Table of contents for 21-2020 in Best

London-born superstar Adele showed off her ever-shrinking figure in an Instagram post last week, as she celebrated her 32nd birthday, quarantine-style. The star made a splash across the world by posting a snap in an LBD that showed off her slim legs and tiny waist. She wrote, ‘Thank you for the birthday love. I hope you’re all staying safe and sane during this crazy corona time. I’d like to thank all of our first responders and essential key workers who are keeping safe while risking their lives! You are truly our angels… x’ But it was less her message and more her appearance that fans were so excited about. ‘Incredible’, ‘Wow!’ and ‘You go girl’ were just some of the thousands of comments. After losing a whopping 7st, the mum-of-one…

TOP TIP! Long layers worn over jeans can make you look bulky. The key is choosing something sheer or lightweight that is semi-fitted.…

During the past few weeks, my doorstep has become a foodbank, a job centre, a library, a charity shop and a doctor’s surgery. I have peeled filthy trousers from a weeping leg ulcer and dressed the wound. I have phoned the Universal Credit hotline to find out why someone has been sanctioned for not looking for work. I have topped up phones, bought electricity credit, rummaged around for old bedsheets, and responded to the constant calls on the phone and at the door, which often start with the words: ‘I didn’t know where else to turn’. I am a vicar. My flock are turning to me and I suppose you could say, with the current pandemic, I have never felt more needed – or more helpless. At 32, a woman…

Wire-free bra experts Royce Lingerie are giving away the ultimate in ‘lockdown lingerie’, featuring some of the most comfortable and supportive bras around in a varying range of sizes**. One winner will win a bundle which includes the new two-way Blossom Support bra, a stylish Maisie set, a pretty Luella set, a super soft Supreme Comfort bra, and an Impact Free sports bra – collectively worth over £180, plus a £150 voucher to spend online at royce-lingerie.co.uk. Shop the range and get remote fitting advice at royce-lingerie.co.uk. For how to enter, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at hearstmagazines.co.uk/best2120 by 5 June 2020. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2710 by midnight on 5 June 2020. Calls cost 30p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access…

CLEAR OUT YOUR COMPLEXION Try a gentle weekly exfoliator to lift dull, dead skin cells. This will help deep-clean pores and control breakouts – but don’t use a harsh scrub, as you’ll damage the skin. • Look out for: Pixi Glow Tonic, £10, is a liquid exfoliant with glycolic acid, aloe vera and ginseng. Soak a cotton pad with the product and wipe over your face at night. • Make one yourself: Oatmeal and baking soda have exfoliating properties, which can remove dead skin cells and unclog pores. Mix 2tsp oatmeal with 1tsp baking soda. Slowly add a few drops of water to create a paste. Gently massage the paste over your cleansed face and let it dry. Wash off with warm water and apply a moisturiser. GIVE LAVENDER SOME…

MY PUP IS SO HYPER! My little Dachshund normally has the most Zen-like of dispositions. But a bit like myself and my husband, he seems to be feeling overwhelmed since lockdown. He gets more park walks than usual, but he’s also not used to us being home, hearing TV and conversation all day. We’ve never had any behavioural issues – he’s two – but suddenly he’s all over the place, totally hyper. Can I calm him down? Louise, Sunderland Just like the rest of us, your pet is well aware that all is not as it used to be. Luckily for him, the change is overwhelmingly positive. You’re around. He’s lavished with attention, and thoroughly enjoying all the park walks. Of course he’s excited. He’s having a ball! Eventually, he’ll…

Do the can, can! If you fancy limiting your wine intake but still want to enjoy a glass, then pick up Private Beach Sparkling Rosé, £8.99 for a pack of 4, available from Laithwaite’s. It’s fresh, fruity and really easy to drink, making you feel like you are enjoying a holiday tipple in the safety of your garden. Crisps with a kick! If you’re enjoying a movie in the back garden (see p68), and fancy a snack, consider new KettleThai Sweet Chilli, £1.99. The exotic spices, fiery heat and gentle sweetness go well with a cooling dip and a cold beer. Breakfast bakes! Nothing beats a freshly baked pastry at breakfast! The good news is thanks to M&S, you can pick up a bag of your favourites in the freezer…

0-8 ‘STOP WHINING AND FIND SOMETHING TO DO!’ You’ve served up the kind of calamity Carson never would. Did you pay attention at all when the show was on TV?! 9-15 ‘DON’T BE DEFEATIST DEAR, IT’S VERY-MIDDLE-CLASS!’ You gave it your best shot but your Abbey knowledge is like a butler with a bad drinking habit – wobbly! Time to download some Downton to catch up. 16-20 ‘ALL THIS UNBRIDLED JOY HAS GIVEN ME QUITE AN APPETITE!’ You are most certainly down with all things Downton! You know every plot line, character and actor. You truly deserve your place among Downton’s nobility!…

I always wanted to be a florist. I found my love of flowers through my grandma. Her garden was a riot of colourful flowers. She would arrange the blooms she’d nurtured into impressive displays. I liked to watch her weave her magic: trimming leaves, snapping off sharp thorns. Her arrangements were amazing. Some were refined, poised and taut. Others were jolly, vibrant and wild. Flowers are important, complex. They’re there at the beginning and the end: a new birth, the last farewell and every joyful or difficult time in between. I have some regular customers. Men who buy their wives flowers on Friday evenings, an apology for a week of late nights at the office, women who buy on a Saturday morning, prepping their homes for dinner parties. My favourite…

TV and radio presenter Vanessa Feltz had always struggled with her weight. But that all changed for good, it seems, after a gastric band, fitted in 2010 (which saw her lose 4st), caused the 58-year-old such health problems that she ended up having a gastric bypass last January - and then shed over 3st in three months. More than a year on, she’s looking even trimmer! According to dietician Helen Bond (helenbond.co.uk), Vanessa has gone potentially from a size 20 at her largest to a size 10-12 now. Just how do you do that, when you’re on lockdown and food is one of the biggest joys remaining in life?! Our columnist tells us all… ‘It’s a mixture of the bypass and anxiety!’ You’re looking tiny, Vanessa, what’s your secret? Well, a…

Strawberry puff-pastry tartlets A pretty assembly pudding with just four ingredients – great when you don’t have much time. Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes 100g ready-rolled light puff pastry8 tsp fat-free natural fromage frais8 small fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced½ level tsp icing sugar 1 Preheat your oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. Cut out 4 hearts (measuring 8cm x 8cm) from the pastry – you can make a template from card or use a heart-shaped cutter. Using a sharp knife, score a ¼cm border around the edges, being careful not to cut through the pastry. 2 Line a baking tray with baking paper and put the pastry hearts on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until risen and golden. Leave to cool and then press down the centres…

In April, in the UK the sale of baking goods was the fastest growing category during lockdown, which was up by a whopping 49.3 per cent. Banana breads, scones, fancy focaccia – they’ve been all the rage while people are self-isolating due to Coronavirus. I can understand the demand and the joy that it brings people, but baking isn’t a recent fad for me. In fact, it’s my livelihood… I can remember as a little girl being mesmerised by the amazing cakes and butterfly buns my grandma Nellie could make. She’d survived wartime rations, so nothing went to waste, and she made a mean rice pudding, too! As I grew, I enjoyed baking, but didn’t think I had the same flair for it that she did. Even when I’d married…

I’VE FALLEN FOR A WOMAN… As far as I’m concerned, I’ve been straight all my life. I was married to a man for nearly 20 years, and before that only ever dated men. Since a rather bitter divorce last year, I’ve found myself much more attracted to women – and I’ve actually fallen for my personal trainer, who is a woman, and we had started seeing each other before lockdown. Now, I’m wondering if there was always another side to my sexuality – or if my divorce has affected the way I see men? I’m worried about telling my children I’ve been seeing a woman, as I never dreamed I’d be having this conversation! What should I do? Jill, Kent MANDY SAYS: Lucky you! You have come out of a…

Fresh Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Pasta I do enjoy a good pasta dish, especially if it’s as summery and fresh as this one. It uses the barest of ingredients, and is very quick – perfect for a midweek meal. If you can’t find mozzarella ‘pearls’, a good ball of mozzarella ripped up will do the trick. PER SERVING CALS 400 FAT 22.75g SERVES 4 300g penne pasta6 tbsp olive oil2 cloves garlic, sliced125g baby plum tomatoes, sliced in half Seasoning125g mozzarella ‘pearls’7g (a small bunch) of basil leaves, ripped 1 Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water till just cooked then reserve, including a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid. 2 Pour all the olive oil into a frying pan along with the garlic and start to heat. Just…

EACH KIT INCLUDES: • 300g of Bernat Baby Blanket Yarn • Several metres of black yarn for facial features • 8mm crochet hook • 5mm crochet hook • 200g of stuffing • Detailed pattern TO GET YOUR KIT VISIT MAKERSSUPERSTORE.COM/BESTKNITS *TERMS & CONDITIONS: Offer open whilst stocks last. Price does not include postage cost of £4.95 for all UK orders. Although product is usually dispatched within 48 hours, in periods of high demand please allow up to 10 working days for delivery. Please refer to makerssuperstore.com for full terms and conditions and policies.…

The sun-soaked drama stars Laura Haddock, a librarian who flies out to Ibiza, after the body of her long-disappeared brother is discovered. Angela Griffin plays Anna Connor. Tell us a bit about your character, Anna? She’s left her husband after 25 years, but she likes his adoration, so she keeps him where she wants him. She’s narcissistic. Normally, I’m the down-to-earth northerner, but there’s nothing of me in Anna. It wasn’t easy to do, but I loved it. Doesn’t she run sex parties?! Yes, it’s a high-class business. This is satisfying their senses and she’s unapologetic about it. Filming the sex party was the weirdest first day I’ve ever had on any show. You’re phoning the kids up and they ask, ‘Did you have a nice day at work?’ and…

When he made his TV debut last winter from South Africa, Love Island’s cheeky chappy Callum Jones had no idea he was on the last series for at least a year… Looking back at his time on the popular show, he recalls coming in for a storm of criticism for dumping Shaughna Phillips and waltzing off with new love, Molly Smith. Since leaving the show, the two have moved in together and are spending lockdown in their cosy Manchester flat. Despite the backlash, Callum – a former scaffolder – has no regrets and says he and his model girlfriend Molly, 25, couldn’t be happier and now they are talking babies. Here, Callum, 23, opens up about love, cooking, and life after Love Island… Firstly, how do you feel about this summer’s Love Island being cancelled? I…

TAURUS 21 April – 21 May A positive outlook will help Taureans such as If I Could Turn Back Time singer Cher, and The Great British Bake Off co-presenter Noel Fielding, to recognise opportunities they may otherwise have missed. It’s the quiet pleasures that will bring the greatest happiness and a sense of calm to you. CANCER 22 June – 23 July Everyone seems to need your help or advice. Friends expect you to be there for them but spreading yourself too thin will exhaust you. You can’t be in two places at the same time. Make those who have been helpful and loyal to you a priority. Use your imagination to help people find solutions to their problems. LIBRA 24 September – 23 October A funding application will be…

WHICH CELEBRITY WOULD YOU LOVE TO BE IN LOCKDOWN WITH? Kate Beckinsale, she’s so funny. We could be silly, and jump up and down on our Rebounders together… WHAT FOOD OR DRINK IS YOUR GO-TO RIGHT NOW? Peanut butter and rosé wine. That classic combination! WHAT CAN YOU NOT WAIT TO DO WHEN THIS IS OVER? Hug my dad. It makes me cry! I haven’t hugged him since his heart op, and I’m desperate to.…

‘Talking to a friend the other day on a video call, her husband walked into shot – and I did a double-take. He looked great. Healthy, trim, wide-eyed, the quarantine was obviously suiting him. Mark, my husband, is the same. He’s lost over a stone since house arrest. He looks the healthiest he’s looked since I met him, although I’m not sure what that says about me. I’ll stick with the “fatter = happier” line, if you don’t mind. My friend, on the other hand, has put on weight. And so have I. When I came back from my well-timed holiday at the end of February, I had put on a few pounds but lost them, despite being able to go to the pub and to restaurants–which we didn’t, as…

TOP TIP! Mix in sea salt to create an invigorating scrub.…

Health grills Tefal Super Grill 2-in-1, £84.99 (argos.co.uk) This grill scored top marks for cooking burgers, chicken and vegetables. Meat had a perfect sear and remained moist inside. It took around 4:40 minutes to heat up, which isn’t the fastest time we saw, but is still fairly swift. Heat coverage was even across the whole surface. We think it’s a great choice for both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. 93/100 George Foreman Entertaining Grill, £66.89 (amazon.co.uk) This comes with a flat deep-pan grill plate to enable you to cook foods you normally wouldn’t on a grill. It coped well with burgers, chicken breasts and mixed vegetables, with fairly even browning across the grill plates. It was good that the grill angle can easily be altered to suit what you’re cooking. 82/100…

‘Time spent on ourselves helps to unlock the internal look-bad/feel-bad cycle, and can boost our self-esteem,’ says Noella Gabriel, co-founder of Elemis. ‘That cared-for feeling empowers you and is super-motivating.’ Plus, small changes reap big rewards when it comes to your body. It’s time to love the skin you’re in! Fake it yourself Skin softening soak Take a too-hot bath and it can dry out your skin, but get the temperature and the products right and you can be left with soft limbs. The key is coconut milk, highly moisturising and, when combined with sensitive skin-friendly oats, it will make a soothing bath. Run a warm bath and add half a cup of coconut milk, half a cup oats and 1tbsp honey, and mix well before taking a dip. Rinse…

‘WHAT I’M GRATEFUL FOR…’ We’re all different, but when we think about it, there are things each one of us, whatever our circumstances are, can list and give thanks for. Here are our thoughts – we hope they get you thinking about the things we all need to appreciate more… WHAT I HAVE As a working mum, I have little time to appreciate what I have and I now realise I’ve got so much I don’t need. I have asked myself the question: ‘What do I actually want to really make me happy?’ And I’ve concluded that happiness isn’t all about material possessions – and having a good old chuck-out makes me feel better too! TIME I’m grateful for time. Like so many of you, I’m usually rushing about trying…

• Find a spot in your garden that is dry and sheltered and make sure that bright street or indoor lights won’t interfere with your viewing. • You will need to invest in a projector, prices start from approximately £75 from Amazon. Make sure you check the lumen measurement, the more lumens the brighter the picture will be. You’ll also need to connect your chosen streaming service to the projector, so it’s a good idea to practice before you plan your cinema evening! Product, Shop • Screw four wooden pegs into your fence to create a square and two either side for lanterns. Then hang each corner of a white sheet on to the pegs. • You might need to turn off fairy lights to see the film well!…

NERVE-SHREDDERS Three Perfect Liars Heidi Perks HQ – £12.99 When an office building is destroyed in a fire and a body pulled out of the wreckage, three women fall under suspicion as all have reasons for wanting revenge. As their separate stories are told, this tense and tight thriller builds to an explosive conclusion. Just My Luck Adele Parks HarperCollins – £12.99 They do say money can’t buy happiness, and that old adage comes true for Lexi, who scoops nearly £18 million on the lottery, only for everything in her life to turn sour. A cautionary tale contained within a fast-paced, page-turning thriller. SPOOKY STORIES If It Bleeds Stephen King Hodder & Stoughton – £20 The master storyteller returns with a collection of four short stories – including the sequel…