Table of contents for 42-2021 in Best

As I write this, I am on holiday in Turkey. It was a last-minute decision to pay for a holiday abroad this year. Normally, I wouldn’t write about my ‘time off’ – but looking out from my balcony onto the mountains around Kalkan, it was worth it. I’m buzzing with positivity – and there are still a few weeks when you can do the same (see page 86) – or at least plan your break for next year. I hear there aren’t many countries on the Red List now, so my advice (if you can), is go for it. We live but once… … Or twice, as a Bond film once said! In keeping with the new film, ‘Wendy Bond’ is living her best life on page 24 – a…

In just the latest chapter in her roller-coaster existence, Katie Price was arrested when her BMW flipped on its side near her Sussex home – and subsequently pleaded guilty to drink-driving without insurance. The mum-of-five, 43, will be sentenced on 15 December, and could even face time behind bars – her sentencing was deferred so she can attend rehab (for the third time) at the Priory. The reality star who has admitted using cocaine in the past to ‘block things out’, is lucky to be alive after writing off her car on a country lane. But this is only the newest episode in a turbulent life, of late. Katie appeared with facial bruising in August after police were called to an Essex house, and a man was then arrested. Her…

TOP TIP Layer a knitted dress over leggings for extra warmth when out and about.…

My dad Steve and I were always joined at the hip. He was kind, affectionate and patient. My hero. And it was clear that me and my sisters, Vicky, now 30, and Anna, 26, were his world. ‘You can be anything you want,’ he’d say. He was ahead of his time, telling us we didn’t need men to be happy and successful. ‘Woman up,’ he’d grin if I was being dramatic. I adored him. Yet, when I was 10, I realised there was a different side to Dad. I became aware of his moods and could tell by the sound of his voice whether to stay out of his way. He was never aggressive, but there was an atmosphere that put me on edge. I loved the performing arts and…

Jane Bond? Don’t expect her any time soon, movie mogul Barbara Broccoli has warned, ruling out the possibility of a female 007 next time round. Barbara is head of Eon Productions, the company that makes the Bond movies, and I have no problem with this. Writer, journalist and naval intelligence officer Ian Fleming wrote the character as a man, and as actor Daniel Craig makes his final appearance as the famous secret agent in No Time To Die, I’m more than happy to see Tom Hardy or Idris Elba step into his budgie smugglers… er, sorry, tuxedo. But it is time for a female spy as strong, charismatic, physically appealing and deadly efficient as the male Bonds to step forward and dominate the on-screen world of espionage. I have always…

‘While I have always thought I looked healthier with a tan, as time has passed I’ve become more educated. I realise I could have been more careful. Now I choose to cover up and use sunshine sparingly.’ A brush with skin cancer has also made Stephaniere-evaluate her lifestyle. ‘I am more sensitive to sun these days, but I do like to get fresh air every day so I always wear a hat in the sun and factor 50. ‘I have quit smoking. I eat a healthy, balanced diet and I rarely sunbathe – although I believe a little sunshine is a great booster for the body in general. I sit outside for 10 minutes in the morning sometimes, in order to get my vitamin D boost.’ Stephanie also refuses to…

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! Movie Week was a delight, darlings – it’s one of my favourite theme weeks on Strictly. That cinematic, period drama-inspired group routine from our pros? Divine. I adored when they took on La La Land a few years ago. And we saw some wonderful characters at the weekend – the celebs really relished using their acting chops and playing dress-up! I loved Rose and Giovanni in Titanic, and who could forget Robert and Dianne’s quickstep to The Muppet Show?! WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE? So yes, I seem to have fallen head over heels for Judi Love. She can do absolutely no wrong in my eyes. She’s funny, she’s alive on that dancefloor, she’s got no inhibitions and she’s up for everything – she has her own set…

OSTEOPOROSIS IN 50s I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, at just 52. I am a little shocked to be honest, as I thought this was only a condition ‘older women’ got! I have tablets to take from my doctor, but I was just wondering if there’s anything in my life I should do less or more of, that will help and strengthen my bones? I’m very sporty. What should I avoid or do more of? Nicola, Newcastle DR HILARY SAYS: Osteoporosis is a normal part of the ageing process, but it can happen earlier in some people than others. It is known as the ‘silent disease’ because there are often no symptoms until you fracture a bone after a simple fall or knock. An early menopause, high-dose steroid treatment, low…

LIBRA 24 September – 23 October Librans, such as Hollywood hunks and The Greatest Showman co-stars Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron, would benefit greatly from a change of scenery, occupation or activity. People will admire their creativity and their versatility. Being on display will be both alarming and exciting. SCORPIO 24 October – 22 November An unexpected offer will be too good a one to let it pass you by. This is your chance to forge ahead towards a cherished aim. A senior colleague is starting to realise the true potential of your determined nature and you will be grateful for the support they give you, for a long time to come. A creative challenge will be fun. SAGITTARIUS 23 November – 21 December Be honest about your need for…

Pour Moi is all about fabulous styles to make you feel confident and sexy in your own skin. Whether you’re going out, working out or lounging at home, Pour Moi will help you do it in comfort and style. With prices starting from £20 and bras up to a J cup, you’ll look good and feel great from head to toe. We’re excited to be teaming up with Pour Moi to offer four £100 vouchers to spend online. Find the latest Autumn drops to get you ready for those colder months. With sexy lingerie styles to fit, flatter and leave you feeling fabulous. Or if cosying up is your thing, slumber in style in some seriously comfy and fabulous nightwear. Make sure you check out the latest trends at pourmoi.co.uk.…

On 15 June 2006, a man named arrested and charged with Mark Dixie was arrested for assault after getting into a bar brawl following an England football match. As of 2004, police had been given the powers to take DNA swabs from anyone who had been arrested, so Dixie was made to give a saliva sample. Officers wondered why the pub chef cried while being questioned – but after 12 days, they discovered the reason. After being added to the National Database, Dixie’s DNA was found to be a near-perfect match for the semen found on Sally Anne’s body. Within five hours, he was her murder. The Londoner, it turned out, had a string of previous convictions, including robbery, indecent assault and indecent exposure. ‘The jury didn’t believe his weak…

The car is full to bursting point. Two very large amplifiers, three guitars (don’t ask), pots and pans, a new duvet in a box, television, laptop and printer. Kitchen sink… I’d wanted Adam to come also, but even as we lay everything out in the spare room, I can see it will be impossible. I’m wondering, quite frankly, if there will even be room for me and Sam. We should never have traded down from an estate. ‘But will you be all right? On your own?’ Adam looks so worried as we begin to load everything – me wearing my brave face. So many journeys down the years. I remember the first – clear as a bell. We had a row – Adam and me – about how the baby…

So, how did Sheena and her pop star boyfriend first cross paths, then? Says Sheena, ‘We met in 2000, backstage at Party in the Park, which was held by the Prince’s Trust. We got on immediately. Shane is the romantic one in our partnership! But for me, romance isn’t all about roses and chocolates. Before I get up in the morning, Shane has already made sure my car has been cleaned and filled with petrol because he knows I have to drive the kids to school. Then he will prep breakfast for me. The fact someone has had a pre-thought about you and got up to help you, without being asked, is what I love about him. That, to me, is romantic. I think I’m very lucky!’…

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Tuesday, Sky Showcase, 9.45pm A classic action flick! Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), an outcast high school student, is bitten by a radioactive spider – and gets super powers. Soon, he is forced to use them to fight a monstrous foe. Also starring Cruella actress Emma Stone. THE CONJURING Wednesday, BBC Two, 11.15pm You know it’s nearly Halloween when this is on the telly. The Perron family moves into a farmhouse, where they experience paranormal phenomena, and are eventually forced to consult demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren. You may want to sleep with the lights on, after this… DIRTY HARRY Friday, Channel 5, 10pm In this iconic Clint Eastwood action thriller (‘You’ve got to ask yourself one question. “Do I feel lucky?” Well, do you, punk?’), a police…

FRIGHTFULLY FUN BALLOONS… Not got your spooky decs ready yet? We’ve got you covered for 31 October then, with some fun Halloween balloons from Party Delights. From just £2.99 – and what says Halloween better than a room full of freaky, fun airheads?! To get your fright night started, head to partydelights.co.uk GORGEOUS GARLAND! Dial up the mood and give your home a fresh look with this Autumnal door wreath. Decorated with artificial pumpkin, maple leaves, berries and pine cones, nothing screams Autumn more! At £8.99, head to amazon.co.uk PRETTY PUMPKINS These super-cute mini pumpkins are sure to add a seasonal glow to your home. Crafted from lightweight glass and with a mottled brass finish, they are each unique in design. £24.99 for all three, see lights4fun.co.uk…

When Monica joined MasterChef: The Professionals in its second series, she was compared by some viewers to Simon Cowell. That can’t have been easy! ‘I found that very hard at first,’ Monica admits. ‘The funny thing was I actually like Simon, because he always says it the way it is. But I had no media training to prepare me for that. Social media was just kicking off and to see all those comments about me was just a bit too much to cope with. To be honest, being compared with Simon was one of the least offensive things said about me.’…

She married Prince William in a fairytale ceremony at Westminster Abbey in 2011, but 10 years of Royal life and three children later – in which she has always been the loyal, measured, elegant wife – it feels like Kate Middleton has ‘arrived’. The world’s eyes were on the Duchess of Cambridge recently when she hit the No Time To Die premiere in that dramatic, floor-length, glistening gown. And from her sartorial body swerve at least, the 39-year-old is sending off a signal that this time, she means business. She made such a splash that it has since been revealed that the dress, which launched a thousand headlines, will now go on display as part of its designer Jenny Packham’s 007 collection. Mother-of-three Kate, whose former private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton…

After eight brilliant years as one of Strictly Come Dancing’s professional dancers, Janette, 37, has taken over from Zoe Ball as the co-host of BBC Two’s debrief show, It Takes Two, alongside Rylan Clark-Neal. Janette grew up in a Cuban family in Miami and now lives in North London with her husband, fellow Strictly dancer Aljaž Škorjanec. She shares why the pair are excited about this new adventure for more reasons than one… We’re loving you on It Takes Two! It’s humbling that I’ve been trusted with it. I remember thinking, ‘Don’t get your hopes up; if it doesn’t happen, it’s fine. Strictly is still the most magical job.’ I really tried to keep cool and calm, but when the phone call came in, I screamed for joy! How did you feel in the…

We have your look locked down, with products and tips to ensure your make-up doesn’t budge… 1 PERMA PREP Make-up won’t last on dry patches or oily spots. ‘Exfoliate skin and quench it with an oil-free moisturiser. Then wait five minutes before applying base or primer,’ says make-up artist Sharon Dowsett. Primer creates a smooth canvas and keeps oils from interfering with make-up. For oily skin, First Aid Beauty Hello FAB Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturiser, £25, has a blurring effect, while Herbal Essentials Photo Finish Face Veil, £15, helps add a glow. 2 BASE THAT STAYS Work on your technique. ‘Thin layers last best,’ says make-up artist Mario Dedivanovic. ‘Apply a little foundation with a brush, then work into skin with a beauty blender. Top with powder on a puff to…

Steak Noodle Bowl with Soy Dressing This noodle bowl is easy to adapt using whatever vegetables you have to hand. It’s broken down into pan-fried meat (you could also use chicken breast), just-cooked noodles, fresh shredded vegetables and a simple but aromatic dressing. Serves 2 Prep: 10 mins Cook: 10 mins 250g udon noodles250g rib-eye steak, fat trimmed1 tbsp sesame oil¼ head of Chinese cabbage, thinly sliced100g radishes, thinly sliced1 carrot, shredded4 spring onions, thinly slicedGood handful of coriander leavesSmall handful of mint leavesGood handful of roughly chopped roasted salted peanutsSea salt FOR THE DRESSING 3 tbsp dark soy sauce1 tbsp rice wine vinegar2 tsp caster sugar2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated1 tbsp sesame oil 1 Cook the udon noodles according to the packet instructions, then cool under…

TOP TIP! Considering a new look? Check out the new House Beautiful collection created by Bathstore and available from Homebase.…

THE CRIME: A murdered model, stabbed and raped in the most gruesome manner. But would the police ever catch Sally Anne Bowman’s killer? THE CASE: Blonde, blue-eyed, with a petite frame, it was no surprise that Sally Anne Bowman dreamed of being a model and appearing on the cover of Vogue. She and her mum, Linda, lived together – Linda was separated from Sally Anne’s dad, Paul, and her older daughters, Michelle, Danielle and Nicole, already had homes of their own – and they were best friends, going on holiday to Greece every year and shopping and socialising together. In September 2001, Sally Anne had joined the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. It was where Adele and Amy Winehouse had gone and, having already been compared…

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF GIGGING I have been gigging for almost 40 years and by now, I know what I like and I don’t like about the lifestyle. Basically, the trickiest bit isn’t being on stage. That’s kind of straightforward – once you’ve written your show and learnt it, it’s your shiny toy to take around the country and show off! By far the hardest part about being on tour is the travelling. And let’s face it, I’ve never toured during a petrol crisis before, that’s a new one. Such has been the tension over the shortages that, on occasion, in order to save what’s in my tour manager’s tank, I’ve been taking public transport, arriving by bus, Tube and train to gigs. This is fine, but whether I’m…

Sky’s biggest original comedy is back – and it’s brasher and bolder than ever! In the last season of Brassic (about a motley crew of young, stoney-broke Northerners), fans were left with a cliff-hanger: What did Erin whisper to Vinnie, before he got arrested? Well, the answer to this and more is revealed in season three. Here, brunette beauty Michelle Keegan, 34, (Erin) explains how the cast grew closer, filming during the pandemic – and why she’d quite like Vinnie and her to have a happily ever after! You managed to film this series during unprecedented times, did it bring you all closer? Definitely, it did. Obviously, we were working during the pandemic and we felt very lucky and fortunate to be able to do that. We were each other’s…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT Thanks to Turkey’s removal from the Red List and the scrapping of PCR tests, there’s still a few precious weeks left to grab some Winter sun. Surrounded by mountains, the historic fishing port of Kalkan, with its friendly locals, is a well-kept secret. A four-hour flight from most UK airports, plus a 90-minute drive from Dalaman, it’s worth going the extra mile to find this jewel, hemmed in by mountains that drop down to the Med. By day, there are hotel pools, beach clubs aplenty and you are just a cab ride from the blissful emptiness and soft sands of Patara Beach, with turtles and ancient ruins. At night, shops, bars and restaurants in the winding lanes light up like stars twinkling in the night sky. INSIDER’S GUIDE…

Swedish star Ulrika Jonsson, 54, was left less than amused when she discovered what Victoria Beckham’s favourite meal was recently. The fashion designer admitted to a spectacularly bland go-to dish, confessing that she’s a restaurant’s ‘worst nightmare’. Mum-of-four Victoria, appearing on River Cafe’s Table 4 podcast, spoke of her love for wholegrain toast with salt on it – even when she’s out for dinner! Ulrika – who was a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef in 2018 – admitted that she was shocked by the former chart-topper’s foodie revelation… and claimed that hearing of Victoria’s stark menu choices made her ‘want to weep’. ‘I don’t wish to add to her woes, but to hear the ex-Spice Girl talk in a podcast about how she is sure she’s every restaurant’s worst nightmare as…

As Prince Andrew’s legal fight intensifies, reports have emerged that suggest that The Queen is going to personally foot the bill for his legal costs. As is well known, the Duke of York is defending himself against a claim by Virginia Roberts Giuffre that he sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager, which he vehemently denies. He has expanded his legal team, with his counsel said to cost nearly £1,500 an hour. And with no income of his own, the Queen has stepped in, agreeing to fund it from her annual income from her private Duchy of Lancaster estate, which is worth more than £23 million.…

Sun damage is one of the most common ageing complaints I see. Using SPF and protecting your skin is just as important in Winter. When actress Stephanie Beacham visited the clinic, I was reminded that even celebrities aren’t immune to UV rays. Stephanie, 74, was concerned about freckling and pigmentation across her face and chest – a legacy of her life-long love affair with the sun, she told me. Stephanie was seeing the results of earlier sun-worshipping sessions taking their toll. ‘I guess you could say the sun is in my DNA. Back in the Seventies and Eighties, all we knew was that we couldn’t get enough of the sun. Turning ourselves brown seemed sexy and healthy. We even believed that we had to burn for the tan to “take”,’…

In May last year, the world was horrified by the harrowing – and needless – murder of George Floyd. Sparking protests across the globe, it highlighted, once again, the need for equality – and how far we have to go. It makes this October’s Black History Month – which hails the contributions and achievements of those with African or Caribbean heritage – more important than ever. The idea is to share, understand and celebrate the impact of black heritage and culture and its importance in British history – which is often overlooked or ignored. There have been countless strong, brave, inspirational black women through the generations. We honoured the incredible Yvonne Lawson at our best Heroes Awards, who tragically lost her beloved son, Godwin, to knife crime. He’d stepped in…

Officers arrested Lewis, then a 20-year-old plasterer, while he was on his way to McDonald’s with his friends that same day. Straight away, things didn’t look good. ‘Is this about the row with my girlfriend last night?’ he’d asked. Mobile phone records showed that he’d threatened to spit in Sally Anne’s face if she’d been with another man that night and police had had to get involved in several of their jealous arguments previously. This time, had the argument gone too far? The police questioned Lewis intensely, bringing in his brother and two of his friends. He said that he’d seen someone watching them that night and that they’d ‘looked angrily’ into the car at one point. But he never swayed from insisting he was innocent. And when the DNA…

DRINK TO BE IN THE PINK RUTH: Most of us like a drink. Trouble is, it tends not to be water – and water is what it should be. It has no calories, no effect on your weight and no sugar to damage your teeth or cause nasty side effects. Yet less than 10 per cent of us drink enough of the stuff, with only six out of 10 drinking the recommended amount we should. I do my best, I honestly do, but it’s hard. I have a bottle I carry around with me with lemon or lime slices, sometimes even mint leaves, to help make what I drink more exciting. In the run-up to Christmas, I’m using water as a way of making me feel better. Mild dehydration can give…