Table of contents for 04-2023 in Best

I know, I know, but it helps me to escape and unwind. If a show is done correctly, it leaves you counting the days for the next episode (think Happy Valley), inspired to tidying your home (Stacey Solomon’s Sort Your Life Out on BBC1 catch up), or learning new facts (the History Channel, the Discovery Channel – even Marie Antoinette on BBC2). Films, binge-watch boxsets, soaps, reality shows (Love Island, ITV2) – the choice is endless. So, this week – the ‘brokest’ week of the year – when we’re all looking for ways to save money, we have made our TV section, bigger and better than ever (page 45). Let me know what you think! Talking of bills, we speak to a reader (page 24) who reveals her secret to…

Celebrities, watch out! It’s safe to bet there are some people in the world of light entertainment who may be worried – as Linda Robson has warned she will not shy away from ‘hurting feelings’ in her forthcoming autobiography. The Loose Women star’s memoir – charting her long career as an actress and presenter – is in the pipeline and Linda, 64, has declared she is ‘coming for’ people who have wronged her. Speaking on Kaye Adams’ podcast, How to be 60, she revealed: ‘I don’t care about the people not in my family, but I don’t want to upset anyone in my family. At the moment, the book is called In All Honesty, which I think is really boring – and on the back of the book there is…

‘The first time I heard about “manifesting” was when Noel Edmonds was crediting its miraculous qualities for his emergence from years in the telly wilderness. He called it “Cosmic Ordering”, but it was essentially the same thing. Now everyone’s either at it, going on about it or writing a book on it. As far as I understand – or as far as anyone can possibly understand, because it makes no sense – it is the idea that if you want something enough and you tell the cosmos with tons of pointless positivity, you’ll get it. Well, how lovely would that be? Now everyone can have everything they want, it’s easy! Every wish can come true! Personally, I think it’s not only nonsense but damaging nonsense and if it worked, we’d…

Paying off the final instalment of my credit card, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. ‘I’ve finally done it,’ I cried. After spending years in my overdraft and never having any spare cash, debt had become part of my routine. I’d buried my head in the sand, paid minimum payments, refusing to talk about it or change my ways. But after closing my account in December 2018, I vowed to share my tips with others and help them take steps to become financially savvy… Growing up, money was tight, and I’d never learnt any budgeting skills. In my hometown of Telford, Shropshire, I watched as my family struggled to make ends meet. I remember going to the local store to ask the shopkeeper if we could get food…

HOW IT WORKS 1 With Slimming World, you caneat the foods you love and lose weight, so choose one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner every day – and repeat any meals you particularly enjoy. 2 Because it is based on the science of energy density and satiety (how filling a food is), this meal plan helps you to cut calories without having to count a single one, so you can lose weight without going hungry. 3 Free Food is at the heart of the plan. These are foods you can enjoy without weighing, measuring or counting. There are more than 350 Free Foods to choose from, including fruit, veg, pasta, rice, potatoes, pulses, lean meat (and some plant-based proteins e.g. Quorn), fat-free dairy, fish and poultry. Basing your meals around…

TOP TIP! Blankets should be washed about once every three months to avoid build-up of dirt, stains and bacteria.…

TOP TIP! Group together shades of cream with a hint of oatmeal to give any space the feeling of calm.…

FRANTIC ASSEMBLY’S OTHELLO – UNTIL 11 FEBRUARY Frantic Assembly takes Shakespeare’s muscular text and presents an Othello firmly rooted in a volatile 21st century. Blisteringly relevant today, Othello exposes the tension, fear and insecurity buried beneath the veneer of our relationships and how easily that can be exploited. See franticassembly.co.uk for more info! HENRY V, THE GLOBE THEATRE, ON STAGE NOW Henry, the young and newly crowned king, is impatient to assert control over the people of England. Having received a humiliating gift from overseas, his bruised ego leads him to double down on a military invasion abroad in a bid to expand his green and pleasant land. But at what devastating cost? Tickets from £25, see shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/henry-v-2022 MACBETH, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON Murder, superstition and madness haunt this terrifying tale. Performance dates…

LEARNING CURVE Patsy Palmer’s nerves and emotions got the better of her for that first performance – especially seeing her family on the VT. But these things happen. There were mistakes, but she’s just delighted to have got through to another week – she has a whole new fighting spirit. A HAIRY MOMENT! Just before filming a pro number, a few inches of Vanessa’s ponytail had to be cut off! She and Sylvain were doing this upside-down lift, where he holds her by a hand and foot, but her ponytail was getting caught under his blades. And these are pros – so it shows how dangerous that ice can be! SEXY COSTUMES That incredible outfit from Ekin-Su was the first, I think, of what will be a lot of standout…

NOT SLEEPING BUT DON’T WANT PILLS… I’m having a very stressful time for personal reasons and I’m not sleeping. At most I’m getting three to four hours a night max, and I feel half-dead most of the day! It’s making my anxieties worse, but I really don’t want to resort to sleeping pills. Are there any natural remedies that might help? Rianne, Essex DR HILARY SAYS: The first thing to do is to try and resolve any troubling issues in your life which is the underlying cause of your insomnia. Any help you can obtain to do that will be welcome. In the meantime, avoid caffeine and any technology in your bedroom, both of which will keep you awake. Exercise regularly, which will promote restful sleep and help deal with…

AQUARIUS 21 January - 19 February Aquarians like legendary singer-songwriter Phil Collins and Oscar-winning actress from The Crown and Broadchurch Olivia Colman, should be careful about who they confide in. If they can’t keep their own counsel, they should at least blow off steam with friends and relatives they know they can trust. TAURUS 21 April – 21 May Why do you feel you don’t deserve good things to happen to you? It may have been a struggle in the past to overcome a few challenges but look back on how far you have come and how much you have achieved. Push thoughts that prevent you from expecting the best, out of your mind. Voluntary work might help improve your self-esteem. LEO 24 July – 23 August Activity going on…

She may be 82 years old, but Gloria Hunniford has no intention of slowing down. Now recovered from a recent health scare, she’s back presenting Loose Women and – along with Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville – hosting Rip Off Britain, the consumer show that exposes scams and provides money-saving hacks. We caught up with Gloria, who lives in Kent with husband Stephen, to talk saving money, seeking help and teasing the grandkids! Gloria, in these tough financial times, we need Rip Off Britain more than ever… Oh, absolutely – we just did a cost-of-living special on how to reduce the price of everything – from childcare to broadband – and of course as ever, raising awareness of how to avoid scams. What do you think people are most worried…

Holding my baby daughter for the first time, tears filled my eyes. ‘You’re beautiful,’ I gently whispered. My mum – who was my birthing partner – cooed at her new granddaughter beside me. Alice Matilda was born in April 2021, weighing 6lbs 11oz, and was utterly perfect. I couldn’t wait to start the next chapter of my life with her and, despite being single, I’d never felt happier. Growing up, I’d always loved children and knew I eventually wanted to be a mum. By 2008, aged 27, I was working in operations for an investment bank in London and loved living in the capital. In September, I’d planned a holiday with my friends to Portugal for a week. But during the flight over, I had a shooting pain above my eye…

Actress Pamela Anderson, 55, suffered in silence when her shocking sex tape ordeal was dramatised in the hit Disney+ series, Pam & Tommy – some of its risqué scenes causing viewers’ jaws to drop! Pamela was openly upset by the series – in which she was played by English actress Lily James, with actor Sebastian Stan as her Mötley Crüe drummer ex-husband, Tommy Lee – saying in 2021 she felt ‘violated’ by it. But now, the former Baywatch star and model is releasing a very personal documentary, Pamela, A Love Story next Tuesday – on the same day as a painfully frank memoir, Love, Pamela (HarperCollins), that will also cover the turbulent ground of her six failed marriages, two of which were annulled. And the star has since revealed it was her…

KARAOKE CLASSICS UK, SPOTIFY From Bryan Adams to Journey, Kings of Leon and more, you’ll be partying the night away at home with this classic karaoke playlist on Spotify! BEST KARAOKE SONGS EVER, SPOTIFY Discover the best karaoke songs, including current pop hits, duets, throwback jams, country classics, rap, boybands and so much more… KARAOKE NIGHT, AMAZON MUSIC Do we even need the words to these mega-hits?! Elvis, Madonna, Steps and many more will have you boogieing on down in your living rooms!…

Open and chatty, when we catch up with actress Amy Robbins, she’s still pinching herself that her favourite show growing up has become the day job, as she prepares to join Coronation Street as Christine, Daisy Midgley’s mum. Here, Amy, who has previously starred in Emmerdale and EastEnders, talks childhood memories, why a role in Corrie is keeping it in the family – and which elements of her wayward character she most identifies with… Amy, had you been up for a role in Corrie before? I have, over the years, a good handful of times and got close on a few occasions. When this finally came it was an incredible moment. It meant a huge amount to me. I got the call and burst into tears. It was my late…

In a pre-Covid world it seemed hard to picture a time when we would be isolated from family and friends, would work remotely, and couldn’t leave our own homes. But after 18 months of on-and-off lockdowns beginning in 2020, we finally began to get back to a sense of normality. Coronavirus was still evident, but it became something the world learned to live with. But is that normality about to be under threat again? With Covid infections reaching their highest levels since last summer, and figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revealing 2.9 million people likely had Coronavirus over Christmas, the nation seems to be on high alert. Especially as a new variant, XBB.1.5 – nicknamed ‘Kraken’ – has surged in both China and the US and is…

Enter now for a chance to win two tickets to see MAMMA MIA! at the Novello Theatre in London, plus a night’s stay at Strand Palace hotel, an iconic London landmark in the heart of the capital, situated on the edge of Covent Garden in theatreland. Join the fun at MAMMA MIA!, the world’s sunniest, most exhilarating smash-hit musical! Since premiering in London’s West End more than 23 years ago, ‘the ultimate feel-good show’ (Classic FM) has thrilled over 65 million people around the world. Fall in love with the irresistibly funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island idyll, all unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s timeless songs. To enter, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT A local smiled tightly: ‘Are you writing about this?’ she asked ‘Please don’t. It’s our secret. We don’t want tourists.’ I was walking down a short sandy trail towards the kayaks moored on the Indian River Lagoon for a two-hour Browns Bay Kayak tour (around $40 a person). I can’t honour her request because it was a spectacular natural history lesson as we passed dolphins, manatees, crabs, fish and birds. The river is just a short cab ride from New Smyrna Beach, a boho town offering great food, art, water sports and history. INSIDER’S GUIDE The most remarkable part of this charming town is the beach. Miles of flat white sand, clear waters, although – word to the wise - it is also the shark bite capital of…

Ruth Langsford is enjoying a flourishing career at ITV – she’s a popular panellist on Loose Women and is friends with everyone. So, it must, surely, have been with a little shock that she learnt of her husband – Northern Irish broadcaster Eamonn Holmes’ rather incendiary comments on-air, recently. GB News host Eamonn, speaking last Wednesday with co-host Isabel Webster on the topic of revenge (after singer Shakira took aim at her ex, Gerard Piqué, with a scathing new song), opened up on his own experiences. Talking to Isabel, she commentated: ‘You talk a good game… but actually, all the people in your life you’ve had ding-dongs with in the past, you’re on great terms with now, when I think about it?’ To which the straight-talking Belfast man replied bluntly, ‘No!’, before…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Are you a good neighbour? There was a time in lockdown when street WhatsApp groups were set up to check on those living nearby and we relished having a chat with our neighbours over the garden fence – at a safe distance, of course. But a new survey of 2,000 Brits, by rental housing company Greystar, has revealed that 25 per cent of us have not spoken to anyone living around us for at least six months, while seven per cent admitted to never having spoken to their neighbours at all. In contrast, 17 per cent of those surveyed counted at least five neighbours as friends, and this was most common in Bristol. Are you close to those living next door, or on your street? Do you…

Menopause can cause changes on the outside as well as inside. Surges of testosterone can cause breakouts, while declining oestrogen and progesterone levels can break down collagen, causing sagging, a loss of elasticity and dryness, plus an unpredictable skin from one week to the next. Most changes begin during the perimenopausal stage and can last years. The beauty industry now caters for this growing demand for midlife skin saviours. Here’s how to problem-solve with confidence. OILY SKIN & BREAKOUTS Changing hormones can send your oil producing glands into overdrive. ACTION: Salicylic acid and lactic acid will help unblock pores and keep spots at bay. Don’t go overboard, as this can inflame skin. Avoid products containing alcohol, which has a drying effect and can make you produce more oil. Clay or…

Looking at the picture of myself, tummy bulging out of my pink T-shirt, I didn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed the way I usually did. No, this time I felt fired with determination. I knew this was going to be my ‘before’ picture. It was February 2016 and I’d just come back from my second Slimming World meeting. All of my life, I’d been convinced slimming clubs didn’t work but, having lost 5lbs in a week without feeling hungry once, something had suddenly clicked. I could do this – I was finally going to lose weight. My whole life, I’d been overweight. Mum cooked hearty meals and I was never afraid to go back for seconds. Plus, I could never satisfy my sweet tooth. On my way to school, I’d call…

Cauliflower and Lentil Bolognese The combination of lentils and cauliflower give this sauce a toothsome texture. Naturally vegan, but check your stock and pasta as brands vary. Hands-on time 20min. Cooking time about 40min. Serves 4 ● 1tbsp olive oil● 1 onion, finely chopped● 275g cauliflower florets● 2 garlic cloves, crushed● 2tsp paprika● 400g tin chopped tomatoes● 400ml vegetable stock● 2tbsp balsamic vinegar● 1tsp dried thyme● 1tsp dried oregano● Large handful of basil, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve● 75g red split lentils, washed in cold water● 3tbsp tomato purée TO SERVE ● 300g wholewheat pasta, in whatever shape you like – we used mafalda corta Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and fry the onion for 5min, until softened. Meanwhile pulse the cauliflower florets in a…

THE CROWN Netflix After Prince Harry’s revelation that he watches The Crown, the series – which now seems rather tame compared to the real-life drama of our current Royal Family – is available to watch up to series five on Netflix. THE VIRGIN QUEEN Amazon Prime If you’re in the mood to watch a young, brooding, Tom Hardy play Robert Dudley to Anne-Marie Duff’s Queen Elizabeth I (is there ever a bad time for that, we ask?), then head to Amazon Prime now. MARIE ANTOINETTE BBC iPlayer Discover who Marie Antoinette was. Far from the usual portrait of the selfish, superficial young French queen, this lush new drama shows us a modern and progressive woman who gave today’s women the opportunity to be who they are.…

AM I JUST UNLUCKY…? The past few relationships I’ve had since getting a divorce a few years ago have resulted in me never getting on with my partner’s friends – and, as you can imagine, it never ends well. At first, I thought I was just incredibly unlucky, as I’d always got on with my ex-hubby’s friends. But now I’m starting to wonder if it’s me? I find these people to be very arrogant, rude and obnoxious, and if I’m honest it massively puts me off my other half for even wanting to spend time with them. What would you do? Sheri, Kent You’ve had a few relationships since your divorce and haven’t managed to hit it off with any of your different partners’ mates. Sorry, my darling, but the…

If she glances up from the till now, she won’t think it odd that I’m standing here at the plate glass window. She’ll think I’m gazing at the pineapple-shaped lampstand on display in the window. It’s one of those shops selling fancy accessories for the house – wooden letters spelling out ‘love’ and ceramic beach huts for the bathroom windowsill. The woman standing behind the till is Mel and she’s the owner. I’ve always known who she is, though I’ve never met her in person. To be honest, interested though I am in Mel, I’m transfixed by the creamy white and lavender roses– winter roses – arranged in a crystal vase by the side of the till. The flowers are so clearly her personal property, not a way of showcasing…

He was the epitome of good health as he leapt about, slim and toned as a 20-something – in the now-iconic stage show he created, Riverdance – but dance supremo Michael Flatley, 64, is now facing a very serious health battle. Well-wishes and messages of support have flooded in for the Irish dancing icon and choreographer, after it was revealed he had undergone surgery for ‘an aggressive form of cancer’. The Irish-American star’s diagnosis, which sent shockwaves across the world, was revealed on his Instagram account recently. Since then, celebrities and other well-wishers have sent messages of support to the father-of-one. The heartbreaking post read: ‘Dear friends, we have something personal to share, Michael Flatley has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.’ It continued, ‘He has undergone surgery…