Table of contents for 31 - 2022 in Best

There is a saying in life that we appreciate the good times more when we’ve been through the bad. I don’t want to add much more than we say on page 8 about Kate Garraway’s current sadness, other than that Kate is a wonderful woman, a kind and positive soul. She always looks for the ‘good moments’ – as she puts it – because, ultimately, they will outweigh the bad. And she’s right. There are others in this issue who are having their ‘good moments’ right now. Sally Dynevor is sparkling on page 10 and Angie Best is sensational at 70 on page 32. Meanwhile, the unconquerable Loose lady Janet Street-Porter is seriously thinking of tying the knot for the fifth time on page 9! Good luck to her. Our…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION He shed, She shed… Men have had their man caves for years - including claiming the use of the garden shed and renaming their place of tranquilty the He Shed. But now, we women are re-starting to claim this space for a peace, quiet, tranquillity or even a tipple of our own! No spouses, kids, grandkids, pets or work allowed. The shed was traditionally just an outdoor space to house tools, garden furniture and the like, but as the need for a relaxing place to call our own gets stronger, more and more women are creating ‘She’ Sheds. A lick of paint, a cosy chair and it becomes somewhere to read, write or just relax. Do you have a She Shed? Let us know…. WHAT DO YOU…

From planned picnics to last-minute lunches, Higgidy has al fresco feasting covered this Summer. Offering quiches, mini muffins and dinky rolls – and with veggie, vegan and meat options, there’s something for everyone. We’ve teamed up with Higgidy to give you everything you need for your picnic, whether you’re huddled under an umbrella in the rain, hosting an impromptu picnic in the park or getting friends and family together for a long-awaited catch-up. Four lucky winners will receive a £40 Higgidy voucher to spend on picnic food, and a Global WAKEcup Zero Waste Lunch Kit – including an insulated lunch bag to keep your Higgidy nibbles nice and warm, a thermos drinks flask and a bamboo cutlery kit. They will also receive a copy of The Veggie Cookbook by Higgidy…

1 GET THE RIGHT FAN Pointing your fan outside will help push out the hot air, or try creating a cross breeze by placing a fan in the centre of the room and another by the window. A bowl of ice in front of a fan can also make it more beneficial as the cool air is picked up by the fan. A desk fan uses approximately one per cent of the electricity of an air conditioning unit and costs around £20, compared to around £250 for an air conditioning unit. 2 DRINK FREE WATER If you’re out and about in the hot weather, download the Refill app. It will not only show you where the nearest public water fountains are, but places you can top up for free, too.…

1 ROSE According to allaboutgardening.com, roses are the most Instagrammable flower – with approximately 79.6 million posts using the hashtag #rose or #roses! When cut from the garden, they can last around a week. However, to keep them blooming they do require a little extra TLC. Remove all the leaves from the stem, as allowing leaves to be submerged in water can speed up the wilting process. Keep them in a cool spot with water that is regularly changed. 2 SUNFLOWER In second place is the glorious sunflower! You can pick them up cheaply at this time of year and they will give any room a burst of colour. Just remember cut flowers don’t like the sun as much as they do in the field. Check your stems and water…

Marilyn – a person who needs no second name for us to recognise her – has long been the subject of documentaries and films. Our fascination with this ‘candle in the wind’, as Elton John named her, remains undimmed by time, and the latest film to try to capture the icon on screen is Blonde… Based on an adaptation of the 2000 book of the same name, written by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde is a fictionalised account of Marilyn’s relationships from childhood, including the relationship with her complex and mentally fragile mother, Gladys, and ends with her alleged assassination at the hands of her Kennedy lover. Just as in Oates’ book, all the main characters are identified by nicknames only – ‘The Ex-Athlete’ Joe DiMaggio, ‘The Playwright’ Arthur Miller, and…

From fearless fire-fighters who risk their lives to do their jobs, to those who raise thousands of pounds for charity, and people who have done something incredible that has turned someone else’s life around, there are heroes in all walks of life. We’re looking for the ordinary men and women going to extraordinary lengths to help others. So whether you know a member of the emergency services, someone who has performed a heroic act, a selfless charity fundraiser or someone who has triumphed over the odds, we want to hear about them. THE best HEROES These people, although they may not think it, are all heroes who have stood firm in the face of adversity – and we want to celebrate their great achievements. TO NOMINATE THEM If you know…

Married couple Marvin and Rochelle Humes, who found fame, respectively, in JLS and The Saturdays – are back, bringing their off-screen partnership to Saturday nights to host music quiz The Hit List, which has returned for its fifth series. Marvin and Rochelle, who have been married for 10 years, are putting a fresh batch of Hit Listers to the test, as they attempt to identify hits from across the years and genres – whether it’s a song from the swinging Sixties or the latest chart-toppers. We caught up with the loved-up couple – who are parents to Alaia-Mai, nine, Valentina Raine, five, and one-yearold boy Blake, born during the pandemic, to talk about making beautiful music together. For those that have never watched The Hit List, what can you tell us? Rochelle:…

‘I was flattered to get the role’ Set in the future, this new thriller about a leading team of analysts in GCHQ, secretly working to ward off a series of cyber-attacks on the UK in the run-up to a general election in post-pandemic 2024, will leave you hooked. One of its stars, Hot Fuzz actor Simon Pegg, 52, tells us more… What’s the story of The Undeclared War? It’s about a young student called Saara Parvin, who takes a work experience placement at GCHQ at a time when there’s immense upheaval in her own life – and a terrifying geopolitical crisis evolves while she’s there, which she becomes embroiled in. It’s a juxtaposition of huge global events and extremely personal stuff for Saara. What attracted you to the role of…

WIN X £ 200, 2 X £100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES The answer will appear in the shaded boxes and this is your prize answer. Enter by using the number at the top of the grid or at hearstmagazines.co.uk/bestcross3122 ACROSS 1 Certainly (6) 4 Intense fear (6) 9 Difficult choice (7) 10 Woo; court (7) 11 Number after seven (5) 12 Nearby (5) 14 Sheet (anag) (5) 15 Benefactor (5) 17 Ire (5) 18 E.g. from Madrid (7) 20 Have a positive impact (7) 21 Speculative view (6) 22 Individual (6) DOWN 1 Abrupt (6) 2 Faith (8) 3 Threshold (5) 5 Something showing a general rule (7) 6 Devastation (4) 7 Divulge; tell (6) 8 Joint business (11) 13 US legislative body (8) 14 Vehicle towed by another…

1 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, KID… We can’t take our eyes off this tiny baby goat – which can be held in someone’s hand – recently seen on the Wildchanell’s Insta feed! If this doesn’t start your week with a smile, we don’t know what will… For more cute pics, head to @wildchanell now! 2 Who wowed the crowd? These dresses are all-white, literally! The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, and TV presenter Rochelle Humes, 33, kept cool in sleeveless frocks from Emilia Wickstead and Boden, while former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, 40, opted for a broderie shirt dress from Self-Portrait. Crisp and fresh, white is the unofficial uniform of Summer and Kate, Rochelle and Ashley get top marks for effort 3 HAPPILY EVER AFTER Hollywood’s current hottest couple – Ben…

Like most young girls, I was wedding-obsessed as a child and used to fantasise about getting married. I loved dressing up in princess outfits, pretending to be a ballerina and playing with Barbies. When I was eight, I ‘married’ my friends at school, pretending I was the vicar. I dreamed about my perfect day, which always included a fairy-tale castle and a big pink puffy princess wedding dress. When I had my children, Saffron, now 10, and George, nine, I thought I’d marry their dad but the relationship collapsed. I was happy with it being just me and the kids – but I still had that same urge to get married that I’d had as a little girl. I believed that dreams come true – and if you really want…

It was June 2003 when I first met Alexander Marc Alphonsus Nathaniel d’Ariken de Rothschild-Hatton in a Cheltenham coffee shop. I’d not long separated from my husband, so I wasn’t really interested in dating. But Alexander was incredibly charming and wooed me with endless romantic texts, flowers and talks of the future. I felt swept off my feet and within weeks, we were in a relationship. Alexander had told me that he was a financial consultant and the illegitimate son of multimillionaire banker Edmond de Rothschild. He also said that he was Oxford educated with degrees in both engineering and economics. I had no reason not to doubt him – especially after he introduced me to people close to him. When I introduced Alexander to my three children, they took…

Sitting in the plush velvet chair at the nail salon offering a set of acrylics at a really cheap price, the customer tried to chat to the young girl applying them. Her English was virtually non-existent, and she seemed nervous, almost afraid of being caught talking. At that moment her boss marched over and, waving her arms at the other women waiting for their turn, she told the girl: ‘Hurry up, you are taking too long!’ Paying her bill, the customer felt something wasn’t right – especially when she went to give the girl a tip, which was immediately snatched away by the salon owner. Walking away she vowed not to return. What she didn’t realise was that she had almost certainly had her nails done by a human slave…

Pop icons Westlife will be broadcasting their massive sold-out Wembley Stadium concert live into cinemas across the UK on Saturday 6 August. Westlife: Live From Wembley Stadium promises to be an unforgettable night for fans, as the band perform their biggest hits and Irish heart-throbs Shane, Nicky, Mark and Kian invite fans everywhere to come together in their local cinema and share this unforgettable live experience. Westlife: Live From Wembley Stadium is in cinemas nationwide on 6 August at 8.30pm. Encore screenings take place on 7 August at 3pm at selected cinemas. To find a cinema near you, or to book tickets, visit westlifeincinemas.com. To celebrate this, we are giving three lucky readers the chance to win a pair of tickets to Westlife’s Wild Dreams tour later this year and…

Australian cook and MasterChef co-host John Torode, who met his wife, actress-turned-chef Lisa Faulkner, on the set of Celebrity MasterChef in 2010, is currently fronting a moreish foodie voyage of discovery, John Torode’s Ireland, which peels back the layers of the fascinating isle, from its friendly people to its delicious, hearty dishes. Here, Melbourne native John, 56, talks about his latest show, his ‘happy place’ and why cooking is somewhere to ‘find yourself’… John, your new series is fabulous! In it, you mention you have Irish roots, is that right? Yes, both my parents have Irish roots! I could have gone down that road in this show, but it’s not about me – it’s about how wonderful a place Ireland is. A lot of Brits don’t really venture to Ireland…

HAPPY FEET Paddling in a waterfall? This gentoo penguin at Edinburgh Zoo has got Summer nailed. SPLASHING AROUND Trunks make good water pistols, right? These cute Asian elephants show us how it’s done! HELPFUL HIDEAWAY Shady spots are essential for even the biggest sunbathers. Shame we can’t fit under a wooden shelter like this cool guinea pig’s. BEAR NECESSITIES Ice lollies aren’t just for us, you know. Rasu from Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm can’t get enough of this cold treat! ICE, ICE, BABY We’re seriously impressed with the spectrum of colours on Mjukuu the gorilla’s lolly!…

1 The Great CHANNEL 4, WEDNESDAY, 10PM NEW SERIES This richly-layered, Emmy-nominated drama returns for a second series, as Catherine takes the Russian throne. Series two kicks off four months after Catherine launched a coup against her husband, as the pregnant queen gains the upper hand in her war against Peter. The fact that he is deeply in love with Catherine and their unborn child does little to dissuade her from taking his throne. Starring Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult and Phoebe Fox. 2 Mary Queen of Scots BBC ONE, WEDNESDAY, 10.50PM Another one for history buffs, with plenty of Hollywood sparkle. Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan) returns to Scotland in order to claim her rightful throne. She attempts to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England (Margot Robbie), but finds…

It has been a terrible roller-coaster for Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway and her husband, Derek Draper, since he was first taken ill with Covid-19 back in March 2020. After a 13-month hospital battle, there was joy in the Garraway household when Derek was finally allowed home, but Kate later admitted that he still needed 24-hour care and things have not been plain sailing since then. Derek struggled with communication and reports have said that he has been ‘seriously incapacitated’ with his mobility since April. Last Wednesday, the 54-year-old took a ‘turn for the worse’ – and had to be readmitted to hospital. Kate pulled out of GMB to be by his side. Close friend and presenter Ben Shephard went on air on Thursday, saying: ‘Kate appreciates all the…

Each year, thousands of pot-bellied pigs are abandoned at shelters due to people falling for the ‘micro pig myth’ – where scammers sell piglets disguised as fully-grown teacup pigs. Now, a new online mini-series follows the emotional rescue of two pot-bellied pigs, who were abandoned when they grew too big for their owners. The bonded pair – Dante and Beatrice – were just hours away from death at a ‘high kill’ shelter in Southern California when animal activist Simone Reyes came to their rescue. Joining the mission was journalist, Jane Velez-Mitchell, who documented the journey in Pig Little Lies – a five-part docuseries showing now on Unchained TV. ‘Whatever it takes, we’re gonna get those pigs outta there!’ Jane tells the camera. Finding a home for two fully-grown pot-bellied pigs…

Last Wednesday, Ivana Trump was laid to rest following a service at St Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, attended by her former husband, Donald, and their children. The first wife of the former president, Ivana Marie Trump was larger than life, in many ways. Her daughter, Ivanka, paid tribute to her Czechoslovakian mother, days after her death. She described Ivana as ‘bold’, and always prepared to do what’s necessary, No cameras were allowed into the church where her funeral service took place but Ivanaka was reported as saying in her triubte: ‘Growing up, my mother didn’t tell me a woman could do anything she wanted to - she showed me, adding ‘My mother once told me there was nothing she couldn’t do in heels.’ The life of the socialite businesswoman certainly…

EMMER DALE Chas is excited to get a message from Al to say he’s back. As he arrives, they are both unaware that Kerry is just behind him. It’s soon awkward for cheating Al, as Kerry explains that she wants to spend time with him, but he deflects her to go and meet Chas. Meanwhile, Jai finds it awkward now Laurel is dating Kit. EASTENDERS It’s the opening of the Panesars’ new GP surgery, but as Eve turns up to support Suki, she is upset by her unexpectedly standoffish attitude. With the opening underway, Suki introduces Ash to a journalist, but both are stunned when she drops a total bombshell! Elsewhere, Lexi witnesses a disagreement between Jay and Honey, so tells Will that Jay is cheating with Lola. CORONATION STREET…

We’ve just had the hottest British heat-wave for a while, but it seems someone finally heard our prayers, in the form of some snowy, small-screen escapism! A Christmas movie all day, every day? Yep, you read it right. Movies 24 and other channels have already kicked off the festive season with marathons of fan favourites – including the new Hallmark wintry hit for 2022, Christmas in Toyland (see right), while Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Channel 5, Amazon Prime Video and Sky Cinema continue to stream their merry movies all Summer long! Here, we take a look at some of the best feel-good festive-faves, to get us feeling all Christmassy in July… The Nutcracker and the Four Realms AMAZON PRIME Disney’s twist on the classic tale of The Nutcracker sees heroine Clara…

SEARCH ME! Can you find the trees 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? ALDER ASH ASPEN BEECH BIRCH BUCKTHORN CEDAR CHERRY CHESTNUT CRAB APPLE DOGWOOD HACKBERRY HAWTHORN HOLLY HORNBEAM JUNIPER LARCH MAHOGANY NORWAY SPRUCE OAK 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 wheel…