Table of contents for 51/52-2021 in Best

Now don’t get me wrong, Craig Revel Horwood is one of my favourite people. Witty, caustic, but away from the TV screens really kind and charming and quite the homebody. So, it didn’t do my ego much good when I picked up a jacket and top hat on our recent photoshoot and he started looking at my posture, even as I was standing still. ‘Put you arm here, darh-ling. Oh dear – stiff!’ Yes, I know, Craig. Ask anyone in my family. I really can’t dance! ‘She’s like one of my partners,’ laughed Anton. ‘Very lovely, just not very good!’ As he snorted with laughter and began to spin around the floor like Fred Astaire, he sang: ‘I can’t dance, don’t ask me!’ ‘Well,’ Craig said, winking at me. ‘If…

Food and TV trends tend to come and go, but Nigella Lawson has been one of our most popular chefs for the best part of 20 years now. The voluptuous, velvety-toned mum-of-two (she had Cosima, 27, and Bruno, 25, with her first husband, the late John Diamond) – unbelievably, now 61 – spoke to an appreciative audience at King’s Theatre Glasgow recently in association with Fane, and was as reassuring, funny and eccentric as ever, waxing lyrical about life and her deep love of food, as we’ve grown to expect. Here she is, on… … WINTRY FAVES My favourite Winter recipe is black pudding meatballs. I love them. If I’ve made a full batch for four to six people, I portion them up and freeze them and they’re all mine! And…

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has won the latest stage in her ongoing legal battle against a newspaper group over the publication of a letter she sent to her estranged father, Thomas. The emotive document – written in August 2018, three months after her lavish wedding to Prince Harry – was given to a newspaper by Thomas Markle, 77, who claimed he wanted to address what he felt was unfair press coverage of his and Meghan’s situation. Relations between the formerly close father and daughter had become strained when the retired lighting director was caught posing for staged photos in the run-up to the wedding, which he did not attend after suffering a heart attack. All in all, the Mail on Sunday published five articles that contained parts of the letter,…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION What’s your most expensive garment? We all like to dress up for the festive season and put on our glad rags. While we’re always on the lookout for a bargain, hunting in charity shops or re-using something fabulous that’s already hanging in our wardrobe, we can safely say we would never be able to spend £30,000 on a jumper – although it is for a very good cause. Artist Aidan Liban spent his life savings on creating a luxury Christmas jumper complete with diamond-encrusted stars, 24-carat gold threading, Italian silk lining and thousands of Swarovski crystals. It cost £7,000 to make and went on sale for £30,000 in an effort to raise funds for the NHS. We’re in full support (and love our Winter wardrobes), but we’re…

I know Santa hasn’t been yet, but I already have the best Christmas present. And while it didn’t come wrapped under the tree, my £23,000 body is the only gift I’ve ever wanted. It might seem like a crazy amount to spend on myself, but this year, after a lifetime of hating my body, I knew I finally deserved to be happy… I’d been big for as long as I could remember. Even at the age of 11, when I was doing lots of dance shows, teachers would comment on my 11st weight. ‘You look like you’ve eaten a lot of Christmas pudding this year,’ one sniped. ‘You really should try to lose some weight,’ another remarked. Crushed, I went home and tried to limit myself to 700 calories a…

Chicken Taco Bites A delicious combination served in cute homemade mini taco shells. Makes 34 Prep time: 35 mins Cook time: 45 mins Per canapé: 63 calories, 3g protein, 4g fat (1g saturates) 4g carb (0g sugars) 1g fibre 5 large flour tortilla wraps2 tbsp sunflower oil300g chicken thigh fillets, about 42 tsp sweet smoked paprika2 garlic cloves, crushed250g passata1½ tbsp tomato ketchup2 tsp soy sauce1 tsp English mustard2 tsp white wine vinegar FOR THE GUACAMOLE: 2 ripe avocadosFinely grated zest and juice of 1 lime TO SERVE: 50g Cheddar, finely grated 1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/mark 6. Using a 7.5cm round cutter, stamp out rounds from the tortillas – you should have about 34. Using 1 tbsp of the oil, brush both sides of the rounds to…

BEST CHRISTMAS CANAPÉS From meat feasts to vegan alternatives, all options are covered BEST SEAFOOD CANAPÉ ASDA Kilted Prawns 135g, £5 (asda.com) Forget pigs in blankets, this year we’ll be serving prawns in kilts at our festive shindig. The juicy chilled shellfish is wrapped in rich smoked salmon, for a sophisticated, expensive-looking canapé that’s sure to impress guests. BEST MEAT CANAPÉ Waitrose & Partners 9 Mini New Yorker Style Pastrami Toasties, £5 (waitrose.com) Waitrose has upgraded the humble toastie and made it party-ready with a bitesize take on the comfort food classic. The cute squares are filled with bright yellow American-style mustard and vibrant pastrami, which provides a pop of colour under bubbling béchamel. Our testers kept going back for another, making them our favourite meat canapé for the season.…

WELL DONE US! Well done us, for getting through this year. It’s not been easy and it’s gutting to be leaving 2021 not quite returning to those scary early days of the pandemic, but nonetheless, just when we deserve a knees-up and some festive snogs, it’s back to face masks and being socially cautious. It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed by global events right now, but sometimes, it’s good to look for the silver linings and 2021 hasn’t been a complete rotten egg. So, let’s forget the wretched virus with its infuriating new variant for a moment and seek out those silver linings! Personally, I think we were treated to one of the most beautiful Autumns on record. Forget the cherry blossom in Japan, the trees in Peckham Rye played…

Breath spiralling into the frosty afternoon air, Lucy drew her red cloak tighter over her white dress and stared around the Cathedral Green where garlanded stalls and a pink and white tent were set out. Of course, this year its homemade candies and fudge had to be displayed outside the tent, everyone spaced well apart, but that didn’t deter customers from having fun. The heavenly fragrance of spiced gingerbread, mint candy canes and clove-studded oranges wafted on the breeze. It was the ancient winter solstice, the day that celebrated the patron saint of light, and the Christmas fayre was in full swing. The past twenty months had been challenging and Lucy fervently wished her namesake would brighten her future. Nerves skittered in her stomach like butterflies at a ball as…

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND, Tuesday, 11.15am, Channel 5 When Heidi returns home to babysit her niece and nephew, she comes face-to-face with her high school love. She offers to help him with a dance, and the more time she decorates, the more she’s inspired to start painting again. Starring Emily Osment. CHRISTMAS LOVE LETTER Tuesday. 1.30pm, Channel 5 When relationship advice columnist Amalie Hess receives an unsigned love letter in a Christmas card, she returns to her hometown – to solve the mystery of who sent it and maybe find true love, while she’s at it… A CHRISTMAS PRINCESS Wednesday, 1.30pm, Channel 5 A prince from a small European country arrives in New York City to organise his family’s annual Christmas charity dinner – and winds up falling for the chef!…

1 PURRRFECT TEETH! According to one social media user, their cat loves having her teeth brushed, and will even cry if their human won’t brush them for her! It is unclear whether there is actual toothpaste on the brush, but if this doesn’t give you a purrrfect smile – we don’t know what will! 2 Who wowed the crowd? Party season is upon us, and much glitter and glam is hitting the Red Carpet Stateside. Scarlett Johansson, 37, shimmered in a Dolce & Gabbana halterneck, while Thandiwe Newton, 49, was stylish in a two-piece cut-out by Oscar de la Renta. Back in the UK, Charlotte Hawkins, 46, chose a frock hired from My Wardrobe at Harrods. Whatever side of the pond you’re on, a bit of razzle dazzle sure perks…

BLACKBERRIES IN MUSCAT JELLY This is unlike anything else: the texture is soft set, so you know it’s not a liquid but it doesn’t have the heft of a solid. And the acidity of the blackberries within the musky sweetness of the jelly is a further thrill. What I do is to make this in the morning of the evening I want to eat it. It is so straightforward that you can do it groggily at breakfast, no trouble. It doesn’t need so long to set, but I find it easier to work like this. Serves 6 · 250g blackberries· 5 leaves gelatine· 625ml Beaumes-de-Venise or other muscat wine· 125ml water· 2 x 15ml tablespoons lime juice· 100g vanilla or caster sugar· Double cream to serve Divide the blackberries between…

When they’re not practising their moves, Craig Revel Horwood, 56, and new judge Anton Du Beke, 55, spend much of our shoot good-naturedly teasing each other, singing (Craig’s album is out soon, while Anton released a 2017 album, From The Top) and talking about Strictly, why black-and-white movies are the best and their plans to ring in 2022… ‘Fred and Gene were classy – a bit like Anton and I!’CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD You’re looking smart – we’ve based your looks on Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly… Are you a big fan, Craig? I love dressing up in a classic, Twenties, Thirties top hat and tails! All the Fred Astaire films had those. Fred and Gene were so classy – a bit like Anton and I, no?! The dance sequences in…

WAS MOVING HOUSE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE? We recently moved from Liverpool to Hertfordshire where my husband has a new job, and our 14-year-old boys had to start a new secondary school. But they were so excited about this new chapter and making a new set of friends, that I wasn’t too worried. A few months in, though, and they’re hating it. Their classmates mercilessly make fun of their Scouse accents – one of them was in tears last week. I’ve spoken to the teachers who are ‘dealing with it’, but these nasty kids are now calling my boys ‘tell-tales’. Have I made a terrible decision with this move?! I feel like the worst mother. Melissa, Hertfordshire It’s quite clear you are a first-class mum. You are intimately involved in your…

Silver Bullet This beautifully smooth tequila martini is the perfect drink to enjoy after a long, stressful day. ·60ml silver tequila·15ml ginger syrup·15ml extra-dry Vermouth METHOD Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add all the ingredients. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 20 seconds, then strain into your martini glass and serve. GARNISH Garnish with a slice of stem ginger. Extract from 3 Ingredient Cocktails by Kate Calder (Hardie Grant, £14.99) Photography ©Haarala Hamilton Pink Lady Pretty, flirty and fun, this cocktail is deceptively easy to drink and could get you into loads of trouble, so drink up! ·60ml gin·15ml grenadine·1 egg white METHOD Put all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Add 2 handfuls of ice cubes to the…

BUBBLES BEST CHAMPAGNE Waitrose Blanc de Noirs Brut NV, £23.99 (waitrose.com) Crowned best supermarket Champagne for a second year running, Waitrose’s special sparkler is made exclusively from pinot noir grapes. Deliciously aromatic, our testers detected refreshing lemon, apple and toast on the palate. Try pairing with fish and chips for a posh Friday night supper, or smoked salmon canapés on Christmas Day. 78/100 BEST BUDGET VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE Aldi Monsigny 2015 Vintage Champagne, £19.99 (aldi.co.uk) Despite being one of the least expensive bottles in our taste test, Aldi’s vintage bottle is up there with the best. It’s made entirely from Chardonnay grapes taken from the stellar 2015 harvest, and is scented with green apples, candied lemon and creamy brioche. The powerful acidity wasn’t for everyone, though, with some finding it slightly…

Kicking off with a Strictly special (on the night of the Strictly final, on Saturday 18 December) everyone’s favourite guilty pleasure game show, The Weakest Link, will be back on the box with a new presenter – comedian Romesh Ranganathan. We caught up with the hilarious 43-year-old dad-of-three about the new series, when he told us how he’ll bring the fun back into the show, about the celebrity guests he’ll never forget – including best columnist Vanessa Feltz – and why he’d much rather be asking the questions than answering them… Can you explain The Weakest Link to viewers who may not have seen it before? The Weakest Link is a quiz show where people work together, then turn on each other, so they all answer questions as a team and…

RUTH AND MY NY RESOLUTIONS EAMONN: Have you made your New Year’s resolutions? RUTH: I don’t do resolutions. EAMONN: Well, maybe you should. Tell you what, why don’t we make them for each other? RUTH: So I pick for you? That’s easy! First of all, you resolve to clean up the kitchen every time you make a sandwich. Preferably before you eat it. Secondly, you resolve not to spill the contents of it or any other food down the front of your shirt. Thirdly, you stop watching war documentaries in the hope that we may find something suitable watch together. Fourthly, that you realise the dog is both our responsibility and not just for me to walk. Lastly, those Christmas decorations that appeared all over the house need to be…

Barbara Taylor Bradford. What compelling costume dramas those three little words conjure up! Rags and riches, dynasties and feuds, adversity below stairs, unrequited passion above and each epic doorstopper – 35 books and counting – served up with a gimlet eye for historical detail. Her latest, A Man of Honour, looks set to continue the line of bestsellers. ‘There’s a lot of snobbery in publishing, but I no longer have to prove to anyone that I’m not a romantic novelist,’ says the Leeds-born author. At 88, Barbara – who has lived in the US for many years – remains a sharp-witted, witheringly amusing grande dame who doesn’t suffer fools gladly. ‘I write mainstream novels for women, rooted in factual history. I want my readers to feel that these people actually…

SHINE BRIGHT CHRISTMAS WISHES SCENTED CANDLE, £19, CATH KIDSTON This single-wick candle has a keepsake Shine Bright glass vessel and matching gift box, the lingering scent blending warming cinnamon and cloves with bittersweet orange and spicy ginger, cardamom and nutmeg on a creamy tonka and vanilla base. SUSANNAH GARROD MERRY MOMENTS BOXED CANDLE, £24, ANTHROPLOGIE This festively-scented candle housed inside a jar decorated with suitably cheery illustrations is sure to surprise and delight any recipient on your Christmas list! MICHEL DESIGN NUTCRACKER SOY WAX CANDLE, £22, FORTNUM & MASON Enjoy the scent of sugarplum with cherry, vanilla, toffee and raspberry jam. These candles are handmade from 100 per cent soy wax, a renewable resource that is nontoxic, biodegradable and burns cleanly for approx 40 hours. FESTIVE PLAYLISTS CHRISTMAS CLASSICS, AMAZON…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES ACROSS 1 Not in the same way (11) 9 Be in debt (3) 10 Possessor (5) 11 Verbalise (5) 12 Break apart forcibly (5) 13 Altercation (8) 16 Cosmos (8) 18 Relating to a city (5) 20 Sound of any kind (5) 21 Increment (5) 22 Auction item (3) 23 A parent’s Mum (11) DOWN 2 Perfect (5) 3 Foremost part of anything (5) 4 ___ bean: vegetable (6) 5 Apprehensive (7) 6 Restricted in use (7) 7 Result (11) 8 Form of energy (11) 14 Guest (7) 15 Experienced serviceman (7) 17 Reactive metal (6) 18 Break the rules (5) 19 Regard highly (5) Malcolm Hebden famously played which Coronation Street character? The answer will appear in…

Asked about her husband, Derek, Kate Garraway struggled to hold back the tears. ‘I’m very proud of him,’ she said, then added, despite her children being in earshot, that she was ‘very lonely’ and misses the man she married in 2005. ‘There are lots of moments of joy, moments with the children where he definitely knows what they’re saying to him and remembers things,’ she said. ‘But there is no way of knowing what the future is and in the meantime, it’s a strange thing… I want him there and I want him back, but some days his presence reminds me of the absence, so you can feel very lonely. ‘I feel like I just want to talk to Derek. Even though I believe he’s there, he can’t be there…

When you get to a certain age, people assume you have a sudden interest in gardening, keep fit classes and visiting yet another National Trust property. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with those things – that’s just not the path for me. Instead, along with my four band members, I’m a punk and I have every intention of growing old disgracefully. Raise your eyebrows if you like – we don’t care. What have we got to say? Lots. Are we past our best? No. As older women, we believe we’re at our best. The Verinos – our punk band – are Sue, Peggy, Jane, Kala and me. We’re aged between 49 and 64, with children and grandchildren, and between us we’ve experienced a lot of life. It all started with…

1 THE LOOK: GLAM EYES ‘Use small amounts in specific areas,’ says Max Factor UK ambassador Caroline Barnes. ‘Dab a little on to the centre of lids or sweep sparkly liquid liner along the upper and lower lash line.’ This adds a twinkle without being overpowering. Use Vaseline first for staying power. Find a neutral matte shadow and use like a primer in the sockets to create depth and shape, and soften the edges of the glittery pigments. Press a dot of glitter into the inner corners of the eyes – it’s a great trick for widening them. Feeling bold? Dial up the drama with metallic cream shadows, and blend with fingers across the lids. Swap dark shades for glistening neutral tones of pale champagne, rose gold or taupe for…

I’M WORRIED ABOUT OMICRON I’m watching far too much news and am getting so worried about this new Covid variant, Omicron – can you explain it? Should we be worried? And what do you recommend about socialising over the party season because I really don’t understand what’s ‘safe’ or not! Lucy, Stamford DR HILARY SAYS: Omicron is the Greek word designated to describe a new variant of the Coronavirus. This virus has several new mutations on its spike protein and, because of this and its identification in 23 different countries so far, there are concerns that it may be more transmissible and cause a greater threat to health than existing variants. It may also be more able to evade the immunity conferred through vaccination, or by previous infection. Scientists will…

HANGOVER HELPERS • Drink as much water as you can before bed. When you wake up, add a dissolvable vitamin C tablet. Drinking water will restore fluids and will help the bloodstream and circulatory system carry nutrients and oxygen to the tissues. Avoid coffee the morning after, despite the temptation, as it’s a diuretic so will dehydrate the body further. If you must have caffeine, try antioxidant-packed green tea. • A brisk walk will rev up your circulation, boost the lymphatic system and oxygenate the brain – great for banishing brain fog! • Alcohol depletes vitamins, so increase your quota of fresh fruit and vegetables. Other good food sources include beef, chicken, eggs (lightly scrambled), oatmeal, tomatoes, mushrooms and lentils. • An IV Hangover drip can also ease some symptoms.…

TOP TIP! For budge-proof results, apply a light layer of concealer to act as a primer before your colour.…

On 15 January 2022, it will, unbelievably, be a decade since BBC One series Call the Midwife – the heart-warming period series about a nursing convent in London – first captured the love of the nation. It remains the unimpeachable jewel in the BBC’s Christmas Day crown and kicks off the new series in December 1966 (the year England won the World Cup), as Lucille (Leonie Elliott) and Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) prepare for their Winter wedding. Here, two of the show’s stars, Jenny Agutter (Sister Julienne), 68, and 37-year-old Helen George (glamorous, fashion-loving Trixie Franklin) tell us about series 11, strong opinions – and sexy Sixties fashion! ‘Sister Julienne can finally stop worrying about the future’JENNY AGUTTER Jenny, what is happening as the series opens? Sister Julienne can – finally…

If you enjoyed I Can See Your Voice, the out-there singing gameshow, then you are guaranteed to love this festive version – with all the usual suspects, and plenty of Christmas sparkle thrown in. Paddy McGuinness hosts and is joined by Celebrity Investigators – funnyman Jimmy Carr, This Morning’s Alison Hammond and BGT judge Amanda Holden, plus special guest, singer Leona Lewis. The player hoping to win £10,000 is joined by sports presenter Gabby Logan – and together, they will need to tell the difference between good and bad mystery singers, without ever hearing them sing a note! With seasonal lipsync songs and festive cheer, it’s the perfect game to play with the family this season. Glamorous mum-of-two Amanda Holden, 50, tells us all about it – as well as the…

ARIES (21 Mar-20 Apr) LOVE A relationship decision needs to be made as the year begins. Memories of having had to make a similar choice in the past will make you nervous. If the return is worth the risk, it could be appealing to take a chance. Some clever moves in the Spring will help speed up a romance that’s going too slow. Invitations to parties and glam fundraisers will make the Summer fly by. Booking a romantic escape as the year ends will be a welcome change of pace for the two of you. LIFE You will welcome the challenge of taking on extra responsibilities. Most of the time, you will keep up with this hectic pace of life. At other times, stress will tell on you and it will…