Table of contents for 22 April 2025 in Bella

Ruth Langsford’s mum Joan has been rushed to hospital, just months after suffering from a bad fall. Loose Women panellist Ruth, 65, took to Instagram recently to share an update on her mother, 94. Revealing that a ‘nasty chest infection got the better of her,’ Ruth added, ‘They sent her home after a few hours of care though… Thank you to all the staff at St Peter’s Hospital, Surrey, for looking after us so well.’ The hospital trip comes months after Joan fractured her pelvis in an accident back in December. Ruth last updated fans on Joan on Boxing Day, revealing that she was spending the festive period in hospital with her mother. We wish her a speedy recovery.…

King Charles’s latest health crisis has put Prince William and The Princess of Wales on high alert in case they’re called on to rule sooner than expected – and Charles thinks they’re ready. After returning home from his weekly cancer treatment, the King, 76, was sent back to hospital on 27 March when he experienced unexpected side effects. Following a short period of observation, he was discharged once more but had to cancel several upcoming engagements. This scare has forced the royals to consider what will happen if Charles can no longer rule. An insider says, ‘The sicker Charles gets, the more obvious it gets that this change could happen at any time.’ However, the King reportedly has complete faith in his son and daughter-in-law to lead the country. ‘They’ve…

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Easter chocolate carrot cake Serves 12-14 Takes 2hr, plus cooling and chilling FOR THE CARROT CAKE ● 300ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing ● 200g full-fat Greek yogurt ● 4 eggs ● Grated zest of 4 oranges ● 200g caster sugar ● 200g soft light brown sugar ● 400g carrots, tops cut off and roughly grated ● 500g self-raising flour ● 4tsp ground cinnamon ● Lindt Easter Chocolates, unwrapped, to decorate FOR THE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE ● 90ml double cream ● 20g golden syrup ● 90g Lindt Excellence 70% Dark Chocolate, chopped ● 20g unsalted butter FOR THE FROSTING ● 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature ● 425g full-fat soft cheese, at room temperature ● 150g icing sugar ● 1tsp vanilla extract 1 For the cake: preheat the oven to 180°C/fan…

How am I the bad guy? Q My husband’s brother and my best friend got together at our wedding about six years ago, and moved in to her place with her daughter (nine) from a previous relationship. Last week, my friend found evidence to prove that my husband’s brother was sleeping with someone else. So whilst my husband and his brother went on a fishing trip together for the weekend, I helped my best friend move all his things out of her home, back to his parents’. She also had the locks changed. She then sent him a message explaining what she’d done, and telling him they were done. They came straight home, and my husband is angry with me for organising all of this behind his back, not telling…

Jeff Brazier has opened up about the late Jade Goody, revealing the difficulties their sons have had living without a mother. Talking about Jade, who died at the age of 27 from cervical cancer, Jeff, 45, who shares Bobby, 21, and Freddy, 20, with her, said, ‘To lose the mother of your children is a huge trauma that of course shapes your life. It comes down to the fact that we need her.’ When Jade died in 2009, Bobby was just five and Freddy four. Jeff reflected, ‘It’s not just about missing her – we need her as a mother at the moment, and we always have done, in all honesty.’…

Stripe Right Get more bang for your buck with a versatile co-ord. Plus, the versatile stripes will make you appear slimmer Boho Chic Boho is back and you can tap into the trend without breaking the bank. Mix textures like ruffles, crochet and leather for a luxe look Wild Thing Leopard really is a neutral - simply pair with earthy tones or a pop of pink if you dare Layer Up If you invest in one item this spring make it a quilted jacket - this chic design looks like it’s from the catwalk Utility Cool Khaki shades aren’t going anywhere. If you want to cover your arms, layer with a white shirt…

We’ve teamed up with The Fast 800 to show you just how easy, delicious and nutritious the 5:2 way of eating is. It involves regular intermittent fasting, which can help with weight management, better mental clarity, sleep, blood pressure and energy. The Fast 800 was co-founded by the late Dr Michael Mosley, along with his wife Dr Clare Bailey Mosley, and a team of doctors and weight-loss experts. Clare tells us, ‘Michael was a trailblazer who always followed the evidence, and he was incredibly proud that, through his work, he was able to help hundreds of thousands to lose weight, put their diabetes into remission, and improve their health. His legacy lives on through The Fast 800, which continues with the same science-based approach, cutting through the confusion and making…

Mama’s prawn spaghetti Serves 4, Ready in 25min ● 400g spaghetti ● 2 peppers ● 4 garlic cloves ● 1 chilli ● 400g baby tomatoes ● 2tbsp tomato purée ● 1tbsp dried oregano ● 2tbsp apple cider vinegar ● 40g capers ● 1 vegetable stock cube ● 400g prawns ● 10g fresh basil 1 Bring a saucepan filled with water to the boil. Add the pasta and simmer for 8-9min until cooked, then drain. 2 Meanwhile, deseed the peppers and dice into roughly 1cm squares, and peel and crush or finely chop the garlic. Finely dice the chilli (remove the seeds for less heat) and halve or quarter any larger tomatoes. 3 Spritz a large non-stick saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray and put it over a medium-high heat. Fry the peppers and tomatoes…

A pretty floral arrangement will elevate any tablescape Create cute bunny ears with your napkins…

GEMINI 22 May — 21 June If you haven’t been in touch with one of your chums recently this is a great week to pick up the threads of your friendship. You’re intrigued by a certain someone’s aspirations or beliefs on the 20th and want to dig deeper so you can find out more. Theme of the week: Staying active 0906 650 7232 CANCER 22 June — 23 July You’re focusing on your ambitions at the moment and from early in the week it’s time to take things to the next stage. Begin thinking about strategies that will help you to move forward. Try to avoid making hasty decisions on the 18th. Theme of the week: Long-term goals 0906 650 7233 LEO 24 July — 23 August Get set for…

PRIZE crossword WIN £200 Solve the crossword to find, reading from top to bottom in the shaded squares, the name of a US music star. This is your competition entry answer. See the ‘How to enter’ panel, below right. Across 1 Giant’s - - -, tourist attraction in Northern Ireland (8) 7 Biblical follower (8) 11 Super - - -, ABBA hit (7) 12 Small appetiser (6) 15 Game played at Wimbledon (6) 18 Dutch cheese (4) 19 Persian ruler (4) 20 It’s the sincerest form of flattery! (9) 21 - - - fair, Cockney rhyming slang for ‘hair’ (6) 22 Pukka celebrity chef, Jamie - - - (6) 23 Real beer? (3) 24 Entry (9) 27 Sash worn with a kimono (3) 28 Black bird said to protect the Tower…

Dame Esther Rantzen has opened up about her heartbreaking last wish. The 84-yearold – who is battling terminal lung cancer – has revealed that she’s looking forward to being reunited with her husband of 30 years, Desmond Wilcox, who passed away in 2000 from a heart attack. She said, ‘It’s a lovely idea to meet Desmond again and all those I have loved and lost – my parents and grandparents, my close friends and family.’ The Childline founder has been advocating for the assisted dying bill, which would make the act legal in the UK. She said, ‘The last thing I expected was to get involved in a new campaign, but when I talked about having joined Dignitas as the only way to guarantee I can legally request help to…

Speculation that Alison Hammond is set to wed her boyfriend, David Putman, haven’t stopped since she was spotted with a rock on her wedding ring finger last year. And she recently confessed, ‘I would marry him tomorrow!’ But while there’s been no official engagement announcement yet, we hear wedding planning is under way – and is already causing Alison, 50, a lot of stress. Our source tells us, ‘Alison is really excited about the prospect of marrying David, and she’s already starting to plan the ceremony with her pals. But one thing that is terrifying her is the idea of how to possibly manage the guest list when she has so many famous friends to invite.’ The This Morning presenter and Great British Bake Off host, who has son Aidan,…

Walking into the pub, I approached the woman by the bar. ‘Do you have any job vacancies?’ I asked, hopefully. It was 2014, I was 27 with two young kids and I was looking for evening work. It meant that, while my fiancé stayed at home with them, I could finally earn some money again. ‘Possibly,’ the woman replied, before taking my details. Sure enough, she called me soon after to say there was an opening for a waitress. I got the job and, pretty soon, I realised that the woman I’d spoken to was the owner, Miki. Beneath her business-like persona, she had a wicked sense of humour and, despite being 20 years older than me, we got on like a house on fire. But what really sealed our…

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As a regular host on Loose Women, Katie Piper is used to uplifting chat and entertaining the nation. Now, she’s got her own daytime show, where she mixes celebrity guests with lifestyle and wellness advice, a bit of cooking and powerful human-interest stories from members of the public. These are inspirational people who’ve overcome adversity and, after telling their stories, Katie treats them to a glam makeover thanks to Davina McCall’s partner and hair stylist supremo Michael Douglas. Here, Katie, tells us more about her new series… What’s your new show about? It’s a space I created for people to come and reset, retreat, relax and actually have some fun, hopefully learning some stuff along the way. You don’t have to leave the house either, you don’t even have to…

GERI HALLIWELL-HORNER A few Easters ago, the Spice Girl, 52, introduced her Instagram followers to some very sweet new family members, by sharing a photo of her cradling them. ‘Somebunny loves you,’ she wrote. STACEY SOLOMON AND JOE SWASH The Sort Your Life Out star, 35, and Joe, 43, kept their brood occupied last Easter by organising an egg hunt at their Essex home. Joe must have been the first Easter Bunny to wear sliders and socks! THE BECKHAMS We would have smiles as wide as the Beckhams’ too if we were celebrating Easter cruising around Miami on a mega yacht. Victoria, 50, captioned the pic with her trademark, ‘Kisses from the Beckhams’ (and Peltz Beckhams). WILL SMITH Easter was a huge family affair for the American actor, 56, in…