Table of contents for 27 - 2022 in Best

You just ‘Turn Around’ and you hit 50! Excuse the pun on his hit record with Phats & Small, but our favourite Nineties man, Vanessa Feltz’s fiancé and our fab columnist Ben Ofoedu, is celebrating his 50th year. Where does the time go?! best is getting down to The London Cabaret Club this Thursday 30 June, to celebrate this milestone with him. Join us! Tickets are on sale at thelondoncabaretclub.com/the-shows. Between them, Ben and Vanessa have hit the ripe old age of 110 this year (our V just turned 60, as does Michael Ball on page 32). Now that is something to celebrate for sure! The pros and cons of age are discussed by several celebrities in this issue: Would Caroline Quentin turn back the clock (see page 14)? She is…

Fern Britton recently confessed her first marriage ended after a Mensa test gave her membership of the High IQ society. It lead to a rift with then hubby Clive Jones, who had a degree, while Fern didn’t. ‘I passed — and quite well too… Clive was furious so he did it because he’s got a huge brain, but he’s not a problem solver and he didn’t get it.’ Now the broadcaster-turned-novelist has spoken out powerfully about her ‘resilience’ – confessing there were moments when it was only her children who kept her going after she split from hubby Number 2, chef Phil Vickery. Fern, a former This Morning host, opened up about divorcing after 20 years. Speaking on Emily Dean’s Walking the Dog podcast, Fern – who has twins Jack and…

Standing in the glamorous Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, it had already been a wonderful weekend. It was June 2018, and I was there with my mum, Eleanor, for the three-day Elvis Celebration. We’d seen some brilliant Elvis Presley tribute artists and I felt right at home among other fans of The King, especially as I was paying tribute in my own way. I’d been an Elvis fan since I was six years old and I’d watched Blue Hawaii with Mum. I’d been mesmerised by the gorgeous, sparkling blue-eyed singer, actor and dancer on screen and even at that age, I could see how talented he was. We’d worked our way through all of his films, and it was a way of helping me feel close to…

TOP TIP! High-waisted bottoms are great for smoothing out lumps and bumps!…

BEFORE YOU START… Always do a patch test first. Dab a small amount on your inner arm for a few days. If it doesn’t get irritated then away you glow… However, if you are allergic to eating any of the ingredients in the recipes do not use them for your mask. Cleanse first, then moisten your face with warm water to open pores, allowing the mask to penetrate better. SUPER SOOTHER These ingredients are nourishing and soothing – yogurt contains lactic acid, which gently exfoliates; honey, a humectant that hydrates; while cocoa boosts microcirculation and elasticity. Mix 2 tsp plain yogurt, 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp cocoa powder in a small bowl and apply to cleansed skin, avoiding eyes and lips. Leave for 10 minutes, then rinse off. SIMPLE…

Perennially popular Michael Ball celebrated his 60th birthday on Monday, and what can we say? The singer and musical star has packed rather a lot into his six decades, from a cameo in Corrie to selling out the iconic Royal Albert Hall! But particularly given his parents’ working class backgrounds, and his upbringing in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, the star says he’s never taken his career for granted. Here, we look back at what the vocal powerhouse – best-known for singing classics from Hairspray to The Lion King to Les Misérables – has said about memories, musicals, special friendships and more… On his best Life lesson Michael is a firl believer that: ‘Tough times won’t last forever,’ because ‘Nothing lasts forever.’ Of course, the mantra applies to the good times, too, as Michael…

Lamb smash burgers Smash burgers are – as the name implies – smashed burgers! Cook in a searing hot, cast-iron pan and press the meat into a flat patty, cooking until crisp, then flip over. Serves 4 680 g freshly minced lamb1 tablespoon dried mint1 tablespoon dried oregano1 teaspoon minced garlicSea salt and cracked black pepper4 brioche burger buns or bread of your choice4 thick tomato slicesCrumbled feta cheese, to serve Oil, for brushing the grate FOR THE AIOLI 2 egg yolks1 garlic clove½ teaspoon Dijon mustard2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice240 ml extra virgin olive oil225 g Kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped 1 Place the lamb, mint, oregano, and garlic in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine. 2 Divide the mixture into…

Find a quiet spot in your garden and create a relaxation zone TOP TIP! No space for a hammock? Pile up large floor cushions for a similarly relaxing vibe.…

With Summer in full swing and holidaymakers at the ready, most of us feel a little uncomfortable in swimwear. There’s no hiding any unwanted lumps or bumps and, with 36 per cent of the UK adult population overweight and 28 per cent obese, it’s no wonder we’re self-conscious. But spare a thought for those who worry about fitting into a deckchair or whether a sun lounger will hold their weight. The Big Body Hotel is back with a new series on Quest Red, which sends plus-size people on holiday to Antigua to a private resort that caters for the bigger person. The hotel is designed for the larger holiday-maker. It’s a place where being obese is no obstacle to enjoying a ‘carefree holiday’. ‘Everything has been designed with plus-sized guests…

Age is a topic that’s come under the spotlight recently when DJ Liz Kershaw, 63, spoke out about her dismissal from the BBC in March, believing it was because of her age and questioning why there are no women over that age at her former station. After she posted on Twitter, ‘I got sacked from @ BBC6Music because they don’t want women over 60’, ITV’s Lorraine Kelly invited Liz on to her show, where she detailed her side of the bitter split. A surprised Lorraine then revealed how her skills and experiences are ‘prized’ by ITV, regardless of age. Liz, meanwhile, maintained she was fired for her age. Lorraine, who’s been in the industry for nearly four decades, said: ‘That’s really interesting. We’re about the same age, I’m going to…

It’s a terrifying picture: A Summer where the country is ground to a halt by endless strikes. Experts are saying: Forget the 78 Winter of Discontent – the Summer of 2022 could go down in history as worse. A ‘perfect storm’ of Covid-ravaged industries and a soaring cost of living has led to calls for industrial action over pay and working conditions. When the country was last hit by an interminable round of strikes, it was the coldest Winter for 16 years. It began with Ford workers walking out in October 1978 – soon they were joined by truck drivers, binmen, ambulance drivers, nurses and even gravediggers. Named after the opening line of Shakespeare’s Richard III, the ‘Winter of Discontent’ saw power cuts, panic buying, and the Army put on…

CANCER 22 June – 23 July Maverick and Mission Impossible actor, Tom Cruise, Formula One race car driver, Sebastian Vettel, along with other Cancerians, will be taking on a pretty big and exciting new challenge this week. This is their chance to showcase their many talents that often remain hidden. Enjoy the moment to shine. LEO 24 July – 23 August Hopes are achievable but you have to be prepared to work hard to get to where you want to be. Keep an eye out for opportunities that might take you closer to your goals. Take charge of yourself before agreeing to take on a leading role in a team effort. Believe in your ability to achieve your personal aims and a mutual goal. VIRGO 24 August – 23 September Someone…

‘It’s such a buzz!’ Freddie Flintoff, Chris Harris and Paddy McGuinness are back for their sixth series of Top Gear. In the past few years, the presenters have tried their hands at quite a few motorsports and, let’s face it, not done very well! But with all three now boasting their racing licences, the producers decided it was time to send them on a motorsport mission to the home of grassroots racing: Florida. Here, cricketing legend Freddie, 44, tells us about the bond with his co-presenters, and why this series was so much fun… How did you find it bobsledding down an Olympic run in a Sinclair C5? This series has been so much fun. We are all finding our feet and getting to know each other better. The producers…

SEARCH ME! Can you find the countries in the grid? They will be placed only once and may be either horizontal, vertical or diagonal and go either forwards or backwards. There is one word listed that isn’t in the grid – can you work out which one it is? ARGENTINA AUSTRALIA AUSTRIA BRAZIL BULGARIA CHILE CHINA FRANCE GEORGIA GERMANY GREECE HUNGARY ITALY NEW ZEALAND PORTUGAL ROMANIA SERBIA SOUTH AFRICA SPAIN UNITED STATES SUDOK-GO! Fill the grid using the numbers from 1 to 9 only. Each number must appear once in every column, row and 3x3 square. Now, off you sudok-go! WORD WHEEL Find as many words of three or more letters in the wheel as you can. Each word must use the central letter and a selection from the outer…

WIN 1 X £ 200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES ACROSS 1 Direction (11) 9 Belonging to us (3) 10 Once more (5) 11 Interior (5) 12 Tortoise carapace (5) 13 Person who repairs cars (8) 16 Impressive manner of a person (8) 18 First appearance (5) 20 Nationality of Oscar Wilde (5) 21 Passageway (5) 22 Mixture of gases we breathe (3) 23 Quantification (11) DOWN 2 Care for; look after (5) 3 Path to follow (5) 4 Nebula (anag) (6) 5 This evening (7) 6 Employment vacancy (7) 7 The using up of a resource (11) 8 Science of farming (11) 14 E.g. a car (7) 15 Possibly (7) 17 Nearer (6) 18 You usually do this whilst asleep (5) 19 Organ situated in the…

Coronation Street actress Jennie McAlpine knows all about weddings. It’s only five years since she tied the knot with her restaurant owner husband, Chris, and now she’s repeating the experience on screen as her character Fiz Stape prepares to say ‘I do’ to fiancé Phill Whittaker. That would all be fine if Jennie enjoyed a good wedding, but she doesn’t! ‘All that fuss and all that messing about just isn’t me, so I’ve not loved it!’ she laughs. The actress, 38, who lives in Manchester with Chris and their two children, Albert, seven, and Hilda, three, talks to us about romance, her teenage crush on Jason Donovan, and meeting her hubby thanks to fellow Corrie star, Antony Cotton. Have you enjoyed playing the bride then, Jenny?! Do I love being…

‘When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone it changed the world. Now, he would be turning in his grave if he knew that his miraculous tool was well on its way to being defunct. So much is being done to demonise and render it useless. I mean, who uses their mobile phone to actually talk to anyone these days? It’s all done via social media, texts, WhatsApp and emails. A recent survey also found that three-quarters of millennials, Gen Z types, or young people if you don’t know the buzzwords, want to ban phone calls at work because they find them ‘confrontational ‘and ‘aggressive’. Normally, after reading something like that about these fragile folk I’d be rolling my eyes, but this time I’m kind of in agreement with them. I…

Al fresco drinks, barbecues, picnics in the park – all synonymous with hot, sunny days. What about fragrance? Commonly we go ‘lighter’ in terms of concentration and scent, but that’s not your only option. We navigate the pick of the latest perfumes. 1 SOFT SPICE If fruit-filled fragrances aren’t your thing but you don’t like anything too overpowering, Caudalie Thé Des Vignes, £28 (50ml), will hit the right balance. An ‘Eau Fraiche’, it’s one of the lightest concentrations out there, so you can enjoy all the qualities that make it a spicy fragrance with depth – that’ll be the ginger you smell at first spritz, followed by the white musk base – without that heady intensity. 2 A DEEPER DIP If, however, you want your fragrance with a bit more…

YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE… My husband has become a chronic snorer in the last few years – especially after a night at the local pub with his mates. I’ve tried telling him it drives me insane, but he won’t listen – and I’ve now moved into another room. Our sex life has dried up, too, but he shrugs it all off. How can I make him see that this isn’t a running joke – it’s serious and damaging our relationship?! Callie, Glasgow Come on now! Just because you’re sleeping in another room there’s no need for your sex life to evaporate. Pay the man a visit. Do the dirty deed and get the heck out of there before the snoring kicks off. Escape the nasty noise, but pop in regularly…

Dani Green, 60, a travel consultant from Lymington, Hants, is old enough to remember the Winter of Discontent. She said: ‘It was a frightening time. Everyone seemed to be on strike. There used to be power cuts and we’d sit by candlelight having cold dinners. There were also food shortages. ‘I remember my grandparents and parents being very worried about things and it all seemed to be doom and gloom. I never thought I would experience anything like that again in my lifetime.’ Clare Murgatroyd, 36, from Bournemouth, travels up to London twice a week for her software sales job. She said: ‘At the moment my company has been very understanding about working from home, but I don’t know what will happen if the rail strikes carry on for months.…

‘You can set your watch by them,’ said Joey. ‘The first Saturday in July. Same time. Same booth. They’ll order the specials, open cards and hold hands over dessert. Man, that’s a New York love story.’ According to Joey, the couple had been meeting once a year at the Spring Street Lounge since for ever. ‘The old guy once told me he fell for her by the juke box,’ he smiled, swiping a cloth over the copper counter. ‘Fireworks exploding outside and in.’ He tapped his watch. ‘They’ll be here soon. Seven. On the dot.’ Joey’s stories of Little Italy mobsters, gang brawls and limos prowling the street, were a perk of my job. After Mum died, I found photos of her posing in front of New York landmarks wearing…

YOUNG, STALKED AND PREGNANT Channel 5, Tuesday, 2.15pm High school student Audrey is accepted at a top university when she finds herself pregnant by her boyfriend, who insists on marriage and a family. When Audrey makes plans for a future without him, he decides to take matters into his own hands. NEVER LET GO Channel 5, Thursday, 2.15pm Perfect for a bit of an afternoon thrill! A single mother on vacation takes the law into her own hands, to take back her abducted child. KILLER ARRANGEMENT: A FLOWER SHOP MYSTERY Channel 5, Friday, 2.15pm Abby Knight returns to her small home town as a New York City lawyer. On the day of her flower shop opening, her car gets damaged – by someone fleeing a murder scene……

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT One of the most enchanting parts of Ireland is the county of Donegal. Any seasoned traveller knows that before you explore a country it’s always worth investigating where the natives go on a staycation, and Donegal – with its breath-taking Derryveagh Mountains, vast array of beaches, charming towns and delicious food – is a top choice. If you wish to feast on glorious food, ramble along sandy beaches with not another human in sight, indulge in lashings of gorgeous gin (made from potatoes, of course!) or thump your feet to captivating folk tunes, this county will be your slice of heaven on earth. INSIDER’S GUIDE You truly feel like you’re on the edge of the world when you visit Donegal, based in the most north westerly coastline of…

As Wimbledon, the British tennis championship par excellence, began on Monday, TV presenter Charlotte Hawkins looked radiant in Downton Abbey-style tennis whites, posing up a storm for best magazine. And not only does the GMB presenter adore all things Downton (‘Seriously, I think they need to find me a role in the next movie after this, don’t you?!’ she giggles during our glamorous shoot), the stunning 47-year-old also enjoys a bit of tennis in her spare time. ‘I’m not the best, but I do love playing it,’ she admitted. ‘Last year, we had a little friendly tournament amongst our neighbours. But my tennis is not as good as I’d like it to be, so I was planning some secret lessons – so next time we do that, probably at some…

She’s been a massive TV star since she shot to fame in iconic comedy Men Behaving Badly, back in the Nineties, going on to star in Jonathan Creek and Blue Murder. And now Caroline Quentin, 61, is starring in Sky’s slick high-concept thriller The Lazarus Project, alongside Paapa Essiedu. Caroline, who has been married to Sam Farmer since 2006, with whom she shares children Emily and William, began her career as a dancer and took to the floor in Strictly Come Dancing in the 2020 series with Johannes Radebe as her partner. So tell us about The Lazarus Project… It is a very secret organisation. We learn, in fact, that it’s an international one that rescues humanity from itself. When the human race messes up very badly, The Lazarus Project…

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…

HOW IT WORKS The foods we eat can definitely make a difference to how much stress we feel. Nutrients like magnesium found in wholegrains such as oats and brown rice, and calcium in dairy foods can help us feel more relaxed, while healthy omega-3 fats in oily fish, avocado and olives seem to calm our brain, so it doesn’t get as wound up by minor niggles. And then there are fruits and vegetables – when researchers in New Zealand looked at what happened to people’s emotions the day after they ate certain foods, they found that mood improved the day after people ate lots of fruits and vegetables. So, if you want to feel happier fast, pack your plates with produce. Lastly, steer clear of sugary drinks, stick instead to…

Day 1: Think about prioritising you. You can’t just give, ask what do you need? Day 2: Self-reflect. Take time to reflect, how things are going for you. Are you thriving/surviving/struggling? Day 3: Keeping moving/exercise. Exercise reduces feelings of stress and anxiety and leads to better sleep and mood. Try a short walk, quick run, stretches, a workout, gardening, cleaning or yoga. Day 4: Deep breathe. Find a moment to breathe slowly and deeply. Breathing out longer than we breathe in makes us feel calm. Deep breathing exercises also provide many health benefits. Day 5: Belly breathe. Inhale deeply, right down into your stomach, until it sticks out. Day 6: Relax. Take a moment to kick back and relax, whether lying or sitting down. Day 7: Walk. Take a break…

SON’S BABY HAS SUCH DRY SKIN I’ve been helping out my son a lot with his first child (my first grand-baby!) and I’ve noticed how incredibly dry his baby’s skin is, particularly on his head. We’ve tried some Johnson’s products, but nothing at the moment seems to have worked and I don’t want to keep trying new things as he’s clearly very sensitive. Are there any remedies you can recommend? He’s only five weeks. Lesley, Kent DR HILARY SAYS: This does not sound like infantile eczema as it does not affect the nappy area nor the flexures in the crook of the elbow or back of the knees. A baby’s skin is very thin, delicate and sensitive and it is easy to strip out its moisture by using soaps and…

Former Friends star Jennifer Aniston, 53, has rarely put a foot wrong in her three decades of fame. Until now, that is. Jen has blasted the people famous, she believes, for ‘basically doing nothing’. Angry fans accused the star of trying to ‘gatekeep’ the Hollywood elite, and called her a ‘nepotism baby’ who only found stardom through her own actor parents. Jen made the controversial comments during a sit-down interview with Pam & Tommy star Sebastian Stan, 39, as she reflected on the way fame has been shaped by the rise of the internet culture. The pair had been discussing the Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee sex tape leak in 1995, which Stan’s Disney+ series was based upon. The former Friends star said of the atmosphere of the mid-Nineties: ‘It…

With his golden hair, saucer-like blue eyes and the most heart-melting of smiles, toddler James Bulger’s beautiful face is instantly recognisable around the globe. His horrific torture and murder by two schoolboys was a callous crime so heinous that it didn’t just chill Britain to the bone, but the rest of the world too. The pain and shock of that murder has never left his mother, Denise Fergus. Even though it’s been 29 years since his devastating death, she is still fighting in his name, still waiting for answers… Denise was just a normal mum living in Merseyside and enjoying life with her adorable toddler, when her life changed suddenly in 1993 after an unthinkably harrowing crime ended her son James’ young life. In February that year, two-year-old James had…

Gok Wan, MBE, is a whirlwind of creative energy as we catch up with him to talk about his third Easy Asian cookery series. It’s hard not to love the 47-year-old presenter, who lives in a central London home as colourful as its owner, with his French bulldog Dolly, as he waxes lyrical – be it about Asian food, quirky interiors, his ‘gorgeous’ parents or why he refuses to play it safe in life… Gok, watching your show made us very hungry… That’s exactly what Easy Asian does! I made one of my dishes the other day on This Morning for Alison and Dermot, and we were talking about how, with certain food, as soon as you see a picture of it, you go ‘nah, doesn’t matter if I’ve just eaten…