Bestの 15 - 2016 の目次

When was the last time someone asked you what you wanted? What’s important to you? What your major concerns are right now, or what you fear for the future? Whether it’s juggling care for your family, worrying over changes to your pension or just fitting everything in, while still finding time for yourself – we want to hear from you. Twenty years ago, campaigners came up with an idea to change women’s lives for the better. They simply distributed postcards, asking, ‘What do you want?’ Ten thousand women replied and it became the biggest ever British survey of women. Two decades on – we can do better than that. We’re joining forces with the What Women Want 2.0 campaign to reach out to hundreds of thousands of you. Don’t be…

Hear the name Amanda Holden and you’d be forgiven for thinking ‘flirty behaviour and barelythere dresses’, which the straight-talking star makes no apology for. ‘I honestly don’t give a monkey’s,’ she confirmed. ‘If I worked in a bank, I’d be wearing tight skirts and high heels, because that’s who I am.’ As for the flirting, she says, ‘I learned how to flirt by watching my nana – who is still pinching men’s bottoms at the age of 95!’ But let’s be honest, being criticised for what she’s wearing, or even her ‘frozen face’ – as viewers who saw her standing in for Lorraine last week commented – is nothing new to Amanda Holden (although she says she has replaced Botox with Collagen Wave facials). AMANDA’S LIFE-CHANG ING MOMENTS… 2000: Has…

Co-founder and creator of leading luxury spa brand Elemis, NOELLA GABRIEL, is definitely our Wonder Woman of the beauty world. With an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things skin care, she scours the globe to source new ingredients and develop some of the most innovative products and therapies available today. When it comes to protecting your hands from the signs of ageing, Noella explains, ‘While you can’t stop the natural, biological ageing process, you can take steps to reduce ageing caused by external factors, such as pollution, UV radiation and harsh washing-up chemicals.’ Get hands-on with help from Noella… • The fine skin on your hands ages faster than anywhere else on your body, including your face. If you want to keep your age a secret, it’s essential to use products…

THIS WEEK... LIFE LESSONS TALKING POINT NO GOLD STARS FOR HOMEWORK EAMONN: I’d be really interested to know what you say when your children ask you, ‘What do you think I should be when I grow up?’ What do you want them to aspire to? So many routes are changing and disappearing that it’s hard to give relevant advice. These days you can forget working in the UK steel industry, owning your own shop or becoming a farmer or a doctor. And you can now add being a teacher to that list. Who says so? Teachers themselves… In a recent survey, 80 per cent of members of The Association of Teachers and Lecturers union said that they were thinking of quitting because of what they called their ‘unimaginable’ workloads. What…

JANE SEYMOUR JACKET A tailored leather jacket is now a wardrobe classic. Copy Jane and wear one with a smart dress to create a relaxed, yet modern, look. BAG A good quality black bag is a wardrobe must-have. DRESS Cobalt blue is a flattering shade for all complexions, and a great way to embrace colour. Jane’s draped shift style also helps show off her enviable figure! SHOES Mid-heel courts will add an elegant touch to any outfit. WORK Give a shift dress a less formal look by teaming it with a leather jacket. Keep your accessories simple for a polished outfit that will take you from desk to dinner in seconds! WEDDING Instead of play-it-safe black, embrace colour with a dress in this stand-out shade. The combination of waist detailing,…

There is nothing that strikes more fear into the heart of any parent than the words ‘Mum, I think I need to tell you something’. For myself, it was the moment a few weeks ago when my 15-year-old daughter, Annie, broke the news that she had been making herself sick after meals for more than a year. She burst into tears as she told me. But, perhaps surprisingly, it wasn’t the fact that my daughter was bulimic that shocked me the most. What really left me reeling was her reason why. ‘It started,’ she said, ‘because someone on Facebook told me I was fat.’ Can there be any more chilling a sentence? I have four children – three of them teens – and I have always taken the view that…

I can confirm the reports that FERN BRITTON was Simon’s first choice as fellow judge alongside him and Piers Morgan and Cheryl on the original pilot for the show in 2006. But Simon’s now pleased it didn’t happen, as this current panel is probably the best mix of judges on British TV. The chemistry is just right – Simon and David Walliams play pantomime enemies, while Amanda and Alesha Dixon provide more than just the fashion factor – they can judge talent. As Simon told me from LA, where he’s filming America’s Got Talent, ‘All the judges on BGT understand talent in their own way and actually love being on the panel. Somehow it just works, and you can see it’s a fun show to be on. I genuinely love…

Michelle Hardwick, 40, married her girlfriend Rosie Nicholl last April. Now, playing single mum Vanessa Woodfield in Emmerdale, the Wakefield-born actress spends much of her working day with a baby boy, but – much as she loves getting cuddles all day – she’s quite happy with her and Rosie’s set-up right now! Vanessa’s man Kirin’s gone and left her, the cheek… Yep, it’s just Vanessa and baby Johnny now. Do you know what, it’s great to be able to show a single mum in the village, who is also about to go back to work. Does having a baby on-set make you broody? Oh, no! I love having him, and I love giving him back at the end of the day. It’s perfect – I’ve got the best of both…

THIS WEEK... GETTING THERE If you are travelling further afield and need to get the train, book up as soon as you can. The best deals are for people who book around 12 weeks before travelling. The National Rail website actually has a great table telling you the cut-off dates for buying cheaper advance tickets from each train operator. There is an excellent alert system at thetrainline.com/ticketalert where you can sign up to receive an email telling you exactly when the advance tickets are available to buy. Don’t forget to check ticket splitting sites, too, where you split your journey (without getting off the train) but buy tickets separately for different legs of the journey. It can save a fortune! If you plan to drive, ask around to see if…

Celia Sawyer’s well known as the straight-talking dealer on Channel 4’s Four Rooms. She’s also an interior designer and founder of Celia Sawyer Luxury Interiors. CONSIDER GOING UP A loft conversion is a good investment policy if you want to add value, and they can be carried out relatively easily. Check if your roof space allows you to build upwards and discuss the current state of your roof with a contractor, who can help assess how much headroom you have. Natural lighting is important: try dormer windows or roof lights. A loft conversion does not necessarily require planning permission, which makes it slightly less of a headache! A conversion could add an average of 12.5% to your home’s value. GO OUT! Adding an extension or conservatory can increase value: speak…

It’s official: one in 25 babies in the UK is now born to a woman over the age of 40 – and celebrities seem to be leading the trend for middle-age yummy mummies… The good news doesn’t stop there, either. According to new research from Birkbeck College in London, these babies are far healthier and happier than those born to younger women – even if their mums are a little more tired than their youthful counterparts! EMMA WILLIS Baby number three at 40 She looks like she’s just turned 30, but Big Brother host Emma Willis hit the big 4-0 just last month (18 March). The former model couldn’t even enjoy a glass of fizz, as she’s expecting her third child with husband Matt Willis in May. ‘I’m so excited…

Is Kerry Katona battling her old demons again? She’s had three failed marriages, twice been declared bankrupt and struggled with cocaine addiction and alcohol issues. But it seemed as though Kerry was finally moving forward with her life, after confirming she was divorcing former rugby league player George Kay on Loose Women in February. However, as new photos emerge of the 35-year-old sprawled out on an airport forecourt in Gran Canaria last month, reportedly drunk, it would appear that the former ‘queen of the jungle’ isn’t coping well with the split. Two months ago, Kerry appeared on Loose Women to talk to her friend Katie Price. Clearly still reeling from the end of her 13-month marriage, she admitted it was hard to take off her wedding ring. ‘George is Dylan-Jorge’s…

A ROYAL RECEPTION Not many get close to her but Jennie Bond, BBC royal correspondent from 1989-2003, has shared some striking moments with Queen Elizabeth II. Any dramatic event, you can bet Mrs Bond wasn’t far away – including the Windsor Castle fire; two royal weddings and the divorce of Charles and Diana. No surprise, then, that the Hertfordshire-born mother of-one, who narrates a new audio-biography of the monarch’s life, is full of anecdotes from her days reporting on the Royal Family You narrate Elizabeth II: Life Of A Monarch. Did any elements of it surprise you? I’m beyond being surprised! It’s absorbing. It tells it like it is. It neither bows down to nor pulls the Royals apart – like most biographies do. You had that same attitude when…

THIS WEEK... Angela Wrightson’s body was found in her living room in December 2014, with more than 100 injuries. She had been battered and tortured to death. Her killers, aged 13 and 14, posted the pictures on Snapchat. They were even caught on CCTV, returning to the scene of the crime, having taken ‘a break’ before finishing the job. It is utterly horrifying and, quite rightly, last week they were both sentenced to life imprisonment, with a recommended minimum term of 15 years, for Angela’s murder. The defence will argue the girls, now aged 15, had spent most of their lives in care, so it is right that they are allowed to remain anonymous. And you may be surprised to hear that I agree. But not for the reasons you…

1 Prep it All good beauty regimes start with a good, thorough cleanse, and a body routine is no different. But before you jump in the shower, it’s time to drybrush. The best way to do this is with Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, £21 – work it in firm, circular motions from the bottom of the legs, all the way up to the thighs, across the bottom, around the tummy and over the arms. This buffing will make the skin a little red but, inside, it’s moving all those cellulite-causing toxins along and out of your system. Plus, the vigorous movement breaks down any bumps that are already there. 2 Buff it Once you get in the shower, make sure you have Aveda Beautifying Radiance Polish, £36, (1) to…

All new parents cherish the moment they can bring their bundle of joy home and settle into life as three – or four, in our case. But for me and my partner, Craig Williams, that moment was delayed by over a year. One of our twin sons had been born with severe heart problems and doctors warned us his survival chances were slim. Against the odds, he pulled through and last month, when the boys were 14 months old, we were finally allowed home as a family. We weren’t trying for kids when I discovered I was pregnant with twins. But our delight turned to worry as our 20-week scan showed that one of our boys had an underdeveloped heart. ‘You can have a termination,’ a consultant suggested, but I…

BATTLING HER DEMONS Gutsy Beverley Callard, 59, has done as much as the comedian Stephen Fry in recent times to raise awareness of the crushing effects of depression. Revealing recently how she ‘fell into a black hole’, and was saved by expert care just in time, it’s hard to believe the woman who plays feisty Liz McDonald on Corrie is quite so vulnerable. But she is, and her honesty will, no doubt, help others silently suffering from the same condition. This isn’t Bev’s first major setback. In 2008, she was hit by such severe depression that it caused a total mental breakdown. She’s taken antidepressants ever since. Beverley, who has played Liz in the legendary ITV soap for more than 20 years, says she burst into tears when discovering her…

TERRIFYING The day I found out my exhusband had stabbed his second wife to death was one I think I’d always been waiting for. I had spent 15 years being physically and mentally tortured by Andrew Munro during our 10 years of marriage – and long after I finally found the courage to leave him. When he married Clare, I tried to warn her what he was capable of but, tragically, she wasn’t able to escape his controlling grip. I was just 19 years old when my brother introduced me to Andrew, who worked as a computer programmer at his firm. With a good job and handsome dark looks, he was a real catch. I was just a shop girl, so when he asked me out, I felt flattered that…

JOHNNY DEPP Johnny Depp used to get us all flustered (in a good way). Now, it seems that his chiselled looks may be a thing of the past – plus, he’s had a run of so-so films, in spite of having made such great choices in his younger years. The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 52, shocked his fans last September when he hit the red carpet with his new wife, actress Amber Heard, who turns 30 this week. Johnny looked, well, a little portly at the glittering event. And at last year’s Venice Film Festival, the Hollywood star who’s famous for his exotic good looks was criticised for having ‘greasy’ hair. One Twitter user wrote, ‘Johnny Depp is starting to look like Mickey Rourke.’ Ouch! The celebrity lifestyle could…

Tomato bread salad (WITH PESTO AND PINE NUTS) You’ll make this superb tomato salad in no time. The basil pesto and crispy bread pieces add something special to this simple dish. Ciabatta toasted in olive oil is used for this lunch, but you can use any type of bread you have left over. About: 20 min Serve: Cold FOR 1 PERSON • 1 stale ciabatta roll • 4tbsp olive oil • 1tsp green pesto • 1tsp white balsamic vinegar • Pinch of sugar • Salt and pepper • 1tsp capers (from a jar) • 3 tomatoes • ½ small cucumber • Small handful of green salad leaves • 1tsp pine nuts, toasted • 2tsp Parmesan cheese shavings 1. Split the roll in half horizontally and cut into slices about 1cm…

MEASLES CAUSE: Measles affects 20 million people globally every year and causes the most vaccine-preventable deaths of any disease. It was pretty much eradicated in the UK following the introduction of the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Unfortunately, cases are on the up – mostly due to a fall in vaccination, thanks to parental concerns about the vaccine being linked with autism. However, large-scale trials have since proved no such links. Even so, vaccination rates in some parts of London are as low as 50 per cent, so outbreaks occur more easily. Since 2013, the biggest outbreaks have been in Wales and the north of England. SYMPTOMS: These include a fever, cough, conjunctivitis, and then a characteristic measles rash, starting behind the ears, then moving on…

WIN £550 Both these sets of clues lead to the same answers, revealing in the shaded squares a film starring George Clooney (4,6) STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 6 Family name (7) 7 Forwards (5) 9 Take it easy (4) 10 Amassing (10) 11 Two-master boat (5) 12 Stories, legends (5) 14 Fail to catch (4) 16 Overtake (4) 17 Elevate (5) 18 The road to take (5) 22 Of past times (10) 25 Top garment (4) 26 Remains (5) 27 Vocalists (7) DOWN 1 Finds fault with (10) 2 The third month (5) 3 Part of the foot (4) 4 Flower holders (5) 5 Lease payment (4) 6 Vista, view (5) 8 Beasts of burden (7) 13 Comes towards (10) 15 Sloping letters (7) 19 Sports sides (5) 20 Came up (5)…