Table of contents for 10 - 2017 in Best

Daffodils are one of my favourite flowers because they scream sunshine, happiness and hope that better times are ahead – or warmer ones at least! They also represent the Marie Curie Daffodil Appeal. Every year, this charity sells pins to support nurses who care for people living with a terminal illness. This year, it has also created a ‘Garden of Light’ – boasting 2,100 illuminated daffodils, one for each Marie Curie nurse. They’re on display in London Paternoster Square until 12 March and St Andrew’s Square, Edinburgh, on the 16th. For details, visit mariecurie. org.uk/daffodil • Please let us know your thoughts on facebook.com/ bestmagazine…

‘I adore you, but you’ve got to be given some solutions to help you lose weight…’ Did you know? The spotlight may be on Eamonn, but he was happy to discuss wife Ruth’s weight on This Morning last November, telling her, ‘You have inflated, there’s no doubt about it!’ It was business as usual recently when Eamonn Holmes, 57, and his wife Ruth Langsford, 56, stepped in for This Morning’s usual hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. But when the couple welcomed controversial slimming guru Steve Miller on to the show to debate whether it’s ever OK to tell someone they’re ‘fat’, things went very rapidly downhill. Outspoken Steve said, ‘People need to be told [they’re fat], but in a constructive way. I say that from the heart. Before you…

A former male newsreader returned to our screens in November 2015, after a five-year absence from ITV, as a woman called India, having had full gender reassignment surgery. India, who has an 18-year-old son, Rhodes, and is based in Newcastle, couldn’t look more confident in various gorgeous outfits, striking a series of feminine poses for her best shoot. ‘This just feels right,’ she says, hardly able to contain a grin. Having felt trapped in the wrong body (and clothes) for so long, India has come such a long way. But, as she tells best, it hasn’t been an easy road… ‘From a kid, I always felt that I should have been a girl. Boys’ clothes felt like a straitjacket’ India, you look gorgeous! My style had always been a bit conservative,…

Cases of women developing acne for the first time in their 30s and 40s are on the increase. Here’s my guide to dealing with spots for grown-ups… TREAT IT TOPICALLY If you’re tempted to treat your acne with a few old tricks from your teen years, don’t. Adult skin is more sensitive. The most important thing you can do for your skin is have a good skincare routine, and this means using the right products for your skin type. For milder breakouts, topical medications like retinoid, derived from vitamin A, can significantly improve the complexion. For severe or persistent acne, it’s best to see a dermatologist. TRY A PEEL A course of monthly light acid peels will help get rid of dead skin cells and keep pores unblocked, leaving a…

best VALUE TOP TIP If you have too many bottles cluttering your table, use a pretty cake stand to display them.…

There’s nothing quite like glancing down at your hands and admiring your nails. But now the time has come to experiment with your manicure! Love to make a statement? We’ve got it covered. Into metallics? Coming right up. Prefer to stick on your nail art? Sit back and enjoy. And what do all our offerings have in common? They’re quick and easy, leaving you plenty of mani-appreciation minutes. Fake it yourself Graphic nails Fancy trying out a hot new trend? You need to get in on the DIY graphic nail action… 1. Choose two contrasting nail colours and use the darkest one all over the nails. Do two coats, leaving each one to dry and set properly. 2. Grab some Post-it notes and cut the little sticky edge into small…

Bargain buys Goodmans 10 in 1 Steam Cleaner at B&M, £39.99 This looks the part and comes with loads of extras but, sadly, it didn't remove stains from the carpet or shower. Disappointing. Bissell Steam Shot, £49.99 Compact and easy to use thanks to the extra-long cable. Great on grotty tiles, as it leaves them clean and sparkling after one use. Lakeland 2-in-1 Steam Mop, £59.99 A petite but powerful machine, ready to use in 10 minutes. The floor pad could be slightly bigger to reach five stars. Best Test best COMPACT DESIGN Splash the cash Black & Decker SteaMitt, £79.99 Fast and effective, this cuts through grease, and even removes tea stains from wood. H20 X5 at thane.tv, £79.99 Sleek and slimline, this heats up quickly, glides over floors…

Win EVERY WEEK Both these sets of clues lead to the same answers, revealing in the shaded squares a new film starring Hugh Jackman (5) WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £ 100 OR 3 X £50 PR I ZES STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 1 Physical jerks (8) 5 Perfect examples (6) 10 Genre of dance music (5) 11 Moored next to another boat (9) 12 Daily or weekly media item (9) 13 Boat race crew number (5) 14 Back, stern or aft (4) 15 Transparent (5) 18 Occasion (5) 20 Anger (4) 22 Having the same weight, e.g. (5) 24 Issue a dare (9) 26 Formal group of musicians (9) 27 A go-between (5) 28 Bed linen items (6) 29 Drove backwards (8) DOWN 1 Finishing (6) 2 Neither here…

Dubbed Britain’s most violent prisoner, Charles Bronson has now spent 41 years behind bars for numerous brutal offences. Hardly a man you’d want to bring home to meet the family. However, his history of aggression has not put off actress Paula Williamson, 36, from planning a future with ‘Charlie’. ‘I’ve had relationships with men in the past, but none of them come close to my love for Charlie,’ said the former Coronation Street and Emmerdale actress. ‘It’s a perfect match.’ Paula first came across Bronson, 64, during a visit to Waterstones, when she stumbled across his 2015 book, Broadmoor: My Journey Into Hell. ‘I’d suffered from dark times myself mentally, and hearing about his experience... inspired me,’ she said. ‘So I wrote to him to say, “Thank you. It has…

CAROL McGIFFIN THE WAY I SEE IT... Wise words from our feisty, fearless and funny columnist ‘As much as I’m not a fan, I found it rather refreshing that Cheryl Cole didn’t ‘announce’ her pregnancy the minute she found out, a decision for which she got a barrage of indignant stick. Why? Because we live in an age of celebrity oversharing, where celebrities tell us everything, even things we don’t want to know, so when they choose not to tell us something, all hell breaks loose. That doesn’t happen often, though, because mostly they spout personal information without good reason. Take Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry, for example, who wasted no time announcing they’d gone their separate ways. Or rather they were taking ‘respectful and loving space’ to prevent the…

Most people will remember the harrowing photo of teenager Leah Betts back in 1995, taken while she was on life support. Her parents released the photo after the 18-yearold’s tragic death to warn others of the deadly effect drugs can have. So, when my daughter, also named Leah, ended up in intensive care after taking ecstasy, I posted pictures of her online, too. I knew she wouldn’t thank me for it, but I was desperate to show people exactly what taking drugs can do… I was 19 when Leah was born, and she was a brilliant baby. She ate and slept well, loved cuddles, and I was constantly in awe of the fact that she was mine. As a single parent who hadn’t yet hit 20, I wasn’t ready to…

Whether you want to give your wardrobe a fresh spring update or breathe some new life into your home, here’s your chance to win an amazing Primark shopping spree on us. We have £500 worth of vouchers for one lucky reader so you can shop ’til you drop – without breaking the bank! HOW TO ENTER POST: Send a postcard with your name, address, phone number and email address to: Primark Voucher Giveaway, GVBSTN17067, Hearst Magazines UK, The Data Solutions Centre, Worksop S80 2RT. The closing date for postal entries is 23 March 2017. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2709 (30ppm) by midnight on 20 March 2017†. PHONE LINE T&Cs: †Calls cost 30p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access charge, and will last no longer than two minutes. Calls…

…what tempted her, as a Grammy award-winning artist, to make her West End debut in 42nd Street It’s the perfect show at the perfect time. My kids are adults now. I didn’t want to do a show when they were babies, and everyone knows you can’t leave teenagers alone for five minutes – but I’m an emptynester now. …her prima donna character, Broadway star Dorothy Brock It’s a great part for a woman of my age, and there are not a load of those for 57-year-olds. I think that Dorothy is fronting; there’s a vulnerability on the inside that’s masked. 42nd Street is an iconic show, and I love the idea of spending time back in the UK – I haven’t lived here since 1981. …her early raunchy pop videos…

Tony Cowell THE CELEBRITY INSIDER TALKS TO JENNY AGUTTER Discovered by Walt Disney at the age of 11, Jenny Agutter, 64, has been on our screens for 50 years. Now best known for Call The Midwife, she reveals that she’d still love to be in a Bond movie… You’re now in the sixth series of the hugely successful show Call The Midwife. What attracted you to the role? The offer of a job, first of all! They told me I was the first person they considered for the role of Sister Julienne – whether I believe that, I don’t know. But it’s a great cast and good writing. At the time, I was a little nervous about committing to a series, but I didn’t realise how popular it would become.…

It’s the show that took America by storm, showcasing brilliant children with a passion for life. Whether ballet dancing or playing baseball, telling jokes or juggling, this ultimate feel-good telly experience has now been reinvented for a UK audience with everyone’s favourite funny lady, Dawn French, at the helm. ‘Jen has three that I’m allowed to have a practice with. But I’m waiting for little kids to be around!’ But being surrounded by kids has had some serious side effects on the 59-year-old star. ‘I know you shouldn’t push your children to have children – I know you shouldn’t,’ she stresses. ‘But I am that person – the grandparent-in-waiting. ‘Jen [Saunders, her long-time comedy partner] has got three that I’m allowed to have a little practice with every now and…

American author Sheila Isenberg (above), who has studied the relationship between prisoners and their pen pals, says there is often a heightened sense of the romantic when you fall for an unattainable man. ‘I call it “Stage one super-romantic love”,’ she says, explaining the relationship is held at the first flush of romance for far longer than a real courtship. ‘That capital ‘R’ romance was kept up because nobody came home after work and took off his dirty socks and left them on the floor.’ In her book, Eve Was Framed, Helena Kennedy QC states that women can feel ‘strangely flattered at being chosen by such men… singled out from the ordinary run of womankind’. Hybristophilia is a rare condition in which women are sexually excited by men who commit…

Pancreatic cancer is set to become the fourth-biggest cancer killer in the next decade, predicted to cause more than 11,000 deaths per year in the UK. Campaigners say it has suffered from a lack of research, resulting in few people being diagnosed early enough to be offered lifesaving surgery. Here’s what you need to know. SILENT KILLER Pancreatic cancer is often called a silent killer because the early symptoms can be unclear and go unrecognised. There are common diseases that can cause similar symptoms, so these would be diagnosed far more readily than pancreatic cancer, which is relatively uncommon. It can be mistaken for gallstones, irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, stomach irritation or liver disease. SURVIVAL RATES Tragically, just five per cent of people with pancreatic cancer survive for five years…

Perfect for pears A polka-dot pattern on top will draw eyes upwards. Simple slip Team a strappy dress with a T-shirt for extra coverage. TOP TIP For a spring twist, mix monochrome dots with punchy pinks and reds. Waist winner Create curves with a perfect pencil skirt and a tucked-in top. Flared fabric Balance out a bigger bust with a fuller frilly hem.…

HOW IT WORKS Losing weight as you sleep sounds like a dream, but according to US sleep expert Dr Michael Breus, good-quality sleep can help boost your metabolism, fire up the fat-burning process and reduce cravings, so you don’t feel as hungry while you’re awake. Follow our plan and you could lose 5lb – and get your glow on! 1 Forget counting calories and workouts… it seems that all you need to successfully lose weight this spring, as well as combating cravings, is to get between seven and nine hours of good-quality sleep a night. 2 Dr Breus, author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan, explains that the hormonal changes, stress and tiredness that come with poor or insufficient sleep all contribute to weight gain. 3 His research, like other…

Freebie finder Collette Jones Is there anything better than getting something for free? Collette Jones, head money-saver at Magic Freebies*, has loads of tips to start finding good giveaways ‘I’ve been finding freebies ever since I was at university, so my job is perfect for me!’ says Collette. ‘I reckon I’ve saved well over £6,000 on a huge range of full-sized and sample beauty products, gym passes, coffee and food, which has enabled me to save for a house. And it’s just as easy for everyone else to do exactly the same.’ 1 Divide & conquer If you’re just starting your freebie-finding mission, set up a new email address just for offers. Once you get started you’ll get regular correspondence, and separating them will stop you missing any. Magic Freebies…

Nice as pie With spring just around the corner, there’s a new seasonal treat from Higgidy to tempt you. The Pork, Sussex Cider & Red Cabbage Pie, £3.49, with tender pork shoulder and a cidery tang, will taste delicious with a dollop of mash and green beans. SUPERMARKET STAR Brilliant bake When a cake looks this amazing, why bother to make one from scratch? We’ve fallen head over heels for the Rainbow Buttons Cake, £8, available in store at Morrisons now. The colourful combination of sponge, sprinkles and sweeties makes it perfect for any birthday celebration, party or teatime indulgence. Veggie hot stuff Going meat-free doesn’t have to be boring, thanks to Quorn Chilli & Lime Sliced Fillets, £2.50. The combination of fiery red chilli and refreshing lime makes them…