Table of contents for 26-2021 in Best

Hands up who else is loving Dan Wootton on GB News? If you haven’t tried this channel already, Sky 515, online and the GB News app are just some of the platforms you can catch him on for his 9pm show. Asked about the first news station launch in 24 years, Dan said: ‘If you’re anything like me, I’m pretty sure you’ve wanted to throw the remote control at the gogglebox this past year as increasingly woke news networks tell us what we should be thinking.’ Agree with him or not, surely you believe he should have the right to air his views without fear of being ‘cancelled’ like Piers Morgan. Should a handful of people – especially on social media – really be allowed to set the agenda? You…

Excited that Summer has finally arrived and those barbies are in full flow? Possibly not quite as excited as former reality star Gemma Collins! The ex-TOWIE favourite looked delighted with herself and the Mediterranean-style weather, as, after partying with her pals – even dancing on a table (that’s our girl!) – Gemma spent the day chilling out in the garden and splashing in the pool. She posted a pic to her Instagram of her taking a dip in a colourful swimsuit, declaring that ‘hot girl Summer’ has arrived! Gemma, 40, having battled with her weight for years, has been on an impressive health kick in recent months, which seems to be working – it’s been reported that she’s lost 3½st to date. Her joyful post, accompanied by several Instagram stories…

The one and only Anne Robinson is taking the reins on iconic Channel 4 quizshow Countdown – and she’s excited at the prospect: ‘I am beyond thrilled. The show is almost as old as I am, and just as historic!’ Countdown’s sixth host since it began in 1982, Anne – who is based in the Cotswolds – will make history when she takes the hot-seat on Monday, as the first female to do so. Taking over from Apprentice star Nick Hewer, who steps down after nearly 10 years, flame-haired Anne, still startlingly dynamic at 76 – best-known as the indomitable host of The Weakest Link – is joining numbers whizz Rachel Riley and wordsmith Susie Dent on the Salford-filmed show. But the big question is, will Anne be toning down…

Nowadays everyone has heard of Ghislaine Maxwell – and not for the right reasons. The 59-year-old Oxford graduate who once socialised with presidents, prime ministers and Royalty has now been languishing in prison for nearly a year. The charges against her are, if true, heinous – sex trafficking young girls for her former lover, Jeffrey Epstein, to abuse between 1994 and 2004. If the accusations are to be believed, it was Ghislaine who lured in girls as young as 14 by hovering around school gates, offering them shopping trips to gain their trust. These are charges Maxwell pleads not guilty to but that’s not deterring her accusers. ‘Without Ghislaine, I don’t think any of us would have been there,’ claims Maria Farmer, a survivor of Epstein. ‘Or very few of…

In our time-poor world, the last thing we need to do is have a 10-step regime to tame our locks. Luckily, there are products designed to do several jobs in one, leaving you more time to get on with life! Fake it yourself For those with dry hair and flaky scalps, opting for oil-based products helps add moisture back in. While olive oil is often a go-to-option, it’s worth remembering that coconut is just as good a solution. Coconut milk contains natural fatty acids which help to restore dry, damaged locks, while coconut milk is said to have anti-inflammatory effects, which can be beneficial for flaky scalps. To use the milk, take a small cup and apply to damp hair like a mask, then rinse after a few minutes. Coconut…

People can often be sceptical about Guardian Angels, but I’m a firm believer in them. Better still, I’m lucky enough to have many… I’ve known that angels live alongside us ever since I was a little girl. They’re guardians and guides, and I believe they’re here for everyone, to help us find our way in life, feel empowered and, most importantly, teach us about love. I first became aware of their existence when I was a child growing up in Coffs Harbour, Australia. From a very young age, I felt protected. My first memory goes back to when I was just 18 months old. I can vividly remember being on a beach, lying in a basket and my parents, Barbara and John, ran off momentarily to greet some friends. Thinking…

Typing up my simple and delicious Sticky Chicken recipe, I pressed send and watched it upload to the website. As head of events for veteran charity The Not Forgotten, I found myself in a huge variety of roles. Just one of them was head chef on the holidays we put on for veterans – and, since the pandemic, I’d been sharing the most requested recipes. But my other, unofficial, role as a fundraiser often involved a lot more adventure – and danger… When the opportunity to work with Not Forgotten came up 23 years ago, I grabbed it with both hands. I love working with people and it was such a humbling experience to work with true heroes. At the start, I met 12 incredible World War I veterans and,…

Watching my husband, Dale, slowly eat his breakfast, I could tell he was having a bad day. ‘Are you OK, love?’ I asked. ‘Yeah, I’m fine,’ he said, quickly. Dale and I were childhood sweethearts. We’d met at 17 through friends. He’d already joined the army – there wasn’t many jobs in Lanarkshire, Scotland, so the army was a good option. At first, he loved the camaraderie of his job. They were like a family. He’d go on deployments around the world, sometimes for up to eight months. We would talk on the phone when we could. At that point we lived on the married patch, we didn’t have children yet but I made friends with all the wives. I also worked full-time at a bank, so had a good…

IS MY PARTNER ON THE SPECTRUM? I’ve been with my man for a few years, and I’m increasingly convinced that he could be on the autism spectrum. Any time I talk to him about anything important or emotional, he shuts down – he’ll pretend he doesn’t hear me and stare at the TV, or say abruptly, ‘I’m finished now’. He also obsesses over routine and gets fixated with interests. Outside he seems very normal, but at home I’m slowly realising how strange much of his behaviour is. Do I share my worries with him? I can’t even imagine how that conversation would go! Amanda, Maidstone What would be the point of pigeon-holing him? Labels can be pretty useless. Whether he’s on the spectrum isn’t the point. The issue is, do…

She is a fashion icon, as famed for her bright pink hair and colourful outfits as the long list of illustrious names she has dressed across the years – from the late Princess Diana to rock royalty, Freddie Mercury. The fascinating Dame Zandra Rhodes, 80, who sadly lost her long-term partner, film producer Salah Hassanein, in 2019, opens up to best about her vibrant vision, being diagnosed with cancer of the bile duct during lockdown, though she is happily now in remission – and the Royal she would love to see in one of her creations… Dame Zandra, you seem busy, as ever… Oh, very busy! But should I complain, after everything we’ve been through? Part of me is just grateful to have manic, full days. I don’t need to…

‘Oh Violet, do stop slouching,’ snapped the Countess of Pontefract. ‘No man will ever propose if you continue to loll around like an ape.’ Violet sighed. She’d been sitting in the car with her mother for nearly two hours and there’d been a constant stream of dos and don’ts – do sit up straight, don’t touch your hair, do keep your gloves clean, don’t frown. She pushed her shoulders back against the leather seat and met the eyes of their driver, Perkins, in the mirror. Violet thought she saw a flash of sympathy in them. She was correct; Perkins had driven the Countess of Pontefract for nearly twenty years and was often subject to bossy instructions himself. ‘Perkins, do try and drive less like you’re riding a horse at Ascot,’…

Win EVERY WEEK WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES ACROSS 1 Rebound (8) 5 Race (anag) (4) 9 Smooth; groom (5) 10 Patio area (7) 11 Separately (12) 13 Boredom (6) 14 Large insect (6) 17 Developmental (12) 20 Promising actress (7) 21 Dens (5) 22 Document of ownership (4) 23 Small pieces; bits (8) DOWN 1 Ready to eat (4) 2 Removed dirt (7) 3 Endlessly (12) 4 Impose or require (6) 6 Move on hands and knees (5) 7 Commonplace (8) 8 A type of error in speech (8,4) 12 Accented (8) 15 Firm providing flights (7) 16 Heed (6) 18 Egg-shaped (5) 19 Employs (4) TO ENTER CALL 0900 100 0922 (65ppm)† Which palace was the main French royal residence from…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Are you ‘punching above your weight’? We’ve all been in relationships where we know our other half is more attractive than us - but have you ended up marrying that person? Boris Johnson married Carrie Symonds in May this year and, on a recent trip, US President Joe Biden joked that both he and the Prime Minister had ‘married above their stations’. Boris said he couldn’t disagree with the comment! Is your partner more attractive than you, or is it the other way around and, in fact, your other half is ‘punching above their weight’ and you’re considered the more attractive one? Tell us what you think… WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell us at facebook.com/bestmagazine Alco-pop! Supermarkets have had a wave of boozy ice lollies in previous…

Q Wearing a face covering puts all the attention on my eyes, and I notice my wrinkles more than ever! How can I make my eyes stand out for all the right reasons? Jean, Newcastle A First, invest in a treatment mask. The latest contain lightweight serums packed with supercharged ingredients to mimic the results of an injectable treatment. Franz Jet Dual Mask System Microcurrent Sheet Mask, £28 for two, is designed to smooth eye wrinkles. It’s saturated in serum loaded with ceramides, copper peptides and hyaluronic acid. It also has its own low-level micro current, no plugs needed, that helps the serum penetrate six times deeper than an ordinary mask. You can also make your eyes ‘pop’ with good make-up. Always emphasise brows – I swear by L’Oréal Paris…

Strawberry Shortbread Stack Under-whip your cream before transferring to the piping bag as it will thicken when piped. Hands-on time: 40 min, plus chilling Cooking time: About 12 min Serves 6 125g plain flour, sifted50g icing sugar50g cornflour125g unsalted butter, softened1 vanilla pod, with seeds scrapped out25g icing sugar Lemon juice, to taste FOR THE COULIS 125g raspberries FOR THE FILLING 18 similar-sized strawberries, halved1½tsp icing sugar150ml double cream1tbsp brandy, or to taste 1 In a large mixing bowl, stir the plain flour, icing sugar and cornflour with a pinch of salt to combine. Tip into a food processor with the butter and vanilla seeds and pulse until the mixture comes together. Or tip into a bowl and rub in with a table knife until the mixture forms a dough.…

TOP TIP! New bed linen is the quickest way to give your room a fresh look.…

Watching the Falklands War on the television aged 12 made me want to join the army. At 17, in 1987, I signed up without telling my mum, Lynda. When her and Dad found out, they said, ‘You won’t last five minutes.’ I joined as a combat medical technician, which is like a paramedic – but on the front line. I enjoyed my medical training and was excited to get my hands dirty. In 1991, I was posted to help on the front line of the First Gulf War. When I stepped off the plane in Saudi Arabia, a group of Scottish Guards were there – they looked exhausted, fragile and dirty. It was a sign of what was to come. The work overwhelmed me. Constant bomb attacks, and endless casualties.…

AN ANNUAL AFFAIR Each year, the Queen gives permission for a garden party to be held in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, to show support for The Not Forgotten Association – the amazing charity that supports our troops, past and present. GLORIOUS GARDENS! If you’ve ever fancied a wander around Buckingham Palace’s stunning 16-hectare garden, which includes a herbaceous border, a Summer house, rose garden and the enormous Waterloo vase, then this year you can. The garden is open to the public from Friday 9 July to Sunday 19 September, 2021. Tickets are priced at £16.50 for adults. To discover a more detailed view, and learn the history, sign up for a Garden Highlights Guided Tour, which should be booked with the main ticket and is priced at £6.50 for…

IS THIS HAY FEVER HELL? While it’s lovely to see this fabulous sunshine, I am really suffering with sneezing and feeling very bunged up. The strange thing is, I am 47 and I have never had hay fever before. Could it be that and is it possible for it to come on late in life, just out of the blue like this? Grainne, Glasgow DR HILARY SAYS: This has been an exceptional year in terms of the weather leading to hay fever symptoms. Lots of rain followed by plenty of heat and sun has led to very high pollen levels. This has meant that thousands of people have suffered red itchy eyes, sneezing and runny or blocked noses – for the first time ever! At this time of year, it…

It’s the scandal that has made waves around the world – and hit at the heart of the Royal Family. Buckingham Palace’s greatest fears came true when the FBI arrested Prince Andrew’s friend, Jeffrey Epstein, on charges of sex trafficking, and he later took his own life in prison. Going behind the headlines, journalist Nigel Cawthorne exposes in his book, Prince Andrew: Epstein, Maxwell and the Palace, the details of the scandal, and how it has impacted the Prince. It paints a rare and riveting, insider picture of life behind the palace gates. 50 best readers can win a copy of this book, published by Gibson Square. To enter, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at hearstmagazines.co.uk/best2621 by 9 July 2021. PHONE: Call 0901 027…

Love Island returns to ITV2 for its seventh sizzling series, as a brand-new host of singletons seek to find their perfect match! With new arrivals, heads may turn, while others will prove their true feelings, all narrated by the inimitable voice of Love Island, Iain Stirling. More texts, fire-pit gatherings and challenges await the lovestruck Islanders, meaning there’ll be plenty for them to dish the dirt on in the Beach Hut. Blonde bombshell and new mum Laura Whitmore, 36 (who is married to Iain!), is at the helm as the Islanders do their best to flirt, date, couple up and try to avoid being ‘dumped’ from the iconic Mallorcan villa. Here, the Irish beauty tells us more… Hi Laura! How does it feel to be back?! I am so excited…

They seemed like polar opposites… A rich socialite who enjoyed fine wines, caviar and entertaining the elite. The other spent 30 years in near silence gardening, ironing and praying for more than eight hours a day. But they were two chapters of the same life – that of Ann Russell Miller, who later became Sister Mary Joseph. Born in 1928 to a wealthy family, Ann had dreamed of becoming a nun, but that plan was scuppered when she fell in love. Aged 20, she married Richard Miller, who became the vice president of utility company Pacific Gas and Electric. Ann would spend her next years pregnant while they grew their family, having 10 children – five boys and five girls. But God and the Catholic church remained a constant in…

The picture did exactly what she intended it to do, when Ulrika Jonsson, 53, bared all to her 150,000 Instagram followers. Posing with a wheelbarrow to cover her modesty, of course. It gained attention and generated headlines for the charity StrongMen, encouraging grieving men to open up about their feelings under the banners #BareYourself for @StrongMenOrgUK. And most followers loved it. ‘Brave and fierce – thank you lady for realness’, ‘Omg this is EVERYTHING!!! NOT A FILTER IN SIGHT! Thank you beautiful Lady for your realness’, and ‘I nearly dropped my phone!!!! You are looking amazing. Body goals’, were among the comments. Some of Ulrika’s male followers seemed less interested in the mental health message, adding their own cheeky retorts. ‘What timing,’ joked one, ‘I just bought 30 bags of…

TOP TIP A chambray denim dress is timeless and is perfect for staycations.…

These days, getting dressed in the morning is my favourite part of the day. There’s something meditative about stroking the garments in my wardrobe (many of them belonged to my late mum) and deciding what to wear. The different textures conjure up emotions and memories from my childhood. Prints look at me invitingly, reminding me of my mother Diana’s larger-than-life spirit. Sometimes I’ll burrow my head deep into a jacket sleeve, convincing myself I can still catch a hint of her signature scent, even though she’s been gone for 15 years. Today, I chose a devoré velvet tunic. With its bell sleeves and asymmetric hem, it looks like something the singer Stevie Nicks might have worn in her performing heyday. The velvet fabric is practically an art piece, with cut-out…

HOW IT WORKS 1 Planning a Summer break or just days to the beach? TV doctor and author Dr Michael Mosley’s latest series and plan, The 21 Day Body Turnaround, includes clever swaps to make losing weight easy. 2 Cauliflower is a great alternative to starchy carbs – use it instead of rice, mashed to form a pizza base or just straight up. Packed with hydrating vitamin C, high in fibre and low in calories, by swapping rice with cauliflower rice, you’ll benefit from an 80 per cent decrease in carbohydrates, lowering blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of health conditions like type 2 diabetes. 3 Ditch regular pasta for courgette! Courgettes are rich in antioxidants, high in both soluble and insoluble fibre and low in calories. It’ll help keep…

BEEF PASTY MONEY BAGS Worcestershire sauce bolsters the beefy flavour in these pretty pastry parcels. Cook from frozen Hands-on time: 30min Cooking time: About 55min Makes 4 1tbsp vegetable oil200g rump steak, trimmed of fat, cut into 2cm pieces1 large carrot, finely diced1 small onion, finely chopped1 medium potato, finely diced6 fresh rosemary sprigs75g frozen peas11/2tbsp Worcestershire sauceFlour, to dust500g pack shortcrust pastry1 egg, lightly beaten 1 Heat oil over high heat in a large pan. Brown the beef all over – do this in batches if necessary to stop the beef sweating. Remove beef from pan and set aside. Add the carrot, onion and potato to the pan and fry for 5min until coloured, then pour in 25ml water and mix well, scraping any sticky bits from the bottom…

THE CRIME: A 23-year-old man goes into a public toilet and vanishes. After nearly three decades, can police determine what happened to Steven Clark? THE CASE: It was Monday, 28 December 1992, and Steven Clark was out with his mum, Doris, taking a family walk along the beach. About 40 minutes from their home in Marske, near Redcar, the pair arrived at Saltburn pier and decided to use the public toilets. Steven went into the gents, and Doris made her way into the ladies. But when she came out, there was no sign of her son. After waiting for a while and watching two men go in and come out, she presumed he’d headed home and so made her own way back. She said later it didn’t occur to her…

Do you have a story you’d like to share with our amazing army of best readers? We’re looking for real-life stories from women just like you and your friends – and will pay up to £200 for all those that make it into these pages. Stories can be funny, sad, emotional, inspirational – just like some of the examples on this page. The only rule: they must be true. Have you been on a diet that changed your life? Have you battled against tough times and come out fighting? Have you found love or happiness against the odds? If you – or a friend – have a story to share, whatever the subject, do drop us a line, with your contact details, a photo and a brief outline of your…

VACCINATION PASSPORT EAMONN: With half the country now fully vaccinated against Covid, many of you are asking the question, ‘If I have protection, why can’t I do what I want to do?!’ And the answer is that you may well be protected – but the people who are not run the risk of giving the virus a host body to spread or mutate in. Fully immunised people are 25 times less likely to test positive for Covid-19 than those who are unvaccinated. If vaccinated people are so well protected, they are also unlikely to spread the virus. So, the data is saying that vaccination works. Yet it is still viewed with suspicion by far too many people. Feelings run very high on this, with many of you asking, if you…

CANCER 22 June – 23 July Cancerians such as Hollywood royalty Meryl Streep and After Life creator and star Ricky Gervais can be incredibly intuitive. In situations where they find themselves competing against others, they will be using a magical mix of perception and observation to discover what their opponents are up to. LEO 24 July – 23 August Any worries you have about an interview or important meeting will quickly dissolve when the time arrives. You will later wonder why you were so nervous. Your calm and rational outlook will help defuse an emotional drama and your confidence will grow as you handle the situation brilliantly. You’re on schedule for a great breakthrough. VIRGO 24 August – 23 September If you’re not the one who’s keeping a secret, then…

ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES Friday, 9pm, E4 If the Anchorman films, with the hilarious Will Ferrell, have passed you by, time to catch up! A celebrated news anchor from San Diego is hired by New York’s first 24-hour news channel, where he takes the channel by storm with his ‘unique’ style of news coverage… GIRLS TRIP Friday, 11.05pm, Channel 4 When Ryan is invited to speak at an annual festival, she sees it as a chance to reconnect with her best friends on an unforgettable trip to New Orleans as they rediscover their old ‘wild sides’. With Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish and Queen Latifah, this 2017 film is an absolute riot. LOVE, SIMON Thursday, 11.35pm, Channel 4 In this sweet 2018 romcom, handsome A Teacher star Nick Robinson…