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When I asked our fab columnist, Carol McGiffin, to write about public displays of affection this week and explain why Denise Welch had just blasted her, she shouted: ‘PDAs? That’s you! Not me! Yuck!’ then cackled with laughter. I will be honest, I did have an ex that Carol knew well. If I felt like kissing him in public – in my head, at least – everyone else was jealous and that was their problem. Thankfully (possibly for the entire British public), we are no longer together. ‘Get a room!’ is something you usually shout at teenagers, not the 50-plus brigade. But I digress. ‘I,’ I replied huffily, ‘Don’t do that anymore! You on the other hand, well, let’s ask Denise, shall we?’ You see, fellow Loose Woman Denise Welch…

She’s been impressing fans as she updates them on her weightloss journey and Lorraine Kelly, 62, recently revealed she lost a stone after she went from a size 10 to a 14 during lockdown. Here, the mum-of-one talks about wearing her bikini, why she’d say no to cosmetic surgery, and what has made her 30-year marriage to cameraman husband Steve Smith flourish… You’re looking great, Lorraine! How are you feeling since losing weight? Much better! I presented an award at the BAFTAs recently, but if they’d have asked me in January, at my biggest, I wouldn’t have gone. That whole Red Carpet thing is daunting. At the beginning of the year, I felt unhealthy and sluggish. But by April, because I was able to get back into my size 10s,…

Iquickly realise that the only real way it’s possible to live on 30p a day is by batch cooking. If I was buying in bulk, I could ram costs down but that would require an initial outlay that most working families don’t have – plus, a giant freezer to store it in. It takes five minutes to fill up a basket and pay £20, but hitting £6.30 requires a calculator, time and energy to search, plus a lot of maths. It’s demoralising how little of the supermarket is available to you when only looking at the price. Two supermarkets later, I decide on breakfasts of porridge, with jam as the cheapest way to sweeten it. For lunch, spaghetti hoops on toast. A tin of these are 13p, making them the…

As my friend Jo began to read, smiles broke out on the faces of all our guests. I wasn’t surprised, after all, poetry always did add something extra to a wedding ceremony. But on my special day, Jo wasn’t reading the words of an epic romance poem. She was explaining, in verse, how Trevor and I had found love on a dual carriageway in a car accident! Romance had certainly felt a million miles away as I got in the car that morning in October 2008. It was a typical Saturday. I was heading to some clothes shops and then on to a friend’s house. Everything was fine until I saw a car speeding along the slip road. As the driver zipped into my lane, I had to sharply swerve…

America’s favourite pirate, Johnny Depp, who turns 59 on Thursday, has been involved in the strangest of cases… It began when he sued his ex-wife for $50m (£40m) for an article she wrote for The Washington Post, claiming to be the victim of abuse – suggesting Johnny physically and sexually abused her, while they were together. Depp strenuously denied all accusations and claimed that she was the violent one in their relationship, not him. Amber Heard, 36, then countersued for $100m (£80m). Mr Depp’s lawyer then asked jurorsto ‘hold Ms Heard accountable for her “lies”.’ Ms Heard’s team, in turn, said it is Mr Depp who is a bully and abuser. A jury of seven were tasked with coming to a unanimous decision but regardless of the verdict, will either…

Shine in opulence with an Art Deco Oval Bracelet from award-winning British jewellery designer Lucy Quartermaine. Inspired by organic shapes and capturing fluid elements in motion, her stunning collections showcase her knowledge and practice as an experienced silversmith. Created in sterling silver and inset with white topaz gemstones, this beautiful bracelet is perfect for any occasion and eye-catching to wear. As her brand motto says, ‘Life is too short to wear boring jewellery’, so don’t miss out! To enter, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at hearstmagazines.co.uk/best2422a by 24 June 2022. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2717 by midnight on 24 June 2022. Calls cost 30p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access charge, and will last no longer than two minutes. Charges for mobiles…

HOW DO I TELL MY BOSS I HAVE FEELINGS? Recently, I handed in my notice after getting a great job opportunity overseas – but I’ve been in love with my boss for years and I really want to tell him. I started working for him three years ago while he was going through a sticky divorce, and over the years I just never found the right time to tell him, given the work circumstances. However, now I’m no longer working for him – it’s now or never! How would you go about this? I absolutely adore him.Sheila, Leeds You are right. This is most definitely the moment! Carpe diem, darling. Seize the day. Ask your boss out for a farewell drink, check that he isn’t in a relationship at the…

Want to inject some vibrancy into your outside space? Don’t be overwhelmed, find the flowers to give your garden a lift… PRETTY IN POTS ‘If you want to plant a specific tree or plant but don’t have the right soil for it, you can always plant them in containers with the right compost,’ suggests Kate Turner, gardening guru at Miracle-Gro. Pots also allow an easy, dig-free introduction to flowers which can easily be moved around if you change your mind on their location. Flowers that work well in containers include fuchsia, which come in upright or trailing forms that look pretty spilling out of pots. Petunias also do well, as long as they have a regular feed. WALL FLOWERS Using fences, trellises and walls has become a popular way to…

With his piercing blue eyes and mesmerising smile, Paul Hollywood, who shot to fame when The Great British Bake Off became an unlikely TV smash hit in 2010, has admitted that, had he not become a star, he probably wouldn’t have divorced wife Alex. Asked in a recent interview if fame had cost him his marriage, he replied: ‘Possibly. Maybe. Yes, that was definitely part of it. My life just started moving so quickly. I struggled with it and I still struggle. ‘There is no school that tells you how to deal with being in the public eye. And however much you think you’re not going to change, it’s impossible to stay the same. I defy anyone to do it.’ Alex and Paul, 56, who was employed as a baker when he…

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 story –…

GEMINI 22 May – 21 June Whatever is not working in the lives of Geminis, like House and The Night Manager actor Hugh Laurie, and Mamma Mia! and Pirates of the Caribbean star, Stellan Skarsgård, now is the time to break the cycle by striking in a new direction that will bring them more happiness. Be confident in those decisions. CANCER 22 June – 23 July Quiet pastimes and jobs that keep you behind the scenes are the ones you are likely to opt for now. You won’t be in the mood to have to explain everything you are doing to someone who has more interest in your business than their own. Weekend plans will bring a chance for you to join a group of like-minded people. LEO 24 July…

DIRTY GRANDPA Channel 4, Friday, 11.05pm Hilarious comedy, starring screen legend Robert De Niro and heartthrob Zac Efron. After his wife’s death, Dick (De Niro), tricks his grandson (Efron) to drive him to Florida. Unaware of Dick’s intentions, he finds himself in a series of misadventures… TOY STORY 2 BBC Three, Friday, 7am Calling all Disney fans! It’s an early one, so you might want to hit record, but it’s a classic! When Woody is kidnapped by a greedy toy collector and disappears, Buzz and his pals set out to rescue him. However, Woody gets tempted by the idea of becoming immortal in a museum… CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE E4, Day TBC, 9pm Kevin Hart and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson star in this action-packed comedy. Accountant Calvin Joyner’s life changes drastically after…

Picture the scene: some banging tunes from the Eighties, Nineties and Noughties, combined with top cabaret acts, and washed down by a delicious three-course dinner, as you soak up the atmosphere… Yes, welcome to Throwback Thursdays – an exciting new club night at London’s swanky London Cabaret Club – brainchild of former Phats & Small singer, Ben Ofoedu. Ben, who currently performs in Boyz on Block alongside pals Abz (5ive), Dane Bowers (Another Level) and Shane Lynch (Boyzone), says his mission is to create ‘the best night out in London’. ‘People can come down with their other halves or a group of mates, and just have a really nice experience – being entertained with a show that’s one hour, 40 minutes of singing, dancing, acrobatics… It’s a massive production, and a…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES ACROSS 1 Painter (6) 4 Distinctive mode of pronunciation (6) 9 Spouse (7) 10 Lack of (7) 11 Continuing in existence (5) 12 Choose through voting (5) 14 Proposal (5) 15 Purchaser (5) 17 Rupture (5) 18 Organ of digestion (7) 20 Vital content (7) 21 Royal house (6) 22 Howl (6) DOWN 1 Seem (6) 2 Awfully (8) 3 From that time (5) 5 Close group (7) 6 Level and regular (4) 7 Particularly strong ability (6) 8 A parent’s dad (11) 13 Doorway (8) 14 Derived from living matter (7) 15 Chess piece (6) 16 Body of running water (6) 17 Simple (5) 19 By word of mouth (4) Agnes Grey was the debut novel of…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT Lumley Castle, built more than 600 years ago in 1388, by Sir Ralph Lumley, has had an intriguing history. The Lumley family lost the castle after he and his son Thomas were arrested for a conspiracy to overthrow Henry IV. It then passed between various owners over the centuries – including back to the Lumleys – and King James I even stayed over on a trip from Edinburgh to London in 1603. It’s in his honour, the King James Suite was given its name. In 1976, No Ordinary Hotels took over and turned it into the hotel and wedding venue that it is today – but with many of the original features intact. INSIDER’S GUIDE You don’t have to stay over to enjoy the castle’s sumptuous splendour. It…

TOP TIP JD Williams new collection features sustainably-produced fabrics…

‘Every time I’m mentioned in the newspapers, I get an alert on my phone. I know – it smacks of self-obsession, but don’t judge me! I do it because I like to keep an eye on what they’re saying. It happens a lot. Almost everything we say on Loose Women makes a headline these days. Well, last week, my phone went ballistic. Beeping like there was no tomorrow. I thought, “Oh no, what have I said now?” But it wasn’t me, it was Denise Welch, talking about me. Again! She likes to do that, Denise, so it’s a good job I love her because this time, she was “calling me out” for GROSS BEHAVIOUR! I didn’t even have to look up what she was referring to, because I knew straight…

Strawberry, Gin and Basil Trifle A splash of gin in the jelly brings a sophisticated edge to this show-stopping dessert Serves: 10-12 Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 30 mins FOR THE JELLY 600g strawberries (hulled weight), roughly chopped100g caster sugar7 gelatine leaves 5tbsp gin FOR THE CUSTARD 200ml whole milk400ml double cream25g bunch of fresh basil6 large egg yolks75g caster sugar1tbsp cornflour TO ASSEMBLE 250g Madeira sponge2tbsp gin50g strawberry jam200-300g strawberries, hulled400ml double cream2tbsp icing sugar 1 Begin by making the jelly: in a small pan, put strawberries, sugar and 300ml cold water, cover and simmer over a medium heat for 15 mins, until the strawberries have broken down. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 mins. 2 Put a fine sieve over…

HE SAYS MY BREATH STINKS! My partner, quite excruciatingly, sat me down recently and told me with great diplomacy that he has noticed that my breath is quite smelly. I don’t have any medical conditions that I know of. I brush regularly and have even started using mouthwash. But he says it’s no better. I’m mortified – but I can’t smell it myself. What is it? Hannah, Crawley DR HILARY SAYS: If your best friend can’t tell you, who can? Bad breath is a common problem and usually, the person that has it is unaware of it. Sometimes, you can lick the inside of your wrist, allow the saliva to dry and then sniff it to detect an odour – and there are many different causes. Spicy foods, smoking and…

Emma Cowell is currently Head of Philanthropy for children’s charity, Together for Short Lives. But when lockdown hit, the former presenter and actress thought it was time to channel her other big passion, and start writing the novel she’d always had brewing at the back of her mind. Here, the author – who lives in Cornwall with her husband, best columnist Tony, and their cat, Russian Blue, Papoushka – tells us about her love for Greece, and why some parts of her sun-soaked first novel were autobiographical, helping her though the grieving process for her mum, Jan, who she sadly lost in 2012… Emma, One Last Letter from Greece is a beautiful story… Thank you. It’s fundamentally a love story about life, fate, destiny and loss. It’s also a love letter from a…

PETS OF THE WEEK Names: Leo (Ginger) and Jess Owners: Gabby and Bill, Glasgow Breed: Short-haired domestic cats CALLING ALL PETS! From funny to cute, we’re looking for more pets to star in our ‘Day in the Life’ series. If you think your animal is the perfect match, email bestpets@hearst.co.uk with details of your pet, plus a series of snaps.*…

Gardening expert Charlie Dimmock must meet all kinds of people, with very specific demands, on the BBC’s Garden Rescue show. But in one recent episode, the flame-haired presenter, 55, appeared visibly exasperated by one couple’s wish-list! John and Helen, from Port Talbot, wanted no less than five new features to turn their garden dreams into a reality–their list including apple blossom fruit trees, a vegetable patch, a barbecue area, a built-in water feature – and for the garden to generally serve as a haven for birds. After revealing their desire to create a ‘Cornish garden’ in their ‘corner of Wales,’ John added, ‘The garden doesn’t work for us for most of the year because the soil is clay. Charlie grimaced. ‘Oh clay soil… Joy.’ ‘It’s really boggy,’ John confirmed. ‘You can’t even…

Embarking on the ultimate Summer of love, a new batch of Love Island singletons headed to the island of Majorca on Monday night, to begin their search for the perfect coupling up. There’s a brand new villa – where romance is set to blossom among the singletons – who include the first-ever deaf contestant, model Tasha Ghouri. Host Laura Whitmore presides over the antics, while her real-life other half, Iain Stirling, provides his sardonic commentary, remarking on the sizzling antics gripping the villa. We caught up with Laura to get the inside track on the new season. Hi, Laura. How does it feel, to be back hosting Love Island this year? It’s so exciting! I feel like Summer is here! I think we all need a little bit of Love Island in our…

Q I’ve accepted I’ll always have dimply Q thighs, but is there a way to make cellulite less visible when wearing shorts?Dawn, Plymouth A Although cellulite creams and lotions won’t make dimples disappear, they can help temporarily smooth and tighten skin, especially if you pick a caffeine-rich formula. Caffeine dehydrates fat cells, making them less visible. Massage Nivea Q10 Goodbye Cellulite Body Gel Cream, £6, in daily. You could also use a caffeine scrub in the shower (or make your own with ground coffee granules and olive oil), which will minimise its appearance by stimulating lymphatic drainage. Drink lots of water during the day to help the process. Mixing a little body oil with some body make-up will also give an instant glow. Use Weleda Birch Cellulite Oil, £27.25, with…

My heart was pounding as I stared down at the huge canyon below. ‘No turning back now,’ I thought. This wasn’t exactly how I’d imagined spending my holiday in Queenstown, New Zealand – launching myself off a cliff and swinging 200m across a canyon. But I’d had a lifelong fear of heights and knew it was time to conquer this for good. Seconds later, the instructors let go of the rope and I was plummeting towards the river below. I was utterly terrifying, but determined to keep my eyes open and take in this amazing experience. I cried afterwards, ecstatic ‘I did it!’ I repeatedly told my hubby, Chris. That canyon swing experience in April 2015 was part of my mission to conquer my fears and address my mental health…

No one would blame David and Victoria Beckham for feeling worried about their family’s safety after an alleged ‘delusional’ stalker – Sharon Bell – is said to have turned up at their 10-year-old daughter Harper’s school, claiming she was her own child. Fashion designer Victoria was reported to be at her daughter’s school when the woman attempted to speak to Harper. Ex-footballer David, 47, and his fashionista wife, 48, have, no doubt, been in deep shock since the alleged incident, which is said to have thrown the family – who have, in the past, been open about their whereabouts on social media. Sharon Bell, who is awaiting trial after being accused of stalking the couple, is said to have turned up at the primary school in a bid to speak…

Surprisingly, Arthur felt fine when he reached the bus stop. All those agonising struggles to get upstairs unaided had paid off. He smiled to himself. The staff at the nursing home only allowed him to do it because they thought he was in love. In love… Arthur snorted. In love with Biddy McFee..? what a joke! But with no lift, visiting her twice a day helped him to get his wobbly old legs going again. All the best athletes train and to get up the hill, he needed to build up his strength. He’d slipped away while the staff were hoovering and dusting. He knew when they’d finished they’d gather in the little cupboard to have a quick fag and a cup of coffee. ‘Just taking a stroll,’ he’d called…

MY FAVOURITE HOBBY When I was younger, I didn’t really have hobbies. I thought I was too cool. Hobbies were for saddos, who didn’t have any mates to go and hang around the park and drink cider with. People with hobbies did things like stamp-collecting, or playing chess with the school chess club (losers). How wrong I was. As a woman in my 60s, I have many hobbies and, during the pandemic, I think they saved my sanity. I like to paint, very badly, but that’s beside the point. I copy better artists than me and experiment with colour mixing and different mediums. I also do tapestry kits, which makes me sound like something out of Little Women, but working with wool slows down my heart rate and it’s better…

Britain’s Got Talent singing sensation Maxwell Thorpe stunned the audience and the judges with his powerful operatic performances. The shy Sheffield busker, who has spent the past 10 years singing in the street – now looks likely to land a recording deal. The 32-year-old is already being compared to Susan Boyle, as well as Paul Potts, who won the show in 2007. Here, he tells Tony Cowell about why he has finally found the self-belief to go on and become a star in his own right. He also admits he still intends to carry on busking – though his dream is to duet with megastar, Adele… Simon said your performance was ‘extraordinary’, and called on Andrew Lloyd Webber to put you in a show. Wow… I know, that was incredible! And I…