Table of contents for 19-2021 in Best

I am not a football fan. Never have been, but the game is so big in this country that, over the years, I’ve formed opinions on many, thanks to chat shows: David Beckham, handsome; Paul Gascoigne, constantly fighting the demon drink; and Vinnie Jones, softer than his hard-man persona. Ian Wright? Apart from the song ‘Ian Wright, Wright, Wright’, I confess to not knowing much about him. Until now. At 9pm on Thursday night, Arsenal and England’s hat-trick scorer will appear on BBC One in a documentary called Home Truths. Here, he tells his harrowing story of growing up in a psychologically abusive and violent home. After returning to his childhood estate in South London, Ian reveals that he has forgiven his mother (who drank heavily) for his tormented childhood.…

Vicky McClure, a.k.a. DC Kate Fleming, is riding high after that explosive Line of Duty finale on Sunday night, watched by millions across Britain. The star, who turns 38 on 8 May, has certainly been showing her mettle when it comes to action scenes in the hit BBC One police drama, which she’s starred in since 2012. Following an incredible car chase in the penultimate episode of the sixth series, Vicky was even being tipped for a role as the new James Bond, by impressed viewers. One took to Twitter to write, ‘Petition for Kate to be the next James Bond #lineofduty’ and another, ‘Yo Kate Fleming for Bond with that driving #LineofDuty.’ However, the actress later disappointed fans by revealing on the social media platform, ‘It pains me to…

Hi Michael. You are currently filming in Wales. Can you tell us what for? A new Channel 5 travel show for the Summer, purely about wonderful Wales. Four one-hour shows. I’m in the wilds of Pembrokeshire at the moment. I’m half-Welsh on my mum’s side and I have an affinity, a kinship with the place. I’ve been travelling up and down, visiting different areas – some I’ve never even been to before and it’s wonderful! Most of us will holiday here this year… Yes, but this country is so beautiful, it has varied landscapes and, without question, it’s a place rich in history. Plus, there is no airport hell! Even pre-Covid, that was never fun. And guess what? Everyone speaks the same language, so we don’t need to shout ‘CAN…

‘Three of the happiest weeks of my adult life were spent in the Big Brother house in 2013. I loved everything about it, but the fact that I had no phone, no iPad, no laptop, and no TV for the whole time was just glorious. So, I’m getting right behind Screen-Free Week (3-9 May), which has reminded me of those happy days. The ones where my brain wasn’t addled by the doom, gloom and worry that comes with knowing what’s going on the world. I think we all should. I mean, who hasn’t been forced to spend the past year mostly looking at a screen? Whether that’s through boredom, anxiety over the virus, a lack of freedom, or for just sheer escapism from people you’re not used to being around?…

DIVORCE ZAPPED MY CONFIDENCE I am 56 and got divorced from my husband of eight years in January 2020 (ha, little did I know there was even worse to come!). It wasn’t working, but I didn’t realise what a divorce would do to my confidence. My self-esteem is on the floor, Vanessa – particularly with lockdown giving me too much thinking time. I feel totally ugly and undesirable, over-rely on my two sisters for every little decision – I just don’t recognise myself. I feel lost and don’t know how to get the old me back. Gillian, Inverness I’ve been there, and it’s horrible. You have ditched your marriage but the only thing taking its place is sheer panic. Take a breath. Try not to fast-forward to the future. Do…

Máire secured her father’s old suitcase to the back carrier with the twine she kept under the kitchen sink, mounted her brother’s bike and rode down the lane. Michael watched her from the shed door. Leaning on his fork, he witnessed her escape. The material of her blue skirt flapped about her legs as they propelled the bike forward; the orange of her scarf-tails floated in the wind. He heard the rub of the brake pad on the front wheel, reminding him of another job to do. Perhaps he should call out to her, to say goodbye, to let her know that her going mattered to him. Silently he watched his sister dip her head to avoid the bramble leaning long and reckless from the hedge. She turned the corner…

TAURUS 21 April – 21 May Some things are worth waiting for. Taureans such as Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway, who has had a particularly trying past 12 months, and Hollywood A-lister George Clooney are patient and although progress is slow they will have a strong sense that life is unfolding in their favour. LEO 24 July – 23 August You can’t do everything on your own, as much as you would like to. Joining forces with talented friends and working as a team will leave you with more time to spare at the end of each day. If this doesn’t seem to suit you, watch for a chance to utilise your talents in a work or study project and the hours will fly by. SCORPIO 24 October –…

THE GREAT GATSBY Brent Cross, Wednesday 12 May, 9pm Return to the roaring Twenties from the comfort of your own car, with this decadent 2013 adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s Long Island-set novel, where Midwesterner Nick Carraway is lured into the lavish world of his neighbour, Jay Gatsby (Leo DiCaprio). Visit rooftopfilmclub.com for tickets, from £29.50. THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Blenheim Palace, Saturday 15 May, 9pm This is the Greatest Show… escape reality and delve into the world of ringleader P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) and his unique circus acts. With music, dancing and buckets of emotion – what more could you want?! Go to lunadriveincinema.com for more. Tickets from £37.50. A STAR IS BORN Stanford Hall, Lutterworth, Friday, 14 May, 7.45pm If you missed A Star Is Born at the cinema…

When best catches up with Dublin-born singer-songwriter Imelda May, 46, she looks happy. A force of nature with easy charm who, in stark contrast to her early, coiffed rockabilly days now looks not unlike a young Chrissie Hynde, you could say Imelda has good reason to be. She has a brilliantly soulful new rock album out – 11 Past the Hour – and she’s in love. Imelda, who has daughter Violet, eight, with ex-husband Darrel Higham, met actor/musician Niall McNamee, 27, during lockdown and, as they made music together, love blossomed. Here, she talks about the new album, how Ronnie Wood introduced her to her new man and her adventurous childhood… Imelda, the album is full of joy and soul – is life good?! I feel good, and I feel like…

1 DR PERFECT? Is it just us, or does Alex George just keep getting better and better? Not only is the doctor now a Youth Mental Health Ambassador, but he also clearly loves animals too! Alex, 30, shared this adorable photo on Instagram of his new puppy, Paddington, and we’re a little bit obsessed. Alex said: ‘Paddington is a cheeky pup who loves cuddles, nibbling toes and eating marmalade. He says it’s yummy, but it’s not allowed.’ Bless. Reese and Amanda went for showstopping red frocks, while Carey dazzled in gold 2 Who wowed the crowd? The Oscars made a triumphant return to our screens, albeit a more muted affair than usual this year. Bold, bright colours dominated the red carpet, with Reese Witherspoon, 45, oozing Grecian vibes in this…

Admittedly, Linda Lusardi, 62, looks after herself, staying fit and eating healthily – but now she’s had her eyes opened to a whole new world of ‘tweakments’, thanks to her new YouTube show, Beauty Angels, with former soap actress Debbie Arnold. Here, the pair talk treatments and beauty myths… We’re loving those angel wings on you, Linda. Are you a total angel these days?! Yes, I’m too old for misbehaving. In my youth, though… I drank a lot, partied a lot… I’m glad that there were no mobile phones or social media – there’s no evidence of what I got up to! What’s your idea of heaven – and your idea of hell? Heaven would be lying on a beach with my hubby, Sam [Kane], and a cocktail in hand.…

Q I’m using a lip balm every day but my lips are still seem really dry and lined. How can I make them softer and plumber? Rose, Essex A DR AAMER SAYS: Lips are the first to suffer if your skin is dehydrated. The outer layer of each lip is extremely thin and, unlike wearing sunglasses to protect our eyes, lips are rarely shielded from the sunshine. In fact, lips have almost no melanin, the natural pigment that helps screen out UV rays, so they can easily burn. Even licking lips dries them out! An injectable lip hydrator will help boost moisture and rehydrate. Unlike lip plumpers, these injectables improve skin quality, rather than change the shape, so there’s no danger of a trout pout. Owing to its elastic formula,…

LOW ON SODIUM My sister, 53, lives alone. She had a bad fall, passed out on the bathroom floor and ended up in hospital – where they discovered very low levels of sodium in her blood. I’ve heard this can be extremely dangerous – the thought of her falling ill again on her own is terrifying. It’s under control now and she’s been discharged but how can we help her? Irene, Belfast DR HILARY SAYS: The important question is, did your sister fall because of her low blood sodium levels or was this an incidental finding and a one-off? Low sodium levels can cause low blood pressure, which leads to fainting and therefore a fall. There are many possible underlying causes of persistent low sodium which include neurological and pulmonary…

HOW IT WORKS Simply follow our daily plan as suggested. You’re mostly going to be replacing refined carbohydrates with vegetables or fruit. This cuts calories but supplies you with plenty of filling, super-healthy fibre. A portion of fruit and vegetables weighs 80g – but you don’t need to measure them all. Instead, serve roughly 3 tbsp of each vegetable; for fruit a portion is one piece of medium fruit, such as an apple or orange, two small fruits like plums, two handfuls of berries, or a medium slice of a big fruit like watermelon. Because it doesn’t contain fibre, fruit juice only counts as one portion a day. We’ve added lots of variety but feel free to use different fruit or veg if you don’t like anything suggested or to…

JIMI, THE HERO EAMONN: At some stage we all ask ourselves the question, ‘Would we? Could we?’ Well, Folajimi Olubunmi-Adewole, the young man who jumped into the River Thames to try to save a woman, did. In the process, he lost his own life. Jimi, as he was known, and his friend, Bernard, couldn’t see her, they could only hear her shouts for help. Yet they still went in. Eventually, the woman and Bernard were brought to safety by the emergency services. Six hours later, Jimi’s lifeless body was reclaimed from those same dark and deadly waters. Bernard’s selflessness and bravery will hopefully be officially recognised, but 20-year-old Jimi’s was the ultimate act. We all like to think that we would have brought up children who would think as nobly……

Bursting on to the scene back in 2005, SelectSpecs sent shockwaves through the optical industry by offering full prescription glasses with coatings online at a fraction of the price found on the high street. The Westgate on Sea-based, family-run business founded by Tony Russell (FBDO), David McMillan and Jason McMillan has grown from the kitchen table to a multimillion-pound company delivering glasses to every corner of the globe. Their glasses offer exceptional value for money, starting from £6. We have four Ray-Ban RB2132 sunglasses (pictured right) worth £84.68 to give away. To enter, see right. Visit selectspecs.com to browse the range. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at hearstmagazines.co.uk/best1921 by 21 May 2021. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2719 by midnight on 21 May 2021.…

RADIO 1 RELAX! This brand-new stream brings listeners well-being content throughout the day. Catch Get Set with Radio 1 (7-8am) fronted by Joe Tasker, designed to help listeners strike six things off their to-do list. THE MINDFUL PODCAST, ON APPLE If you’ve never tried mindfulness, it’s a simple form of meditation, which helps you become more present and less overwhelmed in life. Episodes are in managable chunks, containing either five or 10-minute practices to try. TED RADIO HOUR, APPLE PODCASTS Who doesn’t love a good TED Talk?! And now, TED Radio Hour brings some of the best together. Each episode focuses on a different topic, from space to money, beauty, medicine and more.…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES Use the anagrams, straight, cryptic, quiz and picture clues to solve the crossword. When completed correctly, the pink squares, reading top to bottom, left to right, will reveal the answer to the question below: What is PICTURE C’s nationality? (7). This is your prize answer. Enter by using the numbers at the top of the grid or at hearstmagazines.co.uk/bestcross1921 ACROSS 6 Large, colourful, long-tailed parrot (5) 8 Musical work such as Carmen or Turandot (5) 10 & 21D PICTURE A Name this actor (5,4) 11 PICTURE B She featured on a Jay-Z track that paid tribute to what US city? (3,4) 12 ITS really just somewhere to take a seat! (3) 13 Saying hello to, welcoming (8) 15…

When TV personality and singer Coleen Nolan returned to ITV’s Loose Women last week, it was with a spring in her step and a slimline new look! The reason for her recent transformation, however, is a poignant one. As she would explain, Coleen was spurred on by her sisters Linda and Anne’s public cancer battles. Returning to the studio for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, fellow panellists Janet Street-Porter, Ruth Langsford and Brenda Edwards gushed over how ‘fantastic’ the 56-year-old looked. Brenda confessed she almost ‘didn’t recognise’ Coleen at first, the change was so marked! The mum-of-three went on to reveal that she’d shed the pounds over lockdown by following an all-vegan diet (no meat, fish, poultry or dairy). Initially, she confessed, she’d missed dairy and chocolate –…

TOP TIP A belted shirt dress is a great way to flatter your waist.…

While countless beauty products work brilliantly on their own, there are some that, when paired with another, have the power to enhance your routine with impressive results – all with minimal effort. Check out these very clever power couples… You want… a fresh face Pair up: Lacura Ebony Rose Face Cream, £6.99 at Aldi, +Makeup Revolution Illuminate & Glow Skin Perfector, £10. ‘A drop of liquid highlighter mixed into your moisturiser imparts luminosity with skincare benefits,’ says make-up artist Ciona Johnson-King. It instantly brightens tired complexions and creates a glowy base for make-up. You want… to tan and go Pair up: Isle of Paradise Light Self Tanning Drops, £19.95, + Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Skincaring Foundation, £32. When time is tight, tanning expert Jules Von Hep recommends mixing a small…

TOP TIP! Jazz up Summer sandles by adding shoe clips for sparkle. Try www.dunelondon.commscarab-beetle-shoe-clip, £25 a pair. Evening princesses of all ages might prefer the £18 crystal bows on offer at simplybe.co.uk…

Strawberry Bakewell Cake Just the thing for warm-weather picnics, this easy-to-transport almond-flavoured sponge is baked with a fragrant strawberry and crunchy flaked almond topping. Prep time: 15 mins, plus cooling Cook time: 50 mins Serves: 10 SMARTPOINTS® VALUE PER SERVING (6 Green 5 Blue 5 Purple) 192 kcal per serving Calorie-controlled cooking spray 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed125ml agave syrup100g low-fat spread2 large eggs, plus 2 large egg whites100g plain flour2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon almond extract175g fresh strawberries, hulled and halved5g flaked almonds1 teaspoon icing sugar, to decorate 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Mist a 20cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin with cooking spray and line the base and sides with baking paper. 2. Put the cannellini beans,…

THE CRIME: A missing child, a distraught family and a state-wide manhunt. How did one little boy vanish into thin air? THE CASE: Etan Kalil Patz may only have been six years old, but he’d been begging his mother, Julie, for more independence. He wanted to walk the two blocks from their home in SoHo, New York, to catch his school bus – alone. The morning of 25 May 1979 was a hectic one in the Patz household. Etan’s photographer dad, Stanley, was trying to get his daughter, Shira, ready for school, while mum Julie tended to Etan’s two-year-old brother, Ari, and another toddler who had stayed the night. Julie ran a daycare centre from their home and, with her hands full, Etan again, asked if he could walk to the…

Simon Le Bon & Kim Wilde ‘Believe it or not, this snap was taken after a blind date arranged by Flexipop!, the first magazine I worked for. It was irreverent – kind of like if Private Eye were a pop mag. We asked Simon Le Bon who he’d like to have lunch with for a fun feature, and he instantly said Kim Wilde. So, we took them to lunch at this restaurant in St John’s Wood, London, and afterwards I took some snaps – this one’s just outside the restaurant and was used on the cover. Simon was really into Kim – it was like watching a schoolkid trying to show off. He was jumping over parking meters, all sorts. But she really wasn’t into him! They had a nice lunch…

You might imagine I’ve had quite a few jobs over my 35-year career. Most have been enjoyable but, like with any work, it’s with whom you work that makes all the difference. I love it when you come across people you might otherwise never have met; make a connection and know you’ll stay bonded. I have found that with the crew who make your best magazine what it is. Writing for this magazine has been a joy for me for many reasons. best represents, for me, all that you want in a magazine – comfort; a gentle, healthy dip into current affairs without too much solemnity; a lot of showbiz because whoever pretends they’re not interested is lying; fun and gossip without unpleasant judgment; health, lifestyle, support and care. In…

KILLER THRILLERS The Wild Girls Phoebe Morgan HQ, £7.99 It’s a case of ‘Safari, so Baddy’ in this Botswana-set adventure. The bond between four friends is broken after one dramatic night. Then wealthy Felicity invites her old pals to Africa to celebrate her birthday. Is it a chance to build bridges, or burn them? A tightly plotted thriller. Into the Fire Rachel Blok Head of Zeus, £18.99 A beautiful country house hosts an exclusive party – 11 people have gathered for the launch of a VR game. DCI Maarten Jansen has been summoned to keep order, but he finds himself on the trail of a murderer in this very modern take on a locked-room mystery. QUIRKY TALES On Hampstead Heath Marika Cobbold Arcadia, £15.99 In a moment of boozy madness,…

1 BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT MONEY You can’t have a healthy relationship with it or be open with others if you don’t. ‘For many who keep money secrets, it can be a feeling of shame or embarrassment that debts have spiralled out of control,’ says Sarah Porretta, Strategy and Insights Director at MaPS. To challenge and overcome any embarrassment or guilt, start by being honest with yourself. Get to know your monthly outgoings, your spending habits and any debts you have. 2 BE OPEN Talk about your spending and you’ll encourage others to do the same. When you disclose something, it’s quite common that the other person will reciprocate. ‘Start with: “This is what I’ve discovered about myself” – you’re not asking for judgement or approval. It just starts…

BAD NEIGHBOURS 9pm, ITV2, Friday Get ready for some serious eye-candy in this comedy. Mac and Kelly’s peaceful suburban life is disturbed by a boisterous fraternity house next door. When the college students refuse to be quiet, the couple resorts to a series of ‘unique’ measures! Zac Efron and Dave Franco star. UP IN THE AIR 11.30pm, BBC Two, Thursday In this comedy-drama, starring George Clooney, Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga, Ryan, a ‘corporate downsizing expert’, travels the country firing people – but finds that lifestyle threatened by a hire, who he’s rather attracted to! THE ITALIAN JOB (2003) Sky Catch-up A highly entertaining thriller. John Bridger and Charlie Croker assemble a team to steal gold bars from a vault in Venice, but a team member betrays them. Many years…