Table of contents for 52/53 - 2022 in Best

Kate Garraway’s job can be tough, as she was doubtless reminded last week, when, while interviewing RMT boss Mick Lynch on GMB, co-presenter Richard Madeley went on a bizarre rant. During the interview about rail strike action, Richard lost his cool with the union boss, repeatedly talking over him until an exasperated Mick eventually asked: ‘Richard, why don’t you just interview yourself?’ Madeley then told him to ‘jog on’. Poor Kate sat there looking nonplussed. The day before, she was even caught frowning at Richard over his ‘full hospital bed’ claim and interrupting ‘I think it is 90 per cent, which is where they like it to be,’ as they attempted to highlight the struggles on the NHS at Whiston Hospital in Merseyside. But as Christmas approaches, for Kate, the…

Lather in luxury this Winter with a blissful bath… TOP TIP Set the ambience with some candles and a bath pillow to really indulge in relaxation.…

Nibbles with warm cheese fondue The cooked potatoes wrapped in pancetta work brilliantly hot or cold and dunked in the fondue – what could be nicer? For vegetarians, just use good-quality potatoes and veg like fresh radishes, which taste amazing. SERVES 6 FOR THE FONDUE • 100ml white wine• 3 teaspoons cornflour• 500g cheddar, grated• 500g Gruyère, grated• 100ml crème fraîche• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper TO SERVE • 24 baby potatoes (about 400g)• 12 slices of pancetta, halved lengthways• 400g chorizo chunks• 18 baby carrots• 2 small bags of radishes• 1 jar of cornichons and pickled onions, drained• 1 endive, leaves separated 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/400°F/gas 6. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 12-15 minutes until just soft. Drain and leave…

Surrounded by my family, friends and loved ones as they sang happy birthday, it felt like a really special moment. I was wearing a nice dress, had done my hair and make-up and was touched that so many people had made the effort to celebrate with me. I loved any excuse to party, and I suppose this was rather a ‘big birthday’. I see growing older as a privilege but, I’ve always believed that age is just a number, and despite celebrating my 60th birthday, I don’t feel a day over 40… Growing up, my mum Sylvia had worked as a journalist, and I always thought her job was so glamorous and fun. She got to speak to different people and no one day was the same, working for titles…

This month, our feisty columnists, broadcaster Vanessa Feltz and her musician partner Ben Ofoedu talk about what changes they want to ring in, come 2023 - and one is no more petty arguments… Darling Sweets, The New Year is imminent and I feel around this time that it’s time for a fresh start. In 2023, I’m going to drink a little less, spend more time with old friends and spend lots of quality time with you, as your diary is a lot more free than it used to be. I also plan to swim more as I’m forever told it’s ‘good for me’ and I’d like to become a stronger swimmer. Also, I’ll finally take that driving test you have been asking me to do for the past, oh –…

Last week, I was invited to a swanky London Ball. Black tie, tuxedo, live band and maybe the chance of a Fetive smooch. What I wasn’t expecting when I turned up solo (Mrs Darcy had decided not to participate, on account of there isn’t one yet) was a significant ex who I hadn’t seen for six years… with her new boyfriend. Suddenly, the Richard Curtis-style rom-com type of night I was hoping for switched into a Tim Burton nightmare. It’s interesting how the body deals with shock, isn’t it? Mine anyway, while it works out how traumatic the situation really is. My grandfather had a great saying: ‘Run legs, body in danger.’ Unfortunately, having just arrived and being already immersed in polite ‘hellos’, there was no time to act on…

PARTY IN A BOX This may be on the pricier end of the budget, but you’ll have everything you need for a party in this box! Which means you can spend less time planning and more time enjoying it. Each box is bursting with all the essentials you’ll need to make your party pop! notonthehighstreet.co.uk, £93.50. TOP HATS Wear these shiny hats for New Year’s Eve and get ready to celebrate as the clock strikes midnight! Each colourful hat has a ribbon band and sparkly glitter ‘Happy New Year’. Create a photobooth for the night or place these foil glitter top hats on the table as novelties for guests. partypacks.co.uk, £2.99. BUBBLY BALLOONS CHARMING PARTY DECORATIONS SET A unique bubbly champagne bottle and balloon arch set to decorate your party…

Emanuela Orlandi and her family lived an apparently charmed life. Her father, Ercole, worked as an office clerk in the Vatican, so he and his wife, Maria, and their five children – Pietro, Natalina, Emanuela, Frederica and Cristina – all lived in an apartment in the world’s smallest country. ‘The Vatican gardens were available to us as if it was our own back garden,’ remembered Pietro. ‘We felt we were in the safest place in the world.’ Pope John Paul II would often stop and talk to the children. On 22 June 1983, 15-year-old Emanuela Orlandi travelled to her flute lesson in Rome, just outside the walls of her Vatican City home. She usually went by bus but that day, she’d asked Pietro for a lift. Busy, he’d told her…

ARIES (21 Mar-20 Apr) LOVE Use your innate charm and charisma to attract social, creative and romantic opportunities between January and March. Relax and let your excellent social skills do the work. Are you single? Don’t be surprised when in April, you end up throwing yourself into a love affair with energy and enthusiasm. If you already have a partner, plan a glamorous trip together. Autumn will see you ready to embark on a romantic adventure – this would be a great time to explore unfamiliar horizons. LIFE Friends will be astounded by all the lucky breaks you seem to be receiving during the first half of the year. You radiate positive energy and it will be virtually impossible for anyone to resist your charm. Seize any chance that comes…

Davide Sanclimenti, from Frosinone, near Rome, swept the ladies off their feet in Love Island, with his good looks and humour – but no one more so than Turkish beauty Ekin-Su Cülcüloglu, and the pair were crowned this year’s winners. Here, we chat to the 27-year-old at an event for La Gioisa prosecco about party season and more… Ciao, Davide! How’s life changed since winning Love Island? It’s changed, of course. I work in a different environment; people recognise me on the street. Maybe now, people think I’m a ‘celebrity’ – but inside, I’m still the same person! I still have the same values. There’s a lot of love for me and Ekin-Su, and fans are so polite. What are your and Ekin-Su’s Christmas/New Year plans? We’re spending it in…

HELP WITH MY HEALTH? I am a mum to David, we have a close bond and share similar interests, and he also has the same symptoms as me. I have had ongoing stomach and bowel problems, the last four years has been particularly difficult. I have had several tests but I don’t seem to get anywhere! I cannot eat, so I’m on liquid nutrition and don’t really have much of a life. I am retired after working with children. My time is spent doing lots of knitting for babies, which I enjoy. Do you see any spiritual guidance for me? Carol, Bedford LEE SAYS: You are a lovely soul. Spiritually, I feel you need to balance your chakras. Do a solar plexus, chakra healing and balancing and reiki healing. It…

1 Who is the actress currently starring as the Queen in series 5 of The Crown? a) Olivia Colman b) Imelda Staunton c) Lesley Manville d) Claire Foy 2 Which Loose Woman gained a grand-dog in the Spring (her son bought it)? a) Denise Welch b) Nadia Sawalha c) Linda Robson d) Coleen Nolan 3 How many children does Kris Jenner have? a) 4 b) 5 c) 6 d) 7 4 Which male member of the Royal Family celebrated their 40th birthday this year? a) Prince Harry b) Mike Tindall c) Jack Brooksbank d) Prince William 5 How many members of the Backstreet Boys are there? a) 2 b) 3 c) 4 d) 5 6 What is Dolly Parton’s favourite Christmas film? a) It’s A Wonderful Life b) The Grinch c)…

Actress Hermoine Norris became a household name playing middle-class yummy mummy Karen Marsden for six years in Cold Feet. The 56-year-old mum-of-two went on to further success starring in Spooks, Wire in the Blood and Doc Martin. This month she is back on our screens playing Maureen in the new ITV series Riches. She tells Tony Cowell why she feels the series is a poignant, timely love letter to black London. She also reveals her heartbreak at suddenly losing her father, and how the success of Cold Feet changed her life. You are playing Maureen in Riches – how would you describe her? I would say Maureen is a presence more than anything else. She is quite enigmatic and incredibly discreet. She is the all-seeing eye. She is the height…

1 T-AB FAB! Miaow! It looks like Waffle – the Insta-famous tabby cat – is ready for party season in her pretty pink sparkly party hat and bow! The @wafflethetabby account revealed she was actually celebrating her mum’s birthday – just too cute! Ladies in red: Amanda, Florence and Abbey earn top fashion marks for their gorgeous frocks 2 Who wowed the crowd? It may be freezing but it was red hot at the British Fashion Awards! Amanda Holden, 51, dared to wear latex from Nicolas Jebran. You go, girl! Actress Florence Pugh, 26, swept onto the Red Carpet in Valentino, and model Abbey Clancy, 36, wore vintage Gucci. Stunning! 3 NYE READY… McFly’s Tom Fletcher and wife, author and podcaster Giovanna, look more than ready to ring in the…

The smell of simmering onions filled the air of Mick and Bianca Jagger’s Bel Air mansion. It was Christmas Day 1971, and I’d given baby Jade her afternoon feed and put her down to sleep. ‘Do these look done to you?’ Mick asked, pointing to the roast potatoes. I heartily nodded, excited to tuck into the honey-glazed ham, turkey, rainbow vegetables and bread sauce. Mick and I had cooked the lunch together and Bianca thought we were crazy for making everything as English as possible, but it felt right, especially being in LA. The pair later gifted me with a Gucci leather wallet, a cowboy shirt and one of Bianca’s YSL jackets for Christmas. If only my younger self could see me now… Growing up, I’d lived in rural Wiltshire…

BLOODY MARY MAKES 1 Mix together 50ml vodka, ½ tbsp sweet sherry, 150ml tomato juice, ¼ tsp tobacco, ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, pinch of salt and black pepper, and juice of half lemon; pour over a glass of ice and serve with a celery stick. TWINKLE COCKTAIL SERVES 4 In a jug, mix 100ml each elderflower cordial and vodka and divide among 4 flutes or tumblers filled with ice, then top up with champagne; garnish with lemon zest. BRANDY FIZZ MAKES 1 In a tumbler or high-ball, muddle 1 tsp demerara sugar, 1 tbsp each brandy and Cointreau and a few dashes of Angostura Bitters. Add plenty of ice, and top up with soda water. Garnish with a sprig of thyme and an orange slice. ESPRESSO MARTINI MAKES 1 Shake…

TOP TIP! Grouping paper decorations together creates the WOW factor! They work well hung over a doorway or in the hall.…

DREADING THE JANUARY BLUES… I have a real deep depression, which creeps up in Winter and hits me with full force, without fail, every January. I suffer really badly from SAD through Winter and then the January blues just tip me over the edge. I go out for walks; I use a SAD lamp every day… but I’m dreading the month ahead. Any advice? Darragh, Belfast DR HILARY SAYS: Seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as the Winter blues, affects up to 20 per cent of the population, some of them severely, like you, and strikes in the darker, colder Winter months. It is largely due to lack of natural sunlight, which increases the amount of the sleep hormone melatonin and reduces levels of the happy hormone serotonin in the brain.…

80s NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY, AMAZON MUSIC Get nostalgic with this perfect party playlist over on Amazon Music this New Year’s Eve! PARTY OF THE YEAR, SPOTIFY See out 2022 with these epic anthems from Whitney Houston to Daft Punk, Justin Timberlake, Diana Ross and more… NEW YEAR’S EVE COUNTDOWN, SPOTIFY A mix of songs for NYE before and after midnight with Michael Jackson, Maroon 5, MC Hammer and other fabulous artists……

Our resident film addicts – Lifestyle Editor Lara Nugent and Features Editor Louise Bulgin – recommend their picks to keep you in the best of Christmas spirits and ring in the New Year with some fabulous TV CHRISTMAS UNDER WRAPS (Netflix, from £6.99 a month) Starring Candace Cameron Bure, this charming movie ticks all the boxes when it comes to a great Christmas film. When ambitious doctor Lauren Burnell loses out on a Boston fellowship, she accepts an offer in a remote town in Alaska. She unexpectedly falls in love with the town and the handyman, Andy Holliday (David O’Donnell), who is reluctant to take over the family shipping business from his jolly cookie-loving dad! When she gets a call to lure her back to Boston, Lauren has a choice…

The Ship Inn overlooks the harbour around which cottages cling like drowning sailors to a life raft. Thatched, beamed and beloved by locals it is, according to new landlady Maddie, ripe for renovation. Decorators are booked and soon the fusty interior with nicotine-coloured walls and oak furniture will be swept away in a torrent of modernisation. Maddie has inherited from the previous landlord, Mrs F, a rosy-cheeked cleaner-cum-barmaid, and her nephew Dean, the so-called ‘chef’. Dean’s signature dish is egg and chips and he’s finding Maddie’s ‘fancy’ culinary instructions incomprehensible. By spring the skittles alley will be converted into a world-class dining experience. Then former restaurateur Maddie will be engaging more professional staff. ‘After you’ve cleaned the bar,’ Maddie instructs Mrs F, ‘please take down the chintz curtains and horse…

Looking into his deep brown eyes and admiring his chestnut-coloured hair, there was no denying he was the cutest thing I’d ever seen. Standing at 28 inches tall and weighing 100kg, he was cuddly, cheeky and his pale, luscious eyelashes fluttered in my direction. Bam Bam – my miniature Shetland Pony – had arrived in my life quite unexpectedly as a birthday present and I was mesmerised by him. I was happy that I hadn’t needed to install a jumbo cat flap or turn my garden into a paddock as the gift was sponsorship rather than a new housemate. Bam Bam was housed at Munchkins Miniature Shetland Rescue near Colyton in Devon and he was a contented soul. While I could send Bam Bam treats, keep in touch via Facebook,…

HAIR-RAISING HEROES Some 40 per cent of women suffer from hair loss or thinning. The good news is hair health is set to be one of the fastest-growing areas of the industry. One new treatment uses your own blood to boost thinning hair and help stimulate hair follicles. Four syringes of blood are taken from your arm and then treated in a specially designed machine that extracts the platelets. These are injected into the scalp, releasing growth factors to stimulate cell regeneration. A dermaroller featuring hundreds of needles is then used, which activates a wound heal response to boost follicles. Three treatments, a month apart, is recommended. From £999. Also making waves is Hair Follicle Simulation. Similar to microblading, it helps disguise patchy hair loss and wide partings to give the…

‘I’m an admin manager for my family business, and I live with my husband, Gav, a builder, and our two children – Evie, 14, and Ronnie, 12 – in a four-bedroom detached Edwardian house in Cambridgeshire. We bought the house in November 2014 and were lucky enough to already have a family living room here, so I decided this room would become a luxurious, grown-up space; full of sumptuous furniture and luxe accessories, and a Chesterfield was definitely on my wish list. ‘I wanted it to be a luxurious, grown-up space’ The first thing I did was paint the walls in Hague Blue by Farrow and Ball, to create a bit of drama, and then I ripped up the beige carpets. The edges of the floorboards were painted black, which…

Singing superstar Céline Dion has been surrounded by love and support from family, fans and fellow celebs after she revealed, in an Instagram video, that she’s been struggling with an unexpected health battle. On 8 December, the 54-year-old announced that she won’t be returning to the stage for a series of live gigs, as planned. In a heart-wrenching five-minute video posted to social media, Céline revealed that though she had hoped to kick off the European leg of her Courage World Tour next February, she has recently been diagnosed with the rare neurological disorder stiff-person syndrome (also known as ‘stiff-man syndrome’). A rare neurological disorder, it can cause painful muscle spasms and involuntary stiffness, and ultimately leave sufferers as ‘human statues’, as it progressively locks the body into various rigid…

TOP TIP Invest in sequins now and you’ll be able to wear them next Christmas!…

Putting on a coat of black mascara, I was excited to see what the New Year would ‘Are you wearing heels tonight?’ my friend Bernice asked me. I pointed to the black kitten heels that were on my bedroom floor. ‘Those over there,’ I smiled. After a day of sightseeing in Newcastle upon Tyne, we’d decided to go to a local nightclub to celebrate New Year’s Eve. It was 31 December 1990, and as the evening approached, I put on my favourite black leather skirt, tights, and a top that featured a waistcoat design – typical fashion for the Nineties! I had no idea that on that very night, I was about to meet the man of my dreams… I was born in sunny Los Angeles and, growing up, I’d…

Sitting in the kitchen, cuppa in hand, I looked out of the window onto the rolling green valleys and smiled. We’d lived in our house for five years, and I never got tired of the view, or how our home made me feel. It had been a long process to secure it, but it had been worth all the heartache – and all the manifestation… I’d always been a positive person and had believed that the energy you put out into the universe came back to you. The same went for treating others how you’d like to be treated yourself and I quietly found something to be grateful for each day. I didn’t know there was a term for it, I just knew that was how I was. Then, in…

‘Let’s have a Christmas drink at King’s Cross.’ said the ex. ‘It’s not even out of your way and how long do you have – 30 minutes?’ It was never going to end well, so why did I go? You tell me… Probably why I’m single and half-expecting to still be that way by the time I hit my next big 0 – 60… It’s a while off, but still the thought is forming. I arrived. He was already three sheets to the wind and had bought himself a ticket to mine – where hours (and absolutely no hanky-panky) later – just enough of his ‘looking back chat’ to make me beyond depressed – he cooked and helped himself to the turkey legs meant for Christmas Eve… So how did…

MRS MIRACLE Tuesday (20 Dec), 1.30pm The kindly Mrs Merkle takes a job at a department store, helping its downtrodden manager enjoy a happy Christmas for once, by making a success of the business and finding love. A LITTLE CHRISTMAS CHARM Wednesday (21 Dec), 1.25pm A jewellery designer finds a charm bracelet and teams up with a reporter in New York City to locate its owner by Christmas Eve. But will the journey end up leading to love, too? THE CHRISTMAS EXPRESS Wednesday (21 Dec), 3.15pm A jaded journalist must get from Washington DC to Los Angeles in time for Christmas, and decides to take the train – a four-day journey – with the hope of finding some inspiration……

We’ve picked the best binges of 2022 to make sure you don’t miss out on the year’s top telly… THE WHITE LOTUS Sky Atlantic The second series of the hotel-set drama moves to Italy but has just as much intrigue, romance and dark humour. At this luxury Sicilian resort, the guests (and a lot of the staff) have sex on the brain – whether it’s unhappily married Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge, the only returning character from series one), or two young couples whose lives are not as perfect as they appear… THE WATCHER Netflix A scary house is always a good start for a drama – and the home in this drama, inspired by a true story, certainly has plenty of chills. After busting a gut to buy their dream home,…

1 GENTLE GLOW Palm Bay Self Tanning Water (£4.50, tesco.com) This is good for all skin tones and perfect if you are nervous about using fake tan, as the lightweight mist is effortless to spray and produces a subtle, just-back-from-holiday radiant glow, which comes out four to eight hours after you’ve applied it. It can be used on your face and body and is ideal for first-time tanners. 2 FAST DRYING Tantastic Fast Drying Self Tan Liquid (£7.99, amazon.co.uk) This goes on smoothly and dries in seconds – always good to know if you, like me, leave self-tanning to the last minute. The formula contains glycerine, which means it glides on smoothly and helps to avoid any streaking. If you still have the remnants of a fading Summer holiday tan,…

Our fabulous and funny columnist, comedian Jenny Eclair, is here to tell it like it is, in her own witty way… As this year rattles to a close, I’m not quite sure how I feel about 2022. Politically and economically it’s been a bonfire, but personally I’ve been pretty damn lucky. Considering that I’m 62 and fully expected to have been consigned to the scrap heap by now, weirdly this has been one of my busiest years. Not only have I been having a ball on tour, but I also lucked out with some wonderful telly jobs. These included stints on two of my favourite shows, The Great Pottery Throw Down and Taskmaster. Pottery Throw Down is a celeb special, scheduled for Christmas Day, and ranks amongst one of my…

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 £250 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…

She’s one of Loose Women’s most popular panellists, and despite the occasional slip of the tongue, viewers can’t help but love Linda Robson. Not only has she been appearing on-screen since she was just 12 years old, but the actress, 64, became a household name thanks to hit comedy Birds of a Feather, in which she starred alongside Pauline Quirke and Lesley Joseph. Yet, here, the mum-of-three tells best all about why New Year’s Eve makes her sad, why she’s shunned going under the knife and whether she and husband, Mark Dunford, will renew their wedding vows, like so many other celeb couples of late… Hi, Linda! Christmas is almost here… will you cook on the big day? Yes, I always do because my son and daughter are vegans, so I…