Table of contents for 39-2021 in Best

One of my favourite features in this week’s issue is one that will make us all pause and think. Can you name the five people who made you who you are today? On page 40, one writer does exactly that. Mine would be my father Danny, with his ‘work, work, work’ ethic. A Catholic nun called Sister Majella, who, uncomplaining, attempted to teach me maths for years, and whose unshakeable faith made me believe 100 per cent there has to be more than just this life, so be kind. My first husband – I may never have worked so ambitiously (and loved it) had he not left. My childhood friend, Sue, who is everything I am not and used to dare me to be braver and ‘just dance’, even in…

She’s back on our screens looking her usual gorgeous and composed self, amidst the star-studded sparkle of Strictly (and hello, who else has serious dress envy?!). But Tess Daly, 52, who co-hosts the BBC One dance show with Claudia Winkleman, has had quite a testing time of it lately. In what, one imagines, was far too close to the mid-September launch of Strictly for comfort, the glamorous mum-of-two had the most unwelcome of visitors – Covid-19. On 30 August, Tess’s husband of 18 years, Vernon Kay, who had been set to make his This Morning debut the following day, revealed that he had had to pull out of his high-profile presenting gig as he had contracted Covid. best columnist Eamonn Holmes swiftly stepped in to cover – but Vernon was bitterly disappointed,…

Asked if lockdown got him thinking about dating, or finding a significant other, Graham shakes his head. ‘Not really, because for most of the past 18 months, you couldn’t. I mean, how were people navigating that? Were people just breaking all the rules? I wasn’t because I feel I really can’t break the rules. I’m the person who wears his mask all the time. I’m the person who steps off the pavement when someone walks toward me. And partly, it’s because I’m in the public eye and if I break rules, people will go, “Caught you!”. But it’s more that I am that guy. I don’t like rules, but I follow them.’…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Make-up: Would you sleep in it? Some of us are happy to wear little – or no – make-up most days, others wouldn’t dream of leaving the house without theirs, but it seems some people don’t even show their other halves their bare faces! Make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury recently admitted that before bed, ‘I take off my make-up, do my skincare, then I put on my Colour Theory eyeliner that lasts 16 hours and my mascara.’ Her husband of seven years, ‘George [Maud] has never seen me without a bedroom eye. Never! I tell you, keep the magic alive.’ Wow. The make-up artist to the stars, including Kim Kardashian and Kate Moss, goes as far as to say ‘make-up is happiness’, which is why she even sleeps…

Collapsing onto the sofa and flicking on the TV, I tucked into a slab of cake and took a big gulp of white wine. It was my reward after a long week juggling home schooling with my boys, Jack, then 13, and Oliver, then 10, working from home in Southampton – and surviving another day in lockdown. It was May 2020, and while my husband, Stu, and I were always upbeat and positive, with the absence of seeing family and friends and not being able to take the kids out, food had become even more of a treat for me than usual. I loved bread, and although I didn’t eat huge portions, I’d munch when I was happy, eat when I was sad… and have snacks like this as a…

IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK! It’s wonderful to be back, darlings. I can’t wait to give you all the gossip and opinions! It’s still strange with Covid restrictions – we couldn’t do the hugs and kisses you always look forward to at the launch… But everyone at Elstree Studios is buzzing – I love being reunited with Shirley and Motsi and we’re making new judge Anton feel at home – despite the Perspex dividers! We also have four new pro dancers, and plenty of Strictly sparkle! FUN, FUN, FUN! Loose Women’s Judi Love looks like she’s having a ball, doesn’t she?! She’s hilarious and so full of vitality. Judi says she can’t even ‘walk’ in heels – she’ll need to sort that out! I think Tilly Ramsay may struggle, and…

CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE Celebrating an Autumn birthday? Try this simple showstopper. Serves 8 Prep: 15min Cooking time: 45min 225g butter, softened225g golden caster sugar4 eggs, lightly beaten175g self-raising flour, sieved1 tsp baking powder, sieved50g dark chocolate cocoa, sieved (plus extra for dusting, if using)1 tsp vanilla extract2 tbsp apricot conserveZest and juice of 1 orange FOR THE GANACHE (OPTIONAL): 200ml double cream100g bar dark 70% chocolate 1 Preheat oven to gas 3/170°C (150°C fan). Using a food mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, about 10min. Then slowly add eggs, a little at a time, along with a little flour to stop any curdling. Mix remaining flour with baking powder and cocoa and put to one side. 2 Using a metal spoon, fold in the flour…

THE CRIME: A beautiful young girl disappears after a night out and when her body is discovered, suspicion quickly falls on her boyfriend. But was he the one responsible for her death? THE CASE: Donning a blue cropped wig and a white outfit, happy-go-lucky Rachel Manning certainly looked the part. It should have been a fun night out for the charming 19-year-old shop assistant, who was attending a Seventies-themed fancy dress evening at Chicago’s nightclub in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Pictures of her and her boyfriend, Barri White, then 21, taken that night appeared to show them smiling – and he too was wearing fancy dress. It was 9 December 2000 and Barri intended to propose to Rachel on Christmas Day that year – he’d even bought a ring. Only, instead…

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 –…

1 to give away Worth over £350! Wiltshire’s best-kept secret, a luxurious country manor house set in a 74-hectare country park, is the perfect place to relax and unwind in beautiful surroundings. And this is your chance to experience it all first-hand, with our competition to win a two-night stay, with a complimentary three-course meal and bottle of house wine on the first night. This tranquil oasis has been lovingly maintained and features distinctive honey-coloured Cotswold stone and 78 en-suite rooms. Unspoilt views across Stanton Lake and Park provide an idyllic setting and the location is only a few minutes’ drive away from the centre of Swindon. For the classic manor house experience, four-poster bedrooms are located in the old manor house, with other grades of rooms in complimentary decorative…

SOCIAL CARE RUTH: There’s a clue in the title. Social care should embody looking after people who can no longer fully look after themselves by people who care, in an environment that is social, inclusive, caring and reassuring. It mostly, but not exclusively, comes at a time when people are older and more vulnerable. Surely, that alone should be enough to scare most of us into supporting whatever it takes to make sure that there is that safety net for all of us as we get older?! Social care is a very big problem that, at last, is being talked about. It’s necessary but it’s costly. If it wasn’t, it would be begrudging. It is carried out by wonderful people who have vocations, who often do the things that family…

DIY? DON’T MIND IF I DO… The cream walls were painted a royal blue by crafty Kimberley herself - saves on a painter! STONE STATEMENTS Kimberley’s newly-installed bathroom came from @sanctuarybathrooms and the amazing tiles from @ca_pietra_ YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED… Royal blue walls gives the 39-year-old singer-turned-actress’s dining room a regal feel - we’re loving that glittering chandelier! TEATIME TAKEOVER Hands up who has thought of putting grated cheese on McCain’s Smiley Faces? No. Well that seems to be a hit with Kimberley’s two older boys, Booby and Cole. BALCONY BLISS: The family can look out on to their amazing garden from this beautiful balcony… STARY STARY NIGHT For hubby Justin’s birthday, Kimberley hired this set up from @bespokeigloco, but it’s perfect for any special occasion. SAY IT WITH…

Fitness guru Joe Wicks, aka The Body Coach, was well-known before the pandemic – but it was during the Coronavirus crisis that the chirpy Essex chappy came into his own. The curly-haired dad-of-two (he has daughter Indie, three, and son Marley, one, with his wife of two years, Rosie Jones) gave families 18 weeks of PE, live from his living room. He was awarded an MBE by the Queen last October (‘a dream come true’) and now, the 35-year-old has created a series of short films for pre-schoolers called The Workout Badges – blending cartoon favourite Hey Duggee with his own enthusiasm. Here, he talks to best about the series, family life and a documentary about his upbringing with his dad, a drug addict, and his mum, who struggled with OCD… Hi Joe, tell us about The…

Joe has said he and Rosie would like five kids – and that’s still the plan, he tells best. ‘I just like the idea of a full house! I’ve only got two brothers, but Rosie and I have talked about how amazing it would be to have four, five kids running around, at different ages. I just love babies, but they grow up so quickly! I’m sure in the next year or so we’ll start thinking about trying for another one.’ Meanwhile, he and Rosie are enjoying their family of four: ‘We like playing at being kids, we all go out on our scooters together… Days out normally revolve around food – we love our food. We go to a nice restaurant, create a total mess and then leave!’…

September is the perfect time for a post-Summer DIY skin treat, so get exfoliating from top to toe with my homemade scrubs. These chemical-light formulas are high-powered naturals that will help rejuvenate and revitalise your skin to give you that spa glow at home. Here’s how… FULL BODY SCRUB If you’re tired, your circulatory system is probably sluggish, too. So less oxygen-rich blood reaches the skin’s surface, making it look less radiant. A homemade salt scrub will kick-start blood flow and invigorate skin. In a bowl, mix ½ cup sea salt, 2-3tbsp oil (almond and olive work well) and 2tbsp of white vinegar (to restore the pH balance). Rub in a circular motion to dissolve dead skin cells. ARM AND THIGH SMOOTHER Coffee grounds are great exfoliants. Mix together ½…

HOW IT WORKS Cheese is probably one of the first foods you think you need to give up when losing weight – but there are actually three reasons why cheese could power up your plan. Check out our Cheese Lover’s Diet and you could lose up to a stone this month… Cheese is normally a dieting no-no because it’s high in fat and calories, but that’s only part of the story. You see, dairy products, like cheese, are a source of calcium – which plays a role in the fat-burning process. In fact, US research shows people eating three to four servings of dairy a day lose more weight than those cutting it out. On top of this, cheese contains fat and protein – two nutrients shown to fill you…

Creamy Seafood Lasagne If you’d prefer not to use fish pie mix, then substitute with 650g cubed fish – smoked haddock, pollock and salmon are a tasty combination. Cooking time: 45 min Serves: 6 1tbsp sunflower oil2x 320g packs fish pie mix200g raw peeled prawns6 dried lasagne sheets, each measuring 16cm x 8cm (6½in x 3½in)400g mascarpone2tbsp chopped fresh dill125g ciabatta bread, chopped into rough pieces 1 Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan)/mark 4. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over high heat and fry the fish and prawns for 2 min until beginning to turn opaque. Tip into a sieve and allow any excess liquid to drain off. 2 Meanwhile, put the lasagne sheets into a heatproof dish and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak…

As time went on, both men continued to protest their innocence. ‘I never thought about giving up because I knew if I did, it was almost like admitting guilt,’ Keith Hyatt later said. Meanwhile, Barri White was often kept in solitary confinement for his own safety – as well as being on suicide watch. For years, the case remained closed, with the supposed perpetrators behind bars. But after a 2005 BBC documentary called Rough Justice featured the case, it raised serious questions about the key scientific evidence in the first trial. A forensics expert later established the lighter particles could have come any time in the days before Rachel’s death. By 2007, Barri’s murder conviction was quashed by appeal judges and he was acquitted in 2008, following a retrial. He’d…

FRIENDS FOR THE LAVISH LIFESTYLE? My now ex-husband, CEO of a financial company, gambled our two million-pound family home away late last year – without telling me. I knew literally nothing about his addiction. I felt like our whole life was a lie and ended our marriage shortly after. Most of my friends have been there for me throughout, but two women barely speak to me now things are tough (I and my two teenagers are at my mum’s house). Did they really only hang out with me just for the lifestyle my husband afforded us?! I am stunned – it’s like yet another kick in the teeth. Trisha, Cheshire Like all divorcées, you are experiencing the heartbreaking revelation that some friends are there for the tough times and some…

6 to give away Worth £70! Best has teamed up with leading British bedding brand Slumberdown, to offer six lucky winners the chance to win a Wellbeing Bundle worth £70. This special bundle features Slumberdown’s new CBD infused pillowcase and pillow. The removable pillowcase is infused with a unique blend of CBD oil, aloe vera and lavender for optimum relaxation and a 7kg Weighted Blanket, which applies gentle pressure to the body to help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Believing in better sleep for every body, Slumberdown understands the importance and the power of good bedding to achieve a great night’s sleep, which is why every product in the Slumberdown bedding range is designed using soft fillings and fabrics, and tailored to suit different sleep solutions, to ensure every…

FLETCHERS FARMHOUSE, DEVON SLEEPS EIGHT Wow factor: indoor games room This characterful barn and farmhouse at Fletchers Combe, near Totnes, comes with an indoor stable games room, shared with other holidaymakers nearby, featuring table tennis/football, pool and darts. There are four bedrooms and three bathrooms, plus a private hot tub. Nearby attractions include the beautiful beaches of the South Hams, plus everything from stately homes and castles to adventure parks, golf and lots of lovely walks through beautiful countryside – and not just for you, as dogs are welcome at this property. A Winter week’s self-catering for eight costs from £2,494; £1,540 for three nights. More info: premiercottages.co.uk TREGULLAND BARN AND COTTAGE, CORNWALL SLEEPS 22 Wow factors: indoor pool, hot tub and cinema Nestled in a hidden valley on the…

Emotional ITV presenter Kate Garraway dedicated her recent National Television Award to husband Derek Draper who was – as she spoke – at home, still recovering from the damage done to his body by Covid-19. The 54-year-old won the award for her documentary, Finding Derek, which gave full access to her home, while her husband was on a ventilator, his life – quite literally – hanging in the balance. Derek, also 54, a former political lobbyist, spent more than a year in hospital battling to recover, spending months in intensive care and, at one point, being put into a coma. Kate’s win was greeted with a standing ovation as she took to the stage to thank producers. ‘They didn’t know whether they were making a story about bereavement or a…

1 DO THE PREP Smooth skin is the key to an even tan so, after cleansing, take a wet washcloth (it gives a more even exfoliation than a grainy scrub), and softly rub your skin in small, gentle circles. The drier parts of your face can be a magnet for DHA, the chemical that reacts with your skin to create the colour. Prevent patchiness by massaging a tiny dab of oil-free moisturiser around your hairline, brows, nostrils, upper lip and neck. Relax for 10 minutes, letting it sink in, then apply your tan. 2 APPLY YOUR TAN Most streaks are caused by using too little formula rather than too much, so try to fully saturate your face and neck. Just remember to wash your hands afterwards (use micellar water for stubborn stains)…

VIRGO 24 August – 23 September Welsh beauty Catherine Zeta-Jones, husband Michael Douglas and other Virgos are just getting started in their effort to bring about a special goal. Very soon, if they work hard enough, they will see their dreams turn into reality. It will all be worth it in the end. SAGITTARIUS 23 November – 21 December A mystery concerning a joint budget can be cleared if you both make time for uninterrupted discussion. Accept an invitation to join in with activities you would normally turn down and this could go a long way towards widening your social circle. Make time to enjoy gossip and fun. A family get-together will bring a surprise. PISCES 20 February – 20 March One small thing will seem to blemish an otherwise…

It wasn’t until 2010 that a break in the case finally came. Another 19-year-old woman accidentally got into a car that she thought was a taxi and was subsequently sexually abused by the driver. DNA that was collected later flagged a match – to evidence taken from the steering lock that had been used to club Rachel. The DNA belonged to Shahidul Ahmed – a father-of-five from Bletchley, Buckinghamshire. He was arrested and finally stood trial in 2013 – but devastatingly, jurors failed to reach a verdict. Fortunately, a retrial was granted in September that same year and this time, Ahmed was found guilty. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 17 years. ‘You accosted Rachel when she was at her most vulnerable’ Mr Justice Wilkie told…

CHOLESTEROL JABS? I am 59, suffer from high cholesterol and I have been on statins for five years. It worries me a lot as I also have high blood pressure, and fear that I might be a candidate for a heart attack (which is what my mother died of). I recently saw on the news that a new injection is available on the NHS to help lower cholesterol. Would I be eligible for this, do you think? Annie, Dundee DR HILARY SAYS: Around two-fifths of people in England have high cholesterol levels and 6.5 million are taking statins to combat this. Currently this new medication, called Inclisiran, which is given by injection under the skin twice a year, will be offered to people who have already had a heart attack…

5 to win Skinny Tan are teaming up with coaching and mentoring community The Glow Up Project in a partnership to empower women to feel confident again after lockdown. Skinny Tan are all about body confidence, not body perfection, and want to create a supportive community, both online and offline, so we can feel the very best we can. To celebrate the partnership, Skinny Tan are giving away five of their limited edition Glow Up Bundles, complete with Moisture Mousse Express, After Glow Gloss, Dual Tanning Mitt, Exfoliating Mitt and Miracle Brush (worth £71.95). To enter, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at hearstmagazines.co.uk/best3921b by 8 October 2021. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2732 by midnight on 8 October 2021. Calls cost 30p per minute, plus…

BACK IN THE REAL WORLD Since starting my latest stand-up tour at the beginning of September, what I’ve noticed most about being back in the ‘real world’ is how organised I need to be. Last year, life was very simple. During lockdown, all I had to remember to do was eat, go for a walk and then do some more eating/telly-watching, sleep and repeat. Now that I’m back at work, I’ve got to remember so much stuff! Not just the words to the show (and there are lots of them), but there’s all the other responsibility that goes with leaving your own home. I’ve got to be constantly vigilant about how many bags I’m carrying and where I last left my phone – e.g. in the ladies’ loos at a…

DISNEY HISTORY INSTITUTE In two years, Disney will celebrate its centennial. After almost 100 years and the navigation of a highly recorded century, there is a ton of fascinating stories at Disney, as this podcast explores in a history of animation – and early cinematic amusement parks. Listen on Apple Podcasts. JOURNEY TO MAGIC! Walt Disney Travel Company has launched its Journey to the Magic Podcast series, hosted by I’m a Celebrity… winner and long-time Disney fan, Giovanna Fletcher, and her hubby, Tom. He reveals that the podcast was made for him, as he’s a lifelong Disney fan! Listen at disneyholidays.co.uk/podcast UNLOCKING THE MAGIC Unlocking the Magic has to be one of the most wholesome Disney podcasts out there. It’s run by a couple who have a united love of…