will be focusing on her two daughters, Florence, eight, and Marnie Mae, three, whose father is Tamzin’s ex-husband, Miranda actor Tom Ellis, 37. Here, she reveals how she juggles work with being a single mum, and why she’s taking her girls to see their dad this summer. .. You’re presenting Dateline, how did that come about? I always thought if I wasn’t an actor, I might…

Strictly Come Dancing’s muchloved head judge, Len Goodman, 72, has announced that the next series of the show will be his last. He said, ‘This adventure began when I was 60, and now that I’ve reached my 70s, I’ve decided that, after this year, it’s time to hand the role of head judge to someone else. I’m looking forward to my last series very much – and to whatever comes next.’ And, amid speculation about who will take over his coveted seat, both Anton Du Beke and Brendan Cole are said to be fighting for the position. Fan favourite Anton believes he has the backing of former host Sir Bruce Forsyth – and of Len himself. He’s got the experience, too, having joined the judging panel for a one-off version…

JOANNA LUMLEY BELT Enhance a trim waist with a colourpop belt. SHIRT A loose, blue shirt is softer to wear than denim. A long-line shape like Joanna’s makes a great alternative to a cardigan or jacket. SHOES Loafers are the musthave summer shoe. Instead of black or navy, which can look harsh, copy Joanna and shop for a pastel pair. T-SHIRT Flatter your figure by layering a T-shirt under a shirt. Choose a semi-fitted style that doesn’t cling around the middle. BAG For a versatile summer bag, invest in a soft metallic shade. TROUSERS Instead of jeans, try a pair of crisp white trousers for a smarter option. SHOPPING WITH FRIENDS A long-line tunic shirt looks flattering worn with slim-fit trousers. DRESSDOWN FRIDAY Team a fitted shirt with white chinos…

THE HANGOVER CURE BANANA If you ask just about anyone why bananas are healthy, most people will say it’s because they’re full of potassium – and they’re right, of course, but there are many other nutritional reasons to make bananas a part of your diet. Potassium is an important mineral for regulating nerve function, supporting the cardiovascular system and lowering blood pressure. But bananas are also rich in other essential nutrients: they contain high levels of vitamin C and B6, for instance, which support the elasticity of the skin as well as restoring its natural radiance. Meanwhile, the vitamin A content helps to repair dull and damaged skin, and restores natural hydration for a more supple look. It’s the banana’s ability to flush the body, owing to the fibre it…