Table of contents for 9 - 2022 in Best

Hands up who has never played a game of online bingo? Very few of us. In fact, according to BeGambleAware, the number of women gambling is increasing and the number asking for help with problems resulting from that has doubled. The odd flutter can be fun, but that’s the point. Gambling should be a way of dreaming about what you would do with your winnings. I think of it in the same way as buying a ticket to the movies. I’ve paid a certain amount of money for a couple of hours of entertainment. The cash is spent and when the film is over, I go home. So it struck a nerve with me when (on page 62) our columnist, Ruth, posed the question ‘Could I be that woman? The…

She may not be the obvious style icon – with her two-piece suits and a hairstyle that has remained unchanged for decades… Yet Princess Anne, 71, has something that Generation Z are desperate to get on board with… clutter! The new interior trend, the opposite of Marie Kondo’s minimalist, tidy-everything-away philosophy, is adored by young people across the globe who use the social media app TikTok – giving Princess Anne’s taste a whole new lease of life. So-called #cluttercore celebrates ‘stuff’ in the home, with everything from vases to animal trinkets all proudly put on show, rather than tidily tucked away in a cupboard. Think busy, colourful gallery walls, clashing fabrics and cluttered desks. The idea has proved irresistible to users looking to express themselves on a budget. Videos tagged…

Q I keep getting the most dreadful Q facial flushes, after I’ve exercised or when I’m out walking – my cheeks are bright red. Why, and how can I stop it? Katy, Poole A There are two types of facial redness: chronic persistent redness (rosacea), and temporary, reactive redness, which I suspect is what you have. After exercise this is normal. As we heat up, our bodies experience vascular changes because of increased blood flow, resulting in flushing. Hot temperatures bring blood vessels closer to the surface, dilating capillaries, which don’t close as quickly as we age. It can’t be prevented but it can be managed. A cold towel on the back of the neck constricts blood vessels, numbs nerve endings there, and helps lower your temperature quickly. Splashing cold…

BACK TO THE EIGHTIES Wow, I absolutely loved the look we had for our George Michael routine the other week. Funny, when I was nine years old my mom permed my hair, so it wasn’t unlike my look on the show! But it wasn’t anywhere near as stylish as what Lisa Davey (our hair stylist) created for me this time. I kept the extensions – I’ll be recreating this look for a further outing! MUSICALS WEEK Didn’t Sally come into her own, playing Maria from The Sound of Music?! I think these ‘characters’ have really helped her progress. That performance from Six with our pros was so good, too – I loved the return of Maria Filippov and Vicky Ogden. Next for us is dreaded Props Week! It’s a make-or-break…

DAUGHTER’S CLEANING IS OUT OF CONTROL My 16-year-old should be worrying about her grades – or boys, or whatever teens worry about these days – not how tidy her bedroom is! Her compulsion to clean is getting totally out of hand. Her lights are sometimes still on at midnight on a school night, because she’s rearranging her books for the third time that day, or disinfecting everything, with her Marigolds on. She doesn’t like having friends round either – in case they ‘mess things up’. Should I take her to the GP, or is this within the realms of ‘normal’ behaviour?! Leanne, Darlington You are right to be concerned about your daughter. When a behavioural pattern starts to have a negative impact on someone’s life, it turns into a problem.…

You’d be mistaken for thinking that someone who is obsessed with cleaning might be a little ‘dull’… but not Lynsey Crombie, This Morning’s resident cleaning expert and a mum-of-three – she and husband Rob have twin daughters Mollie and Olivia, 18, son Jake, 14, and a dog, Hetty – named after the hoover, naturally! A mine of information on all things cleaning, she’s also funny, self-deprecating and has a knack for the kind of innocent double entendre that has Holly and Phil in stitches. Here, the Twickenham-born professional organiser, also the bestselling author of three books, talks about becoming a TV personality almost by accident – and how a clean, tidy home can make us happier… Lynsey, how does a person become the ‘Queen of Clean’?! It all started with a…

PILLOW TALK Dust mites feed on dead skin that has been partially broken down by mould and both the skin itself and the dust mites can quickly build up in unwashed beds and bedding. According to The Sleep Council, as much as a tenth of the weight of a pillow that has never been washed is made up of human skin scales, mould, dust mites and their droppings! • DO wash sheets and blankets at least once a fortnight If someone in your household has asthma, eczema or a dust mite allergy, follow Allergy UK’s advice and change bedding weekly. • DO wash bedding at 60°C or above Dust mite droppings will be washed away if you launder bedding at a lower temperature, yet the mites themselves will survive, which…

GAMBLING WITH YOUR FUTURE RUTH: Traditionally, gambling has been associated with men, horse-racing, football and the dogs. But increasingly, women are succumbing to harmful gambling habits. And the figures are frightening – up to one million of them. On GB News, Eamonn spoke to a lady called Lisa from Essex. She is 49 years of age and has been struggling with her gambling addiction for 16 years. In her late 20s, she won a large amount of money playing poker, and proceeded to play at a high level. In addition to mounting significant financial challenges, Lisa’s gambling led to her struggling mentally, feeling lost, ashamed and very much alone in her experience. Eventually, Lisa’s physical health started deteriorating as well, with the stress making her fearful that she may even…

PISCES 20 February – 20 March Mary Poppins Returns star Emily Blunt, TV host and actress Drew Barrymore and other Pisceans should make it their intention to deal with one thing at a time, to avoid feeling bogged down. Making lists will help keep them organised, even when little disturbances are happening around them. ARIES 21 March – 20 April Life is finally looking up for you now. With this in mind, you will start the week feeling a good deal happier about aspects of your life that have been causing tension and stress. Make use of any time you have on your hands to tie up as many loose ends as possible. Single? A shy person is admiring you from afar. TAURUS 21 April – 21 May You have…

BOSS: THE SCENT FOR HER Indulge yourself in this designer scent that won’t break the bank! This strong yet sweet fragrance is definitely one for a date night – or a night on the town with the girls! £34, amazon.co.uk DAISY LOVE Marc Jacobs’ Daisy Love Eau so Sweet Eau de Toilette Spray is an irresistibly sweet take on the perennial favourite, Daisy Love, with notes of raspberry and delicate musk with each spray. A perfect choice for every day. You’ll be fresh as a Daisy in no time… £45.90, fragrancedirect.co.uk VERA WANG WOMEN This classic perfume is a sophisticated yet flirty blend of notes that create a scent perfect for use at work by day, or for a night out – and it’s got a reasonable pricetag, too, at…

In an event themed ‘Learning Resilience’ by Women in Journalism, held at London’s Future Dreams House, the brilliant pastel pink, ‘emotional centre’ of Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity, Victoria Derbyshire, 53, the BAFTA-winning current affairs broadcaster, talked emotionally about the challenges she has faced – including a troubled childhood and her own terrifying breast cancer diagnosis. The journalist, who is married to Mark Sandell and has teenage boys, Oliver and Joe, opened up on how she has coped when times get tough – with the help of friends, vino, dancing and more… …on ‘resilience’ People of a certain age will remember a band called Chumbawamba and the memorable line ‘I get knocked down, but I get up again!’ Well, it’s as simple as that, really. When obstacles and challenges are presented,…

Watching the kids, Louis, seven, and Laura, three, exchange observations about their morning over buttered toast and Cheerios, I couldn’t help but laugh. They were honest, to say the least. It was 8am and I was running through a mental checklist of my day. Get Louis and Laura dressed and ready for school – check. Finish the school run, pick up the other two kids: one from the childminder, one from school – still to do. I always looked forward to hearing the giggles muffled by frothy bubbles in the bathtub as I got them ready for bed. Yet these weren’t my children – or even my grandkids. Rather, at 57, I am their ‘GrandNanny’, a role I love, and I feel like an extension of their families. Yes, that…

HOW IT WORKS Did you know you’re more successful at dieting if you set calories for each meal instead of the whole day, says research from the University of Warwick? Findings revealed that when dieters stuck to a limit per meal or snack, they consumed an average of 1,528 calories a day – compared to dieters who set an overall calorie limit daily and consumed 2,011 calories. It’s thought setting an amount of calories per meal or snack leads to fewer calories being consumed overall. We love this idea because you soon get to know lots of meals with the same calories – fab for mixing and matching so you’re less likely to get bored. Getting started ● Simply follow our seven-day menu (right) for up to four weeks but…

She regularly keeps us entertained with her lovable ways and Stacey Solomon had her fans in stitches once again last week after an innocent online search gave her a result that was unexpected, to say the least. While she was working away at home, she posted a super cute snap of her two-year-old son Rex playing on his baby swing at her Pickle Cottage home in Essex. Taking to Instagram, the Loose Women panelist, 32, said she was jealous of the fun the tot was having, and turned to Google to see if a similar model was available in an adult size. But Stacey was left redfaced when the search results popped up and she was greeted with an adventurous sex toy after tapping in ‘adult swing’. A follower had…

TOP TIP! Start the day in a positive way with zesty yellow and objects that make you smile.…

MOST TERRIBLE ACID REFLUX I have been suffering from some really bad acid reflux recently. Like, so bad that it disturbs my sleep at night until I get into a comfortable position – normally raised up with pillows. I’m 57 and have the odd glass of white wine which I know can sometimes disagree with me – but I’m not a heavy drinker at all and it doesn’t always coincide with having had wine. Could something else be behind this? Grainne, Belfast DR HILARY SAYS: Acid reflux is very uncomfortable and can sometimes persist for years if left untreated. It is also worth bearing in mind that worsening symptoms may be associated with serious conditions, such as peptic ulcer and hiatus hernia. It is certainly worth adjusting what you eat,…

1 CLEANING THE OVEN This little job is public enemy number one. The trick is to keep your oven reasonably clean as you go, so you avoid having to spend ages waging war on baked-on splatters using harsh cleaning chemicals. After each use, put a heat-resistant bowl of water in the still-hot oven and leave it for 20 minutes, then wipe the interior when it’s cool enough. Wash the shelves regularly in the dishwasher and line the clean oven floor with Magic Non-Stick Oven Shelf Liner, £14.99, Lakeland. 1 FOR A DEEP CLEAN When it comes to speed and efficiency, you can’t beat a specialist oven cleaner such as Oven Pride, but if you want to keep it green, try this… • Use a little water to make up a…

Lesley Manville is one of Britain’s best-loved actresses, having starred in everything from BBC sitcom Mum to Amazon Prime period drama Harlots – and is set to play Princess Margaret in season five of The Crown later this year. The 65-year-old was married to actor Gary Oldman – they split up in 1989 when their son, Alfie, was three months old – then to actor Joe Dixon, who she divorced in 2004. Here, we hear what the star has said about new BritBox six-part whodunnit, Magpie Murders – based on the book by Foyle’s War creator Anthony Horowitz (about the death of a fictional crime novelist called Alan Conway, murdered while writing his next bestseller) – and other topics close to her heart… …on Susan in Magpie Murders ‘She’s a book…

RELAXING BATH, AMAZON MUSIC Sometimes you just can’t beat a night in for some ‘me-time!’ Amazon Music’s mellow, relaxing R&B, soul and pop is the perfect playlist to relax to in the tub. With artists like Norah Jones, Sam Smith and Adele, you’ll never want to get out of that bath! Get the bubbles on the go, and crank up those hypnotic tunes… PLAYLIST OF THE DECADE, SPOTIFY Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, Lewis Capaldi and Katy Perry are just some of the iconic voices from the last decade to enjoy on this fabulously nostalgic playlist. Whether you’re cleaning the house or have guests round for drinks, what’s not to enjoy?! KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN’S BREAK-UP PLAYLIST, SPOTIFY OK, so Kourtney K couldn’t be more lovedup right now, as she’s engaged to musician…

‘Excuse me, Mum,’ said my daughter, Sophie, and I moved to one side to let her squeeze past me in the small aisle. A woman in the seats next to us looked up and, glancing between us, smiled at our similar looks. ‘Is that your daughter?’ she asked. ‘That’s amazing!’ I smiled and nodded. Thousands of feet up in the air was probably the last place people expected to come across mum and daughter colleagues. But here we were, flying high, side by side. It was the best feeling in the world. Sophie and I were both cabin crew for Virgin – and surprisingly, it was me who had taken to the skies first. When my husband, Derek, and I had children – Mitchell, now 36, Nathan, 33, and Sophie,…

TOP TIP Take your palette back to basics with cream trousers. Versatile and stylish, it’s worth investing in a well-cut tailored style.…

Nervously, I smoothed down my delicate white dress and, clutching my wedding bouquet, I took a deep breath and started walking down the aisle. But there was no handsome groom waiting for me. Instead, there was a beautiful, fulllength gold mirror. At 55, I was about to marry myself. I was never one of those girls who dreamed about a big white wedding. In fact, getting married wasn’t a priority at all. I just wanted true love and thought I’d found it in 1995 but, after 10 years, we grew apart and were no longer compatible. But we stayed together to raise our three beautiful children, our son Roland born in 1999, and twin daughters Alice and Erica, born in 2001. I started working as a marriage celebrant in 2011,…

1 THE NOW BROW Get acquainted with the ‘geo brow’, says Benefit head of artistry Lauretta Power. It’s a polished, tailored take on the fluffy brow, with fullness at the front, a defined arch (which helps lift the eyes) and a structured, clean tail. Pencil in any sparse gaps but be careful not to overuse product at the start of your brows, as it’s a telltale sign that they are drawn on, according to Lauretta. Comb through a texturising brow gel for added volume. THE BEST KIT: Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil, £22.50, is a cult favourite for natural, hair-like strokes. NYX Professional Makeup Tinted Brow Mascara, £7, beefs up arches and comes in five shades. 2 BRIGHTLY TINTED There’s always room for a matte lipstick, but a sheeny lip…

Banoffee pancake stack If you don’t have access to a hob, give the caramel a stir to loosen and spread across the pancakes. Hands-on time: 5min Cooking time: 5min Serves 4 320g jar caramel sauce8 pre-cooked pancakes, available at most supermarkets4 ripe bananas300ml double cream or 250g can cream aerosol25g dark chocolate, roughly grated 1 In a small pan over medium heat, warm the caramel until loose and easy to spread, about 5min. 2 Lay 2 pancakes on a cake stand, top with a quarter of the caramel, banana slices and cream. Scatter over a few chocolate shavings. Top with 2 more pancakes and repeat with remaining pancakes and toppings. 3 Serve immediately, cutting the pancake stack into wedges. Per serving: 540 cals, 26g fat, 21g saturates Cheesy American pancakes with…

1 THE GREAT HYDRATOR John Frieda Hydrate & Recharge Masque (£6.99, superdrug.com) Designed to quench seriously dry hair, this can be used up to three times a week. It produces results that can be seen immediately and will also improve the overall condition of parched, brittle hair if you use it regularly over time. This is fortified with monoi oil and keratin, to make hair feel softer and silkier. 2 THE NATURAL WONDER Faith in Nature Natural Shea and Argan Hair Mask (£7, amazon.co.uk) We tend to focus on our tresses when it comes to conditioning treatments, but scalps need attention too. This natural mask treats both and is perfect for anyone with a dry scalp. Super-moisturising ingredients include fair trade shea butter and argan extracts. And it is kind…

‘At 18, I met a man who, within months, convinced me there was no God at all. He could have told me that the earth was flat, that the sun rose in the West, that the moon was made of cream cheese and I would have believed him, such were his powers of persuasion. And I believed him because I thought I loved him. And his arguments were so convincing, he demolished my tiny precepts with a single sentence. So he became my god, my idol, my object of worship and I worshipped him blindly.’ These chilling words are from an unpublished autobiography of Myra Hindley. She’d passed it on to an old prison mate, Janie Jones. Jones, a young pop singer who was in prison on vice charges, once…

THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS I haven’t had Covid. The world now divides between those who have (some, more than once), and those who haven’t. For almost two years, we have been a Covid-free household. It didn’t cross our threshold, until last week. I’m on tour at the moment and have been incredibly cautious since I set off on the road back in September. I had to reschedule four shows in December, due to an operation on my neck, but apart from that, I didn’t want to have to cancel any more gigs, not if I could possibly avoid it. After 18 months of not being able to perform, I’ve been determined to do all I can to keep myself virus-free. So far, so good, touch wood, etc. Then,…

‘Stop. Cut.’ ‘What now Madame Director?’ Dermot sighed, removing his lips from Cheryl’s and facing his wife. ‘You’re smirking,’ snapped Lisa. ‘I’m not. Am I Cheryl? The boyish grin Dermot bestowed upon his leading lady further irritated Lisa. ‘You may think you’re Hugh Grant, but at least he can act. ‘Matter of opinion,’ Dermot shrugged. Cheryl giggled. ‘Look, it’s a drama not a comedy,’ said Lisa thrusting the script at her husband. ‘The directions say, “Serge looks deep into Ivanka’s eyes and they kiss, passionately”. Not “Serge and Ivanka have a right laugh”.’ ‘I know,’ Cheryl said suppressing a chuckle. ‘But Dermot keeps crossing his eyes when he’s coming in for the snog.’ ‘Snitch,’ Dermot smiled, pushing back his chair. ‘I think we should pop down the pub. This rehearsal’s…

NANNY MCPHEE AND THE BIG BANG ITV2, Tuesday, 10am It doesn’t get more familyfriendly than this! Caught between tending to the family farm and raising spirited children, Isabel Green is in desperate need of a helping hand – as Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson), appears on her doorstep… CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER BBC One, Wednesday 10.35pm One for Marvel geeks! As Steve Rogers adapts to a modern world, he joins Natasha Romanoff and Sam Wilson in his mission to uncover the secret behind a deadly assassin. With Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson. THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS ITV2, Wednesday, 11am Lewis, 10, goes to live with his oddball uncle in a creaky old house that contains a mysterious ‘tick tock’ noise. He soon learns that Uncle Jonathan…