Table of contents for 21 - 2022 in Best

The long Jubilee Weekend is almost here (2-5 June) and I can’t wait. I will head for The Mall in the morning, drink in the atmosphere with the crowds – then celebrate at a red, white and blue tea with my family (and Ollie the puppy – not a corgi, but a very cute shih tzu). The Queen ascended the throne 70 years ago and it has been – as the National Anthem says – ‘a happy and glorious’ reign. But with Her Majesty now 96, two future Queens are being seen to support her more and more. So, over the next three weeks, we are celebrating both our current and future Queens. Kate (this week), Camilla (next) and finally, for the Jubilee weekend, Elizabeth herself. The Duchess of Cornwall…

Holly Willoughby and cricketing legend Freddie Flintoff had us laughing out loud last week. Though Holly admitted she felt ‘like a fish out of water’ hosting The Games – a sports-based show – the chemistry between her, Freddie and the panel just worked. It was rather like eavesdropping on a conversation among old friends, as they rated and discussed the show in which celebrity contestants go head-to-head in various sports (yes, just like school sports day!) Talking about the women’s hurdles race – won by Kylie Minogue and Dua Lipa songwriter Chelcee Grimes, 30, Holly hilariously commented, ‘Normally, if you see a celebrity running that fast, there is a big free glass of Prosecco at the end of it!’ The mum-of-three then revealed her secret thoughts on what she reckoned…

Top Gun: Maverick sees Tom Cruise, who, incredibly, turns 60 this July, reunite with co-star Val Kilmer, who played Goose in the original. The sequel, which also stars Jennifer Connelly and Mad Men star Jon Hamm, finds Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell – now a courageous test pilot dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past – and his deepest fears. We caught up with Tom Cruise, who is rumoured to be dating a mystery woman after three divorces, to get the low-down on Summer’s biggest movie. Why was now the right time for a Top Gun sequel? It was now or never. We’d been looking at how to tell this story. I was always thinking of…

Looking down into the face of the man I loved, all I could think was, ‘Is this real?’ As 100 choir members whooped and clapped around us, and Bruce knelt to offer me his heart and his ring, a surge of happiness made my world tilt. I knew it was fate that had brought us together. That if he’d taken one different turn that night, we’d never have met at all… In fact, 19 months earlier, love was the last thing on my mind. I was 42, and on my own after my unhappy 14-year marriage had ended in October 2016. A single mum to three incredible boys – Zac, now 15, Sam, 24, and Kieran, 30 – I wasn’t looking for a relationship. But by July 2017 I was…

TOP TIP! A cake stand makes any homemade creation look spectacular!…

Jick Cave’s management revealed the tragic news last week that the singer’s troubled son, Jethro Lazenby, had died, aged just 30. It’s a heartbreaking event, but not the first the family has faced. In 2015, the musician’s 15-year-old son, Arthur, fell to his death from a cliff in Brighton. Melbourne-based Jethro had been released from prison on bail two days before he died, having been jailed for kneeing his mother in the face during a row over cigarettes – leaving her ‘bruised and bleeding’. ‘With much sadness, I can confirm that my son, Jethro, has passed away,’ said Nick in a statement, who with his band The Bad Seeds, is the voice behind eerie Peaky Blinders theme tune, Red Right Hand. ‘We would be grateful for family privacy at this…

Once a shy, naive newlywed (who was so nervous on the day of her wedding in Westminster Abbey that her hands swelled to the point her ring wouldn’t fit!), the now Duchess of Cambridge has proved to the Royals – and the nation – that she will one day be a worthy, hard-working and dedicated Queen. From endless smiling appearances, to working with charities – most famously for children, such as Family Action and the Anna Freud National Centre – and dressing impeccably, Kate has, quite frankly, never put a foot wrong. ‘Never complain, never explain’ is the mantra we all know Queen Elizabeth has lived by, and it seems a future Queen Kate will abide by the same… The perfect combination of grace and glamour, there’s nothing more Great Britain…

Last week, one MP, Lee Anderson caused an outrage suggesting people going to food banks might benefit from cookery lessons and budget skills. Whether there is any truth in this, the situation is indeed dire for many. For months we’re been hearing about the rising cost of living – with a huge 54 per cent increase in energy bills, a rise in council tax, a hike in fuel prices, rising inflation (tipped to hit 10 per cent this year) and our grocery bills creeping up higher than ever. We’ve all had to make adjustments to the way we live and it’s affecting families up and down the country. New data released by The Food Foundation shows a rapid 57 per cent jump in the proportion of households cutting back on…

Hello, gang! I had a week off last issue, I hope you missed me? I was in Stockholm, which is very nice – but possibly one of the most sensible cities I have ever visited. This might have something to do with a bottle of wine costing fifty quid and not being readily available in supermarkets and corner shops… But I think it’s cultural. Everyone is slightly buttoned up, ‘whacky’ doesn’t really exist and compared to London, fashion is confined to what looks like a rather smart grey/black uniform. Some days, I was the only person I saw wearing lipstick. Now, I don’t know what the HRT situation is in Sweden, but I know that by the time I got back from my short break, the situation over here was…

Linda glanced at the man in front of her then turned her attention to the three books in his hands. The first was a wizarding novel, one of her shop’s bestsellers. ‘Oh, this is good,’ she said. ‘It’s not for me, it’s for my grandson,’ the man replied. Linda looked at the boy at the man’s side but the teenager was focussed on his phone. The second book was a crafts book. ‘And that one’s for my granddaughter,’ the man said. Linda looked at the girl by the man’s side. She was slim with long brown hair and freckles. ‘Now this one’s for me,’ the man said proudly, handing the third book to Linda. It was a gardening book written by TV gardener, Tony Potts. Linda had seen the book…

The Greatest Showman singer Loren Allred bagged Britain’s Got Talent’s first golden buzzer of the series, from Amanda Holden. The 32-year-old, who sang the original song Never Enough on the movie soundtrack, has already had over 62 million views on YouTube and remains the bookies’ favourite to win. Following her performance, Loren made headlines – having previously sung with top stars including Michael Bublé and Andrea Bocelli. She tells Tony Cowell why she believes she deserves to go through to the live finals – and what made her choose to sing one of Simon’s favourite songs. How did you feel when Amanda pressed that golden buzzer? First of all, when I heard the noise, I thought I was being eliminated. Then I saw the golden bits fluttering down, I realised what had happened. I…

INSIDER’S GUIDE With William and Kate and their young family reportedly moving to the area, Windsor has never been more on everyone’s radar. Home to Britain’s most famous family, the town is jam-packed with Royal attractions and entrenched in history. From the iconic castle to the racecourse and Windsor Great Park, there’s tons to do and see. And the kids won’t be bored either, as there’s a Legoland slap bang in the centre! So stick your glad rags on and get ready for a mini break that’s fit for a Duchess… DON’T MISS You can’t visit without seeing the majestic Windsor Castle. No, really, you can see it from miles away! It covers the equivalent of a whopping 269 tennis courts and has been home to 40 monarchs during its…

1 BRITNEY’S NEW BABY… Miaow! Pop princess Britney Spears, who is expecting her third child with fiancé Sam Asghari, introduced a new member of the family last week – her cat, who has clearly been helping her famous mama out with some wedding prep! Britney, 40, captioned the post, ‘Introducing Wendy!! And yes, this is the veil to my wedding dress!’ Instagram/britneyspears 2 Who wowed the crowd? The BAFTA Red Carpet saw an influx of one-shoulder wonders, Strictly It Takes Two’s Janette Manrara, 38, wowed in ruffles in Tran Hung, while Michelle Keegan, 34, opted for a more grecian vibe in Zuhair Murad. And Laura Tobin, 40, looked slinky in a Maticevski gown hired from My Wardrobe. 3 TISSUES AT THE READY Rose Ayling-Ellis, 27, and Giovanni Pernice, 31, delivered…

After all the build-up and excitement, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is nearly upon us. And while communities up and down the country are making plans to celebrate the occasion, the Royal Family will be busy planning how they’ll mark the momentous occasion. With the Queen’s health in a fragile state, the other members of ‘The Firm’ have been called upon to fulfil duties that, had the 96-year-old’s health permitted, she would have performed herself. ‘Over the course of the central weekend, members of the Royal Family will visit the nations of the United Kingdom to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee,’ a Buckingham Palace statement read. ‘Members of the Royal Family will attend engagements in each nation, including public events marking the occasion.’ Although the finer details are yet to come, we…

‘In a few years’ time, the UK will finally be the biggest and best at something, as it’s set to take the number one slot in the European obesity league. Currently we’re only in third place. The warning comes from the World Health Organisation and it claims that a lot of it is down to takeaway delivery apps such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats. Not surprising, though, considering the government pushed the idea of takeaway food like drug pushers when they forced people to stay at home for the best part of two years, closing gyms and forbidding them to go out and exercise for more than an hour a day. And yet, their solution to this literally massive problem is to put a “health warning” on the…

Growing up with my parents and three siblings in Nottinghamshire, we didn’t really have the means to jet off abroad or visit far-flung places. Instead, once a year, we’d go on a caravan holiday to the nearest seaside town – usually somewhere like Trusthorpe – and occasionally, we’d go and stay at my grandad’s little house when he went away. That always felt like an adventure to me, but I loved singing songs in the car on the way to the beach and being by the sea. Dad would build boats and cars out of sand, and we’d have fish and chips as a treat. At that age, one of the things I thought about being was an air hostess so I could travel the world, although that changed as…

A change is as good as a rest, so when Not So Bridget invited me and a good mate to join her and some friends on a mini-cruise, we agreed. Fresh air, fine dining, nightclubs, nice wines, and hopefully some single passengers, my only perceivable problem was what to pack – something-loose-fitting and nautical, without looking camp, was my eventual wardrobe. The first morning, I finally left the ‘Ocean Café’ after a 10-course breakfast (slight exaggeration but the food is in such supply, there is good reason for the joke, ‘get on a passenger and get off as cargo’). As I hit the deck, I spied a fellow passenger taking selfies on a sunbed. I said hello but didn’t give it a second thought, except to think she was vaguely…

Wearing a facial SPF is key to healthy and younger skin, yet around 60 per cent of us do not use it every day. Sun exposure is responsible for up to 90 per cent of premature ageing; wrinkling, sagging and sun spots. If you’ve been put off by thick, sticky lotions, the good news is that formulas are more lightweight and sit well under make-up – all while offering UV protection and extra skin benefits. Here are my favourites. THE NEW SUPER SPFS Choose a sunscreen to suit your skin condition. Go for a broad-spectrum formula and minimum SPF30. ANTI-AGEING La Roche-Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF50, £25 Contains a cocktail of active ingredients including hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to treat the skin while keeping it safe from the sun’s rays.…

Summer make-up bags always need a good bronzer – it doesn’t just add warmth and a healthy glow to your complexion, you can use it to do other things too. I’ve come across make-up artists who use it for eye shadow and liner, to enhance brows, for contouring and highlighting and as a last-resort lip stain if you’re desperate (I’ve done this – just add water). The trick is to find one with the right texture that won’t streak, in a shade that looks natural with your skin tone. Here’s a batch of the best for under £10. 1 TOTALLY TROPICAL W7 Honolulu Bronzing Powder (£4.95, w7makeup.co.uk) This looks almost identical to Benefit’s Hoola Matte Bronzer (£28.50, benefitcosmetics.co.uk) but is a fraction of the price (about a sixth, if you’re…

It was 18 years ago that the public caught their first glimpse of the girl who would become one of the most famous women in the world. On the ski slopes at Klosters in Switzerland in 2004, photographers spotted Prince William with his arm around a glamorous brunette. ‘Finally, Wills gets a girl’, screamed one of the headlines and for Kate Middleton, then just 22, life would never be the same again. The eldest of three children, she was brought up in Berkshire by her parents Michael and Carole – both of whom worked for British Airways before making a fortune with their business, Party Pieces. The three Middleton children – Kate, her sister Pippa and brother James – were all privately educated at Marlborough College, where Kate was known…

As the fifth largest county in England, there are bucketfuls of reasons why Norfolk is high on the list of best places to live in the UK. Whether you’re a fan of wide, open spaces or a culture vulture who loves a thriving town, there really is something for everyone here. And it’s no surprise this is also home to the Queen’s favourite country retreat, in Sandringham, just north of King’s Lynn. The good news is that us mere mortals can enjoy its 600-acre country park for free. The house is also open for a mooch (ground floor only) so you never know, you might even pick up some fabulous royal interior tips too. Just two miles from there on the Sandringham estate is also the country home of Kate…

Dearest Ben, When we met and you said you didn’t drive, I thought you were joking. After 16 weary years in the driving seat, I now know you were deadly serious. I have been at the wheel with no assistance down one-track country lanes, up mountains, down valleys and along more motorways than I care to remember. Often, we are heading for a Red Carpet extravaganza and I am motoring along in a huge crinoline ballgown and Jimmy Choos while you sit elegantly beside me. Being the driver doesn’t just involve navigating and propelling the car from A to B. It also entails all the humiliation of parking – or in my case failing to park – as well as filling the trusty vehicle with petrol and yelling expletives out…

PET OF THE WEEK Name: Tilly Owner: Karen, from Warrington Breed: Miniature dachshund CALLING ALL PETS! From funny to cute, we’re looking for more pets to star in our ‘Day in the Life’ series. If you think your animal is the perfect match, email bestpets@hearst.co.uk with details of your pet, plus a series of snaps.*…

Is there anything more quintessentially British than a day by the seaside? Whether its grand facades and afternoon teas, or a bag of chips in the car after a blustery walk on the beach, there’s nothing us Brits love more. Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott, 65, thinks so, too, and his new five-part Channel 4 show Best of Britain By The Sea, with food critic Grace Dent, explores the hidden treasures – edible and otherwise – of Britain’s beautiful coastline, punctuated by Ainsley’s familiar belly laughs as the pair go from cocklepicking to amusement arcades, and delivering lambs on a farm… Ainsley, what do you get up to this series? Gracie and I discover fabulous places we mightn’t have seen before. You get lazy. I have my familiar places – like Cornwall,…

Best known for his roles in TV shows New Tricks, The Sweeney and Minder Dennis Waterman passed away at the age of 74 last Sunday, his wife Pam Flint by his side. A statement said: ‘We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved Dennis passed away very peacefully in hospital in Spain. The family kindly ask that our privacy is respected at this very difficult time.’ Born in London and educated at the Corona Theatre School, the dad-of-two began his career in a role for the Children’s Film Foundation, and by the age of 12, was invited to join Stratford’s Royal Shakespeare Company. Dennis went on to find fame in his teens in William, the BBC’s adaptation of the Just William books. And he went on to become one of the best-known, and…

GRACE AND FRANKIE The last series of Grace and Frankie is officially on Netflix. The two feisty OAPs’ adventure began when their respective husbands left them for each other and Grace (Jane Fonda) went into meltdown when Frankie (Lily Tomlin) tried to befriend her – but seven seasons later, the pair are the very best of friends – causing carnage wherever they go! GINNY & GEORGIA Family feel-good fun. Teenage Ginny and her family yearn to put down roots in a picturesque New England town, after years on the run. On Netflix now. THE CIRCLE Status and strategy collide in this US version of the social experiment and competition show where online players flirt, befriend and catfish their way towards $100,000. The latest season is now on Netflix.…

TOP TIP The slight puff in the sleeves gives a classic shirt a fresh twist.…

1 SHAPE SHIFTERS From the thin style of the Nineties to the bushier look today, brow trends come in all shapes and sizes. ‘Respect your natural shape, by default they fit your natural bone structure and eye shape,’ explains Eyeko and Illamasqua head of content and make-up artist Melanie Barrese. Need guidance? Follow this rule by Saffron Hughes, make-up expert at FalseEyelashes.co.uk: ‘Hold a pencil against the side of your nose and angle it towards the inner corner of your eye. The beginning of your brow is where the pencil edge meets the brow line. Mark with white liner. Then angle the pencil straight up over the eye, reaching your brow bone. This is your arch, mark this too. Finally, angle it towards the outer corner of your eye to…

HOW IT WORKS 1 Our diets have changed since Queen Elizabeth was crowned in the Fifties. The average family meal was around 55 per cent carbs, made up from vegetables, cereal and bread – foods digested slowly to keep blood sugar levels stable. Today, carbs make up just 45 per cent of our diet, while a whopping 40 per cent of our diet now is fat, rising from 32 per cent. 2 Meals back then were simple and freshly cooked. Freezers and even fridges were rare. Milk was delivered and seasonal fruit and veg came from farm shops and grocers. 3 Diet expert and author Judith Wills (The Food Bible, at Amazon) says: ‘I don’t recall eating snacks between meals apart from a few sweets at the weekend after rationing ended in 1953,…

Gingerbread Soldiers in Sentry Boxes This is my take on a traditional gingerbread house. I was inspired by A. A. Milne’s poem, Buckingham Palace, and the reference to a sentry box. The gingerbread is delightfully crisp and gingery. It is important not to roll the dough too thickly, as the pieces will be too heavy, and the sentry box will not hold together. Makes 3 sentry boxes and 12 soldiers FOR THE GINGERBREAD 125g butter, at room temperature90g loosely packed light brown sugar200g golden syrup or thick honey375g plain flour1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda2 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon mixed spice FOR THE ICING 210g sifted icing sugar1 free-range egg white½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice Red, black and/or blue natural food colouring (optional) 1 Line 2 large baking trays with…

Tucking my son into his cot, I crept out of his bedroom and into mine with just one thing on my mind. Cocaine. Chopping up a line on my bedside table, I inhaled it and instantly felt my anxiety and the stress and monotony of another day in lockdown as a single parent fade away. It was May 2020, and I was in the grips of addiction, using cocaine while my then one-year-old child slept in the next room. By day, I was exhausted and broke, and by night I was high. It was a dark time and I feel ashamed and guilty, but also deeply relieved that today I’m clean and determined never to be that mum again… I started dabbling in drugs as a teenager. I was rebellious…

When she married William, as well as becoming the future queen, Kate Middleton took on a very important job – providing the ‘heir and the spare’ for the royal family. But not only has she produced three gorgeous children – George, 8, Charlotte, 6 and Louis, 4, she is making a brilliant job of being a hands-on, and very modern royal mum. On 23 July 2013, Kate stepped out of the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, London holding a precious bundle – Prince George. The baby, draped in a blanket, slept peacefully in his mother’s arms, as she said to the waiting hordes: ‘It’s very emotional. Such a special time. I think any parent probably knows what this feeling feels like,’ The world watched as a proud William strapped…

The long-awaited, multi-million pound ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel trial, seeing Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy finally face each other in court, began in London last week – and at the time of going to press, was entering Day 3. It all began three years ago, when Coleen publicly accused Rebekah’s social media accounts as being the source of leaked stories about her to the press. Coleen, wife of former Premier League player Wayne, had carried out her own private ‘sting’, to discover which of her followers she thought was behind the leak – revealing her alleged conclusion, with the now well-known line: ‘It’s… Rebekah Vardy’s account.’ The two WAGs have locked horns ever since – but now, the matter will be settled at a trial at the Royal Courts of Justice.…

SCARRING CONUNDRUM Wvery time I cut myself lately, I scar. Is this an age thing? I never remember it being an issue when I was younger – but since I’ve hit my 50s, even a papercut seems to cause long-term skin damage! I’ve tried things like Bio Oil – which helps to a point – but are there any vitamins or anything you could recommend? I look like I’m getting into regular scraps at the moment! Kym, South East London DR HILARY SAYS: Skin healing can certainly take a little longer and become less efficient as we get older, because the circulation bringing the blood cells which repair the skin is slower and there is less supportive collagen beneath the skin. Keloid scarring occurs where the scar becomes thick, lumpy,…

In an ideal world, we’d all have a south-facing garden with hours of consistent sunshine for our crops to grow. The more sunshine, the more produce you’ll grow. Sadly, this just isn’t the reality, but the good news is that there are some varieties that tolerate a certain amount of shade. SWISS CHARD Attractive and versatile, this is a really visually pleasing plant to grow. Sow in its final spot anytime from now to July in rows, allowing approx. 10cm between seeds. Rows should be spaced a minimum 4in apart, 1in deep. Water regularly. Baby leaves can be picked for salads, or leave them a few more weeks to grow larger and cook them like you would spinach or leeks. I like pan-frying them with butter and garlic! RHUBARB As…

BACK TO LIFE? Hi Lee, I wonder if you believe in reincarnation and is it possible that we come back as birds or other creatures? How can this be possible? Julia LEE SAYS: I do believe in reincarnation because I do pastlife regression. There is only a piece of our spirit that comes back each time. Returning as birds is possible because it is one of the ways a spirit can connect with us – so they always send the birds through. Birds can also show us particular signs. But I don’t feel we come back as animals – instead, the spirits use them to work with us. OPEN TO VISITS? Do you always have to be relaxed in order to be open, so spirits can then come into our…

The bond between twins – particularly identical ones – has fascinated society since almost the beginning of recorded history. Mythology, film and literature often use twins to represent magical powers of closeness. Twinships are recognised as being usually very close relationships. But sisterly love takes on a whole new meaning in TLC series Extreme Sisters, which follows some of the world’s most obsessive and inseparable sibling relationships. We meet four sets of twins who take their fixation to the extreme – from sleeping in the same bed to sharing a boyfriend. There’s no doubt the sisters’ intense devotion to each other takes the meaning of sisterhood to a whole new level. Extreme Sisters offers viewers a glimpse into some of the most unique sister lifestyles, revealing how they navigate each…

FIT FOR A QUEEN Party like royalty with this fabulous Jubilee Party Kit. Contains: a three-tier cake stand, 10 napkins, 10 plates, 10 cups, 10 cupcake cases and decorations, 10 paper straws and 10 paper crowns, £22 for the full set from next.co.uk PARTY LIKE A PRINCESS… The Perfect Party Decoration for a Platinum Jubilee! This package contains 16 balloons and a roll of gold ribbon, with four styles, each with four balloons (red, white, silver and blue) and the words ‘70 Years Platinum Jubilee’ printed on each balloon. Use them to decorate your house and add to the celebratory spirit! £5.99 from Amazon.co.uk MADE IN ENGLAND This unique, limited-edition side plate is part of a collection of forever pieces in loving homage to the Queen and her 70 years…