Table of contents for 8 - 2018 in Best

For me, music and films go together like tea and biscuits. I have lost count of the times I’ve watched movies like The Godfather, Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Saturday Night Fever and, more recently, La La Land. So when I read that a full orchestra was playing live at a screening of Disney’s Beauty And The Beast, I was there. And I wasn’t disappointed. As the fairy-tale flick began to play, so did the orchestra. It was pure magic! I saw it at the Royal Festival Hall in London, where it returns in September, but it’s currently on a nationwide tour. For more details, visit ticketmaster.co.uk • Please let me know your thoughts, siobhan.wykes@hearst.co.uk…

Birds of a feather flock together, so the saying goes. But when it comes to their weight, it seems best friends Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson have been flying in totally different directions of late. Loose Women panellist Linda has ditched her beloved wine, adopted a sugar-free diet and taken up regular exercise. ‘I’ve given up wine,’ the 59-year-old admitted. ‘I’ve exercised. I’ve been to a bounce class. I’ve been to Barry’s Bootcamp and I’ve lost two-and-a-half stone.’ Instead of her old size 16-18 clothes, Linda confirms she is now a slim size 12-14. But, while the grandmother-of-two is looking fantastic, her friend and co-star in the legendary sitcom Birds Of A Feather has sparked concerns over her worrying weight gain. Recently spotted leaving a London theatre in a baggy…

Down-to-earth Essex-born Jo Joyner, best known for playing feisty Tanya Branning in EastEnders, lives near Stratford-upon-Avon, and is proud mum to eight-year-old twins, Fred and Edie, with husband Neil Madden. As Tanya, she married Max, divorced him, and was set to marry her toy-boy handyman Greg before ditching him at the altar. In her latest role, Jo, 40, finds herself in yet another wedding dress – and you get the feeling it’s not going to end well! In Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators, a new BBC One daytime detective drama set in Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratfordupon- Avon, she plays rookie sleuth Lu Shakespeare, who joins forces with private investigator Frank Hathaway (Mark Benton) to solve crimes ranging from extra-marital affairs to murder! Hi, Jo! Shakespeare & Hathaway looks brilliant! Was it…

THE WAY I SEE IT... Wise words from our feisty, fearless and funny columnist ‘This week, I want to devote my column to thanking a woman called Ethel Leather. Ethel is 93 and has come up with the simple but genius idea of having her funeral party before she shuffles off, so she can be there to enjoy it. Brilliant. No sad faces – everybody wins. I wish I’d thought of it. I’ve often pondered on what to do funeral and wake-wise for myself – then I think, what’s the point? I won’t even be there. But I know what it’s like to have to make those arrangements for others whose wishes weren’t known. So, while I quite like the idea of people getting misty-eyed as they remember how adorable…

Parents are supposed to love and protect their children at all costs but, sadly, that isn’t always the situation. In the wake of horrific cases like Josef Fritzl and his daughter Elisabeth, another sickening tale of abuse, torture and captivity has come to light. On 14 January 2018, in Perris, California, the police received a call from a distressed teenage girl. She’d managed to escape from her home through a bedroom window and, using a mobile phone she’d found inside the house, the girl bravely called the police. When officers arrived at the four-bedroom house, they were shocked at what they were confronted with. The girl, along with her 12 siblings, aged between two and 29, were being held captive and desperately needed help. The police were stunned by the…

TAP THE APP Hair Colour Lab lets you try hundreds of colours and share the results on social media. Free for iPhone and Android. A massive 67 per cent of us in the UK dye our hair on a regular basis* and, with salon prices always on the rise, the search is on for products that can help us do a similarly satisfactory job at home. We all want our hair colour to look more fresh and vibrant for longer, so we’ve tracked down the latest buys to hit the shops, to make sure you achieve your best hair day yet. 1 FOOLPROOF DYE From allergy worries to staining, home hair colouring hasn’t always been at the top of the list of enjoyable beauty routines. Clairol took this into account…

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Pursue what makes your heart sing, but take your brain with you! My partner really hates my dog... I have a lovely new boyfriend, but there’s one problem – he hates my pet dog, Monty. He complains about the fact that, on the nights we’re not together, I let Monty sleep on the bed. He isn’t allergic, so I truly don’t see what the issue is. What do you think? Am I the one overreacting? Lynette, Glasgow It’s a bit like ‘love me, love my dog’, isn’t it?! My dogs are like children to me. I love them so much, but I never let them sleep on my bed. I know many of my friends and family do, but it’s not for me. I don’t see why…

Fame, fortune, natural beauty and a hot hubby – Emma Willis’s life looks pretty perfect. But, as she revealed recently, it took hard work to get there. At one point, she was so skint that she considered jacking in TV presenting and moving back in with her parents. Emma worked as a model aged 17, and revealed that, the following year, a casting agent reduced her to tears by saying she was ‘too fat’. ‘I wasn’t fat,’ she said. ‘I was just normal with a round face!’ Then, in 2002, she landed a job as an MTV presenter, aged 26. But it wasn’t until her mid- 30s, when she began hosting the spin-off show for Channel 5’s revamped Big Brother, that her career took off. The 41-year-old admitted, ‘It’s not…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT For years, Jamestown was believed to have been submerged by Virginia’s James River. But archaeologist Bill Kelso was fixated on discovering where the English had landed in the New World – certain that it wasn’t where experts believed, but more inland. In 1994, he unearthed muskets, pots and bones of the settlers. Since then, the site has grown into a huge archeological dig. Even the Queen has visited the site. ‘I was worried she’d ask for everything back,’ Bill joked. ‘So, I was going to tell her, “Finders keepers.”’ The history of the settlement is both magical – it inspired Disney’s Pocahontas (or Matoaka as the Native American princess was known) – and macabre. There is evidence that when the first feisty band of women arrived in the…

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Jo’s twins, Fred and Edie, eight, are the children she thought she might never have. Jo and Neil had struggled for four years to conceive naturally. They eventually turned to IVF and Jo fell pregnant at the first attempt. ‘It’s a miracle, really,’ she said when her children were born. The actress quit EastEnders when the kids were three to spend more time being a mum, something she admits to loving most in the world. ‘We would love more kids,’ she admitted. ‘But we’re just going to leave it in the lap of the gods – which hasn’t done much so far. ‘You have a luck pot in life and we’re very grateful for the IVF we had. I don’t want to push it.’…

Dynamic duster A lighter style is perfect for spring. Blue times two Don’t be afraid to double your denim this season… Show-off statement Give your jacket the edge with a unique fabric or colour. Return of the mac You can’t beat a classic style, and a tie-up will fake a waist. TOP TIP Add a twist of French chic style with personalised offers using the La Redoute app.…

Job-related stress is common, affecting more than half a million people a year in the UK. Sometimes it’s down to the pressure of too much work, or it can be due to colleagues. Then, of course, certain jobs are just emotionally draining. Whatever the cause, there are ways to protect yourself and stop your job from making you ill. BATCH-COOK MEALS It can seem impossible in a working week to ensure you eat healthy evening meals, so plan and cook dinners ahead when you have time at the weekend. Batch-cooking involves making large quantities of food and freezing it in portions. Then, good food will be ready in your freezer for when you arrive home tired and hungry. SWITCH OFF Think about a regular digital detox. Whether it’s work messages,…

HOW IT WORKS 1 One reason we find it hard to keep off the weight we lose is that once our body gets used to a weight, it doesn’t like to change it – and so it does the best it can to help you put that weight back on. It’ll subconsciously stop you from moving as much and will release more of the hormones that make you hungry. 2 The stop-start plan prevents this. You lose a little bit of weight steadily over two to four weeks. When you get to a loss of 7lb, you stop for four weeks and just aim to maintain your weight with healthy eating habits like filling half your plate with vegetables and the other half with two fist-sized portions of carbs and…

CORONATION STREET There are emotional scenes as Aidan and Carla recover in hospital. Liz takes Eileen out to lunch and, tongue loosened by booze, tries to warn her about Phelan. Billy hides the truth of his struggle with painkillers. EASTENDERS There is more friction between Martin and Stacey, and he confides in Sonia that he wants a divorce. Mick returns from Manchester and discovers suspicious goings-on at the Vic. EMMERDALE Tracy is horrified when Phil reveals he knows about her past as a prostitute. Robert and Aaron both suffer from the green-eyed monster, and Ross is in a dark place at the hospital.…

Sherrie Hewson, 67, has starred in Coronation Street, Crossroads and Emmerdale, as well as serving as a Loose Women panellist. A former CBB contestant, she now plays Joyce Temple-Savage in Benidorm. What has been your favourite moment to date on set? In the last series, it was probably when Monty asked Joyce to marry him and she said yes. I thought that was one of the loveliest moments, but there have been so many. My favourite moment from the new series is Lesley’s outfit for Joyce’s wedding… I’ll just leave it there! Do you remember your first day on set? I absolutely do, because I felt like the new girl at school! I was very nervous, but everybody was so sweet. Seeing Tim Healy dressed as Lesley for the very…

The shocking mystery of the beautiful Hollywood actress who drowned, aged 43, after a night on a yacht with her TV star husband and their famous friend is back in the headlines. Natalie Wood, the former child star once called ‘the most beautiful teenager in the world’ had been nominated for three Oscars by the age of 25. But, on 29 November 1981, she was found floating face down in the sea off Catalina Island in California. At the time, her death was ruled accidental. It was thought she’d slipped while trying to leave the yacht, Splendour – owned by her husband, Robert Wagner – to climb into a dinghy. Wagner later wrote, ‘If I’d been there, I could have done something. I wasn’t. I lost a woman I loved.’…

When the tragic news broke that actress Kim Cattrall’s younger brother, Chris, had passed away, condolences flooded in. Among them, Kim’s former Sex And The City colleague, Sarah Jessica Parker (SJP) tweeted words of sympathy. However, Kim, 61, didn’t take too kindly to Sarah’s tweet and she slammed the 52-year-old by saying, ‘Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now. Let me make this VERY clear (If I haven’t already)… You are not my friend. So I’m writing to tell you… stop exploiting our tragedy in order to restore your “nice girl” persona.’ Ouch! While bereavement has likely contributed to Kim’s sensitivity and outburst, it was still shockingly fierce. A feud had allegedly been simmering between the two for the past…

The news of a royal baby boom put smiles on a lot of faces, not least the Queen’s – she is said to be ‘delighted’! Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, is due to deliver her third baby with husband Prince William in April. But there may be two little people who aren’t quite so happy about the expansion of the family – Prince George and Princess Charlotte. When Kate’s baby is born, future king George will be four, but Charlotte, who the Queen revealed bosses her big brother around, will be about to turn three – her birthday is on 2 May. She will be the prime age for having her nose put out of joint by a new baby sibling, who will be demanding more of Mum and Dad’s…

TOP TIP Mix up your stripes. Choose vertical for parts of your figure you want to flatter. TOP TIP Don’t stick to straight lines, use diagonal stripes to create curves. TOP TIP Horizontal stripes can flatter, just choose styles that skim and don’t cling!…

‘If there’s one th ing I’ve learnt’ ‘Love is about chemistry – you’ve either got it or you haven’t!’ Another Saturday night, another cosy evening in… with the cat. Now, I love Patches, but her conversation skills are somewhat limited. I’ve been single for 10 years, since my divorce from my kids’ dad. There’ve been a few adventures along the way, but nothing that’s lasted. Working full-time as a PR manager for a charity, and focusing on my son and daughter, means there hasn’t been much time to worry about me. But, with Josh in his first year at university and Lauren hoping to go later this year, I’ve decided it’s time to put myself first. But how exactly do you find love in your 50s? Friends are always saying…

With DANCING ON ICE’S MATT FEMALE FINALISTS? It’s a shame but, this year, we don’t seem to have a girl in the competition that is as strong as Jake, Max or Kem. It’s the luck of the draw, though. The men seem to be knocking it out of the park – it’s definitely shaping up to be an all-male final! We’ve had some amazing female finalists over the years, but you can only ever guess at a celebrity’s potential on the ice. Either way, the final will still be incredible. GOD LOVES A TRIER I do love Brooke Vincent. She isn’t a natural skater, but she tries so hard. She’s been flat-out, too, between skating and Corrie – she told me the other day she has 60 scenes to shoot…

We know how stress can damage our well-being, but it also has a detrimental effect on our skin. Here’s how to restore some calm and order to your complexion. CALM SKIN DOWN WITH A HYDRAFACIAL Dehydration, dullness, fatigue and uneven skin tone are all signs you’re stressed. HydraFacial is a unique non-invasive six-step medical facial, which delivers an immediate radiance boost. Combining cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, hydration and antioxidant protection, as well as red light therapy, all in one session, it is clinically proven to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and enlarged pores – leaving the complexion instantly brighter and tighter. The whole experience lasts around 75 minutes. From £120. PEEL AWAY STRESS SPOTS The stress hormone cortisol can increase oil production, which can cause blocked pores and spots.…

Grim-faced, my sons Nathan and Joshua sat me down on the living room sofa. ‘Dad, you haven’t been yourself for weeks,’ said Nathan. ‘What’s wrong?’ I took a deep breath. ‘I’ve been diagnosed as transgender,’ I replied nervously. There, I’d said what I’d wanted to tell my boys for years – that their dad had been born a man, but was meant to be a woman. They were both shocked, but hugged me and told me they loved me no matter what. Although it was a relief to tell my sons who I really was, it was the end of my life as I knew it. Soon afterwards, my wife of 22 years asked me to leave, and I was medically discharged from the fire service after 28 years. I…

…returning to play troubled detective Marcella It’s an amazing opportunity. It’s a study of a woman on the edge of a nervous breakdown, while holding down a really full-on job. She seems to be holding it together on the outside but, on the inside, she’s a mess. …getting back into character As soon as the fringe was cut back in and my hair was pulled back into the ponytail, I was like, ‘Oooh she’s back!’ It wasn’t difficult, but you do have to put yourself into a dark space to play her. I remember one day coming into work and it was really sunny, thinking, ‘Oh, I’m so happy...’ but had to quickly forget my mood and get into the mind space of Marcella. …playing tortured roles I do seem…

Award-winning funny-woman Jenny Eclair, 57, is perhaps best known for being a Grumpy Old Woman, both on TV and stage. As the comedian embarks on her new tour, she talks life, laughs and why she finally married her partner of 35 years, Geoff Powell, with whom she has 29-yearold daughter Phoebe, who is an actress. You were born in Malaysia, then brought up in the UK – what was your childhood like? Very, very happy. I’m extremely lucky because my parents taught me the importance of loyalty, duty, love and laughter. I feel blessed to have someone like my partner, Geoff, and my daughter, Phoebe, who I love and adore; the only thing I haven’t got is a dachshund. I’d like one of those! You got married last year, after…

Win EVERY WEEK WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £ 100 OR 3 X £50 PR I ZES STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 8 On the other side (8)9 Level of sound (6)10 Needing immediate attention (6)11 Business associates (8)12 Fire remnants (5)13 Touches (5)14 Selfie, e.g. (5)16 Rubbish, waste (5)18 Shatter glass, etc. (5)20 Adder, e.g. (5)25 Three-sided figure (8)26 Round shape (6)27 A season (6)28 Taken into custody (8) DOWN 1 Musical dramas (6)2 Activity (8)3 Elevators (5)4 Holds on to (5)5 Each and all (5)6 Quick glimpse (6)7 Portable rain shield (8)15 Funny (American) (8)17 Have opposite qualities (8)19 Memorial sculpture (6)21 Assassin (6)22 Getting older (5)23 Initiated (5)24 Creepy, spooky (5) CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS 8 Pope is to turn out as contrary (8)9 Love, Um? Could be in…