Table of contents for 33-2021 in Best

Hands up who loved these Olympics? From the magic of Tom Daley and Matty Lee’s diving to historic Gold victory, to the heartbreak of the decathlon’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson hopping over the finishing line with a pulled Achilles tendon, it’s been an emotional roller coaster for Team GB. There were moments of fun – Tom Daley’s knitting – and delighted surprised, such as when 13-year-old Sky Brown from Hemel Hempstead, Herts, won a Bronze in skateboarding. Meanwhile, Jason Kenny became the most successful British Olympian ever (eight medals, six Golds) while his wife, Laura Kenny, added her fifth Olympic medal to the tally as the couple’s reign of dominance in the velodrome continued. ‘It’s nice,’ said Kenny, with the sort of understatement we have come to expect from our athletes. As…

Queen of reality TV Gemma Collins continues her rather fabulous fitness comeback this Summer, having posted yet another gorgeous weight-loss picture on her social media. Since losing a whopping 31⁄2st, fans were incredibly impressed – and showered the reality star with praise for the progress in her journey, after she shared a bikini snap on her Instagram. Gemma reportedly runs for 10 miles a day – and told her followers to ‘Keep motivated. Stay focused. No excuse!’, calling workout guru Joe Wicks her fitness ‘inspiration’. Focusing on the 40-year-old’s weight loss (and we must say, her waist is definitely shrinking!), her posts are gaining up to 30,000 likes, with hundreds praising Gemma’s body positivity. One fan wrote, ‘It’s lovely to see that you’ve taken a new direction and starting to…

There’s been a familiar face on ITV in the mornings this Summer – in the suave form of Richard Madeley – and viewers have loved having the daytime legend back on screen. Despite his ever-youthful appearance, Richard, 65, has over 30 years of broadcasting experience, having started as a young TV reporter at Granada in 1982, before going on to form an iconic partnership on This Morning with his wife, Judy Finnigan. So it’s no surprise that he is so comfortable in front of camera. Opinionated and gaffe-prone, viewers love the fact that whatever else he may be, he is never dull. Now flying solo – as Judy, 71, has largely retired from live TV in favour of the quiet life in Cornwall – he has been a regular fixture…

HOW IT WORKS Our seven-day plan is the ultimate meal planner. All you do is choose few key healthy meals – say three simple breakfasts, four easy lunches and six or seven dinners with a set theme like Meat-free Monday or Pasta Tuesday – and rotate them each week. It’s simple, budget-friendly and a brilliant way to slim. For starters, it helps with willpower. Every time you decide what to eat – even if you’re not struggling with whether to order chips or not – you use up a little bit of your willpower store. Spend too long deciding and you can run out completely and give in to those chips! Having your meals or themes planned reduces this risk. By knowing what you’re planning to eat, you’re also less…

COCONUT AND LIME CUPCAKES If making for kids, omit the Malibu and simmer the syrup for less time. Hands-on time: 30min, plus cooling Cooking time: About 25min Makes 12 FOR THE SPONGE 125g unsalted butter, softened125g caster sugar3 medium eggs, beaten125g self-raising flour25g desiccated coconutFinely grated zest and juice of 1 lime FOR THE SYRUP Juice of 2 limes25g caster sugar2tbsp coconut rum, we used Malibu FOR THE ICING 150g full-fat cream cheese75g icing sugar, sifted150ml double creamFinely grated zest of 1 lime, optional 1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/mark 4 and line a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper cases. To make the sponge, beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. If mixture looks like it might curdle, beat…

FANCY A CONSTANT SUPPLY OF BASIL? Buy a supermarket pot, divide it into four and plant it out. The cuttings will soon grow away and start to increase. TRIM TOPIARY AND YEW, box and beech hedges. Start on your lavender towards the end of the month, cutting back to a neat 9in ball that will give you good structure through Winter. This may mean losing the last few flowers, so gather them up for drying. DON’T WATER THE LAWN. To keep it greener, let your grass grow longer. KEEP YOUR POND TOPPED UP with water in hot, dry weather, and fish out blanket weed as soon as you see it - a hairbrush tied to a pole makes an excellent implement DON’T GIVE UP ON HANGING BASKETS - a little…

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR HOMELESSNESS EAMONN: Homelessness is a massive problem – but £17m in a new initiative from the government to solve it is anything but massive. What is controversial and exciting all at the same time about this initiative is that the money is being offered to buy properties for ex-offenders to live in. A lot of you may say, ‘Not with my taxpayer’s money’ but please, think again. The probability of someone just being released from prison finding a job is very low. No job means no income and, in far too many cases, leads to no home. Drink, drugs and solvent abuse can often follow as a way of escaping the reality and numbing the pain – so it could be argued that breaking that cycle benefits…

It’s not very often our childhood daydreams come true – but equestrian Laura Collett’s did when she won Gold last week! It may have been the 31-year-old’s first Olympics but, alongside Oliver Townend and Tom McEwen, she stormed her way to first place in the team eventing. ‘It’s always been a childhood dream to be at the Olympics, so to be sat here with an Olympic Gold medal around my neck is beyond words, really,’ she said. Her career nearly came to an end before it had really begun when she fell off her horse eight years ago while competing at Tweseldown, Hampshire, and the horse fell on top of her. She suffered catastrophic injuries, including a punctured lung, a lacerated liver, a fractured shoulder and two broken ribs. She…

This was the first Summer that Simon hadn’t got itchy feet. In the past he’d gone backpacking all Summer with mates Tez and Andy, hiking in the Alps or trekking in the Pyrenees, meeting interesting characters along the way… ‘In other words, girls!’ Roz had snorted. ‘Women,’ Simon had corrected grandly. ‘Mmmm. Funny how you and your mates never seemed to bump into blokes who’d offer directions or turn out to have an uncle running an affordable pension.’ But she hadn’t begrudged him his adventures. Those days were behind him and he looked back with nostalgia rather than regret. He enjoyed the ‘proper’ job he’d been in for six months since moving back to his home town. He’d even been promoted. This Summer, looking out from his office window at…

She takes a nononsense approach to life, so it should come as no surprise that when it comes to death, Janet Street-Porter has an equally matter-of-fact view. But Loose Women viewers were still surprised to hear the presenter, 74, announce that she doesn’t even want to have a funeral. Sitting on the panel alongside Kaye Adams, Linda Robson and Gloria Hunniford, when the subject of end-of-life ceremonies came up, Janet declared she wasn’t interested, saying: ‘No, I don’t want anything at all. I don’t want a funeral.’ ‘Why not?’ Gloria asked her, to which Janet replied: ‘Why bother? I can’t see the point.’ Linda then chipped in: ‘It’s about a celebration of your life!’ ‘Oh well you can have a party here,’ Janet suggested, as Linda cheekily quipped: ‘We will,…

UNKNOWN Channel 5, Tuesday, 11.05pm Rugged Liam Neeson excels in this thrilling action flick. Four days after a car accident, a biochemist wakes up to realise that an unknown person has taken his identity. Perplexed and suffering from memory gaps, he sets out to discover the truth… THE HOUSE ON THE HILL Channel 5, Thursday, 2.15pm Horror films in the afternoon are always a sensible idea! After years in a mental hospital, Megan goes home to visit her brother. But he’s vanished and no one in town remembers him ever existing. Is Megan losing her mind? Creepy. MECHANIC: RESURRECTION E4, Tuesday, 9pm Strap yourself in for this thrill-ride, starring Jessica Alba and Jason Statham. Arthur, a contract killer, is forced to assassinate three men and make the deaths look like…

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…

Davina McCall is everywhere at the moment. The queen of multi-tasking is not only busy with her fitness platform, Own Your Goals (check it out at ownyourgoalsdavina.com), her podcast Making The Cut, a YouTube channel and her role as Garnier beauty ambassador, she’s been on our screens on The Masked Singer and its spin-off, The Masked Dancer, her powerful Channel 4 documentary, Davina McCall: Sex, Myths And The Menopause and the ever-emotional Long Lost Family. The star, 53, who has found love again with celebrity hairdresser Michael Douglas following her separation from her husband of 17 years, Matthew Robertson, is living in Kent with her three children, Holly, 19, Tilly, 17, and Chester, 14, as a brand-new family home is being built nearby. Here, she talks about her exciting new life,…

‘I’ve only seen the trailer but there hasn’t been a film I’ve looked forward to more than House of Gucci for a long time, and it’s not even out until the end of November! It has an unbelievable cast including Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, plus Al Pacino, Jared Leto, Adam Driver and Jeremy Irons – Oscar winners all round and directed by one too, Ridley Scott. As the trailer says, it’s about money, family, power, betrayal, sex, loyalty, scandal, ambition, and, of course, murder. The fact that it’s based on a true story makes it all the more desirable. Not to mention the glorious Italian backdrops. But another exciting thing is how it appears to be rekindling my interest in fashion. I used to be a bit of a…

1 CLEANSE This is key to stop a build-up of oils and dead cells, which can cause itching, and impede growth, due to blocked hair follicles. ‘Spend a minute massaging shampoo into your scalp, then let the suds run down,’ says trichologist Anabel Kingsley. Daily cleansing is best for fine hair. She recommends not leaving more than three days between washes, because your scalp can feel irritated. Curls, coils or coarse textures may prefer a weekly wash, so use a dry shampoo with scalp benefits in between. Redken global consultant Vernon François applies shampoo directly to a dry scalp and emulsifies with water. ‘This allows the product to attack the dirt directly,’ he explains. Try: Head & Shoulders Deep Cleanse Scalp Detox Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, £5.99; Aveeno Volumising+ Fresh Greens Blend…

Lips are often left out of our skincare routine, yet they are one of the first areas to show the signs of ageing. They lose their pillowy plumpness and the tissue around them loses volume, too. The top lip can sink down, and smoker’s lines develop – even if you have never smoked! Lip skin is very thin and made of the same tissues that line the inside of the mouth. A rich blood supply gives their full and red appearance, but age and hormones mean blood supply starts to diminish, and collagen and elastin break down. There’s plenty you can do, though. Read on! WRINKLED, CHAPPED LIPS A lack of oil glands causes this common symptom. Tweakment: Filler will hydrate and smooth wrinkles above and on the lips. Rather…

SISTER THINKS DOG IS A HUMAN! I was so glad when my older sister bought a puppy last year to dote on, after her kids flew the nest, but I’m getting concerned about her attachment to him! She talks to the dog as if it’s a person, and won’t leave him alone for a second – even to pop to the shops. She even wipes him after doing his business! She’s gone to a holiday camp on her own because she wouldn’t go anywhere she couldn’t take the dog, as she wanted ‘the two of them to have a nice time’. If I want to see her I have to go to her house because the dog ‘doesn’t like to be out of his territory’. I have always been a…

When Tom Daley dived his way to his first Olympic Gold medal, the country – along with his husband, Dustin Lance Black, and mum, Debbie – went wild! The nation has been behind the baby-faced Brit ever since his Olympic debut in Beijing back in 2008. And although he won Bronze in both the London and Rio Games, the much-craved top spot had eluded him. Until now! On Monday 26 July, he and his partner Matty Lee won the men’s synchronised 10-metre diving competition in Tokyo. ‘I still can’t believe we actually did it!’ he wrote on his Instagram afterwards. ‘After 4 Olympics and 20 years of diving! An Olympic Gold medal! And to do it with @mattydiver was all the more special!’ It was Matty’s first time competing in…

Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre made winning Gold look easy in the women’s 470 class last Wednesday, leaving Poland in second place and France to come third. And the pair were so delighted, they leapt into the water to celebrate! And no wonder – this Gold, combined with her Silver from London 2012 and her Gold from Rio 2016, makes Hannah, 33, the most successful female Olympic sailor in history. Hannah first sailed on a family holiday in Cornwall and loved it so much, she joined Cardiff Sailing Centre at just eight years old. As she progressed, she started to sail for the Welsh Optimist Squad and was the first Brit to win the Optimist Girls World Championships in 2003. ‘It is random because nobody in my family has a…

MUM’S SAD BATTLE My mother, June, is in a nursing home on the North-West Coast. She is 92 and she has dementia. Dementia is different for everyone. My mother can be quite lucid for several sentences, but then the wrong words slip into the conversation, she imagines she has just got back from somewhere else – usually Paris – and she cannot for the life of her understand why she isn’t having to pay for her meals. ‘Where is my chequebook?’ she asks, again and again. My mother went downhill rapidly a year ago. Lockdown certainly played its part, as did the deterioration in her eyesight, after a failed cataract surgery. Anyone who has a relative with dementia will tell you, in the initial stages of the disease, they still…

Join our campaign and get your finances sorted at hearstmagazines.co.uk/ffbest for money-saving tips and brilliant advice on being financially savvy. 1 DON’T OVERSHARE If you’re planning a trip away, don’t overshare, no matter how excited you are. ‘When you post about being on holiday, you are essentially advertising that your home is empty,’ explains Sarah Martinez, an online safety expert at Get Safe Online. ‘A cyber-criminal can then find out your address from other online accounts and pay your home a visit. And if you’ve ever posted a picture of your house, you’re making the pieces of the puzzle easier to put together.’ 2 DON’T INVALIDATE INSURANCE As well as alerting potential burglars, oversharing on social media could invalidate your home insurance policy, meaning you’d be unable to make a…

GIN… Need a zesty start to the evening? This Bluecoat American Dry Gin is full of citrus and sherbet lemon flavours to give your night the kick it needs. £31.95, from masterofmalt.com – stick a candle in the stunning blue bottle after you’ve finished, and you’ve got yourself a winning ornament. VINO… Freixenet’s pretty pink Italian Rosé is a subtle, refreshing wine with a palate of red cherries and strawberries… perfect for those Summer nights before you hit the town! Grab yourself a bottle for the girls, at £10.50 from slurp.co.uk BUBBLY… Go for gold! This Prosecco Doc Brut from M&S is to be enjoyed well chilled, either as an aperitif or to complement posh crisps, finger food and canapés. Perfect for a night with the pals. £15.…

This Morning’s Ruth Langsford got all hot under the collar recently - over ‘dishonest’ celebs! The 61-year-old presenter recently hit out on the ITV show about famous faces who aren’t entirely honest about the ‘work’ they’ve had done. While the star maintained that she has absolutely no problem with people having ‘tweakments’, Ruth said she doesn’t believe that people should lie about them. Ruth, who was presenting with husband and fellow best columnist Eamonn Holmes, was discussing the rise of men receiving tweakments ahead of the return to the office. ‘Before you ask, no I haven’t had anything done,’ he said. ‘As I said, if I’d had something done, I’d be asking for my money back!’ Hubby Eamonn, ever with a twinkle in his eye, responded lovingly, ‘Darling, you don’t…

You could say that 2021 and all its bombshell Royal revelations has not exactly been a walk in the park for Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge. But according to one Royal expert, it could get worse, and she should be braced for a ‘hellish’ 2022 as there is a ‘PR crisis’ on the horizon – one that will ‘dredge up’ a lot of heartache, linked to the more painful elements of her husband Prince William’s childhood. Daniela Elser has claimed that the Duchess may be in for a stressful year, her husband possibly even more so, as William’s childhood will be ‘picked over’ in the next series of Netflix hit The Crown – which she claims will represent the Palace Royals as ‘rigid, even callous’. Season five of the hugely…

Getting a text from my son, Jason, my stomach churned. ‘I think someone’s been trying to get in touch with you, Mum.’ I felt fear, hope, regret, curiosity… because I knew exactly what that message meant. What I didn’t know was how Jason would react when I told him the secret I’d carried for so many years. I went straight to his house. ‘There’s either a long-lost inheritance coming our way, or I’ve a brother or sister I don’t know about, Mum,’ he joked. When I stared at him, his face dropped. Taking a deep breath, I started to explain… Just over four years before Jason had been born, I was a naive 16 year old and had fallen pregnant. I’d hidden it from my parents as best I could,…

FAUX PULLED PORK WITH BLACKENED CORN My vegan faux ‘pulled pork’ uses jackfruit and is deliciously smoky and barbecue-y. It’s accompanied by blackened corn which is good enough to eat on its own. Serve nacho-style spooned over tortilla chips, with rice, or in a soft bun (if you are not afraid to get dirty!). 2 x 400g cans jackfruitA splash of olive oil1 large onion, thickly sliced1 tablespoon smoked paprika1 tablespoon ground cumin1 teaspoon plain flour80ml tomato ketchup1 teaspoon dark soy sauce1 tablespoon maple syrup1 teaspoon cider vinegarA generous pinch of dried oregano200g can of sweetcorn kernels, drainedA small pinch of cayenne pepperSea salt flakes and freshly groundblack pepper TO SERVE Tortilla chips, rice or a burger bun Sliced fresh or pickled chillies Lime wedges, for squeezing Serves 4 1…

A BABY AT 48? I’m 48, still having periods and my partner and I are desperate to try for a baby. Is it too risky, am I kidding myself? My sister has a little boy with Down’s syndrome whose condition was not diagnosed till birth and that’s something that terrifies me, as I know what she’s been through psychologically – though she adores her little boy! I’d just like to know what might be ahead, and make an informed decision. Jenny, Portsmouth First of all, because fertility diminishes with increasing age, your chance of conceiving naturally within the next year is just 3 per cent. Should you become pregnant, your age puts you and your baby at higher risk. At the age of 25 the chances of conceiving a baby…

Laps ahead in the pool… Team GB secured yet another Gold medal when swimmers Tom Dean, Duncan Scott, James Guy and Matthew Richards came first in the 4x200m freestyle relay. The quartet missed the world record by 0.03 seconds – but what really mattered was that they beat the Russian Olympic Committee by 3.23 seconds and Australia came behind both to finish third. Their triumph was especially sweet to Tom, who had also won Gold in the men’s 200m freestyle, making him the first British male swimmer to win two Gold medals in the same Olympics since 1908 – particularly as he had contracted Coronavirus not once, but twice, since the pandemic began. The second time, earlier this year, left him coughing and wheezing – with his Olympics chances in…

When Beth Shriever’s school urged her to give BMX a go at nine years old, we bet they had no idea they were setting her off on a road that would lead to an Olympic Gold – but that was what happened on Friday, 30 July! ‘WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! GOLD MEDAL’ the 22-year-old exclaimed on her Instagram. And it’s not surprising that she’s bowled over by her win – as even her entry to the Games was uncertain for a long time. Beth started off first on a loaned bike after her school’s suggestion and, when she enjoyed it, her parents invested in a second-hand one. As her skill became apparent, she trained seriously and was crowned junior world champion in 2017 – only to hear that, after Rio, Team…

On the surface, it seemed highly unlikely that Dennis Rader could have committed such heinous acts. Born in March 1945, he’d been raised in Wichita, Kansas, and served in the US Air Force in the Sixties. He’d married a woman named Paula in 1971 and they had two children – Brian and Kerri. The loving husband and father was also a respected member of the Boy Scout movement and high up in his church – even serving as president of the congregation. He collected stamps. On the face of it, he’d be the last on the list of potential suspects. If it wasn’t for the floppy disk… As the police looked into his background, they discovered he’d had a job at ADT Security Services, installing security alarms in local homes…

LEO 24 July – 23 August New demands and expectations in life will require Leos - including Vogue and Don't Cry For Me Argentina singer Madonna Ciccone - to make an exciting and interesting diversion from their usual path. But experimenting with different roles will be like a breath of fresh air and bring positive change to the Summer. VIRGO 24 August – 23 September New friendships will bring some exciting opportunities. A male friend or colleague could help you further a personal ambition. Divide your time between work, friendships and romance this week. No matter what your partner might say, you need to find time for projects you can do on your own. LIBRA 24 September – 23 October There’s something bothering you and although you don’t like making…

Tony Hadley is looking great and is desperate to put those lockdown days firmly behind him. The former frontman of Eighties icons Spandau Ballet, he’s preparing for a mammoth UK tour of solo material, but also the biggest Spandau hits – from Gold to Through The Barricades. The very likeable Londoner talks about getting out on the road again, living in a 16th century cottage in the Buckinghamshire countryside with wife Ali and daughters Zara, 14, and Genevieve, nine (Tony has three grownup children from his previous marriage), and his belief in ‘giving the people what they want’… Tony, we hear that you’re in top form… Well, I started off thinking this pandemic thing would last a month or two, phoned Majestic Wine, got a big order in… Then as…

AUDREY HEPBURN, SPOTIFY Breakfast at Tiffany classics such as Moon River, Holly and many more gorgeous songs are here for Audrey fans to enjoy, on this dreamy Spotify playlist. BEST OF ELVIS PRESLEY, AMAZON MUSIC Favourites from the King of Graceland, Las Vegas and rock ’n’ roll curated by Amazon’s best music experts. Elvis ain’t dead! MARILYN MONROE, SPOTIFY A playlist inspired by the classic movie star, featuring some of the songs that Marilyn genuinely loved, including The Very Thought of You by Frank Sinatra.…