Table of contents for 41 - 2017 in Best

With the clocks going back in just a couple of weeks, which means night basically falling in the middle of the afternoon, the best team were in need of a pick-me-up. And we got it when the bright Rainbow Heart Bear paid a visit to our office last week! He was celebrating the Care Bears’ 35th birthday, and gave us all a nice hug. I’m sure we can all remember having one when we were, ahem, younger… and now you can get your own limited-edition Rainbow Heart Bear for the little ones in your life at selected Tesco stores and from amazon.co.uk. Let’s face it, we could all do with some sunshine in our lives right now, don’t you think? • Please let me know your thoughts, siobhan. wykes@hearst.co.uk…

Following in her old bandmate Frankie Bridge’s footsteps, Mollie King was an early bookies’ choice for victory when she was announced for Strictly Come Dancing. And the fame-hungry blonde, 30, is causing a stir by looking extremely cosy with her Strictly dance partner, AJ Pritchard, 22. The ambitious singer, it seems, will do anything to be a star. From a young age, Mollie was determined to see her name in lights, saying, ‘I’ve wanted [fame] since I was six.’ But initially, it was the Olympic podium that Mollie had set her sights on. After impressing her family with her skiing abilities, aged 10, she trained and competed with the junior British ski team for seven years. However, music soon beckoned, and Mollie auditioned twice for The X Factor. Firstly, solo…

TOP TIP What a bargain! We love this designer-style tailoring! TOP TIP Go for bold and swap last year’s faux leather for some shiny PVC. TOP TIP This 12-hour dress will take you from the office to a night out.…

CAROL McGIFFIN ‘A survey has revealed the simple pleasures that make Brits happy. It’s a list of 20 clichés that most people would struggle to disagree with. But fear not, because I’m here, and I do have a problem with them! So, at number one is… ‘a kiss and a cuddle’. OK, but it really depends who or what it’s coming from, doesn’t it? Getting a kiss and cuddle from a hungry grizzly bear wouldn’t exactly cheer me up. In the second spot is ‘laughing with others’. No, laughing at others, now that’s much more fun! In at number three is ‘clean sheets’. Of course – who wouldn’t want clean sheets? But only if they’ve been put on the bed by someone else, because the palaver of getting them on…

I’ll always remember the day I became a member of Slimming World. I was terrified. I’d attempted to join two weeks before, but lost my nerve before I’d even got through the door. At 27st 12lb and a size 34, I was convinced I’d be the biggest person there and everyone would laugh at me. I wasn’t even sure their scales would be strong enough to weigh me. But joining that group was the best thing I’ve done – in fact, I think it saved my life. I was born with Blount’s disease, which meant my left leg curved to the right. It was really difficult for me to walk, and I needed three operations, at the ages of six, eight and 12, to straighten it. So, while my classmates…

RED RIDING HOOD If you want to avoid wolves in the forest, always bring a bodyguard! ADDED EGGS-TRA You wanted to make an omelette? Better luck next time! POORLY POOCH When your canine companion is under the weather, there’s only one way to cheer him up. Hopefully he’s feline better now! CATFISH There’s something fishy going on here, but we can’t quite put our paws on it… SCAREDY CAT This big fluff ball has just realised he’s not a kitten any more – we’ve all been there!…

THOUGHT OF THE DAY There comes a time when you must decide whether to turn the page, or close the book. I’m fed up with being alone I am 70 years young and have been divorced since 1975. My heart was so broken that I never got married again. As I get older, I feel increasingly lonely and would love a companion to go on holiday with, or even just out for dinner. I’ve got a lovely niece, but she has her own life and it’s not the same. I would like to find someone, but I’m from the old school of dating and would never go online. How else can I meet someone? Eva, London I understand your fears about going online. If I were in your position, I’d be…

Superfood three-bean and bacon soup Serves 4 PREP: 15 mins COOK: 15 mins Per serving kcals: 351; sat fat: 3g; fat: 10g; carbs: 33g 1tbsp olive oil 6 slices of smoked bacon, cut into chunky pieces 1 onion, roughly chopped Few stalks of rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped 3 x 400g cans of beans (kidney, butter and borlotti), or choose your mix of favourites, drained, rinsed and re-drained 900ml hot chicken stock Handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional) 1 Heat oil in a pan. Add bacon and cook for a few mins, until golden and beginning to crisp. Remove and put to one side. 2 Add onion to the same pan and cook for 1-2 mins until softened. Season with freshly ground black pepper (you shouldn’t need salt,…

Fabric first Ace For Colours Fabric Stain Remover, 1l, major supermarkets, £2 This green goop leaves a lovely aroma and banishes blemishes in a jiffy. Tesco Pre-Wash Oxy Power Stain Remover Spray, 500ml, £1.50 This is great for stubborn, fresh marks, so use ASAP! Morrisons Brights & Whites Active Oxygen Stain Removal Spray, 500ml, £1.42 A clear, bubbly spray with instant effects. Gentle but powerful. Perfect powders Sainsbury’s Stain Remover Powder for Colours, 500g, £2.50 A fine pink soap powder that’s fresh and not too perfumed. Leaves cotton covers clean and bright. Waitrose Essential Coloured Fabric Stain Remover Powder, 500g, £2.55 It has a pleasant aroma and comes with a handy spoon measurer. Erases marks effectively. Asda Oxy Whites Stain Remover Powder, 500g, £2 Leaves your whites glowing and gleaming!…

Stockport-born actress Michelle Keegan, 30, shot to fame playing Tina McIntyre in Corrie from 2008 to 2014. She has been married to TOWIE-starturned- US-TV-presenter Mark Wright since 2015. Hi, Michelle! So we left Georgie in Somalia at the end of season two. What’s happened since? This season, we pick up with Georgie at home with her friends and family, when she gets a call from Captain James asking her to come out to Nepal for a NGO relief mission. She’s still independent – not with Elvis – putting her career first and loving the Army. How is she feeling about Elvis? We join them in Syria where they left things on an even keel. They’re work colleagues, but there’s still love there. Georgie believes they can’t be together, but Elvis…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT As you arrive, you instantly feel you’re in another world. Only 30 miles off the coast of Cornwall, this very British paradise, with its tiny population of just 2,200, is made up of five inhabited islands – St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, Bryher and St Agnes – and a number of others which are deserted. They host an abundance of wildlife and beautiful, subtropical flora and fauna. All the beaches are clean and easily rival the Caribbean in terms of beauty. Everywhere you look, there’s a view to take your breath away. INSIDER’S GUIDE St Mary’s is the biggest and most inhabited island, with the most going on in terms of pubs and restaurants, shops, accommodation and attractions. It’s also the main stop for all the ferries between…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £ 100 OR 3 X £50 PR I ZES Win EVERY WEEK TO ENTER CALL 0900 100 0921 (UK 65ppm)† / 1550 716 022 (ROI 97cpm) † CODE: PUBSTN17680 STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 6 Greatest amount (7) 7 Loft (5) 9 On a single occasion (4) 10 Classes, kinds (10) 11 Lacking strength (5) 12 Peels, or hides, etc (5) 14 Cab! (4) 16 Nobleman (4) 17 Get to one’s feet (5) 18 Tally, concur (5) 22 They offer to serve (10) 25 Tots up (4) 26 Remove sheep’s fleece (5) 27 Closed noisily (7) DOWN 1 Journey of discovery, etc (10) 2 Hit lightly (5) 3 Leave out, fail to do (4) 4 River sailing vessel (5) 5 Agitate, mix with a spoon (4)…

With the clocks going back in just a couple of weeks, which means night basically falling in the middle of the afternoon, the best team were in need of a pick-me-up. And we got it when the bright Rainbow Heart Bear paid a visit to our office last week! He was celebrating the Care Bears’ 35th birthday, and gave us all a nice hug. I’m sure we can all remember having one when we were, ahem, younger… and now you can get your own limited-edition Rainbow Heart Bear for the little ones in your life at selected Tesco stores and from amazon.co.uk. Let’s face it, we could all do with some sunshine in our lives right now, don’t you think? • Please let me know your thoughts, siobhan. wykes@hearst.co.uk…

‘No one should be put on this earth to diet… I have never been on a diet to try to lose weight’ She’s always been as famous for her curves as her indulgent meals - but recently, Nigella Lawson has been looking rather svelte. Yet, rather than starving herself with a boring diet to drop the pounds, she revealed the secret of her amazing body is consuming roast chicken, carbs and martinis! Nigella said, ‘I am frightened of being hungry, and not being able to eat. I love traditional food, and I’m never going to complain about having a pie! Roast chicken is my favourite food. I call our house “the House of Carbs”.’ The 57-year-old, who recently released her 11th cookbook, At My Table: A Celebration Of Home Cooking,…

Kate Middleton should be on top of the world, looking forward to the birth of her third child. But, as we have known for some time, the poor Duchess of Cambridge is anything but ‘blooming’. It’s not just her extreme morning sickness taking its toll, however – friends are apparently concerned that Kate is ‘dreading’ returning to her royal duties after her morning sickness absence. At the time of going to press, Kate was due at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night for a reception with Princes William and Harry, held to honour World Mental Health Day. She is then expected to attend the Women Of The Year Awards on Monday 16 October. But a pal confessed the Duchess had been ‘very edgy and not looking forward to it – when…

October is a good month to quit unhealthy habits, as two really important health initiatives are happening. Stoptober is Public Health England’s challenge to quit smoking for a month, while Go Sober For October is a fundraising challenge by Macmillan Cancer Support. Which one will boost your health, now and in the long-term? MANAGEABLE TARGETS If you can stop smoking for 28 days, you are five times more likely to quit for good. The beauty of trying the 28-day challenge is that it feels achievable to concentrate on quitting just for four weeks – but, once they hit the target, many quitters keep going, building on their success. Sign up to the Stoptober 2017 daily emails for support, or download the Stoptober app. POSSIBLE PREVENTION We all know that smoking…

Clever coat Layer up with a statement style – oversized is super-flattering! Bravo bodycon Opt for a shape with hidden ruching to flatter your figure. TAP THE APP The Bonprix app lets you set payment reminders to make your retail therapy a little bit easier. Make it mini A shorter length is perfect for petites. Floaty frock Choose a chiffon dress that pulls in at the waist.…

1 Experts are suggesting that a plant-focused diet, made up of vegetables, whole grains and just a small amount of lean protein, is the best eating plan for body and brain health. In tests carried out by researchers in the US on 200,000 health care workers, it was found that eating this way long-term helped them lose weight and stay lean, while helping to keep their memories and minds sharp. 2 The key is to follow the right type of vegetarian-based diet – one loaded with good plant food sources like whole grains, nuts, seeds and fruit, rather than one that relies on starchy white bread and pasta. Test subjects who stuck closest to the plan were least likely to suffer health problems, stayed slimmer and had more energy. 3…

‘People even mistake us for each other’ Kim Clarke, 45, from Tamworth, Staffordshire. ‘“You look exactly alike,” smiled a handsome 20-something man, sidling up to me and Alex at the bar. “Are you sisters?” But while I smiled broadly, Alex looked shocked. I can’t blame her, because not only is she my daughter, we were out celebrating her 18th birthday! ‘Alex is my youngest girl and, now 24, she has a daughter of her own, Orla, two. Along with my first-born, 27-year-old Leigh’s two children, Owyn, seven, and Eliza, two, I’m a grandmother of three, so being mistaken for a 20-something is a wonderful confidence boost. ‘When I was younger, my mum, Rita, taught me the importance of cleansing, toning and moisturising every night. I definitely have her to thank…

Dinner in a dash! Posh ready meals don’t have to come with a hefty price tag, thanks to Aldi. The new Specially Selected Ready Meals include Macaroni Cheese, £3.99, Beef Stroganoff, £4.89, and our favourite, Beef Bourguignon, £4.89, which has tender beef in a rich sauce. Paul’s icing on the cake Thanks to our fave GBBO judge, you can become a star baker! With his new pouches, whip up icing, drizzles or sauces in no time. The Salted Carmel Icing Mix, £2.09, will transform a humble cake into a showstopper. SHELLFISH DELIGHT Exotic tastes If you fancy stepping out of your curry comfort zone, give M&S Taste Sri Lanka King Prawn Curry, £4.50, a try. This spicy coconut curry is topped with roasted potatoes, red peppers and juicy king prawns…

...her last visit to New York I did a lot of shopping. There, I bought safety-pin earrings – they’re very punk. Now I have a tattoo, I have to accessorise! I got it two years ago as a complete surprise on my birthday. My daughter said, ‘Are you game?’ and I said, ‘You bet.’ I thought it can’t possibly be painful, as there was a person having their entire leg done. I thought, ‘Well, I can’t complain.’ …life as an older actress I think you’re fortunate if you are employed – it really is a question of luck. I just want to go on working. I don’t want to hear that word ‘retire’. I’m sick of that question – and sick of being called a national treasure, too! …her view…

WIN! A TRIP FOR 2 WORTH £2,000 Now it’s really getting colder, you might already be thinking ahead to next year’s holiday; but why start flicking through the brochures when you could enter our fab competition for a week away for two to Ibiza? Thanks to Neutrodol, the fresh air specialists, you could win a trip to Port de Sant Miguel, a small beach resort on the north coast of the island. A world away from the buzzing nightclubs of San Antonio, Port de Sant Miguel was once a fishing village, where you can find one of the most sheltered beaches on Ibiza, nestled in a cove, surrounded by pine-covered cliffs. You’ll be close to souvenir shops as well as bars and restaurants, including Port Balansat, heralded by many as…

1 ANIMAL CRACKERS If you needed a reason to love Dermot O’Leary even more, then we think we’ve found it. He’s mad about animals! Not only is the 44-year-old X Factor host smitten with Digby, This Morning’s new dog, but he’s also written a children’s book called Toto The Ninja Cat, inspired by his own blind cat, also called Toto. We wonder if Dermot would read it to us as a bedtime story? You’re hired! Heidi, Christine and Catherine give an über-chic twist on traditional boardroom attire 2 Who wowed the crowd? Our celebs mean business this week, so power dressing is a must! While Heidi Klum, 44, and Christine Lampard, 38, both opted for skinny cigarette styles, Corrie actress Catherine Tyldesley, 34, chose wide tailored trousers, teamed with a…

Yes, WAGs (wives and girlfriends of footballers) enjoy the kind of perks your average woman doesn’t – oodles of money, fame, a big house and multiple holidays, to name just a few. But if some of our most famous WAGs are anything to go by, these so-called ‘charmed’ lives of theirs are, for different reasons, perhaps not everything they’re cracked up to be. Now these ladies look to be taking matters into their own hands... LOUISE REDKNAPP Building on Strictly fame with new show Talk about a turnaround! Only a year after pledging not to wear revealing outfits on Strictly ‘out of respect’ for her husband, Louise Redknapp, 42, is wearing super-skimpy costumes as the leading lady in a smokinghot production of Cabaret. Former Eternal member Louise and husband Jamie…

Losing a large amount of weight is a life-changing feat, but it can leave an unfortunate legacy – excess skin. Here’s how to deal with the after-effects of weight loss TIGHTEN THOSE ARMS A surgical arm lift, or brachioplasty, is the best option for loose, excess skin under the arms. An incision is made from the armpit down to the elbow to remove skin, leaving scarring on the underside of the arm. Sometimes, if there is a small amount of excess skin, the incision can be shortened. It’s performed under general anaesthetic and you will need to rest for at least two weeks. Compression garments are also worn for up to six weeks, and scarring can take up to a year to fade. From £5,000. TUMMY TROUBLES No amount of…

‘The judges need to hold back a bit. We’ve got a long way to go before Christmas!’ PERILS OF THE JOB I felt for poor Aston when he dropped Janette on her head during training! It happened to me with Sophie Ellis-Bextor. We were practising a move, but Sophie landed on her head and almost got concussion. But these are the risks if you refuse to play it safe in your routine – so respect to Aston and Janette. Seeing stars Having stars like Sheridan Smith on the show is brilliant, especially when you meet them! When Lady Gaga came on, she was so down to earth. Beyoncé came with a massive entourage, but I’m pretty sure we had a ‘moment’ in the corridor. She definitely looked into my eyes…

As the temperature dips, give wild birds a helping hand in the garden with expert advice from the RSPB Wild life special FEED THE BIRDS! Not all birds eat the same so, if you can, it’s a good idea to offer a variety of foods. For example, sparrows and finches like seeds, tits enjoy fat, while thrushes and robins like fruit and worms. Peanuts are rich in fat, popular with many birds and a great source of food in winter. Check out the RSPB website* for a list of birds that can enjoy these nuts. Fat balls and other fat-based bird food bars are also excellent during the winter. You can make your own – just avoid using cooking fat that has been blended with meat juices, as this can…

Years ago, if you wanted to buy a lip product, your choice would be limited to gloss, lipsticks and balms. Nowadays, there’s a nearendless array of formulas and finishes to choose from. But where do you start? Find your ideal match here… 1 The liquid lip Applied like a gloss, liquid lippie has more staying power than your traditional lipstick. The pointed sponge tip allows for better precision, too, so you won’t miss any corners. To avoid it bleeding, use a lip liner and don’t overload the applicator. The liquid formula lends itself to matte and even metallic finishes that don’t look old-fashioned. e.l.f. Liquid Matte Lipstick, £6, comes in strong colours, but without the tacky finish. 2 The wet balm Similar to a tinted balm but infused with even…

63p PER PORTION Veggie shepherd’s pie I love this dish – the secret is in the Marmite, which gives it a ‘meatier’ vibe. And using frozen veg makes this the perfect midweek meal without the fuss. PER SERVING CALS 399 FAT 11.7g SERVES 4 750g white potatoes, peeled and quartered 1tbsp salt 1tbsp butter 100ml milk 1 onion, diced 2tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, sliced 200g frozen diced vegetables 130g frozen broad beans 125ml tinned tomatoes ½ vegetable stock cube 1tbsp Marmite 1tbsp cornflour 150g spinach 1 Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with water, add the salt and simmer for 12 mins. Once done, add the butter and milk, and mash. 2 While the potatoes are cooking, fry the onion for 5 mins in the oil, then…

Tony Cowell BEST’S CELEB INSIDER TALKS TO BRIAN McFADDEN As part of Irish boy band Westlife, Brian McFadden has enjoyed a whopping 13 UK No.1 singles. Now he’s preparing to tour as Boyzlife, alongside Keith Duffy, formerly of rival boy band Boyzone. Brian, 37, has two daughters, Molly and Lilly-Sue, with first wife Kerry Katona, and split from second wife, model Vogue Williams, in 2015. Here, he tells us how he’s loved-up with his new girlfriend, PE teacher Danielle Parkinson, and about his excitement at touring with Boyzlife… How did the idea for Boyzlife come about? It was all Keith’s idea. We’ve been pals for a long time. Our characters in Westlife and Boyzone were kind of similar, too. We go on stage, sing our hits and tell some great…