Table of contents for May 5, 2015 in Best

Whomakes a good rolemodel? This has been a hot topic in the office, particularly while the debate unfolded on ThisMorning – during which Amanda and Phil interviewed plus-size campaigners Callie Thorne and Natasha Devon.This followed on from Channel 4’s Plus Sized Wars – featuring size 22 model Tess Holliday – which explored how the fashion industry is changing with demand, and led to Loose Women’s Janet Street-Porter’s candid outburst over stars such as Dawn French (see our story on page 10). Was she right? Or, is being a ‘curvier’ star empowering those who are? Whatever your take, we salute one woman featured this week as a real role model.The bravery shown by mum Nicola Warren over the future of her son is incredible, (page 16), and goes way beyond appearances.…

‘Matthew was like...“That is so embarrassing!”’ INTIMATE WED AGAIN This year, TV presenter DavinaMcCall and her husbandMatthew Robertson will have been married for 15 years – and, to mark the occasion, the star sprang a special surprise on her hubby. Before jetting out to America for a romantic getaway, Davina, 47, secretly planned for her andMatthew to renew their wedding vows in Las Vegas’ Little White Wedding Chapel – where Elvis married Priscilla! The mum-of-three smiled: “We were having lunch in Vegas when I leant over and went: ‘Darling, I have something to run by you…’. “He was like: ‘Oh my God! That is so embarrassing!’” But the former Pet Rescue presenter soon came round to the idea, and loved every minute of the emotional ceremony that was sealed with…

To her followers on social media, Lacey Spears, 27, was a doting mother caring for her increasingly sick son, Garnett. But her displays of motherly devotion hid the chilling truth — she was making Garnett ill to gain attention for herself. In January 2014, Lacey’s twisted game proved fatal. She rushed Garnett to hospital with stomach pains. But finding he had high levels of sodium, suspicious medics called in the police. The five-year-old, who’d had a feeding tube since he was a baby, slipped into a coma and died days later. Lacey was at his bedside, but even then a friend described her behaviour as ‘weird’. “She was more worried about what was being written on Facebook, than her child,” they remarked. Soon after, Lacey was charged with Garnett’s murder,…

INSEPARABLE ‘They’ve grown into positive, happy and accepting children’ Watching my eight-year-old twins, Eleanor and Joseph, giggling as they play together is one of my greatest joys. Like all twins, they have a special bond, but though they’re alike in so many ways, there’s one very obvious difference – Eleanor is able-bodied while Joseph uses a wheelchair. When I was 34 weeks pregnant, doctors discovered Joseph had developed hydrocephalus – a build-up of fluid on the brain – in the womb. I remember sitting in the consultant’s office with my husband Stephen, clutching his hand as I tried to take on the enormity of what I was being told. Just hours earlier, I’d been excitedly awaiting the arrival of my twins, a brother and sister for my son Samuel, now…

ARE YOU READY TO MIX OR MATCH? Going for flowers head to toe is the trend of the moment. There are two-piece outfits for those who’d rather have their blooms ready-matched and, for the bold, there’s a whole garden of prints that can be clashed together. BEST IN SHOW Bold florals are the perfect choice when you’re looking for something special FASHION Fiona Parkhouse STYLE ASSISTANT Miranda Laughlin PICTURES Nicky Johnston PHOTOGRAPHIC ASSISTANT Matt Monfredi HAIR AND MAKE-UP Simone Vollmer STILL LIFE Fiona Parkhouse & Millie Gooch SHOT IN Dorset. We stayed in The Lindens, bigcottages.com BOUQUETS OF STYLE Look out for flowers with a darker background – they create a flattering silhouette Spring buds are popping up everywhere, so you can have your pick of the season’s pretty separates…

‘More than a few unwanted lipsticks have lurked sadly in make-up bags around my house for ages. I thought they were sensational in the shop, but they didn’t live up to expectations. Now, to help you avoid adding to the product graveyard lurking in your bathroom, I’ve tried more than 30 new shades and formulations and come up with my ultimate flattering and fabulous selection. Enjoy!’ ‘Patsy x’ FLAKE AWAY! Slough away dry flakes of skin by applying Vaseline or unscented lip balm, then gently buffing with a damp flannel. TRY BEFORE YOU BUY Instead of testing a colour on the back of your hand, apply it to the pads of your fingers. The skin here is a similar shade and texture to your lips, so you’ll get a better…

The anniversary of our son Stephen’s death on 16 May is always difficult. Me and my husband, Ken, go to his grave, near our home in Swanley, Kent. Even 19 years on, lots of Stephen’s friends turn up, too. It’s a comfort to know he’s not forgotten. But seeing them as grown men, with wives and kids, brings home the pain that Stephen’s life was violently cut short when he was just 21 years old. And this year will be all the more painful because his killer, notorious gangster Kenneth Noye, could walk free from prison. It’s almost two decades since he stabbed our boy to death in a road rage incident, but that day is etched in my memory forever. That morning Stephen, 21, had been joking around, trying…

Buy one, get second half price on Crown coloured emulsion paint at Homebase HALF PRICE bath taps at Argos B&Q IS OFFERING TWO PAINT POTS OF COLOUR EMULSION FOR JUST £20 JOIN THE B&Q CLUB TO GET FREE B&Q KIDS CAN DO IT WEEKEND CLASSES – designed to help children aged 7-11 learn basic DIY skills through projects, such as building bird feeders and making picture frames Free Bosch Grass Trimmer worth £39.99 when you buy Bosch Rotary Lawnmower (£129.99) from Wickes FOR MORE fantastic deals and tips on how to save cash, visit BestDaily bestdaily.co.uk…

Home Fires tells the story of the women in a small Cheshire village during World War II… Yes. When I got a phone call from my agent saying they were going to make a series about the Women’s Institute, there was a bit of my heart that sank. I’ve been very vocal about the lack of parts for middleaged ladies, and thought, ‘They’re going to have us make jam.’ But then I read the first two scripts and was captivated. You play Frances. What’s she like? Frances is the person who would be at the front door holding the gun if the Germans invaded – it’s all very real to her. She’s outspoken and driven – and sometimes she drives across people. It’s always with the best intentions – she…

Emmerdale stars Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb have rekindled their relationship after calling off their wedding in 2013. The pair, who play David Metcalfe and Debbie Dingle in the ITV soap, are trying again after having an eight-month break from each other. The couple had been together for five years when they split, but they stayed close for the sake of their five-year-old son, Buster. However, after a string of romantic dates together, the pair reconciled. An insider said, “The break really did them good. It’s a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Speaking about their reunion, Matthew, who won Dancing On Ice in 2012 said: “It was never a permanent split. Sometimes life just gets on top of you. We had a ‘terrible’ two-yearold and needed time…

A tastecard membership gives you 50% off, or 2-for-1 across all courses in 7,000+ fantastic UK restaurants. As a best reader you can get an exclusive rate of £39.99 for a 12-month tastecard membership. Your card can be used at a variety of restaurants throughout the UK, including high-street favourites Pizza Express, Cabana BBQ, Zizzi, ASK Italian, La Tasca, Banana Tree, Strada and Prezzo, to restaurants owned by celebrity chefs, such as Marco Pierre White and Cyrus Todiwala MBE. It’s really easy to search for participating venues on the tastecard website, or its iPhone, Android and Windows apps. With more tastecard restaurants available than ever before, there’s never been a better time for you to become a member! HOW TO GET YOUR HALF PRICE Buy a membership and join the…

‘Dawn’s fat again, so all is well with the world’ Last week, out of the blue, LooseWomen ’s Janet Street-Porter launched a surprise attack on the popular comedienne Dawn French over her fluctuating weight. The fiery 68-yearold red-head blasted the star for setting a bad example to teenagers. “People will be really on our case if we say anything critical of an 18-year-old girl who is a size 20, but it’s got to be said. That girl is morbidly obese. I don’t want to demonise these girls but I don’t want to normalise them,” she began as the panel debated the ‘normalising’ of plus-size teenagers. “I’m not quite sure how you encourage young girls to understand losing weight is ultimately going to improve their lives,” she added. “Particularly when you’ve…

From a young age, Julie Gregory’s mother created illnesses for her to gain the attention she craved. Julie’s life became one long round of visits to doctors and hospitals. When she was 13, her mum convinced cardiologists to operate on her to diagnose a nonexistent heart problem. Julie says: “I didn’t know I was in for surgery and when the nurse arrived, I freaked out. ‘Please don’t do this to me, my mom made it up!’ I blurted. But they didn’t believe me.” It was only after she’d left home at 17 that Julie found about Munchausen syndrome by proxy and wrote a book about her experiences growing up, called Sickened. “Mum robbed me of my childhood. It’s hard to imagine a mother committing such atrocious acts, but it happens…

3 perfect PAIRS After being in the wilderness for years, matchymatchy’s back! GISELE BUNDCHEN 14 was the age at which she made her catwalk debut. 20 years is how long she’s dominated the modelling world. $125,000 –how much , she’s said to earn per day! 16 major fashion campaigns have been spearheaded by her in the last year. 15th April was when she walked the catwalk for the last time. 6 WAYS TO GET IN LINE Classic Breton stripes are always on trend, but this year’s looks are lining up with bold styles… 1 Wide stripes can cause anyone over a size 10 to break out in a sweat! But they can actually make you look narrower – creating an illusion as they fold around your body. Look out for…

Banana Pancakes MAKES 20 ● 2 eggs ● 2 small ripe bananas, peeled ● 85g butter, melted, plus extra for frying ● 240ml milk ● ½teaspoon vanilla extract ● 2 tablespoons sugar ●¼teaspoon salt ● 3 teaspoons baking powder ● 200g plain (all-purpose) flour ● olive oil for frying Preheat the oven to 140ºC/275ºF/Gas 1). Crack your eggs into a mixing bowl and mash in the banana using the back of a fork. Stir in the melted butter, milk and vanilla extract. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk well to combine; you should have a smooth batter consistency with bits of banana. If you want to make this in advance, make up the batter without the baking powder and store it in the fridge. Add the baking powder…

We’ve all become accustomed to the notion of blending wonderful tastes from around the world, and use the ‘best of the best’ idea in many areas of our lives. Following on from mixing up our food, music and fashion tastes, interiors are now jumping on the fusion bandwagon. Introduce prints and colours from across the globe into your living space and you’ll be bang on trend this spring. Mixing Moroccan-inspired prints and objects creates a strong statement that works brilliantly in the living room. John Lewis has captured the look perfectly. GET THE LOOK WALLPAPER Folk is all about combining themes that you wouldn’t think would work but, somehow, just do. Bring earthy wooden and copper tones together with this Asian-inspired design. Kelly’s Ikat Taupe Carmine by Kelly Hoppen, £20…

Two sisters under 13 are being locked in their room at night – with the blessing of Devon social services – in an apparent effort to keep them safe from their paedophile stepdad. How does that work? Do child abusers clock on? Does he look at his watch and think, ‘Right, it’s bedtime, I’m back on the Sex Offenders Register until breakfast?’ No. He is a ‘continuing risk’ – and those are words from social services themselves! But as much as I’m disgusted with social services for thinking it’s OK to leave two vulnerable children under the same roof as a convicted paedophile, I think I’m more appalled with a woman who would place her children anywhere near him in the first place. No matter how hard it is to…

Hi Alesha, how much fun are you having on the new series of Britain’s Got Talent? So much – it’s a dream job. I spend all day laughing and being entertained by mad, good and crazy acts. What’s the best thing about the live shows? We don’t know what anyone’s going to do, so when we go out on the night it’s like watching it with the audience at home. You get that adrenaline rush, the nervous energy that keeps everyone on their toes. I think it makes for better TV. How do you really get on with Amanda? She’s a nutter [laughs]. My personal entertainer – always whispering in my ear. She’s like the girl at school who always got you into trouble. Amanda Holden is very naughty! ALL…

Bless Ruth Langsford for admitting she suffers from jealousy – even when she thinks about hubby Eamonn Holmes discussing their relationship with another woman. “The thing that I don’t like about myself is my jealousy that just comes – whoosh – fromno where.” She added, “If Eamonn had a (female) friend who he fancied and was very intellectually in tune with, I would think: ‘What do you get from her that you don’t get from me?’ If I thought Eamonn was with his female friend, going ‘the thing is with Ruth…’, I would hate that. It’s a green-eyed monster.” Just a few days later, Ruth took to Twitter to confess she was throwing Eamonn’s shirts out. Thankfully, though, it wasn’t in a jealous rage. Eamonn’s tweet offered an explanation: ‘Mrs…

‘Kate’s circle of trust begins and ends with Carole’ Her transformation from working mum-of-three to grandmother of the future King has been startling, but with the birth of daughter Kate’s second child, Carole Middleton is firmly at the centre of the next generation of Royals. The 60-year-old and husband Mike, 65, have moved into Anmer Hall – and, with two under two to take care of, Kate’s mum is more important than ever. “Carole’s been integral in every aspect of Kate’s pregnancy and birth right from the very beginning,” reveals a source. “She packed Kate’s maternity bags for her, has been to antenatal appointments. She even stood in for William at maternity yoga lessons Kate had while he was working and away.” And, while her daughter is clearly her priority,…

Whether you’re a comforteating Cancerian or a Taurean with a sweet tooth, we have the tips you need to drop a dress size in seven days. Top astrologers believe the way we exercise has a lot to do with the sign we’re born under: impulsive Ariens favour a quick-fix diet and are better at solo activities like running. Free-spirited Aquarians, like Jennifer Aniston, need to keep their nervous systems healthy with vitamin B-rich foods, like eggs. So follow your sign guide to lose 5lb in 7 days! According to top astrologer Gillian Knowles, your star sign can affect the way you slim and the exercise you need to shape-up! ARIES MARCH20–APRIL 20 Quick-fix plans, like the 5:2 – where you limit cals to 500 for two days a week –…

COSMETIC DOCTOR AAMER KHAN and columnist LESLEY REYNOLDS lift the lid on cosmetic treatments 1975 At 18 and a natural redhead with youthful dimples and a flawless complexion, Mel looks like she has the world at her feet. She is already captivating audiences with her natural beauty. 1987 At 29, Melanie’s career is soaring, but away from the screen she is battling drug and drink addiction. Judging by this photo she hasn’t yet resorted to cosmetic surgery. But, while she’s natural-faced and striking, there’s a weary look in her eyes. 1989 Melanie’s face looks plumper, but this is probably due to pregnancy weight and hormones after giving birth to Fifty Shades actress Dakota, rather than filler. Lines around the eyes also show she hasn’t started dabbling with Botox yet. Admittedly…

It’s official – budget stores are big business. Aldi has climbed the supermarket chart to sixth, leaving Waitrose trailing behind. Its share in the market is closing in onThe Co-operative – currently number five – and with Tesco’s latest profit plunge by more than £6bn, the future has never looked brighter for the German-owned store. So what is Aldi supposedly doing better than Waitrose? Giles Hurley, Aldi’s joint managing director of buying, said, “Our unique ability to offer UK shoppers outstanding quality products at low prices is key to driving growth.” However, both have a budget offering and upmarket options. TOMATO KETCHUP BREAD TEA OVERALL WINNER ALDI When it comes to those everyday kitchen must-haves, Aldi pips Waitrose to the top! DIGESTIVES CORN FLAKES BAKED BEANS COFFEE Prices correct at…

ARIES 21 Mar to 20 Apr Helping a loved one to fulfil his or her potential means applications, but plod through themandmake themost of every chance. A slow patch continues, but luckymoney boostsmorale. CALL OUR STARLINES 0906 654 2310* (UK) 1550 776 967* (ROI) TAURUS 21 Apr to 21 May You’re naturally patient, but if a project becomes a nightmare, postpone it. A partner’s finances are looking up and a friend encourages you to bemore ambitious about your artistic talent. Aimhigher. CALL OUR STARLINES 0906 654 2311* (UK) 1550 776 968* (ROI) GEMINI 22 May to 22 Jun There’s no avoiding a chore all week, but with good results you can move on by the holidayweekend. A partner gets you thinking about where you’re heading, but teaming up isn’t for…

‘ 3.3million UK home owners spend about £3,200 rectifying DIY jobs’ One in 14 people pay a premium for a propertywith a name rather than a number. It can add between 0.5-5 per cent in value A SPOT OF DIY The bank holiday weekend is a great time to do the jobs you have been putting off through the winter. If you’re planning on moving, it is also traditionally the time when most house purchases are made. To get the best price for your property, there are some quick wins, such as giving the front door a lick of paint or replacing a rusty door knocker. Get the oven or carpet cleaned using deals from voucher sites, like Living Social or Amazon Local, and you’ll feel like the house is…

How does David find out about his sister’s romance with Max’s real dad, Callum? David sees Callum going in the house, then follows them and tells Sarah he knows her boyfriend is upstairs. So Callum comes down, all arrogant, having obviously decided to brazen it out, and David throws him out. Does he feel betrayed by Sarah? Yeah, but nothing surprises him when it comes to his sister! Is David devastated when he finds out Callum’s going to court over custody of Max? Yeah – he doesn’t think he’ll have a leg to stand on, because he’s not Max’s real dad and Kylie isn’t around. If she had been, it would have weakened Callum’s position. Does he feel he has no option but to take the kids and run? It’s…

BABY-FACE BECKS Who knew this fresh-faced London lad would grow up to be a style icon? Looking back, however, his sun-kissed fluffy hair was on trend, even at the tender age of five! BRY LCREEM BOY In 1996, the 21-year-old Manchester United winger made his England debut, and celebrated his first cap with plenty of hair gel… LAST OF THE MOHICANS A look that only Becks could pull off – but that didn’t stop millions of men copying the 26-year-old’s ‘mini mohawk’ in 2003… and it meant the earrings were still on show. BLEACHED BECKS Did Victoria put her foot down about the mohawk? Who knows, but this is one of our favourite looks – Dave at 27. The Messy Bleach Blond Beach Boy. THE PONY CLUB Training with the…