Table of contents for 34-2021 in Best

David denied it. So did his management. Then again, he wouldn’t be the first person to deny a rumour when a romance is in the early stages… If it’s true, it would be perfect, wouldn’t it? They were on a break and now they’re back together. Back in May, when the Friends reunited, they both confessed they fancied each other – but love often comes down to timing. Back then, the timing wasn’t right. We’d all love Jen to marry again. And what better ending than for Ross to get his Rachel? He is, after all – to quote Phoebe – her lobster. And lobsters mate for life. So, let’s hope the stories of David flying from New York for dinner and then visiting Jen’s favourite winery in Santa Barbara…

Another nightmare for the Royal Family is Harry’s impending memoir, which, timed to coincide with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, is a black cloud on the horizon for the Royals. But two members of The Firm are said to have sympathy for Harry – his cousins, Beatrice and Eugenie. Recent reports suggest they believe his voice and opinions were rarely heard within the Royal Family. Well, we are certainly hearing a lot from him now. And it may be even more if rumours are true that Harry could ask Princess Eugenie to assist him on one of his future books……

As I bustled through the door, my arms weighed down with shopping bags, I beamed at my husband, Dov. ‘Marks & Spencer’s ready meal for tea?’ I asked, pulling out the plastic containers. Dov laughed, as he inspected the items carefully. ‘Let me guess? Yep, there it is. The reduced sticker.’ I laughed along. My delights over deals had become a bit of a joke between us. But without that yellow sticker, we’d never be able to afford food from such an upmarket supermarket. My love of a bargain is a new thing. This time last year, I’d never have dreamed of getting food in the clearance aisle. In fact, many a time I’ve actively snubbed a cut-price piece of chicken or pack of pork for a fresher item. I…

HOW IT WORKS 1 The foods we eat can definitely make a difference to how much stress we feel. Nutrients such as magnesium, found in wholegrains like oats and brown rice, and calcium in dairy food, can help us feel more relaxed, while healthy omega-3 fats in oily fish, avocado and olives seem to calm our brain so it doesn’t get as wound up by minor niggles. 2 And then there are fruits and vegetables – when researchers in New Zealand looked at what happened to people’s emotions the day after they ate certain foods, they found that mood improved the day after people ate lots of fruits and vegetables. So, if you want to feel happier fast, pack your plates with fresh produce. 3 Steer clear of sugary drinks…

Nicola met her husband, Barnaby, at work – when they starred alongside one another in a play, The Libertine, when Nicola was 25. But they were in no rush to tie the knot, and only married after almost two decades together. Nicola explained, ‘I was always quite daunted by the idea of marriage; my parents had the most amazing partnership, and no one wants to be the one who gets it wrong…’ She revealed elsewhere, ‘I don’t know if I should tell the truth – it doesn’t sound very romantic! I find the whole ceremony of marriage a bit like going to work. Putting on a lovely dress and make-up, learning lines, someone doing your hair… I can see that would be really appealing if you don’t do it for…

August is a reflective month for me. A bit like New Year’s Eve for others. I find myself taking stock – and feeling grateful. Because it was in August 2003 that I had a car crash that nearly took my life. A car crash that paralysed me. This year is particularly poignant because it’s 18 years since the accident, and as I was 18 when it happened, I’ve now been physically disabled for the same length of time that I wasn’t. In the lead-up to the anniversary, I’ve been asking myself, am I making the most of my time? Am I the best version of myself? I’m happy to say I can answer yes to those questions. Before the accident, I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life.…

Katie and her fourth husband-to-be have been documenting their romantic getaway to the Caribbean on social media – and Katie’s latest post appears to be poking fun at their glowing tans. Taking pride in her stories, the mum-of-five joked that she and Carl had ‘swallowed a lobster’… as the lovebirds showcased their sun-kissed skin. Katie and Carl beamed alongside one another, as their pearly white smiles demanded attention in the holiday snap… Nice to know that even with trouble knocking at her door, ‘the Pricey’, as she calls herself, can see the funny side of life.…

Bloody Mary Soup Rather than incorporating the vodka into this soup, let your guests add it themselves at the table. Hands-on time: 25min Cooking time: About 45min Serves 6 1 red onion, roughly chopped3 garlic cloves, crushed2 celery sticks, roughly chopped, plus extra sticks to garnish600g ripe tomatoes, halved (the redder the better!)1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped2tbsp olive oil1/2tsp celery salt – use plainsalt if you prefer600ml vegetable stock400g tin chopped tomatoes in juice3tbsp tomato purée1tbsp Worcestershire sauceVodka, to serveCrème fraîche or double cream, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan)/mark 6. Put the first seven ingredients and plenty of pepper into a large roasting tin. Toss together and roast for 40min. 2 Scrape the roasted vegetable mixture into a blender and whiz until completely smooth.…

Summer pudding How can bread and berries taste so wonderful? Just a trickle of cream required… Serves 6 Prep time: 30 mins, plus overnight chilling Total cost: £6.18 About 900g/2lb mixed fresh berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackcurrants; or use 2x 500g bags of frozen Summer berries, thawed)About 1tbsp sugar (more if fruit is very tart)About 8 medium slices, white bread YOU WILL NEED: A 1¾pt/1l pudding basin, lined with clingfilm 1 Add fruit and sugar to a pan. Heat gently for a couple of mins, until fruits release their juices. Taste and sweeten if needed (it should remain on right side of tart). Remove fruit with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl, leaving juice behind. Allow it to cool a little. 2 Stamp a round out of…

THE CRIME: When a British student was killed in her Italian apartment, her roommate was convicted of the crime. But did she commit the brutal murder? THE CASE: It must have been an exciting time for Meredith Kercher back in August 2007. At 21, she’d moved to Perugia, Italy, where she would be spending the next year of her life. She was a Leeds University student and the year abroad was part of her European Politics and Italian degree. She was attractive, intelligent, caring and was sharing a flat with three other students – two Italian and one American. Despite the distance, she still spoke to her family regularly. Three months after she arrived in the country, on 1 November, she called her dad, John. He was in his local bank at…

THE BOURNE SUPREMACY ITV, 11.05pm, Friday When he is falsely framed in a CIA sting, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is forced to return to his old ways as an assassin, in order to figure out why bad guys are still on his trail. Also starring Julia Stiles. DESTROYER BBC One, 10.35pm, Friday When Erin Bell was a young cop, she was given an undercover assignment that ended badly and destroyed her life. Years later, she must face her demons in order to make peace with her past. Nicole Kidman stars. THE LOSERS Sky One, 10pm, Thursday Clay and his team are part of an elite US Special Forces Unit and are approached by a mysterious woman to exact revenge on their handler, Max, who betrayed them. With heart-throbs Idris Elba…

Deborah James was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer just before Christmas 2016. Since then, this amazing woman has become one of the UK’s most high-profile campaigners for raising awareness about people living with cancer. The mum-of-two, a deputy head teacher better known these days as Bowel Babe, blogs and posts on social media about her battle with the disease – and has won millions of fans, who are amazed by her courage and positive outlook. Deborah was rushed into hospital again recently for an emergency op to fit a stent in her liver, as an inoperable tumour was blocking her bile duct, obstructing her liver and causing dangerous toxins to flood her body. Thankfully, the surgery was a success, and Deborah was able to start on another course of…

Presenter Ant McPartlin tied the knot with his new wife, Anne-Marie Corbett, 43, in a fairy-tale wedding last week. After a tumultuous few years for the 45-year-old TV star (rehab, a car crash, and a very public divorce), it was an emotional day for the Geordie who admitted to ‘fighting back the tears’ when he saw his beautiful bride walk down the aisle at St Michael’s Church in Heckfield, Hampshire. And we wish them well, for the break-up of his first marriage and battles with alcohol have not been easy. But ever the cheeky chappy (in public, at least), Ant is said to have referenced his struggles in his groom’s speech, opening it with, ‘Hi, I’m Ant and I’m an alcoholic.’ The couple, who exited the church through an arch…

5 to give away As the Summer season arrives, you can bag a brand-new wardrobe (that’s 20 items) by entering this giveaway to win a £100 voucher! Everything5pounds will be giving five lucky winners a Summer to remember! Yes, everything really is £5! Having established themselves as global leaders for budget clothing, they are constantly pushing boundaries to bring the best ex-high-street stock for a fiver. Their daily new arrivals keep their website constantly buzzing with fresh new styles but you have to be quick to grab what you want – once they’re gone, they’re gone! There is no limit to what you can find, everything5pounds sells everything from womenswear, plus-size, menswear, shoes, accessories and of course much more. There is a style to suit all ages and tastes. So…

HE JOKES ABOUT ‘TRADING ME IN’ I’m 61 and my man is 45. I know he loves me, and age has never been an issue with us – but recently, he’s made more than one ‘joke’ about trading me in for a younger model… and wow, does it hurt. I challenge him, and he laughs it off and says I’m ‘losing my sense of humour’. He’s never done it in the last 10 years we’ve been together. So, why now? Do you think I’m too old and wrinkly for him – is he secretly dating a younger woman? Or am I just being paranoid?! Sharon, Lincoln I’m 10 years older than my Other Half and I never forget the age gap. The weird thing is that he hardly seems to…

Beef Satay Salad A simple salad with a substantial dressing. Hands-on time: 20min Cooking time: about 15min Serves 4 1tbsp groundnut oil500g sirloin steak slices, excess fat trimmed2 shallots, thinly sliced3tbsp smooth peanut butter150ml coconut milkFinely grated zest and juice of 1 lime2x 70g packs lamb’s lettuce200g radishes, thinly slicedLarge handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped40g salted peanuts, chopped½-1 red chilli, to taste, deseeded and finely chopped 1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the steaks and add to the pan. Cook for 4min, turning once, or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a board, cover with foil and leave to rest. 2 Turn the heat under the pan down to low and gently cook the shallots for 5min or until softened. Stir in…

WARDROBE MEMORIES I was digging around in my wardrobe the other day, trying to find a cardigan I didn’t like, to lend to my daughter. Phoebe is a terrible cardigan thief, and I wasn’t prepared to say goodbye to something cashmere, regardless of any number of moth-holes. Sadly, my wardrobe is not like the closets you see in movies; there is no order, Winter jackets hang over Summer trousers, jeans I haven’t been able to squeeze into for 10 years take up three-quarters of the available space and colour co-ordination is non-existent. Everything, old, new, loved and loathed, is just shoved in together higgledy-piggledy. To be honest, it’s a marvel I ever manage to get dressed at all. As I rummaged, something I hadn’t seen in years fell out of…

With the world watching, in January 2009, ‘Foxy Knoxy’, as Amanda was now known, and Raffaele went to trial. According to the prosecution, Knox had attacked Meredith Kercher in her bedroom and tried to strangle her. Then Amanda, along with her boyfriend, had held her down while Guede had sexually abused her. Amanda then supposedly inflicted the fatal stab wound before faking a burglary. Her defence team was adamant that Guede was the lone killer, stressing that none of Knox’s DNA was found on Meredith’s body, clothes or handbag, whereas Guede’s shoe prints, fingerprints and DNA were all over the crime scene. It would have been impossible to selectively remove her traces while leaving Guede’s. In her evidence, in June 2009, Amanda stated she’d spent the night at her boyfriend’s…

Every couple celebrates anniversaries differently. For some, it’s the day of their wedding they choose to honour, while for others, it might be their first date, their first kiss, or even the first time they… well, you know. Seth and I would probably have fallen into the former camp had it not been for our daughter, Emily, who decided to appear on the exact same August day we chose to get married – albeit a year after the event. ‘How perfect!’ cooed friends. And I supposed they were right. For the first three years after she was born, neither Seth nor I mentioned the fact that our bundle of joy had essentially pinched our anniversary. It was only when my mother made a passing remark about the importance of ‘keeping…

BEST FOR… FRIENDS HOAR CROSS HALL, STAFFORDSHIRE Desperate for a weekend away with the girls? Well, this luxury Midlands spa getaway has recently had a £14 million facelift, including a new Royal Suite Experience, where up to eight of you can hang out, have massages in a private treatment room and be served in-room dining by a butler. When you’re not being waited on, you can hit the main spa, which has also had an upgrade including a saltwater vitality pool, hydrotherapy pool, aqua detox, aqua massage, sensory showers, cold plunge pool, Nordic heat & ice suite, even a snooze room. Bedrooms have had a boost too, boasting extras like freestanding baths and hot tubs on private terraces. Go: Spa days from £89pp; baronseden.com/hoar-crosshall BEST FOR… CITY PAMPERING THE PORTOBELLO…

In her time, Kelly Brook has been a breakfast show presenter, a model, a DJ, an actress and also – for a brief stint – a Loose Woman panellist, somewhat unsuccessfully. Reflecting recently, she admitted: ‘The trouble with Loose Women is that the panel can’t all have the same opinion. I was always on that show as the childless, glamorous one. It didn’t work. ‘Most people sitting at home watching have got children – and I didn’t have the same life as that audience. I was always going to be the unpopular one. ‘I felt there was so much negativity aimed towards me. I would come off air and I’d go on Twitter – and see the things people were saying about me. Loose Women wasn’t for me. ‘I gave…

She recently described them as ‘the happiest divorced couple in the world’, and there is no doubt that Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew remain incredibly close despite separating over two decades ago. They even continue to live together, at the Royal Lodge, Windsor, (although Sarah describes herself as a ‘guest’) and they are devoted to their daughters, Beatrice, 33 and Eugenie, 31. But, of course, over the past two years, there has been a dramatic decline in Prince Andrew’s fortunes, as he has become increasingly mired in the scandal surrounding paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his New York jail cell two years ago. Questions have been asked about why Andrew, who is staying at Balmoral with the Queen, with Sarah by his side, continued to associate with Epstein…

TOP TIP! Sick of wires digging in? Go for a wire-free option with sewn in cups that still give you support.…

She’s certainly never been one for the quiet life. And the latest drama in the life of former glamour model Katie Price is the revelation that she risks jail time if she fails to attend her next bankruptcy hearing. The 43-year-old star is set to return to court, in order to negotiate her debt – which is said to be as high as £3.2 million. Katie is currently away on her fourth holiday within two months, with two of her children, Harvey and Princess, and her fiancé Carl Woods, 31, sunning herself on St Lucia in the Caribbean. But her bankruptcy is rumbling on – and the reality star could be found in contempt of court if she fails to appear without prior notification to the judge in her case…

ARE DARK SPOTS SKIN CANCER? My husband, unlike me, is a total sun worshipper and gets a great tan when we go abroad – or even just sit in the back garden for a few days. He’ll put cream on, if I pester him. But I noticed that he’s developed two very dark, flat-looking spots or moles, one in the middle of his chest and one on his left hand. They worry me, but when I say he should get them checked out, he laughs it off. What do you think? Candice, Newcastle DR HILARY SAYS: Skin damage from solar radiation is accumulative and may produce a range of lesions and pigmentation. The spots which you describe, however, sound more like lentigo or liver spots, which are certainly pigmented and…

Limoncello Collins If you prefer, replace the gin in this refreshing Summer tipple with vodka. Serves 8 Prep time: 10min, plus chilling Cooking time: 5min 75g caster sugar450ml limoncello200ml gin200ml fresh lemon juice, about 5 juicy lemons1 litre club soda TO SERVE Ice cubesThin lemon slices8 mint sprigs 1 Heat sugar with 75ml water in a small pan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; cool. 2 In a large jug, mix limoncello, gin, lemon juice and cooled sugar syrup. Chill for 2hr. 3 To serve, stick lemon slices to insides of 8 tall glasses. Fill glasses with ice. Divide chilled limoncello mixture among glasses, then top up with the soda. Garnish with mint and serve. Per serving: 120 cals, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 13g carbs Peach Melba Sundae…

KUDOS TO CRUSADING CHRISTINE RUTH: Christine McGuinness is married to telly presenter Paddy McGuinness and together they are parents to three young children – eight-year-old twins Leo and Penelope and four-year-old Felicity. Most kids are a handful but these kids bring the added responsibility of being autistic. Christine and Paddy have learnt a lot about the condition and themselves over the past eight years. They’ve had no choice. Paddy has a packed schedule made more demanding because of the foreign travel Top Gear demands. That often leaves Christine as the main carer. So, like me, you’re thinking: ‘They’ll earn a ton of money so they’ll have plenty of help.’ But Christine doesn’t want it that way. Her own mother didn’t have help, so why should she? Well, I’d say her…

For the next four years, Amanda Knox continued to protest her innocence from prison. An appeal in November 2010 found there had been many basic errors in the gathering and analysing of evidence and the investigation throughout was widely criticised, including the police’s refusal to allow Amanda to have a solicitor or an interpreter. An independent forensic expert, Dr Stefano Conti, said the crime scene had not been secured and evidence could have been contaminated. ‘You could see a lot of coming and going of people without protective suits. In other words, total chaos,’ he said. On 3 October 2011, Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito had their convictions overturned. Yet, they still had to face a retrial, this time without either defendant present, and after 11 and a half hours…

LEO 24 July – 23 August Leos - such as comedian, writer and presenter James Corden and Bridesmaids actress Kristen Wiig - will always admit it's better to be flexible and to make changes voluntarily rather than have change foisted upon them. It’s important to be adaptable but make sure you don’t waver – nor compromise – on your morals and beliefs. VIRGO 24 August – 23 September Long-term goals need more careful thought. You never feel comfortable making spur of the moment decisions. Spend some time talking to your partner. Joint plans agreed on now will get off to a good start because you both respect each other’s opinions. By the end of the week, take action on ideas discussed earlier. LIBRA 24 September – 23 October Your charm…

In previous seasons, Britannia showed how the Roman invasion has occupied Britannia and how resistance has been fed by a Druid prophecy. Here, Zoe Wanamaker, 72, who plays Queen Antedia, tells us what’s in store next… Antedia’s been missing for a few episodes. Was it always the plan that you’d come back now? I have no idea what they had planned! She was auctioned off – and peed on – in the second series, and in this series, she’s being kept in a hole with a chain around her neck. She’s been there for a couple of years and she’s wearing a cage on her mouth so that she doesn’t bite people, which makes me laugh. What drives her? Self-preservation, as well as loyalty to her tribe, is what keeps…