Table of contents for 20-2020 in Best

When Amanda Holden’s eight-year-old daughter, Hollie, let slip to 1.4million fans on an Instagram live that Simon had split from Lauren Silverman, there was a collective gasp. As the Editor of best and desperate to know if it was true, I got straight on the phone to Simon’s brother, our columnist Tony. ‘News to me, babe,’ he laughed. ‘I’ll call Simon.’ Turns out, the shock announcement was news to Simon, too. The celebrity couple have been in lockdown in California with their son and Lauren’s boy, Adam, 14. But confused Hollie hasn’t been the only child on Amanda’s mind of late. Reminded of her relationship with older daughter, Lexi, she was so moved by the 14-year-old who sang with her mum on BGT, she pressed her Golden Buzzer for them,…

Good Morning Britain’s Political Editor Ranvir Singh, 42, is in the thick of the Coronavirus crisis, speaking each day to key players in the world of politics and medicine. Here, the refreshingly plain-speaking Preston-born presenter reveals how strange it is to be working in almost empty studios, and the ups and downs of life in lockdown, with both her little boy Tushan, seven, and her mum, Charnjit… Ranvir, how are you doing, since lockdown? I’m OK. During the first few weeks, I was really struggling, and comfort-eating. You can drive yourself into dark alleys. Your thoughts spiral and, suddenly, you feel out of control. But I’m feeling much better now. My worry is, none of us are doing anything, so we’ll run out of things to talk about! Nobody has…

Poppy ‘Black Swan’ Frizzy, multi-petalled flowers in a ravishing deep purple contrast with silvery-green foliage and large poppy seed heads. A spectacular annual, and all you do is scatter the seed around the borders for instant cottage-garden appeal. chilternseeds.co.uk Jolly Jewels geraniums Mainstays of the border from late spring to early autumn, cranesbill geraniums don’t come any prettier than these new, long-season, low-maintenance varieties that grow quickly into compact cushions. Choose from Hot Pink or Salmon – or treat yourself to both, from crocus.co.uk Nasturtium ‘Ladybird Rose’ Grow a carpet of unfussy nasturtiums to cover soil and spill over on to the garden path. This variety has soft apricot-pink flowers with deep crimson centres. Alternatively, push the fat seeds here and there into hanging baskets. suttons.co.uk ‘Emily Brontë’ rose Soft pink…

FINANCIALLY Fabulous 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 TSB With branches offering limited services and phone lines being super-busy, TSB is doing more to help customers, such as offering access to fixed-rate savings without incurring penalty charges; being able to request an emergency credit limit increase and making applications for payment holidays online. It has created a PDF guide to help you get set up with online banking (or to nominate a friend or relative to do this for you). Phone lines are still open for those who really need it – 03459 758758. 2 NATWEST Customers can apply for a mortgage, credit card or loan payment holiday online. NatWest has also introduced other measures,…

THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT Our theatres may be closed – for now – but you can still enjoy the thrill of a live performance, with these recordings of classics. From Sheridan Smith strutting her stuff in her acclaimed turn as Fanny Bryce in Funny Girl to Richard Armitage brooding through The Crucible, there’s a wealth of entertainment to enjoy. From £7.99 a show, or £9.99 a month. digitaltheatre.com BLOOMING LOVELY There’s nothing nicer than a bouquet of freshly cut blooms – and while we’re all at home why not treat yourself, or a pal, to a weekly delivery. Every week, a bouquet arrives – with instructions on how to arrange them (so you’re learning a new skill, too!). They look lovely, last for ages and, at £25 with free…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES TO ENTER CALL 0900 100 0334 (UK 65ppm)†/1550 787 032 (ROI 97cpm) † Picture A was a judge on Got to Dance in what country? (7). This is your prize answer. Enter by using the numbers at the top of the grid or at hearstmagazines.co.uk/bestcross2020 ACROSS 7 What is the national bird of India? (7)9 ANAGRAM CHOPE10 Songs for two people (5)11 Opposite of western (7)12 Let’s hear it for the small version of the Royal Albert Hall! (3)13 What two round fleshy parts form the human bottom? (8)16 Fellow who performs an actor’s dangerous feats (8)17 What body part connects the hole in a needle to the centre of a storm? (3)19 Can you make the POOL…

1 DAVID’S DOGGY DUO Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams isn’t lonely during lockdown – he’s got these two gorgeous pooches to keep him company. How cute are Ernie and Bert? We’d like to cuddle up with these two – they are paw-fect! Myleene, Emilia and Holly are all looking gorgeous – at a safe distance! – in their maxi dresses 2 Maxi marvels Printed or plain, maxi dresses remain the ultimate-low-maintenance option when the weather hots up. Myleene Klass, 42, dressed up for her shift at Smooth Radio in a fancy floral number, while actress Emilia Fox, 45, was tickled pink in the garden. Social distancing may be the norm in the This Morning studio but it hasn’t stopped Holly Willoughby, 39, looking great in this frock from Ghost.…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Have you got Zoomxhaustion? Two months ago most of us had never heard of Zoom – but now? We’re all at it! From eight to 80, we are using live video chat for school lessons, board meetings or staying in touch with the grandchildren. There’s so many ways to do it (Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts are just a few) – whichever you choose, this way of communicating has been a lifeline during lockdown and we celebrate it. But… could you be suffering Zoom fatigue? Apparently, video chat is more exhausting than physical face-to-face interaction. Our brains have to work harder to read our virtual companions’ emotions… is it time to cut back on those family quizzes or Quarantinis with the girls? WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell…

‘We love each individual character’ say Naomi & Gary Wordsworth Naomi and her husband, Gary, have fostered dogs for eight years. The couple, who live in Berkshire, didn’t have their own dogs before they started fostering for Battersea ‘but we used to have friends’ dogs staying with us’, Naomi explains. ‘It was a bit of a step-up dealing with rescue dogs who’ve been in kennels for a while, but we got training and support and lots of information on the dogs beforehand so we can see if we are right for each other. ‘We are on dog number 28 now, Jet, a Lurcher, who has been with us for 11 months – the longest stay was 18 months. Often, there’s no good reason why animals don’t get adopted, and if…

1 Dead to Me SEASON TWO, NETFLIX Rejoice – Jen and Judy are back! If you watched the first series of this pitch-dark comedy, about two women who meet at a bereavement support group, you’ll remember that season one ended with an amazing cliffhanger. Now, with uncomfortable truths out in the open, and the FBI on their trail, the friends – played by the brilliant Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini – need each other more than ever. 2 Glow Up BBC IPLAYER, THURSDAY, 7PM Stacey Dooley returns to host the search for a make-up artist star of the future. Industry legends Val Garland and Dominic Skinner are back – ready to choose who glows and who goes, in this battle of the brushes! The first episode kicks off with fashion…

Singing sensation Shane Lynch has become one of the first relationship victims of Coronavirus. The 43-year-old has left his wife of 13 years – Sheena White – and their two daughters (Billie Rae, 11, and Marley Mae, seven) in their Surrey home, after admitting to ‘being at each other’s throats’ in lockdown. ‘We have had difficult times and are going through difficult times right now in this isolation thing… I’m not even in my family home because me and her were at each other’s throats. It wasn’t a good time or a good space,’ he revealed. Describing life with his second wife, the Irish star went on to say that things had become strained between them, but he was holding on to the hope that they have a future together. ‘You…

This Morning ’s Holly Willoughby, 39, was on the verge of tears recently – but she couldn’t quite decide if they were tears of rage or laughter, thanks to her co-host Phillip Schofield. During a special segment, where agony aunt and best columnist Vanessa Feltz asked viewers to call in with their concerns about home-schooling, things took a bizarre turn. A caller named Roger phoned in with his 16-year-old son, explaining how he’s running a ‘tight ship’ during lockdown, demanding his son wear his school uniform in the house – even expecting him to raise his hand if he wants to ask a question. When the doorbell rang, Roger placed the phone on to the side and went to answer it, but he could be heard flying off the handle at…

They had a bitter divorce in 2005, but Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston set tongues wagging earlier this year with pictures of a flirty backstage reunion at the SAG Awards in January. Could Brad, 56, and Jen, 51, be on the verge of rekindling their romance – and is that ever a good idea? Ironing firm owner Ali Bidwell, 64, thinks so. She divorced chef husband Keith, 66, after 10 years together. They then spent decades refusing to talk but, 31 years later, wed a second time. Ali said: ‘I met Keith in a pub when I was 18. We were both young, but instantly fancied each other. When he asked me on a date, I was so excited. Six months later, in July 1974, Keith proposed with a ruby…

My son’s face fills the screen of my phone. He smiles and laughs… and occasionally turns me upside down. He’s only 16 months old and the way he holds the phone, making the screen wobble or focus on a skirting board instead of his face, makes me smile. ‘Say goodbye to Daddy,’ his mum urges when our time is up and Thomas plants a kiss on the screen. Kissing like this is a new skill, only learnt in the past few weeks. ‘Night night, beautiful,’ I whisper, from my hotel room in London’s Docklands. When I hang up, I think of Thomas – at home with his mum in Rayleigh, Essex – and my arms ache to hold him, to kiss him goodnight. I was almost 40 when Thomas was…

HOW TO BE A BEE BUDDY! Looking for something new to do in lockdown? Do your bit for our bees… Bees don’t just give us honey, pollinators such as the British honeybee help to ensure the lifecycle of more than 80 per cent of crops and plants across Europe. They’re also responsible for pollinating a third of all the fruit and veg we eat. Sadly, it’s been tough for bees lately, so it’s more important than ever to provide nectar and pollen for bees to thrive and survive. Luckily, the experts at honey brand Rowse have come up with simple tips so you can help do your bit! • The easiest way to help is to include plenty of flowering plants in your garden from now until winter. Choose different…

It would have been the perfect slice of sunny escapism. Sadly, the next series of Love Island has been cancelled due to Covid-19. But to cheer us all up, we’ve taken a look back at some of the ITV2 show’s best moments. From sex to scandals, bromances to fake babies, it’s delivered us five years of telly gold. Until we meet again, Love Island, here’s to the memories… 1 The iconic (ex) couple DANI & JACK When Dani Dyer, 24 (daughter of EastEnders star Danny Dyer), met former pen salesman Jack Fincham, 28, it felt like a Love Island dream come true. They hooked up from the start in the 2017 series, and stuck with each other through thick and thin – quickly becoming the nation’s favourite reality couple, going on to win…

EASTENDERS Ben’s health causes concern. Tiffany forces Keegan to confess to Jack. And as the anniversary of Lucy’s death approaches, the Beales rally around Peter. CORONATION STREET Leanne and Nick fall out over sick Oliver, as she and Steve keep a vigil at their son’s bedside. Elsewhere, Gemma feels like she’s turned a corner, and Edison has realised the error of his ways. EMMERDALE Malone tells furious Harriet he’s finished his dealings with Billy, Cain and Will – but she still calls the police. However, he promises to stay away from Will. Determined to protect her family, Harriet has harsh words that leave Will devastated.…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT The world-famous Cinque Terre is made up of five beautiful fishing villages along the Italian Riviera – all built into the side of cliffs, and each one stunning. The perfect place to while away sunny days, exploring the coastline on foot, jumping in and out of rock pools and dining in small local restaurants, impossibly embedded into the cliff. If you’re looking for somewhere romantic, idyllic and picture-postcard, this is it. My girlfriend, Delilah, and I wanted a European adventure, and chose Italy, as somewhere we’d never explored much before. I’m so glad we did… INSIDER’S GUIDE To take advantage of the spectacular, scenic routes, hire a car (we went for a very Italian convertible Fiat 500!). It’s a two-hour drive from Genoa – the closest airport, to…