Table of contents for 37-2020 in Best

She’s best known for being a BBC Breakfast presenter but now Steph McGovern is branching out! As well as becoming a mum last November and, as she put it, ‘getting used to the sick and poo’, she has a cookery show on Channel 4 starting on 14 September at 12.30pm! Called Steph’s Packed Lunch, if you are a foodie, it’s worth a watch. As well as a few well-known chefs, the daily show will bring you a raft of celebrities including Gemma Atkinson and Vogue Williams from Channel 4’s new Leeds studio, while Oti Mabuse will give us a look behind the scenes of her dance tour. Says Steph: ‘This Packed Lunch of a show is full to the brim with loads of great items, people and food. We’re going…

As Meghan Markle and Prince Harry – who last week revealed a shock multi-year, multi-million pound deal to create content with Netflix – settle into life in their luxurious mansion in Montecito, California, it must seem a world away from their previous life in the UK. On the other side of the ocean, the Royals have been gathered for their traditional long break at Balmoral – which must have extra significance this year, as it’s the first time since lockdown they’ve all been together. The Queen and Prince Philip travelled from Windsor to Balmoral at the start of August, while Kate, William and their brood are believed to have popped in, so the Queen could finally enjoy seeing her great-grandchildren. Others – including Prince Edward and Princess Anne – were…

‘Oh, they’re gorgeous,’ beamed a stranger stopping me and my two daughters in the street. ‘Are they twins?’ Although I could see where she was coming from – Sienna and Bonnie are both the same height, with beautiful blonde hair – I had to shake my head. ‘Actually, there’s two years between them.’ And although she looked shocked, it’s true. Sienna is four and Bonnie is two. The reason they’re the same height is because, no matter how close they are, there is one big difference between them. Out of the four of us, Bonnie is the only one who is not short-statured. My fiancé Jonathon, now 40, and I both have different forms of dwarfism. While I was born with a type known as achondroplasia, he has another kind…

Walking down the plane steps, the warm island breeze hit me and I had to stop myself from squealing with excitement. I was finally here! I worked as an Aviation Maintenance Administrator for the US Navy, and although most of the time my job was just like any other, when, in January 1985, the opportunity came up to be stationed on Guam – an island in the North Pacific Ocean – I’d jumped at the chance. It was going to be the adventure of a lifetime. I quickly made friends and found a place to stay with a girl called Marlena. I loved finishing a shift, then heading to the beach. She worked at a local beach bar, and one evening I went for a drink while she worked. As…

TOP TIP! Glorious gold and heavy prints will make any dinner feel like a special occasion.…

She’s known for being private, but last year, after suffering a breakdown, Andrea McLean, now 50, admitted to being in a ‘dark place’. And it seems the Loose Women anchor is getting ready to reveal even more in a new book out later this month, called This Girl Is On Fire. She already seems far more open to sharing her life, posting just last week that she was on the picturesque Isles of Scilly, near the Cornish coast, without friends or family as she needed ‘time and space’. Explaining her decision to go solo on Instagram, the mum-of-two explained she’d been unable to attain a clear mind while juggling responsibilities at home. ‘Soooo… this has been a week of firsts,’ she wrote. ‘I needed time and space to work on…

There’s a multitude of treatments to help restore a younger you. But what if you just want put the brakes on ageing naturally? Easy. Just follow our simple turn-back-time tips. UPGRADE YOUR LIFESTYLE GET SOME SHUT EYE: Poor sleep means cortisol (stress) levels rise, causing inflammation, leading to health problems and premature skin ageing. At least seven uninterrupted hours increases circulation around the eyes, decreasing puffiness. Turn the heating down in your bedroom. Raised temperatures can dry out your skin overnight, adding years to your face. •GET MOVING: Daily exercise will help to shed weight, tone muscles, build healthier bones and boost mood. Try one of these options: •Walking for just 10 minutes a day lowers your risk of Alzheimer’s by 40 per cent and decreases the inflammation that causes…

Ex-EastEnders actresses Samantha Womack, 47, and Rita Simons, 43, have both left their husbands – their shock announcements coming within a week of each other. And it wouldn’t be strange to imagine the friends of old – who played the Mitchell sisters in the BBC One soap – confiding in each other, following their marriage breakdowns. Mum-of-two Sam confirmed in an interview that she had split from her actor husband Mark – who plays DI Malone in Emmerdale – in 2018, after nine years of marriage. But, she added, they are co-habiting ‘happily’ with their children Benjamin, 19, and Lili Rose, 15, at their Bedfordshire farmhouse. Sam, also stepmum to Mark’s son Michael, 25, from a previous relationship, insisted the split was amicable and they are happy with the current…

TABLE 19 Channel 4, Friday, 12.10am You may have to hit the record button for this one, but watching a heartbroken Eloise (Anna Kendrick) attend her best friend’s wedding after the bride’s brother breaks up with her is a definite don’t miss. One for the true chick flick lovers… STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS E4, Tuesday, 9pm Star Trek (and Chris Pine) fans, this one is all yours… The USS Enterprise crew travels to the forbidden zone in space to rescue an endangered species. Captain Kirk then leads his team to a war-zone world in search of a weapon of mass destruction. LUCY E4, Friday, 9pm A young woman named Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) gets abducted by a gang in Taipei and forced to carry a bag of drugs. Scarlett shines in…

That saying, ‘You can’t have your cake and eat it’ makes no sense. Shouldn’t it be, ‘If I’ve got a cake I am going to eat it and I suggest you don’t try to stop me’? All these baked beauties are hidden in the grid, except one – which? ANGEL BANANA LOAF BATTENBERG CARROT CHIFFON CHOCOLATE COFFEE AND WALNUT DUNDEE ECCLES FRUITCAKE GENOISE GINGER LEMON DRIZZLE MADEIRA OPERA POUND RED VELVET VICTORIA SPONGE SEARCH ME! SUDOK-GO! Fill the grid using the numbers from 1 to 9 only. Each number must appear once in every column, row and 3x3 square. Now, off you sudok-go! ALL SOLUTIONS ON THE NEXT PAGE FACE TIME Have a look at the motley crew below. Who are they and what connects them all? CODE NAME Former…

1 FLYING HIGH Harry Potter fans – including our very own editor, Siobhan, features editor Sarah, and deputy lifestyle editor Helen and her son, Noah (pictured) – were soaring after beating a Guinness World Record last month. Nearly 300 people from 40 countries all mounted a broomstick at the same time online to celebrate their love of Quidditch and the release of Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition. Magic! Amanda looks spot-on; Myleene goes wild in her print frock, and Laura earns her fashion stripes 2 Who wowed the crowd? The season is changing, but these celebs are keeping summer wrapped up for as long as possible! Weather presenter Laura Tobin, 38, rocks a striped Zara frock, while we’re dotty about the Pretty Lavish from SilkFred dress on Amanda Holden,…

While salons may be open again, 2020 saw home hair colouring become more popular than ever, with British colouring brand Knight & Wilson reporting a massive 1,200 per cent sales increase since lockdown began. Nervous of making mistakes? We asked the experts for advice on avoiding a home hair dye disaster… FAKE IT YOURSELF The dos and don’ts of home hair masks If keeping your colour rich and vibrant is your goal, be mindful of what kitchen cupboard ingredients you use on your hair. Ingredients that are astringent will only disrupt your shade, dry your locks out, and should best be avoided – so step away from the lemon juice! Fatty acids and oils are a surefire way to nourish and protect your tresses, and one foodstuff that has both…

WHY ARE THEY SO MEAN? When lockdown started, I decided it was ‘now or never’ in terms of my weight, which I had struggled with for years. So I used the time to do loads of exercise and start cooking meals from scratch – rather than my usual diet, which I must admit was more burgers and pizza than anything green. I have lost 20Ibs and I am so happy with myself. But when I went out with my two best friends, once we were able to, they said I looked unwell and didn’t seem at all happy for me. I am so hurt – what has made them react like this? Cass, Aberdeen I’m a lifelong yo-yo dieter, so I’ve walked in your skinny jeans more times than I…

Apple and blackberry lattice tart A favourite with the whole family and it can be enjoyed hot or cold – delicious with lots of cream. Serves 4 Prep time: 30 mins Cooking time: 45 mins 275g plain flour150g chilled butter, cut into cubes FOR THE FILLING 700g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and slicedAbout 2tbsp Demerara sugar250g punnet of blackberriesZest and juice of 1 lemon YOU WILL NEED A 20.5cm round pie dish 1 Preheat oven to gas mark 6/200°C (180°C in a fan oven). First, make pastry: add flour to a bowl with a pinch of salt, add butter and rub it in until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add a drizzle of ice-cold water and mix until mixture comes together as a dough. Turn out on `to a floured board…

Sinking into the sofa, I reached into the pizza box and took a bite of the cheesy, doughy goodness. ‘You just can’t beat it, can you?’ I mumbled to my husband, Christopher. ‘Well, you’ve certainly not tired of it yet,’ Christopher, a 49-year-old delivery driver, laughed. I loved that about Christopher. He didn’t mind I was carrying extra cushion. Before we’d got together, I’d spent years fretting about my weight, which had piled on after giving birth to my three children from a previous relationship – Chloe, now 21, Reece, 18, and Sam, 15 – and years of emotional eating. I suffered from depression and anxiety and food was the only thing that had helped me through. But after my friendship with Christopher had turned into a relationship in 2006,…

HOW TO EAT… …IN YOUR 30s & 40s Your metabolism naturally starts to slow, and from age 45 onwards, oestrogen and progesterone levels fall, making your body store more fat around your waist. Muscle mass also starts to decline. Oily fish such as salmon contains the protein leptin, which acts like a hormone, controlling your appetite. Be mindful at mealtimes. Don’t snack on the run, eat at your desk or in front of the TV. You’ll consume food more quickly, leading to bad skin and weight gain. Watch your calories. For every decade after 40, your body needs around 5 per cent fewer calories. Eat more oestrogen-mimicking foods such as pulses, and green, leafy vegetables, plus herbs and spices like sage, fennel and parsley. An antioxidant-rich diet will help protect…

THE BIG C Many years ago, I took a bus ride with Girls Aloud. It was a cold November night and we were filming for Children in Need. It was just me, Sarah, Cheryl, Nadine, Kimberley and Nicola. There were big periods of time between our live transmissions, with me dressed as a bus conductor and the girls shivering away. Boy, was it cold, and we huddled together telling funny stories to pass the time, trying to forget the weather was Baltic. One of those stories was unrepeatable in a family magazine but it’s very funny – and Nadine Coyle and the rest of us know what it was about! Part of the tale involves Sarah talking about how she used to work for the telephone service Directory Enquiries. When…

In The Simpsons episode Treehouse of Horror VII, PICTURE C learns that he has a twin brother called what? (4) This is your prize answer. Enter by using the numbers at the top of the grid or at hearstmagazines.co.uk/bestcross3720 WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES ACROSS 7 It was CAVIAR E that really showed up people’s greed! (7) 9 Turn the ___ cheek, common expression (5) 10 Planetary path (5) 11 ANAGRAM ITICILL 12 Neither that one or the alternative (3) 13 If at first you don’t succeed, try and ___, saying (3,5) 16 What language, the official form of Chinese, is the most widely spoken in the world? (8) 17 As American as apple ___, saying (3) 19 One of the Seven Wonders…

As Saira Khan joined fellow Loose Women Linda Robson, Jane Moore and Kaye Adams on the show last week for a lively debate about whether you get more rebellious with age, she dropped quite the bombshell. The British Muslim presenter, discussing a naked photoshoot she took part in last year to mark her milestone 50th birthday, said it led to an epic fallout with her beloved mother – lasting a whole eight months. Saira’s decision to strip naked for the body-positive piece, without hiding behind feelings of ‘guilt or shame’, was a ‘massive deal’, she explained. She’s happy with what she calls a ‘political statement’, but she added that it did risk ‘upsetting other people’. Indeed, the move did not go down well with mum Hanifa – and the subsequent…

Superfoods aren’t just about spinach and chia seeds – our regular shopping trolley buys are just as effective at helping us to stay healthy and lose weight. Follow our seven-day plan – you may be 7Ibs lighter by the weekend! HOW IT WORKS 1 You don’t have to raid the health shop for expensive superfoods or hard-to track-down ingredients. Simply make the most of the foods you buy regularly for your fridge and store cupboard, including tinned tuna and sardines, oats, honey and baked beans, which will not only provide the nutrients you need to stay well, but the vitamins and minerals they contain, such as omega 3 oils and fibre, improve digestion, speeding up your metabolism so you burn calories more efficiently. 2 Raiding the fridge to step up…

ORCHID A long-standing beauty staple in Asia, with regenerative and protective properties, the orchid plant is now the must-have new ingredient, suiting all skin types, helping to restore radiance while reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles. TRY: Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil, £35. Its potent blend helps to prevent moisture loss and the formation of fine lines. Use on its own or mix a few drops into your foundation for a dewy glow. OLIVE OIL This is essentially the liquid fat obtained from olives and it’s been used as a remedy since Egyptian and Ancient Greek periods. Rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, aside from being a nourishing liquid, it’s anti-inflammatory and helps protect against pollution damage. Great for dry, mature and sensitive skin types, but avoid if…

VIRGO 24 August – 23 September Changes in recent months have been dramatic and Virgos like Love Actually and The Walking Dead star, Andrew Lincoln and Heart Radio host Ashley Roberts, should acknowledge they are in a time of transformation and trust they have the courage to see this part of their journey through. SAGITTARIUS 23 November – 21 December Friends appreciate it when you put yourself out to do them a favour. Knowing you’re able to support someone who needs it will make your relationship stronger. You have something to discuss with a partner. Meet where there are no prying ears around. This matter is confidential. There is a lot of love in your home. PISCES 20 February – 20 March You and a partner have got through a…

YOU HAVE: A SLACK JAW AND SAGGY FACE TREAT WITH: ULTRAFORMER III One of the most effective lifting and tightening non-invasive procedures around, Ultraformer uses new High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) energy to lift and tighten loose skin in one session. A small handpiece delivers ultrasound pulses that bypass the top layers into the underlying connective tissue (the layers a surgeon would usually tighten in a surgical procedure), boosting collagen and elastin production. There may be mild discomfort and redness depending on treatment depth. Best results come after three months when new collagen has formed. Results can last up to one year. From £395 for a small treatment area; from £800 for full face and neck. YOU HAVE: HOLLOW EYES TREAT WITH: TROUGH FILLER Restylane Vital Light Hyaluronic is a…

THRILLERS Paper Dolls Lisa Bradley Quercus – £8.99 When she was a local newspaper editor, Leah made a mistake that she fears led to the death of a young girl who was never found after she went missing. But then, years later, spooky events unfold, making her fear for her sanity. Stylish and creepy – a gripping read. House of Correction Nicci French Simon & Schuster – £14.99 Tabitha is in prison, charged with the murder of the teacher who once abused her. With no one convinced as she protests her innocence, she launches her own campaign to clear her name. Gritty and moving – the husband-and-wife team have scored another hit. The Foundling Stacey Halls Manilla Press – £8.99 In 1754, six years after she left her newborn daughter…

The curse of Covid-19 may have scuppered live music events this summer, but superglam DJ Jo Whiley will be back in her sequins and wellies to front Radio 2’s Live At Home festival this weekend. Although Northamptonshirebased Jo, 55, has everyone from Adele to Ed Sheeran on speeddial, she’s happiest at home with music exec husband Steve Morton, 56, and their four children – India, 28, Jude, 22, Cass, 19, and Coco, 11. We caught up with Jo to discuss the secrets of a happy marriage, her passion for keeping fit – and why she’s hooked on the Kardashians! Hi Jo! Tell us about Radio 2’s Live At Home… It’s the next best thing to a real festival. People have such a yearning to get together, jump around and sing, but…

Amelia Mist joined Made in Chelsea last year, and has since become a cast favourite. Once dubbed the ‘Bridget Jones’ of the show for being so unlucky in love, 21-year-old Amelia reveals exclusively to best that she has a (secret) new boyfriend. She also opens up about the recent split of fellow MIC newbie and best friend, Verity Bowditch, from Tristan Phipps – and why being on the hit reality show has helped her discover a brand-new confidence… Hi, you’re looking fabulous. Are you on a new fitness regime?! Oh, thank you. I’ve just cut out the binge drinking and eating, and tried to be as healthy as possible. I’ve been doing a lot of long walks, too. I’ve been vegan for a long time, I think that has helped.…