Table of contents for 21-2023 in Best

Once again, best was lucky enough to be invited to The Not Forgotten Annual Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, alongside a host of celebrities – including the world-famous tenor Alfie Boe, who summed up my feelings when he said it’s ‘such an honour to be present among so many heroes. Meeting our veterans is a gift and makes me proud to be British.’ Me too, Mr Boe. Me, too. The unassuming star proved a huge hit with the Armed Forces as he wandered through the crowds chatting and posing for pics. To be perfectly honest, I had a bit of a crush on him myself! He really could win an award for being the most down-to-earth celeb in Britain. best favourite GMB weather girl Laura Tobin was there with her…

They often debate hot news stories on This Morning, but in recent weeks Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield have been making their own headlines – with rumours swirling that there are ‘tensions’ between the once golden couple of ITV. Last September, the pair were criticised for, as one fan said, not having ‘the common decency’ to queue to see the Queen lying in state. They explained they had press passes and were reporting, but the vitriol from viewers ‘shocked them’ and Holly released a statement explaining but it stopped short of an apology. This April, Holly had been due to welcome Phillip, 61, back to the ITV daytime show after he had taken two weeks off over his brother Tim’s child sex abuse trial. But she developed shingles, and Rochelle…

Penny Smith is one of our most beloved broadcasters. For many years she was the breakfast presenter of GMTV and she’s also fronted Sky News. Nowadays, radio is more her bag and she has just moved from the drive time slot on Scala Radio to the 10am to 1pm slot. The show has new features and content, as well as a mix of classical music and cultural guests, and live music every Wednesday in the Scala Sessions and Penny’s own book club. It’s the perfect gig for culture vulture Penny, 64, who lives in West London with long term partner actor Vince Leigh, who admits that she doesn’t often stay in of an evening and loves everything that London has to offer. Hi Penny. Are you excited about moving to…

Since I stopped doing my day job, Loose Women, I’ve been on a slippery slope ‘Since to Scruffsville. Like in lockdown when no one bothered getting dressed as they worked from home and were barred from going out. Now, as I don my 20-year-old fraying and stained track pants and stare wistfully at the wardrobe full of clobber, I wonder if I’ll ever wear most of it again. Dressing up was one of my favourite things about doing the show, wearing nice clothes and having my hair brushed and a bit of make-up put on. Now, I don’t really have to go anywhere to work, I do it even less. I don’t want to be trussed up in too-tight dresses with impossible heels, or anything that needs dismantling every time…

Strawberries are one of the best natural ingredients for skin. They contain acids, including salicylic acid, which can have a brightening effect and even calm acne breakouts. They’re also packed with vitamins C, A and K, calcium, magnesium, folic acid and potassium, which makes them antioxidant powerhouses and anti-inflammatory, too. Whip up these easy strawberry-based face masks and you’ll be glowing in no time. STRAWBERRIES & CREAM DREAM MASK This is just what you need when your skin is dry and dull. Ingredients: ● 2-3 mashed strawberries ● 1tbsp fresh cream ● 1tsp honey Directions: Using the back of a spoon, mash strawberries in a small mixing bowl and add cream and honey. Smear mixture onto cleaned skin and neck and leave on for 20 minutes, or until it completely…

TOP TIP! Use trinket dishes for more than just jewellery, such as for storing keys and coins.…

I’M SURE MY SON IS GAY, WHY WON’T HE TELL ME? I’m a single mother of an only son. Myself, along with the rest of the family, are convinced he’s gay – which I love about him. For as long as I can remember, he’s experimented with my make-up, high heels – even hair extensions – and helps pick my outfits for a night out. However, he’s 17 and introduced me to his ‘girlfriend’ last week, but, I’m sorry, I just don’t buy it. If I am correct, this girl is going to get very hurt in the long run. I just don’t understand why he’d hide his sexuality from me. I don’t want to freak him out by having a heart-to-heart with him. What would you do in my…

Sitting across from the suspect, I looked him square in the face and cautioned him. I reminded him that the interview was being recorded and we were there to talk about his version of events. I listened, took notes and calmly tried to get to the bottom of what’d been reported. I was a Civilian Crime Investigator and had been working at CID for years. It wasn’t what I’d envisaged doing in my 60s, but it had given me a real sense of purpose… I’d grown up in Berkshire and had always had a healthy respect for the police, but I’d spent my 20s, 30s and beyond in a variety of management roles in music, events and sports. I’d had my daughter in 1986 and raised her as a single…

To many, our pets are just as much a part of the family as a child. But as the cost-of-living crisis bites, people are facing the unthinkable – giving up a pet because they just can’t afford to feed them. It’s estimated there are between 17 to 25 million cats and dogs in UK households, with other animals such as reptiles, rabbits and birds bringing the total number of pets owned in this country to 50 million. The cost of keeping them has soared, with the price of pet food doubling, or even tripling over the past few months. The prohibitive cost of monthly flea and worm treatments, along with vets’ bills, has led to many owners struggling to care for their pets. According to Battersea Cats and Dogs Home,…

I ve been away again! I know, how incredibly annoying of me, but I promise it wasn’t anywhere very exotic, it was a family trip to my sister’s place in Wales. Sadly, my daughter, her partner and the grandson missed out due to commitments to the ‘other side’, i.e, the in-laws, luckily – extremely nice people, who I don’t mind sharing the ‘Crown Prince of Lambeth’ with. So, there were just 10 of us, plus a doggy, a cappuccino-coloured whippet-type thing that I didn’t once hear bark. Enzo is the quietest, stealthiest dog you could ever meet. But apart from him, I have to say, everything else was very loud indeed. Now I’m not talking about the various 20/30-something nephews, nieces, though they didn’t half make a racket, I’m talking…

MARY POPPINS Disney+ Go back to your childhood this week with this Disney classic. Mr Banks is looking for a nanny for his two mischievous children, and comes across Mary Poppins (a practically perfect in every way Julie Andrews). Also featuring Dick Van Dyke, get ready for a sing song, or two… TRUE LIES Friday, Channel 5, 11pm A secret agent’s life takes a shocking turn when he learns about his wife’s extramarital affair. He must now not only save the world but also save his own marriage. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis. CROCODILE DUNDEE Friday, E4, 9pm A Friday night classic! A journalist travels to Australia to interview a unique crocodile poacher. When he rescues her from an attack, she invites him to New York and, despite…

1 MEET THE BEEFEATER Susanna Reid spoke on GMB of her trip to Buckingham Palace for The Not Forgotten charity party, explaining that while King Charles was ‘in’ (the Royal Standard was flying), ‘he didn’t want to upstage the Duchess of Edinburgh’ by appearing. But at least she met a Beefeater! ‘Wonderful charity and a fantastic event,’ she added. It was! Ladies and gentlemen: Hats, fascinators and pocket squares may win you a best Style Award 2 Who wowed the crowd? Effortlessly graceful in grey – rather Grace Kelly, in fact – the Duchess of Edinburgh wore a stunning Suzannah coat dress, Moda in Pelle shoes, and Jane Taylor hat. Meanwhile, Vanessa Feltz won the garden party’s best-dressed guest from us in a Veni Infantino dress and Sisters of Millinery fascinator –…

Nicki Chapman has been on our screens and talking to us on radio shows (she gave up her ‘damn early’ seat on Radio 2 in February) for as long as most of us can remember. She is now 56, and in her 17th year of presenting The Chelsea Flower Show (apart from in 2019 when she was diagnosed with a non-malignant brain tumour the size of a golf ball). This year, she hosts the BBC coverage of the show with her good friend, presenter, Angellica Bell, 47, who is equally ‘passionate’ about gardens and tells us we can expect a wedding (yes, designer Manoj Malde is set to marry in his garden) and tips on everything from the best budget gardens to weather-resistant plants… Hi Nicki. There is a real nostalgia…

FAVOURITE TIPPLE I quite like a Bloody Mary – delicious. Or a Dirty Martini. But it depends how hungry I am. WHAT’S ON THE TELLY? I am a binge watcher – I’ve just started watching Race Across the World. I have been to Canada, actually and it was so beautiful. I want to watch Queen Charlotte – the Bridgerton prequel, the music is so fabulous. WHAT’S YOUR SPECIALITY RECIPE? Something with a lot of veggies – I’m not vegetarian but I do love them and I eat seasonally. At the moment, I am on the tail end of cabbage – Ill be moving on to asparagus and purple sprouting broccoli soon, I am mad for purple sprouting broccoli.…

Actress Dawn French is looking very different from her voluptuous Vicar of Dibley days! Since sporting her new trademark grey bob and showing off a significantly slimmer frame, the 65-year-old TV star – who earlier this year debuted her new look at the opening night of the West End’s Oklahoma, has revealed it was a health scare back in 2014 that prompted her fitness overhaul… Concerned about her health, Dawn’s doctor recommended she undergo a hysterectomy and recommended that she slim down prior to the surgery. The funny actress – who has been married to hubby Mark Bignell since 2013 (just one year prior to her health scare), revealed she stuck to eating less calories, and did ‘weeks and weeks’ of walking! As the months went by, the mum-of-one was visibly bringing…

Kate recently worked with Gumtree on its Circular Economy Report, which found that, on average, we have at least 56 unwanted items in our home, and that selling them could make us around £186. Here are her tips for unlocking potential in your household junk: ● Think of every object in your home as taking up rental or mortgage space. ● If you’re searching for space-saving solutions, then maybe you need to declutter first. I like to use the mantra: ‘Is it there for a reason, a season or a lifetime?’ Once something has served its purpose then, generally, it can go. ● If you’ve made the decision to get rid of an item, then you need to decide if it could go on to have a further life and…

HOW IT WORKS 1 The Very Fast 800 plan includes fasting days, like Dr Mosley’s other diet plans, but this time you have around 50g or less of carbs per day and the rest is healthy fats. Aim to create a balanced plate: half your plate should be non-starchy veg such as broccoli, spinach and courgette, a quarter of the plate should be protein, such as meat, fish, tofu or eggs; and healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado and nuts. 2 Swap stodgy carbs for alternatives such as courgettes instead of pasta; cauliflower instead of rice; and Portobello mushrooms in place of burger buns and toast. These swaps may help to lower blood sugar levels, improve gut health and give you better immunity. 3 Ditch sugar: People…

QUATRE-QUARTS AU CITRON Lemon Pound Cake Quatre-quarts means four quarters, so you use the same amount of each of the four main ingredients. You can weigh your eggs first if you want to know exactly how much of the other ingredients to measure out, but I have made it easy for you here by giving you the weights. This is very similar to a lemon drizzle cake, but instead of drizzle we love to serve it with some homemade jam or to eat with yoghurt for dessert. Serves: 8-10 SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: • 900g (2lb) loaf tin INGREDIENTS: • 240g (9oz) salted butter, melted, plus 1 tsp for greasing• 240g (9oz/scant 2 cups) caster (superfine) sugar• 4 large eggs• Zest and juice of 1 lemon• 240g (9oz/scant 2 cups) plain (all-purpose)…

I’M PRONE TO SORE THROATS I keep getting sore throats, and the last time I went to see my GP about it, I was told I couldn’t be prescribed any antibiotics as it was a viral infection. What could it be that is making me so prone to these? And do you think there is anything I can do to prevent them? They only last a few days, but they make me feel really miserable, like I have a fiery golf ball down the back of my throat! Angela, Bristol DR HILARY SAYS: Recurrent sore throats are usually due to viral rather than bacterial infection, which is why antibiotics are inappropriate. However, not all sore throats are due to infection. They may be the result of allergies or something known…

Listening to the beat and bass of the music, I could feel it throughout my body and was dancing away with my mates, without a care in the world. I saw a group of young girls nearby who smiled. ‘You’re such a brilliant dancer,’ one of them said over the throng. I grinned back at her but I remembered being that age. I wasn’t entirely sure if it was a genuine compliment… or a little dig about us being ‘oldies’ in our 50s, yet still enjoying the festival scene. Either way, I wasn’t bothered – I was far too happy absorbing the music and the atmosphere… I’d never really grown up around music, other than my dad being part of a vinyl record club, where he got to select an…

GEMINI 22 May – 21 June It’s time to seize opportunities and explore new ideas. Your energies may be scattered, which could lead to minor accidents. You’re running errands and communicating with others, which means you might take things personally, so be mindful of arguments. Feeling burdened? Know your limits. CANCER 22 June – 23 July You might feel it’s time to face up to old insecurities, which could lead to a little bit of drama right now. This could mean over-indulgence, or overspending. If you’re networking, there’s no need to prove yourself – just be you. You will find plenty of help and support from friends. LEO 24 July – 23 August If you’re feeling sensitive at the moment, a little lonely perhaps or keeping things to yourself, it…

They’ve had their fair share of intense exchanges over their two-year rekindled romance… And once again, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck looked very serious, as they hit the Red Carpet at the premiere for her latest film, The Mother. The Marry Me songstress, 53, looked less than pleased with her actor husband, 50, who she married last year, while he looked incredibly unhappy… However, after they were snapped having what looked like a very heated conversation, they soon reverted to intense kisses on the Red Carpet… This latest appearance comes after the couple hit headlines at the US Grammy Awards earlier this year, when the mum-of-two was caught on camera demanding Ben pretend to be enjoying himself, in an embarrassing exchange. A lip-reader reported Jennifer as saying, ‘Look more friendly.…

Pulling on my high heels and checking my make-up in the mirror, I tried to muster some enthusiasm… yet, I could barely even manage a smile. It was tricky enough dating again, aged 50. But my husband, Andy, had died, and being a widow seemed to make meeting someone feel harder. It was always a conversation killer. Each date I went on, when I explained, they’d give me a sympathetic look, before mumbling an excuse about needing to get home. Which was exactly what happened on this date. I was almost at the point of giving up on men completely… ‘Oh Andy,’ I said to myself sadly. ‘How am I supposed to carry on without you?’ We’d met on a dating site, during the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. By…

1 FIRST STEP: PREP This is non-negotiable. You could apply your tan like a pro, but if your skin isn’t in good condition, it’ll leave a patchy finish. Exfoliate and moisturise for a smooth canvas, but check your ingredients. ‘Anything with oil in will block the tan from developing on your skin and break down any developed tan,’ warns Rosie Greenhalgh, founder of Rose & Caramel. Leave 24 hours between hair removal and tanning to minimise your pores and prevent ‘dotting’, and ‘never apply deodorant before as it’ll go green under your arm pits,’ she adds. 2 APPLY LIKE A PRO While there are key rules about application, the time of day you tan is your call. ‘Most people prefer to sleep in it which is fine,’ says Rosie, ‘but apply…

4 to give away PLUS! 20% off on spends over £35 at cottontraders.com. Use code LA16 AT THE CHECKOUT.** Looking for a wardrobe transformation for the Summer season? Get ready for a wardrobe makeover as we’re giving four lucky readers the chance to win £100 to spend with Cotton Traders. Cotton Traders’ new collection is the key to effortless style this Summer. From statement printed blouses and T-shirts, to freshly picked floral midi skirts and dresses, you’re guaranteed to find your favourite pieces to complete your stylish seasonal wardrobe. To enter, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at hearstmagazines.co.uk/best2123a by 9 June 2023. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2711 by midnight on 9 June 2023. Calls cost 30p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access charge…

WHERE TO PLANT In Winter, roses aren’t great to look at, so when you’re planting out it’s important to find a spot where you can enjoy them when they’re in full bloom but where they won’t be too much of an eyesore when the flowers die away. One option is to grow roses through an evergreen low hedge, so in Winter the hedge still looks good, or dot them around the middle or rear of a border where other things can distract in the colder months. What type to choose ● Shrub or bush roses, are basically shrubs, and form a stand-alone plant such as lavender or rosemary. They come in a variety of sizes and their flowers appear in different formations, with names such as floribundas, hybrid teas, and…

Do you have a story you’d like to share with our amazing army of best readers? We’re looking for real-life stories from women just like you and your friends – and will pay up to £250 for all those that make it into these pages. Stories can be funny, sad, emotional, inspirational – just like some of the examples on this page. The only rule: they must be true. Have you been on a diet that changed your life? Have you battled against tough times and come out fighting? Have you found love or happiness against the odds? If you – or a friend – have a story to share, whatever the subject, do drop us a line, with your contact details, a photo and a brief outline of your story –…

1 Make sure you charge up a few battery packs before you go so you’re able to keep your phone powered up. 2 an umbrella – it’ll help shelter you from the rain but can also be a good sun protector if you’re lucky enough for it to make an appearance. 3 Pack liners always come in handy. Be it for rubbish, sitting on, or shielding you from the elements, they are an essential for me. 4 Bin your nails. This sounds like a strange tip but your nails get mucky really quickly… it’s a good way to hide the filth! 5 Paint you’re taking kids with you, make sure your phone number is somewhere on their person – or they know it by heart. Just in case. 6 If the things you can’t…

As she arrived at work that morning, Jade was preoccupied. Her colleague Sandra noticed straight away. ‘Come on, spill!’ she commanded. Jade bit her lip, reluctant to be disloyal to Luke. According to her mum, she shouldn’t look a romantic gift horse in the mouth, but Luke had a track record of ‘romantic gestures’ that backfired. For her birthday last year, he’d booked a hot air balloon trip which had coincided with a sudden gust of wind nearly blowing them into a pylon… Back on terra firma, the balloon-operator had said testily, ‘That’s never happened in all my years doing this.’ As if, Jade had thought indignantly, she and Luke had jinxed the trip! But then, when you added up the other incidents – a steam train trip where the…

LOVE A LOLLY? MARKS AND SPENCER, £2.50 The sun is shining (sort of!) and these extremely tasty Scottish Raspberry Lollies from M&S will get you feeling fruity with their tangy, refreshing taste! At £2.50 for a box of six and available in other flavours, you can’t really go wrong ★★★★ ABSOLUT COCKTAILS TRIO, ASDA, £2.50 Just in time for Summer, the brand-new Absolut cocktails range has something in there for everyone, with a choice of Espresso Martini, Strawberry Spritz and passionfruit! We’d highly recommend these for BBQ season! ★★★★ IRRESISTIBLE GELATO, CO-OP, £4.75 We cannot recommend these bad boys enough with their delicious combination of textures and flavours… the Vanilla & Caramel Biscuit Gelato, and Chocolate Praline & Caramel Gelato are a must-have this season! ★★★★★…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT The Algarve, with its sandy beaches, secluded coves and whitewash villages, is the jewel in Portugal’s crown. And Pine Cliffs Resort is possibly the most picturesque spot, perched on sandy cliffs above Falésia Beach, not far from the buzzy resort towns of Albufeira and Vilamoura. For a moderately easy hike with views to die for, try The Seven Hanging Valleys, an almost 6km stretch with beautiful sea views and dramatic sea arches. Yes, this part of the world is famed for its rugged Atlantic views and top golf courses – but there’s so much more besides… INSIDER’S GUIDE For an invigorating birds’ eye view of the region, do what we did, and entrust an afternoon to Francisco Simões, the enthusiast behind Algarvian Roots – a business with both…