Table of contents for 28 - 2016 in Best

A few years ago, the phrase ‘online bullying’ would hardly have been recognised. Sadly, these days, all of us will know of someone who’s been targeted. Our own columnist, Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan, has spoken of how so-called ‘trolling’ led to her closing down her Twitter account. Closer to home, we’ve covered stories on teenagers whose lives have been destroyed by the abuse they’ve received online. Online trolling is a huge problem, with incidents of women across the country being targeted by racist, homophobic or sexist abuse. Women shouldn’t be afraid to use social media. That’s why Best is proud to be part of a national campaign to #reclaimtheinternet. The campaign will look at how we can work together to stamp out online bullying, and we’re asking for your help.…

Last week, Linda and I talked about our sister, Bernie, on Loose Women. It was the third anniversary of her death with Linda crying and me not, because I knew if I started I’d never stop. To be honest, I miss my sister more now than in the early days. I think it’s because I saw her battle with breast cancer, and when she died I knew that at least she was in peace and out of pain. But, I don’t think of her like that any more, and it doesn’t need to be an anniversary or birthday for a massive wave of disbelief to hit me. My sister has gone and that’s awful. She was funny, she was talented and I miss her. What gets me through? Honestly, some…

Carol Vorderman is the epitome of the sexy, stylish, liberated older woman. When Best meets her, she’s also taller, slimmer and more striking than she seems on TV. The ex-Countdown presenter is, she says, happy to be a woman of a certain age. In fact, she’s loving it, and frankly, we love her for it… Carol, how does the phrase ‘a woman of a certain age’ make you feel? God, it’s boring. When I was filming recently for the ITV2 show Safeword, where celebs are meant to fondly insult each other, some lad from Made In Chelsea (which I’ve never watched) was on. I kept saying, ‘I’ve no idea who you are,’ and he kept repeating, ‘You’re so OLD!’ I was like, ‘Can we not do the age thing? It’s…

Celebrities have ditched the frozen look as ‘au naturel’ comes back in style. Gone are trout pouts, pillow face cheeks and static foreheads. Instead, our stars are banishing OTT Botox and extreme surgery to grow old gracefully. Dr Julian De Silva, from The Centre for Advanced Facial Cosmetic and Facial Surgery in Harley Street, London, explains, ‘There is a trend for more subtle and natural injectable treatments – a case of less, not more. ‘It’s partly due to the current vogue for health and wellbeing, but also because there have been a few celebrity disaster stories in the past few years. Women, and female celebrities in particular, are much more careful not to overdo fillers and Botox treatments.’ SHARON OSBOURNE, 63 She’s back on The X Factor panel, her comments…

There have been some startling confessions from the panellists on Loose Women lately – and none more so than the one made by journalist Janet Street-Porter last week. When asked to name one thing she admired about 56-yearold Ruth Langsford, the flamehaired Londoner replied, ‘Her husband.’ As Ruth’s mouth opened wide and the audience roared with laughter, Janet explained her motives. ‘Why I want Eamonn, and why he would be my perfect husband number five, is this,’ she began. ‘He has a great sense of humour. He’s sharp, he’s a really good journalist, he’s on the money and I think he’d be a laugh. ‘I’m a little bit jealous, to be honest, Ruth.’ By now, Ruth was taking her confession with good humour. ‘Who would ever have thought that Janet…

DAVINA McCALL T-SHIRT A crisp white T-shirt pulls off a relaxed vibe which looks effortlessly stylish. SHOES Statement heels instantly glam up a simple outfit. JACKET Soften up a biker jacket by taking inspiration from Davina and replacing leather with cool boucle. JEANS Turn up the bottoms of skinny jeans to create an on-trend anklelength look. WEEKEND CHIC Shop for a longer line jacket and boyfriend-cut jeans to create a more casual look. DATE NIGHT Slim-fit jeans teamed with a tailored jacket is a sophisticated look that is figure-flattering. CUTE COURTS Bridge the gap between sandals and shoes with a strappy style…

CLEVER DRAPING Step away from the classic wrap dress and shop for styles that have clever ruching around the middle. This is a great way to cinch in your waist and create a feminine hourglass shape. MARVELLOUS MAXI Long, floaty frocks can sometimes look shapeless. Consider empire line, wrap styles or designs with dark panels that help create a slim silhouette. SENSATIONAL SLEEVES A full or halflength sleeve flatters less-thanperfect arms and boosts your body confidence.…

NEW SERIES Man Down Teacher Dan is at a crossroads in life, but when the school head sees through his incompetence in the classroom, he faces a disciplinary and may lose the only thing he has left – his job. Meanwhile, his mother has a new man on the scene who’s certainly up to no good. A fantastic sitcom, written by and starring Greg Davies. NEW SERIES Long Lost Family Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell help two adopted people born on opposite sides of the world search for their birth mothers in Singapore, and the team makes a discovery no one could have predicted. Meanwhile, 29-year-old nurse Anna London-Truckle is desperate to find her biological mum, who wanted to give her a better life away from Ecuador. Anna was adopted…

1 SMARTEN UP YOUR SHED A run-down shed can really let down a freshly planted garden. The good news? You can easily revamp it yourself. Before painting, sand down the exterior of the shed with a power sander to remove dirt and prepare the surface for wood stain to adhere to. Choose a colour palette that will blend in with the rest of your garden. Protek Royal Exterior Wood Finish, £16.99 for 1ltr, has been used on the shed in our picture (right). The external walls are in Jungle Green, with Forest Green on the main roof trims and internal roof. Lime White was painted on the internal walls and the roof’s little diamond trim, while Pond Green brightened up the shelves inside. 2 GROW SOME HEAVENLY HERBS Fresh herbs…

Tragic star Caroline Aherne dealt with her cancer battle with her trademark humour, sensitivity and dignity. The characters she created may have been flamboyant and outspoken, but Caroline herself was intensely private. She’d spent the past decade out of the spotlight, but made the decision to speak publicly about her illness, to help others. Like her older brother, Patrick, the star of The Mrs Merton Show, who died last week, was born with cancer of the retina, leaving her partially sighted in one eye. Sadly, her childhood illness was just the beginning of a journey that saw Caroline repeatedly battle the disease. Desperate to help others, the actress offered to help start a local Macmillan Cancer initiative in her hometown of Manchester. Speaking at its launch after her third lung…

‘Forming our charity has kept Ella alive for us’ Losing someone you love is one of the hardest things in life, and to lose a child, in particular, is a horror no one wants to imagine. Tragically, Mistresses star Sarah Parish, 48, has had first-hand experience of this, having lost her eight-month-old daughter, Ella-Jayne, in 2009. As she spoke on Loose Women, it was clear that, while Sarah and her actor husband, James Murray, 41, found ways to cope, a part of them will never get over their loss. Ella was diagnosed with a hole in her heart before birth, during Sarah’s 35-week scan. Since then, they’ve had another girl named Nell, who is now six years old. The actress recalls the moment her doctor’s face changed, before telling Sarah…

As a mum, you want to set the best example you can for your kids. But for years, I felt like I was letting mine down. I struggled with my weight, and I could see that my daughter, Stacey, was following in my footsteps. But at last I’ve slimmed down for good and I’m so proud that I’ve played a part in getting Stacey healthy, too. Growing up, I was always slim and never worried about my size. But that all changed when I was 23 and had my daughter. As a busy single mum, I was tired all the time and relied on cakes and biscuits as a quick pick-me-up during the day, plus calorie-laden dinners like pie and mash in the evening. Working part-time in a bakery only…

Life is full of joyous moments. For Andoulla, 55, the greatest of these is being outside in the garden, her perfect sanctuary. ‘I started gardening when my children were small,’ she says. ‘When I was little, I remember my mother growing tomatoes in our old Victorian garden in Islington. I used to follow her every step. It’s definitely an inherited love.’ Even through the winter months, Andoulla often spends all day outside, reshaping beds, planting flowers and filling hanging baskets. Understandable, then, that she refuses to let bladder weakness get in her way. ‘When my husband and I bought our second home, I redesigned our whole garden,’ she says. ‘For me, it’s far more than a hobby. It’s a way of life.’ ‘I often spend all day in the garden…

RETIREMENT PLANNING Although it may seem like you’ve left it until the last minute, you can still start saving for a pension at 40. If you put aside £300 a month, you’d get a pension of around £10,000 at age 68, according to Standard Life, a long-term savings and investment business. A general guide to work out what percentage of your salary you should save is to half the age you started saving – so if you start at 30, it would be 15 per cent, and at 40, 20 per cent. Try to increase your regular pensions savings as and when you can, or pay in a lump sum after any spectacular windfalls. Women, especially, need to think about retirement planning, as they tend to have less in pension…

Celebrity mother Sinitta lost several babies and went through three failed IVF attempts before adopting her two children. She opens up to Tony Cowell about her desire to have more… Hi, Sinitta. Parenthood is such a major part of who you are now, but becoming a mother was tough, wasn’t it? I always knew I wanted to be a mum but, yes, it was a terrible struggle. I lost several babies, three attempts at IVF failed, and I even tried a surrogate mother, who lost twins. You finally adopted your children, Magdalena and Zac, in 2008. How long did the adoption process take? The whole process can take up to two years. It’s very thorough, and the authorities are quick to get rid of any romantic ideas you have. They…

Your character, Nicola King, gets the news that she has brain damage and paralysis, and it could be permanent. How does she cope? She goes into denial at first and wants things to carry on the way they were. She even sets up an office at home and refuses to admit to her husband, Jimmy, how vulnerable she feels – although he knows. How does Jimmy react to her injuries? He wants to help – so when Nicola arrives home, he gets her a wheelchair so she can move around but this drives a wedge between them, because she thinks he’s being patronising. He’s trying his best but he doesn’t know how to handle the situation. We’re used to seeing Nicola in control. How does she handle needing help from…

WHAT TO DO It’s simple. When you wake up in the morning, just have a small snack-sized breakfast to kick-start your metabolism and appetite – then, when you get to work or mid-morning, have a more substantial breakfast. You follow that with a light lunch a few hours later, and a healthy dinner that night. By front-loading your calories in this way you stay satisfied for longer than if you skipped breakfast, or just grabbed something light. This fill-up effect then means you’re happier with a smaller lunch and dinner than normal – and allows you to control your calories more effectively. To maximise nutrition, make sure at least one of your breakfasts includes a piece of fruit or some vegetables – yes, that’s right, veggies for breakfast are a…

She’s got the nation smiling again as the Bolly-swilling, Lacroix-wearing Patsy Stone in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie but, behind her jolly demeanour, Joanna Lumley has been hiding a secret 45-year-old heartache. The veteran actress has opened up about a six-month period during which she was crippled with panic attacks, terrified that trained snipers were trying to kill her. Joanna explained she suffered from a ‘complete nervous breakdown’ in 1971, after hallucinating that assassins were aiming rifles at her from the boxes while she was on stage at London’s Garrick Theatre. Previously describing it as ‘a bit of a wobbler’, Joanna was, in fact, so traumatised that she was left struggling to breathe and scared to leave the house. She explained, ‘It was a Saturday morning. I got up and went…

KYM MARSH AND MATT BAKER Corrie’s fresh-faced Kym Marsh, 40, moved in with her toyboy Matt Baker, 24, at the end of May, after a year of dating. She says she’s ‘happier than ever’ and she’s never looked better, either. Matt is a total fitness fanatic, so he must take some credit for Kym’s gym-honed figure of late! She’s been married twice, and split from fiancé Dan Hooper last year, so the path of true love’s been anything but smooth, so far. But former Hear’Say singer Kym is so delighted with her younger man that she’s not ruling a (third!) marriage out. ‘I’d never say never,’ she says. ‘We’ve spoken about our future together, and we’re just seeing how it goes.’ JOAN COLLINS AND PERCY GIBSON Age-defying Dynasty star Joan…

‘I’ll always be watchful, and I take one day at a time’ MOTHER LOVE Blonde, bubbly and surprisingly petite for a chef or ‘home cook’ as she calls herself, softly-spoken Lisa Faulkner talked with a mixture of sadness and relief when recounting her mum Julie’s death from throat cancer at 44, when she was just 16. ‘I didn’t know what Mum would look like after 44, so I could never see myself getting to that age,’ explained the former Spooks star, who celebrated her own 44th birthday in February. ‘Getting to that milestone was massive for me. To still be here is mind-blowing. ‘I want to see past it. I take one day at a time and think how lucky I am – especially given how short Mum’s life was.’…

LEIGHTON DENNY MBE is a leading expert in the beauty world and has his own fragrance – Light and Dark. His star-studded client list includes Kate Moss, Penélope Cruz and Adele. He explains, ‘Each of us has our own scent print that will influence the development of a perfume. This odour identity is the sum total of our genes and lifestyle.’ Get savvy about your scent with Leighton • The main reason a scent doesn’t last is due to body chemistry. Your personal body chemistry can cause a fragrance to evaporate quicker from the skin. Perfumers would say that some skin types ‘throw off’ a scent. Low-fat diets, stress, spicy foods and even age all contribute to this, too. • Some medications such as antibiotics can change your favourite fragrance.…

BUMBLE AND BUMBLE Creme de Coco Shampoo, £18.50, and Conditioner, £20.50 A double dose of the tropics to leave hair soft and shiny. BARRY M Coconut Infusion Nail Paints in Aloha, Bikini and Surfboard, £4.99 A unique paint formula for a gel-like, glossy mani.   NIVEA Coconut Lip Butter, £1.99 Perfect for the plane to stop lips drying. COLOUR WOW Coconut Cocktail Bionic Tonic, £22 Restore silkiness with a muchneeded drink for your hair. DIRTY WORKS That Fiji Feeling Coconut Body Wash, £2.50 Good clean fun for delicately soft skin. YES TO Coconut Head-to-toe Hydrating Balm, £10.99 Helps smooth and nourish dry or cracked skin. FRANK BODY Coconut Body Scrub, £13.95 Provides muchneeded moisture without blocking pores. BOMB COSMETICS Coconut Mushrooms Tinned Candle, £7.99 Smells good enough to eat! STARSKIN…

Hi Angela. Brief Encounters has started, but for viewers who haven’t tuned in yet, could you tell us a bit about the show? Well, you get tricked into thinking it’s all about Ann Summers at the start, because it begins at a recruitment event in 1982, but it’s really not. It’s about women who’ve found themselves no longer expected to give up their job and stay at home to cook. Can you tell us a bit about your character Nita? Yes, she’s a feisty mum-offour! And, when Ann Summers places an advert looking for representatives, Nita sees it as a way of earning a bit more money to keep the family afloat. How does she get on with the other main characters, Steph (Sophie Rundle), Dawn (Sharon Rooney) and Pauline…

WIN £550 STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 1 Postage vouchers (6) 5 Bring to an end (8) 9 Cornet or wafer, etc. (3,5) 10 Genuinely (6) 11 Printer’s fluid (3) 12 Mentally constructive (8) 14 Past tense of ‘are’ (4) 15 Wear jauntily (5) 17 Boards for moving food and drinks (5) 18 Possesses (4) 19 Guess (8) 23 Atmosphere (3) 25 Nasal outburst (6) 26 Visualising while sleeping (8) 27 Remote (8) 28 Drowsy (6) DOWN 2 Mark as correct (4) 3 Factory implements (9) 4 Express orally (5) 5 Funny, amusing (5) 6 Cheek! (5) 7 Smallest amount (5) 8 Transporting goods to homes (10) 13 Stands in for (10) 16 Agenda (9) 20 Cannot be improved on (5) 21 Sales person (5) 22 Ceased (5) 23 Regions (5) 24 Break…