Table of contents for 15-2021 in Best

best has around 90,000 followers across Facebook and Instagram. I thought that was pretty good going – our own little best community (if you haven’t already joined, I’d really love you to). Good going thought I, until I saw an Instagram post from our lovely columnist @ruthlangsford (turn to page 60) last Tuesday night. There she was dancing around her house to Kool and the Gang’s Celebrate in a sparkling gold top, sipping champers and shouting: ‘Thank you, so much! Love you all.’ Why? Well, she’s only gone and done it! Hit the magic million mark on Instagram. You go, girl! At 61, Ruth is showing us that Instagram is for all of us to have fun on. So come join the besties at @bestmagofficial or on Facebook. If we…

The GC is determined to get healthy and slim down – and judging by her social media posts in recent weeks, she means business. Gemma Collins, 40, has been posting her weight-loss progress for fans – revealing just last week that she’d done a 10-mile walk, as she posed proudly in black workout gear. Taking to Instagram (looking positively glowing), the Essex queen posted a sassy pic doing the ‘peace’ sign, alongside the caption, ‘10 MILES! Woohoo YEAH BABY, I’m so proud of myself! I could only do 2 miles a few weeks back!’ She added: ‘I’m loving my transformation, mentally and physically. Also put a call in to @realtamerhassan for some motivation on the walk and he said Gemma!!! Don’t fall at the last hurdle – he’s right! I…

‘As I searched around the house, opening cupboard doors, riffling through drawers in vain, my poor husband, Andy, looked bewildered. ‘I can’t find them,’ I wailed. ‘What?’ he asked. ‘The car keys! I’ve lost them.’ He was used to it by now. Whether it was car keys or Christmas presents, I was always putting things down and forgetting where I’d left them. My mind was all over the place and I couldn’t focus. I thought it might be just stress. I was in my early 40s and life had turned into a never-ending roller coaster. My job as a strategic marketing consultant and founder of the Rural Business Group meant that I was flying to Berlin and London from my home in Leicestershire all the time. Exhausting, but I loved…

1 TACKLE TROUBLE SPOTS Exposed to UV light daily, hyperpigmentation – known as age spots – can make hands look old before their time. The key is prevention, which means sunscreen every day – even during Winter. Protecting the skin on your hands should give existing dark spots a chance to fade and help prevent new ones forming. Or for a targeted solution, try the unglamorously named Spotner, £9.99. A pen applicator with SPF50, it contains anti-pigmentation ingredients, including undecylenoyl phenylalanine (also called Sepiwhite), which control the formation and dispersion of melanin (what gives us colour), and Gigawhite, a plant-derived skin lightener. 2 INSTANT GROOMING Don’t panic if your nails are looking less than polished! Bare nails are infinitely better than old chipped varnish. File to one length to make…

HOW IT WORKS 1 Eating plenty of vitamin-rich berries as well as nuts and oily fish helps boost production of collagen and elastin that keep skin plump. Drink two litres of water daily to keep skin hydrated and fresh looking. Invest in the ZeroWater filter (£39, zerowater.co.uk), for fresh and clean water. 2 Sleep on your back. ‘Sleeping on your side can cause an increase in crow’s feet, fine lines around the eyes, flattening of the forehead, as well as lines around your nose,’ says Dr Somji. ‘A contoured pillow will keep you stable and upgrade your pillow case to silk or satin to prevent the friction which makes skin crease’. This Is Silk Eye Mask (£27.99, thisissilk.com) will help night creams absorb better. 3 ‘Boost your wrinkle-busting diet with…

HER ATTITUDE STINKS My 14-year-old stepdaughter has been living with me and my husband since she was 11 – but in the past couple of years, she seems to have forgotten personal hygiene! It’s very strange, as most girls her age, getting into boys, spend untold hours in the bathroom, but she kicks up a stink when I remind her she hasn’t had a shower for a few days, or suggest I run her a quick bath. I do smell a certain body odour from her when she’s up close, and I’m worried someone will say something to her at school and hurt her feelings. How do I get through to her? Mary, Sunderland Don’t tiptoe around this crucial issue. She’ll thank you for your frankness later! Explain kindly but…

‘Plane fury’ It was two in the morning, but Vitaly Kaloyev stood in the cemetery in his hometown of Vladikavkaz, Russia, sobbing over an elaborate gravestone. On the front of the stone was a huge image of what he’d lost – his wife, Svetlana, 44, son Konstantin, 10, and daughter Diana, four. His home too was a shrine to his family, who’d died on the night of 1 July 2002. Vitaly had been at Barcelona airport when he heard the news. His wife and children had been flying out for a holiday to meet him while he worked on an architecture job. Their flight had collided in mid-air with a cargo plane – killing all 69 passengers of the Kaloyevs’ flight, and both crew on the other. Vitaly was consumed…

It was the scandal – and sensation – of the Nineties. A glamorous socialite put on trial for hiring a man to assassinate her ex-husband. An exhusband who just happened to be Maurizio Gucci, of the famous fashion dynasty. It is, therefore, little wonder that Ridley Scott has decided to focus his latest murder biopic on the shocking story of Patrizia Reggiani. Lady Gaga and Adam Driver are playing the infamous couple, the outlandish singer perfect for the even-more-outlandish tale. Patrizia Reggiani had not been born into high society, so when she managed to climb the social ladder and married Maurizio in 1972, she perhaps revelled in their luxurious lifestyle all the more because of its novelty. As the Gucci family bought the couple private islands, properties and yachts, the…

WHY ARE WE NAPPING ON DOGNAPPING? RUTH: If you can’t believe people regard their dogs like family, just ask the scum that make a living as dognappers. Or better still, the lady walking by a canal a few miles from our home, who watched as two men snatched her off-the-lead canine and bundled it into a waiting car. Such was her distress and love for her pet that she latched on to the car bonnet, holding on for dear life until the thieves realised she wasn’t going to let go. She put her life in danger because that dog was so important to her. You see, however inconvenient, stealing a dog isn’t the same as stealing a mobile phone or a car. To so many like that lady, they are…

Live Unlimited London is all about effortless, gorgeous style for confident and curvy women everywhere. Celebrating your shape, and your curves, is at the heart and soul of everything they do. We’re excited to be teaming up with Live Unlimited London to offer four £100 vouchers to celebrate the launch of LIVE by Live Unlimited London. LIVE is a capsule collection made in beautiful prints and premium fabrics and the entire collection is sustainable, made from either Lenzing Ecovero Yarns or Recycled Polyesters. Their ethos remains the same – that no woman should ever be limited by their size – and they are passionate about adding value to your wardrobe through versatility. Shop the collection in sizes 12-28 at liveunlimitedlondon.com. Celebrate Yourself, Live Unlimited. To enter, see right. HOW TO…

TUDORS TO WINDSORS: BRITISH ROYAL PORTRAITURE This unique collaboration of London’s National Portrait Gallery and Royal Museums Greenwich is a major exhibition of portraiture, giving visitors an opportunity to come faceto-face with Britain’s kings and queens. 28 May – 31 October, £10 for adults, £5 children. ASTRONOMY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR A total of 32 images from last year’s Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition are on display at the National Maritime Museum. Until 8 August, £10 for adults, £5 for kids. TOY STORIES Go behind the scenes at the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre to discover a wide range of toys and their incredible stories. On this family-friendly tour, you’ll discover everything from a dominoes set made from bone, to a toy pig that survived the sinking…

Long Lost Family presenter Davina McCall was overwhelmed with emotion recently, after a website brought a beautiful snap of her as a tot, with her granny, Pippy, to life. Recalling fond memories of Pippy, who died in 2018, aged 98, the 53-year-old revealed how surprised she was when a photo-editing website, Loved Ones Forever, restored the old family snap to its former glory. Of the amazing results, the mum-of-three said: ‘It floored me. In the most lovely way. We recommended him on our podcast @makingthecutpodcast but thought I’d put out on my page because it’s so arresting!!! DM him, he’s been through a lot and genuinely wants to make people happy x.’ Remembering the woman who practically raised her, the star revealed: ‘This last year has been extremely tough. I…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Have we forgotten our table manners? Since socialising less and not being able to visit a restaurant for months, new research has revealed we’ve lost our table manners – and picked up other (bad?) habits along the way! A survey from Tastecard (which polled 4,000 Brits) found that 48 per cent of people now eat dinner sat on the sofa, 50 per cent no longer dine at a table and apparently 49 per cent of people wipe their hands on the tablecloth! OK, so we may be guilty of eating on the sofa every now and then but we were surprised to discover 26 per cent of those surveyed admitted they will probably forget to use cutlery at all when finally allowed to visit their favourite restaurant…

WHAT IS SQUALANE? Squalane is the skin care ingredient equivalent of squalene, a lipid naturally produced by our sebaceous glands, which keeps skin moisturised. The amount we produce diminishes as we age but we can top up supplies by using squalane – a large dose of our skin’s own natural moisturiser bottled up. It’s found within shark livers (hence the name – Squaliformes is a scientific term for some types of shark), although nowadays it is sourced more ethically, using natural compounds such as plants, including olives, rice bran and sugarcane. HOW DO I USE IT? Squalane is an adaptogen, which means it adapts to your skin type and needs. As a natural moisturiser, you can use it twice a day in an oil, serum or moisturiser form – 100…

I hadn’t realised I was ‘different’ until I was nine years old. Singing at my local choir, I caught the eye of a woman in the crowd. She moved her hand up to her face and made a gesture for me to remove something from my skin. Confused, it took me a moment to realise she meant my birthmark. Every time I glanced over, she would make the same gesture. After we’d finished singing the pastor asked if anyone had any remarks. The same lady stood up and blurted out: ‘I wanted the young lady to remove what was on her face, but I realised she couldn’t.’ She was looking directly at me. It was the first time anyone had ever pointed my birthmark out so… publicly. I’d been born…

VEGGIE FETA PASTA Pasta has a bad rep for being carb-heavy, but using a wholewheat version – and a little less per person – makes this dish much more nutritious. Hands-on time: 20min Cooking time: About 20min Serves 4 299 cals, 6g fat (2g saturates), 50g carbs (11g total sugars), 12g protein, 11g fibre 250g wholewheat pasta2tsp olive oil1 red onion, sliced2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced4 tomatoes, chopped150g baby spinach leavesSmall handful basil leaves40g feta cheese 1 Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. 2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan and gently fry the red onion and peppers for 10min until golden, then add the garlic and tomatoes and…

TERRIFYING DREAMS I’m a 57-year-old woman in good health and, apart from the stress of the pandemic, generally happy. But the problems happen at night. I often get these terrible nightmares, usually on the same theme, of being chased by a stranger through a park, and I end up screaming and waking my husband. I am even lashing out at him in my sleep. Can anything be done to stop them? Gail, Liverpool DR HILARY SAYS: Don’t underestimate the stress of the pandemic. Fear of the unknown where timescales are uncertain can create considerable anxiety and, in turn, this can stimulate recurrent bad dreams and nightmares. Being chased is a common theme, a reflection of a conviction that you cannot escape your problems. Try to identify any other unresolved issues…

Do you have a story you’d like to share with our amazing army of best readers? We’re looking for real-life stories from women just like you and your friends – and will pay up to £200 for all those that make it into these pages. Stories can be funny, sad, emotional, inspirational – just like some of the examples on this page. The only rule: they must be true. Have you been on a diet that changed your life? Have you battled against tough times and come out fighting? Have you found love or happiness against the odds? If you – or a friend – have a story to share, whatever the subject, do drop us a line, with your contact details, a photo and a brief outline of your…

Sally Challen wasn’t allowed to see her friends or spend money. All her decisions were down to her husband, Richard. Just 15 when they met – Richard was in his 20s – and besotted, she would head to his flat after school to do his housework. Apparently, Richard continued to see other women. When Sally challenged him, he pulled her down the stairs. Yet Sally was in love. They married in 1979 and had two sons. Richard continued to belittle and control his wife, calling her names in front of their boys. He also carried on seeing other women over the decades. When Richard went out, he’d take Sally’s phone, to stop her communicating with the outside world. Sally complained to her doctor about stress, sleeplessness and loss of appetite.…

ARIES 21 March – 20 April Arians such as broadcaster and ex-Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, and Homeland star Claire Danes, should give more thought to how to make better use of their precious time and energy over the year ahead. It can be difficult, but their own happiness should be their first priority. TAURUS 21 April – 21 May Romantic relationships intensify. You’ve been waiting for someone special to return your feelings. Patience will be rewarded. An optimistic friend has plenty of ideas on things you can do to make life fun and their positive outlook inspires you. Financial affairs will take on added importance as the week ends. GEMINI 22 May – 21 June Difficulties and setbacks can be overcome with determination. If you are hoping to achieve,…

It’s the unsettling true story of Augusta Victoria College – a finishing school in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, that ran from 1932 to 1939. The daughters of top Nazis, including the goddaughter of Heinrich Himmler and Bettina Von Ribbentrop, the daughter of Hitler’s foreign minister, were sent to England to improve their language skills and enter British society. But when it became clear that England would stand against Germany and not, as the High Command had hoped, with Hitler – the girls were forced to flee. Eddie Izzard, who recently announced a preference for female pronouns, tells us why she brought this story to the screen… Hi Eddie, Six Minutes to Midnight, why the title? Look up The Doomsday Clock, it’s designed to warn us how close we are to destroying the…

DELUXE SAUSAGE ROLLS If you are meeting friends outside, why not take along these delicious savoury treats? Serves 6 Prep time: 20min, plus chilling Cook time: About 35min 1tsp olive oil2 shallots, finely chopped450g pack pork sausage meat3tbsp chopped fresh sage1 garlic clove, crushed320g pack all-butter puffpastry sheet2tbsp English mustard1 medium egg, beaten 1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/mark 6. Heat the oil in a small frying pan and gently fry the shallots until softened, about 5min. Empty into a large bowl and leave to cool. 2 To the shallots, add the sausage meat, sage, garlic and plenty of seasoning (it can take a fair amount). Mix to combine. 3 Unroll the pastry sheet and brush with mustard. Shape the sausage meat in a line lengthways down the middle…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES What is PICTURE C’s middle name? (6) This is your prize answer. Enter by using the numbers at the top of the grid or at hearstmagazines.co.uk/bestcross1521 ACROSS 1 What is the only English anagram of the word ‘citrus’? (6) 4 Record player’s needle (6) 7 Make ___ while the sun shines, saying (3) 8 & 16D PICTURE A Who is this knighted British Indian author? (6,7) 9 & 23D PICTURE B Name the actress and star of miniseries A Teacher (4,4) 10 What is the currency unit of Denmark? (5) 11 Slightly open (4) 13 Simple (4) 15 He’s a snake in the ___, expression (5) 17 Units of electrical current (4) 19 Which Monty Python ‘Idle’ wrote…

As the fallout from Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey last month continues to be felt, a new tell-all book has been announced. The as-yet-untitled book, about the Duchess of Sussex, will be written by Tom Bower, who, it’s been reported, has already signed a six-figure deal. The master of unauthorised life stories, who has penned revelatory books including Rebel Prince – a scathing account of Charles that portrayed him as vain, cold and out of touch – will have his latest book published by Simon & Schuster. It may not hit bookshops until 2022 but, according to one source, it is ‘the book Meghan will be dreading’. ‘Tom doesn’t pull his punches, and is terrifyingly thorough in his research. No stone will be left unturned.’ The author’s previous…

‘There are many strange resultant aspects of the past year, but one of the most serious and potentially irreversible conditions is what I’m calling FOGO (Fear Of Going Out). It’s a bit like Stockholm Syndrome. Just in case you don’t know what that is, it’s when people start to bond with, or depend on, whatever is controlling them, like a captor in a kidnapping. They become so conditioned to psychological manipulation or abuse, they often don’t want to be freed. And this seems to be affecting a fairly large chunk of the population. Having been locked up and deprived of normal life and human contact for so long, many are either nervous of going out or have got so used to their new way of life, they actually like it…

Sitting in the living room, I carefully arranged my ponies. Gently brushed and plaited their colourful manes and excitedly lined them up ready for the wedding. It was 1986 and I was six years old. My dad, Stan, sat beside me and smiled happily as I played contentedly for hours with my impressive collection of My Little Ponies. Christmas was approaching, so I’d already spent time – hours – flicking through the magical toy book, the Argos catalogue, studying each page, filled with everything a little girl could dream of. And dream I did…! I’d gaze at each amazing doll, teddy and game and wonder what I would do if Santa brought me everything on my never-ending wish list. And it became a ritual each year. As Christmas approached, me…

TOP TIP! A small amount of baking soda rubbed inside a glass can help remove cloudiness.…

Get the Look TOP TIP! Refresh garden furniture with new soft furnishings.…

THE CRIME: A brutally murdered wife, a wounded husband and claims of a bushy-haired intruder, but who killed Marilyn Reese Sheppard? THE CASE: On the morning of 4 July 1954, residents of upscale Bay Village, Ohio, should have been celebrating Independence Day, but instead, the mood was sombre and the city’s citizens were concerned. The Cleveland police had been notified of the gruesome death of a young woman. Marilyn Reese Sheppard was just 30 years old, and married to renowned surgeon, Dr Sam Sheppard. She was a mum to their seven-year-old boy, Samuel, who was known to friends and family as Chip. She was also four months pregnant with their second child. Just the night before, Sam and Marilyn had been entertaining neighbours at their house, but after a busy…

It has been 55 years since Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were found guilty of the gruesome Moors Murders – yet the pair had only met five years before. How does a relationship descend to dark depths in a short space of time? And how do two people – who are supposed to be in a loving relationship – end up committing such despicable deeds together? Similarly, from the outside, Rose and Fred West looked like any other couple, yet together they committed depraved acts on vulnerable young women – including their own daughters. When it comes to situations like these, are ‘man and wife’ both equally evil? Would they have committed such deadly doings on their own? Or does their coming together light some kind of fatal fuse? ‘There is…

‘I wanted to leave and get out. I was scared to leave. I didn’t know what else to do…’ These are the harrowing words from Linda Lee Couch, a woman who says she suffered years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of her husband, Walter. At 67, she looks like any other grey-haired grandmother, or mother, but instead, Linda is serving a life sentence for the murder of her husband. She’s been behind bars since 1984, prisoner number W017943 – and is one of around 7,000 women serving life sentences in America. ‘I truly believe if I’d been able to say what I wanted to in court, I would not be sitting here today,’ a dejected Linda says in interviews for the Netflix programme, I Am a Killer. Her…

Serena looked at the opened package from Janet, containing a webcam and a demand to ‘Plug this in! No excuses!’ She sighed and phoned her sister. ‘I need the monster.’ ‘Really?’ Laura sounded a little too happy. ‘Oh, thank goodness. Can you collect it today?’ ‘I’m on my way.’ ‘But will it be safe with you?’ She could still hear the smile in her sister’s voice. ‘I’m a changed woman,’ said Serena, doubtfully. Through her bedroom window she could see the couple from the flat downstairs gardening again. There were wallflowers along the eastern boundary, violets and primroses along the path, dozens of pots and mini-greenhouses growing who knew what. Working for a garden design company meant that Serena had chosen not to have a garden flat. It was too…

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS Tuesday, ITV2, 5.50pm If you want to watch this world-famous story from the beginning, the first film played out last night and is on catch-up. Then watch this second film, where 12-year-old wizard Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is warned of danger stalking the school corridors… HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN Wednesday, ITV2, 6.15pm Harry, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts just as they learn Sirius Black, a wizard freshly free from prison, is planning to kill Harry. But when Sirius lures Harry to a meeting, he learns that ‘the truth’ is far from the reality. HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE Thursday, ITV2, 5.55pm When Harry is chosen to play in an international competition, he is pulled into a dark conspiracy…

It’s no secret that former This Morning presenter Judy Finnigan will often take the side of daughter Chloe Madeley’s rugby star husband, James Haskell, when the young couple are rowing. And Judy’s hubby Richard Madeley has, more than once, come out in support of his 33-year-old daughter. But James, 36, revealed recently that his famous mumin-law is quite happy to take it a step further, cheekily joking that the burly sportsman should leave Chloe – and marry Judy instead! He confessed, ‘I’ll call up Judy [during an argument with Chloe] and she says “leave Chloe and marry me!”’ Judy, 72, has certainly made it clear in the past that she has quite the soft spot for James – who tied the knot with her only daughter in December 2018, after…