Table of contents for 51 - 2022 in Best

She’s famed for her crafty skills, no-nonsense persona and, yes, even the odd fiery Twitter rant. But around about this time of year, mum-of-two and Location, Location, Location presenter Kirstie Allsopp, has one focus when it comes to what Christmas really means to her – her kids, Bay, 16, and Oscar, 14, with her property developer husband, Ben Andersen. The 51-year-old TV star previously said her focus at this time of year ‘pulls forward to my kids – so it’s not really about me and my family – it’s about them, and what they want to do. ‘I tend not to spend Christmas with my dad and my siblings because I’m with the kids and they have their things they like to do. I’m very close to my siblings, I…

LESLEY Long, voluminous lashes have been in demand for centuries. Rimmel invented the first non-toxic mascara made of coal dust and Vaseline jelly in the 1900s and false lashes followed in the Twenties, created by Max Factor. By the Fifties Marilyn Monroe-style volume was popular, and for the Sixties it was length, like Twiggy. I would layer on three coats of Max Factor jet-black mascara, painstakingly separating each lash with a pin! Today, formulas have come a long way with options to suit every need. • Ditch curlers. They can damage, especially if you tug or use with mascara. • Eyeliner smudged between lashes fakes a fuller effect. Try Revolution Kohl Liner in Blue, £3, to make eyes pop. • A thinning of lashes can occur with age. If yours are…

Zimtsterne These deliciously chewy gluten-free cinnamon stars are a staple of the German Christmas markets. If you can find them, use ready-ground hazelnuts. Hands-on time: 40min, plus cooling and setting Cooking time: About 10min Makes about 45 • 100g blanched hazelnuts• 2 medium egg whites• 200g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust• 150g ground almonds• 2tsp ground cinnamon• 1tsp ground ginger• Finely grated zest ½ lemon 1 Preheat oven to 130°C conventional heat (no fan as this will cause the icing to brown too quickly) mark ½. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment. Whizz the hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground (don’t over-work them or they will get greasy). Set aside. 2 Beat egg whites in a large bowl with a handheld electric whisk until…

Walking up to the man, handcuffs jangling, I gave him a stern look, ripping a piece of yellow paper off my pad as I shook my head. ‘You’re getting a fixed penalty notice,’ I told him. Then, looking at the crowd, I gave a wink. ‘For being too sexy!’ As everyone erupted into laughter, I sashayed back on stage, feeling on top of the world. Of course, this was all in play, as part of my burlesque act, but I’d spent many years issuing fines and arresting people for real. For 30 years, I’d been a police officer. I’d joined the Met Police as a cadet back in 1989. It sounds clichéd, but I really wanted to help people and make a difference. Originally from the Isle of Wight, moving…

The snowman outside Mel’s house was perfect, as if Ellie’s friend Mel had stolen it from a department store display. An oval body, round head, large, vintage-style buttons down the front, a carrot with a cute twist in the end as a nose, and were those actual pieces of coal for its eyes? She loved Mel with all her heart, had let that love grow to include Mel’s husband Tim, and her two adorable children Ness and Billy, who were now cosily filling up the suburban, three-storey house with the gleaming window frames and azure door. It was picture-perfect, but Mel was so down to earth that Ellie couldn’t muster an ounce of resentment: her friend deserved every happiness. ‘El!’ Mel squealed, opening the door, then pointing at the large…

OH DEER, COCO! Coco, aged nine, can’t resist trying to blend in with her rather sparkly surroundings… Owner: Amber, East London GIVE A DOG A BONE… …and they’ll be as happy as Orbrie, 13, who won’t be parted from his treat! Owner: Kerry, Kent SIGN OF THE TIMES Oh Lola, what did you do that’s worthy of going on Santa’s naughty list? The nine-yearold certainly looks guilty… Owner: Carol, West Sussex FELINE COSY We’re green with envy over six-year-old Sethy’s snuggly costume of choice! Owner: Amy, Kent BELLE’S LITTLE HELPER We hope Murphy, two, and Belle, seven, didn’t travel down the chimney to deliver those presents! Owner: Wendy, Cheshire BAGS OF JOY Wiggles, at just 18 months old, is rather giddy for his second ever Christmas. WIll his stocking be…

SISTER SWAP: A CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY Channel 5, Thursday, 3.15pm Two sisters find a new sense of purpose and discover what they both truly need in life during the holidays – and it has little to do with the material things in life! UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE Channel 5, Friday. 1.30pm Romantic sparks fly between Alma and Charlie, when the latter finds the perfect tree for the Maine governor’s holiday celebration – right in Alma’s backyard. CHRISTMAS WITH THE DARLINGS Channel 5, Friday, 3.15pm When an assistant to a wealthy boss ends her tenure, she offers to help his younger brother look after his orphaned nieces and nephew during the holidays……

Actor Robert Bathurst is best known for playing posh David Marsden in the award-winning TV series Cold Feet. Throughout his career he has cornered the market in playing charming upper-crust types, including Sir Anthony Strallan in Downton Abbey – who famously left Lady Edith standing at the altar. This month, Robert makes his debut in musical theatre playing a reimagined version of Charles Dickens’ character Scrooge in Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol, and here he tells Tony Cowell why he is so in awe of Dolly’s career. The 65-year-old father of four daughters had studied law at Cambridge, before following his heart to become an actor. He also opens up about why he believes there should be one last series of Cold Feet to tie up the final story for…

SAGITTARIUS 23 November – 21 December Studying a subject that is close to their hearts will uplift Sagittarians like E.T. and 2021’s West Side Story director, Steven Spielberg and Thelma & Louise and 2022’s Bullet Train actor, Brad Pitt, who have always believed in lifelong learning. Improving your mind will be both rewarding and fulfilling. CAPRICORN 22 December – 20 January Family Christmas plans already agreed on will come under discussion again. You sense someone is hoping to change them, and this will frustrate you when you like to have everything organised in advance. An offer received later in the week will cheer you up and make you more optimistic about your long-term future. AQUARIUS 21 January – 19 February You’ve always been sociable and you enjoy mixing with friends.…

Could it be magic? A one-off ITV spectacular is bringing together the world’s most memorable and greatest magicians from past series of BGT, as they compete to become the ultimate champion of magic and win a huge £50,000 cash prize. Stepping in for Ant and Dec is presenter and magician himself, Stephen Mulhern, ready to guide the audience through each showstopping performance. Keeping the seat warm for Simon Cowell (who has filming commitments in the US), will be magician extraordinaire, King of Sin City and BAFT-Anominated Penn Jillette, who joins the judging panel of Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams. Here, glam queen and mum-of-two Amanda, 51, tells us more… Hi Amanda, what did you think when you found out about this one-off magic special? I think if anyone had…

Known for her eclectic style, colourful clothing collaborations and breaking down ageist stereotypes, Iris Apfel is a force to be reckoned with. The self-proclaimed ‘geriatric starlet’ rose to fame in 2005 when the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute in the US decided to create an exhibition – Rara Avis: Selections from the Iris Apfel Collection – featuring garments from her own wardrobe. It was a roaring success and put her on the map, with the world wanting to know how they could get Iris’s signature style. Now 101, the former interior decorator (she’s done up the homes of no less than nine presidents) has since launched a campaign with MAC Cosmetics, a clothing collaboration with H&M, and recently established a colourful cosmetics range with Ciaté. In her own words,…

1 Good mood food Lower in fat and higher in protein than other meats, turkey also has a wellbeing benefit. It’s rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that our body uses to make serotonin, which acts as a hormone to regulate our mood. The white meat tends to be lower in fat and calories but don’t dismiss dark meat, as it’s a good source of iron and zinc, great for the immune system. 2 Embrace your Brussels Brussels sprouts are ‘packed with micronutrients and prebiotic fibre that is fermented by the “good” bacteria in our gut,’ explains Dr Caitlin Hall, Head of Clinical Research at Myota. ‘This process leads to the production of short-chain fatty acids, which reduce inflammation, support the immune system, improve blood sugar control, reduce cholesterol, regulate…

Citrus Gin Spritz There are many ready-made citrus-infused gins available in the shops, or use your own favourite gin and add a good squeeze of clementine juice. Hands-on time: 5min Serves 6 • 150ml• Citrus-infused gin• Chilled soda water, to taste• 750ml bottle Prosecco, chilled• 1-2 clementines, sliced• 6 thyme sprigs 1 Fill 6 large wine glasses with ice cubes. 2 Divide the gin between glasses. 3 Add a dash of soda water, to taste. 4 Top each up with Prosecco. Garnish with a slice of clementine and a sprig of thyme. Sloe gin ham This fruity glazed joint makes a fabulous centrepiece to the festive buffet. Prep time: 25min, plus cooling Cook time: about 4½hr Serves 8-10 • 4 kg whole boneless smoked/unsmoked gammon• 1 litre apple juice• 1…

A FOND FAREWELL How are we at the final?! This series has flown! I can’t even call a winner – probably for the first time ever. That glitterball could be anyone’s. It’s been a fabulous series and I’m so emotional for all our celebs – it’s down to you viewers at home now. It’s been wonderful bringing all the goss – I wish you lovely best readers a merry Christmas and a happy new year! WOW FACTOR For me, Tony Adams, as well as becoming a decent dancer, never stopped serving up the laughs! His Full Monty dance was hilarious. He entertained us all so much – good on him. A STAND-OUT SCENE Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez’s dance to Mein Herr from Cabaret in the quarter-final was a mesmerising…

One day, a long time ago, a lorry loaded with small Christmas trees bumped along a rutted track by the edge of a Dartmoor Lake. It stopped in a clearing and two men jumped down. The men worked all day clearing the ground with shape spaces and planting the trees in neat rows. ‘Five years, Bill, until we come back – they’ll be fine trees by then,’ said one. One little tree, unnoticed by the men, had been blown away by the strong wind. It had lodged in a tiny crevice by the path that ran by the water. The years passed and most of the trees in the plantation grew straight and strong. The little tree, however, grew very slowly, its roots reaching down for nourishment in the thin…

Birmingham-born actress Helen George may be best known for playing Trixie Franklin – the straight-talking senior nurse in BBC One smash hit Call the Midwife, back soon for the Christmas Day special – but her first love has always been musical theatre. Back in 2013, the 38-year-old revealed that seeing a production of Les Misérables, aged 15, was the moment that kick-started her love of acting, the star later going on to study musical theatre. Now, she’s confirmed that she’ll be returning to the stage for a touring production of The King and I. The musical, set in 1860s Bangkok, follows a widowed British school teacher, Anna Leonowens (George), who becomes governess to the king of Thailand’s children. Tony award-winning theatre director Bartlett Sher will lead the new production, which…

TOP TIP Ditch the heels! A pretty dress works just as well with opaque tights and a pair of flat boots.…

‘At last, it’s OK to be selfish after a bunch of experts and psychotherapists came to the conclusion that it’s acceptable, although they’ve relabelled it “healthy selfishness”. Which makes perfect sense to me. As a trait, selfishness gets a bad rap but sometimes, we do need to indulge in it a bit more, because as the experts say, it’s actually really good for you. Of course, there will be some who’ll slam this idea, people who see themselves as wholly virtuous and perfect, claiming anyone who ever does anything for themselves instead of others is a selfish b*****d. But it’s not true and I know this because I’m always being marked down as a selfish, horrible person – which anyone who knows me will tell you isn’t true, I’m actually…

Annabelle was entranced – she couldn’t stop staring at the fairy lights. She’d stretch out her arms and kick her legs excitedly to show that she wanted them. But although many babies acted the same way, for Annabelle these lights had far more importance. I’d been due to give birth in January, but two days before Christmas in 2014, I went into labour. In between contractions, I found myself humming along to the songs playing on the hospital radio. The festive melodies kept me going throughout the five-hour labour. And as I held my beautiful daughter, Annabelle, in my arms and took in all the Christmas decorations twinkling around the room, everything felt truly magical. Thankfully, the presents were already wrapped so all I had to do was give my…

Lying in bed, I opened my eyes, and I could tell it was before sunrise, but I was ready to get up. Outside, I could hear the gentle braying of our two little donkeys – Harry and Henry. They were always excited to see us in the mornings, especially as they knew it meant breakfast time. I headed out to greet them, rubbing their noses. ‘Good morning,’ I said, and they brayed in return. I gave them food approved by The Donkey Sanctuary, before mucking out the stable and giving them some straw to chew on. The donkeys always put me in a good mood, but I could never have imagined how big an impact they’d have on my life… I’d always loved animals and from the age of 13,…

She will always be a Princess, but rumour has it that King Charles is saving a very special honour for his granddaughter Charlotte - the bestowing on her of the title ‘Duchess of Edinburgh’ as a tribute to the Queen, the beloved Great-Grandmother she called ‘Gan Gan’. It has long been expected that the dukedom, which was of course held by Prince Philip, would pass to Prince Edward following his father’s passing. This idea seemed to be reinforced when Edward took over all administration of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. But no such announcement has been made – and the reason is said to be that King Charles is reserving the title for William and Kate’s seven-year-old daughter. The title Duchess of Edinburgh of course has huge emotional significance,…

BILL TURNBULL 31 AUGUST, AGE 66 Bill was a familiar face on the morning sofa, presenting BBC Breakfast for 15 years, both in London and Salford, as well as fronting Songs of Praise and game show Think Tank. But before settling into a role in front of the camera, he’d been a reporter and covered conflicts around the world. Adored by his colleagues, many tributes were paid after he lost his battle to the prostate cancer he was diagnosed with in 2017. He’s survived by his wife, Sara, who he met at the BBC, and their three children. DAME OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 8 AUGUST, AGE 73 Millions saw her first as shy Sandra Dee in 1978 musical Grease but, by then, Olivia – who was born in the UK but brought…

1 THE ENERGY BILLS DISCOUNT All domestic consumers will receive a £400 grant from the government to help cover energy bills. The only people not eligible are households not connected to electricity mains. If you pay energy bills yourself, direct to your energy provider, you will receive this payment automatically. It’s paid in six monthly instalments from October until March 2023. 2 BENEFITS FROM BENEFITS You don’t have to be out of work to claim benefits, and if you’re struggling to make ends meet, there may be help out there for you. To find out, go to entitledto.co.uk. If you’re behind on energy bill payments, JobCentre Plus can arrange for some of your benefits to pay this off directly each month to the energy company you owe, a scheme called…

RAYNAUD’S MISERY I have Raynaud’s disease – which, as you can imagine, really becomes quite bad when the colder weather kicks in – though this year’s been relatively mild so far. Is there anything I can do which might lessen the symptoms a little when they do come – which is inevitable?! Or do I just have to grin and bear it…? Natasha, Sheffield DR HILARY SAYS: Raynaud’s disease is a common condition where the small blood vessels in the hands and toes go into spasm when you are cold, anxious or stressed. Initially, there may be pain followed by numbness, pins and needles and reduced movements. Initially there is a change of colour to white in the fingertips or toes, which will later become blue followed by redness when…

After 21 years in Coronation Street Jennie McAlpine should know better than to expect a peaceful Christmas. This year her alter ego, factory knicker-stitcher Fiz Stape, finds herself caught up in a surprise Christmas Day wedding to childhood sweetheart Tyrone Dobbs. Meanwhile at Jennie’s own Manchester home, things will be just as hectic, as she prepares for the festive season with her husband, restaurant owner Chris Farr, and their excited children, Albert, eight, and Hilda, four. Jennie, 38, talks about her festive plans, weddings and who her son would rather watch than his famous mum… Are you looking forward to Christmas? Father Christmas has been to school and visited the children’s grotto and they’ve had Christmas jumper day. Schools don’t do parents any favours in terms of calming them down!…

CHRISTMAS PAST, AMAZON MUSIC Christmas classics provided by the Rat Pack ghosts of Christmas past: Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Bing Cosby and many, many more… CHRISTMAS CRACKERS, SPOTIFY It’s Christmaaaas…! So, here are some festive bangers, courtesy of Wham!, Michael Bublé, Elton John and other stars! CHRISTMAS PARTY, AMAZON MUSIC If only it could be the work Christmas party every day! From Mariah to Slade and Shakin’ Stevens, you won’t be disappointed with this fun playlist……

SEARCH ME! Can you find the festive words 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? ANGEL CANDLE CARDS CAROL GARLAND GIFT GREEN HOLIDAY HOLLY LIGHTS MISTLETOE NATIVITY NOEL ORNAMENT RED REINDEER SERVICE TREE TURKEY WREATH 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 –…

One of the first ladies of broadcasting for the last three decades, Gaby Roslin, 58, is always a ray of sunshine – a glass-half-full lady, a philosophy on life she has nurtured since she was a child. The bubbly blonde rose to fame and co-presented The Big Breakfast on Channel 4 between 1992 and 1996. Here, the now mum-of-two (to daughters Libbi-Jack, 20, and Amelie, 15) explains what Christmas holidays mean to her despite her Jewish family, and why she helped to unveil an epic Christmas tree at St Pancras Station… Hello, Gaby, it’s almost Christmas. What does that time of year mean to you? For me personally, it’s a time to think about those less fortunate – it’s what Christmas should all be about, shouldn’t it? I think it’s all…

BEST TRAVEL ALFIE EDDON & SAM FOX, BOTH 13, FROM HITCHIN, HERTS TRAVEL SNAPSHOT Looking for some festive fun? Alton Towers has decked the halls, trimmed the trees with spectacular lights and added in some seasonal entertainment. From the enchanting Christmas market to the award-winning Lightopia lantern trail, family rides and attractions, there’s something for everyone. INSIDER’S GUIDE Christmas is a magical world for little ones but, if you have teenage boys (or girls) heading for the age of non-belief (Sam and Alfie are 13), a trip to Alton Towers will reignite the fun and enchantment of the season. From the moment you walk through the doors, you’re swept into a world of magic – light shows, reindeers (what’s Christmas without Rudolph?), music, hot chocolate and Santa’s grotto… and the…