Table of contents for 12 - 2016 in Best

News that Paul Daniels has succumbed to the brain cancer that had only been diagnosed weeks earlier brings to an end one of the most enduring partnerships in showbiz – that of the world-renowned magician and his wifeof-28-years, and on-stage assistant, the ‘lovely Debbie McGee’. Theirs was an extraordinary love story that exceeded expectations and survived scrutiny. As she became a TV star in her own right, I wonder how many know the history of how they met – turn to our feature on p12 to find out. There can be few who didn’t regularly watch Paul Daniels’ shows, recognise his catchphrases and associate him with a certain time in their lives. Right till the end, he faced his final days with true courage. We’ll miss him for the joy…

‘It’s very good to remember we were lucky to have him’ Easter is a time for happiness, most people associate it with getting together with the family and eating chocolate. But while Mary Berry still whips up her fruity hot cross buns and prepares a leg of lamb in the run-up to Easter Sunday, the Bake Off judge has revealed a secret heartache – she dreads the annual holiday. Last week, she left viewers of her new TV show, Mary Berry’s Easter Feast, in tears after admitting that, ‘For our family, it’s also the time of sadness. When we remember the loss of our son, William, who died 27 years ago, when he was just 19 years old.’ Recalling the very second she heard the awful news in January 1989,…

THIS WEEK… LESSONS IN ONLINESAFETY EXPLAIN THE RISKS OF SOCIAL MEDIA RUTH: When I was at school, the most risqué thing I did was send a love note to a boy I fancied on the bus. Now children are ‘sexting’ – sending sexual images to each other on their mobile phones. A recent survey revealed that thousands of kids are doing it on Snapchat, Facebook, WhatsApp and who knows what other apps and, in a third of all cases, the children aren’t even teenagers yet. One 12-year-old girl sent a topless photo of herself to not just one, but a whole group of boys. It seems this is considered by our kids to be just a normal part of adolescence these days. EAMONN: They see it as harmless fun but,…

She may hail from Hayes, West London, but everything about Jane Seymour oozes pure Hollywood glamour. The ex-Bond girl, now based in California, looks incredible at 65. Best known for the 1973 007 movie Live and Let Die alongside Roger Moore, and the TV series Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman in the 90s, the mum-offour opens up about her latest role as a crazy mother in a parody of Fifty Shades of Grey… Hi, Jane! Tell us about your new film, Fifty Shades of Black… These parody movies are an acquired taste. The people I watched it with howled with laughter. It’s not a Critic’s Choice movie, it’s a people’s movie. You play Claire, a trashtalking, bigoted mother. Did you have fun? So much fun. Claire has adopted all these children…

Herb-crusted salmon Japanese panko breadcrumbs mixed with fresh dill and grated lemon zest makes a tasty topping for this simple fish dish. If you like, you could even add some chives. But try to avoid overcooking the fish, as salmon is best eaten when it’s still pink in the middle. MAKES 4 portions Preparation: 10 mins Cooking: 15 mins • 4 x 150g skinless salmon fillets • Salt and black pepper • 25g unsalted butter, softened • 2tbsp chopped fresh dill • 4tbsp Japanese panko breadcrumbs • ½tsp grated lemon zest 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4 and line a baking tray with nonstick baking paper. 2. Arrange the salmon fillets on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Mix the butter and dill together, then spread…

I’ve always loved my food. I grew up in a house where Friday night fish and chips were a tradition. And Dad would prepare enormous roast lunches on Sunday, with creamy mash and roast potatoes. I was 11 when I realised I was plumper than my classmates, and felt selfconscious in my size-14 clothes. Mum dismissed my excess pounds as puppy fat, but I had to do something. This was the start of my struggles. I tried to cut down on what I ate, and followed Mum’s Jane Fonda workout video, but it didn’t seem to help. It wasn’t until I was 15, in 1986, when I discovered ‘The F-Plan’ – a high-fibre, low-fat diet – that I found having something definite to follow made dieting easier. I started accompanying…

1 THE FIRST DAUGHTER GOES FANGIRL OVER RYAN REYNOLDS EVEN WHEN YOUR DAD’S THE MOST IMPORTANT MAN IN THE WORLD, YOU CAN COUNT ON YOUR BIG SISTER TO MAKE FUN OF YOU WHEN YOU GET A BIT OTT. Malia Obama, 17, was caught teasing her sister with a sarcastic thumbs-up as 14-year-old Sasha swooned over Ryan Reynolds, after meeting the heart-throb at a state dinner for the new Canadian Prime Minister. It was the first time President Obama and wife Michelle (right) allowed their daughters to a black-tie dinner, so perhaps they’d twisted their parents’ arms. Sasha was smiling as she spoke to the actor while, in the background, her big sister can be seen having a giggle. Sisters, eh? 2 FELINE FRIENDSHIP FOR MUM ARABELLA CARTER-JOHNSON, WATCHING THREE-YEAR-OLD IRIS…

When the magician Paul Daniels died from a justdiagnosed brain tumour last Thursday, aged 77, his wife, ‘The Lovely Miss Debbie McGee’, as Paul called her and millions of viewers came to know her as, was right by his side. Veteran entertainer Paul, known for his self-deprecating humour, did not fear death. He once claimed he thought it would be ‘just like going to sleep. When your time is up, your time is up. Some people just can’t take that’. Debbie was both his on-stage assistant and his wife of 28 years. Paul was a divorced father-of-three when he first met the 20-yearold ballerina. Having fled Iran, where she’d been working, Debbie auditioned as a dancer on The Paul Daniels Magic Show. The couple ‘dated a little’ until worried Paul…

‘I’m scared to death of fillers. I’d never put them in my face’ She’s no stranger to the surgeon’s knife, having openly admitted to being a fan of cosmetic enhancement in the past – and there’s no hiding Sharon Osbourne’s latest age-defying appearance at 63. But now, angrily denying that she’s been ‘cut up’ once again, Sharon is instead revealing the secret procedure that has left her with a brand new, younger face. ‘In December [2015], and then again in February, I had two procedures which are called “Halo Laser,”’ she said on US chat show The Talk last week. The non-invasive surgery works by using concentrated laser energy to make microscopic ‘holes’ in the skin. Once the tissue heals, a new glowing layer of skin appears. ‘You don’t get…

GIA MILLS is a fashion and celebrity make-up artist, counting actresses Clémence Poésy and Keira Knightley, model Lily Cole and Prince Harry’s ex, Cressida Bonas, among her starry clients. She is also an ambassador for organic cosmetics range Inika and, thanks to her wide experience, can make any trend work for everyone. ‘Metallics can bring a lovely luminosity and pop to the face,’ says Gia, who shares her knowledge on mastering this look with us. How to add precious metals to your bag of tricks • Applied correctly, make-up with a metallic finish can have a very youthful effect. As it reflects the light, it can make eyes look brighter and more wide awake. • Metallic finishes are best used just in the eye area or on the nails. If…

FAMILY FUN She was initially only signed up for four episodes, but this April, mum-of-three Kym Marsh – who we first met in pop band Hear’Say – will have spent 10 years on Coronation Street, and has become one of its biggest stars. The striking brunette tells Best why there’s trouble ahead for Michelle and Steve’s marriage, how she feels about turning 40, and how getting dropped as a singer made her more determined to succeed… Congratulations on your 10 years in Corrie, Kym! It’s madness. I look at my kids and think, ‘Emily ‘s 18 now, and she was only eight when I joined this show.’ I remember her coming into the green room and playing dressing-up games, and now she’s out partying. It’s gone so quickly. Has your…

1 Eat the CFP (Carbs/fat/protein) way. Nutritionist Claudia Norris, of happyinbody.com, says too many bad carbs and not enough fat and protein at breakfast or lunch can lead to sugar cravings. She says, ‘Eat wholegrain carbohydrate like granary bread or oats, protein (eggs, fish or meat) and healthy fats like nuts or avocados.’ 2 Cook from scratch. This is the top tip of sugar-free guru Sarah Wilson, author of the I Quit Sugar books. Even savoury foods like soups, sauces and salad dressings can contain sugar. Here are three gadgets that make home cooking easy. ● Morphy Richards Soup and Sauté Maker, £59.99. Create tasty soup in 25 minutes. ● Cookworks Hand Blender, £9.99, Argos. Perfect for making smaller portions of salad dressing or pesto. ● Kenwood BM450 Rapid Bake…

‘Chloe’s love of social media seems strange to me’ ‘I’m more introverted, he’s more extroverted,’ said Judy Finnigan recently of hubby Richard Madeley, as the pair prepare to celebrate 30 years of marriage later this year. With that one explanation of their differences, Judy, 67, probably hit on one of the reasons she and hubby Richard, 59, continue to enjoy one of the most solid showbiz marriages. Richard also confessed that, ‘Judy’s more withdrawn than me… She’s perfectly competent at socialising, of course, but if we’re at a party, she’ll always be the one who wants to go first.’ The chat show hosts-turned-bestselling novelists are as loved (and seemingly as loved-up!) as when we tuned in to watch them. Fronting This Morning for 13 years, we all enjoyed wondering what…

SCOTT PENROSE, MAGIC CIRCLE PRESIDENT ‘The magic world is in complete shock. [Paul] changed magic. He had 20 million viewers on a Saturday night. You’ll never see another magician like that. He was an inspiration.’ ARLENE PHILLIPS, CHOREOGRAPHER Thinking of you @thedebbiemcgee… Remembering early days with Paul in Blackpool, learning how to fold myself up into a box. SANJEEV BHASKAR, COMEDIAN ‘#RIP ThePaulDaniels Don’t like this. Not even a little.’ DUNCAN BANNATYNE, FORMER DRAGON ‘RIP the amazing magician & fantastic entertainer Paul Daniels. Thoughts with the lovely @thedebbiemcgee.’ KEITH CHEGWIN, PRESENTER We have lost a lovely, kind and MAGIC man @thepauldaniels. Love you & thinking of u @thedebbie mcgee. I shall miss him A LOT.’…

FIGHTING FOR LIFE FACING HER FEARS Backpacking solo around the world would be a challenge for any young woman, but Layla Skalli found it more daunting than most. Because Layla was recovering from horrific burns and mourning her beloved mum, Jackie, when she bravely boarded a flight to Australia in July 2013. It marked the first step on a two-year journey that helped her finally leave the past behind. Layla was studying catering in Norwich when, on 14 April 2009, her life changed forever. She went to bed that night after her bar shift and woke up 14 days later in Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex. She says, ‘You can’t describe pain like this. ‘I was on morphine but it made me hallucinate. I thought the nurses were trying to…

THIS WEEK... According to an investigation by the Press Association, one parent is arrested every day in the UK on suspicion of leaving a child under 14 alone – in fact, a whopping 105 mums and dads were charged in the final three months of last year alone. Tim Haines was one of them. He was prosecuted for popping into the chemist to get Calpol for his two-yearold daughter, Bethany, and leaving her in the car for less than five minutes. When he came out of the chemist, two police officers were waiting to arrest him. Am I the only one thinking that is OTT? Whatever happened to using your common sense? OK – I am not saying there are NO cases where parents need to be investigated. I don’t…

CAT DEELEY BAG Cat’s YSL clutch would set you back an eye-watering £1,060. Luckily, you can pick up similar styles all over the high street for much less. Copy Cat with a clutch big enough to carry all your essentials – like your phone and house keys! DRESS New mum Cat, 39, looks chic in this bright red shift dress. The flattering colour is the perfect way to stand out at a spring party or wedding. Plus, lace sleeves offer brilliant arm coverage if you prefer not to bare your skin at this time of year. SHOES Snap up a pair of classic courts and you’ll be wearing them to all your special events over the summer months. PARTY PERFECTION This classic lace shift will become a versatile addition to…

THIS WEEK... TRADESMEN – WHERE TO LOOK Which? has an excellent list of local traders, and the Trading Standards website (buywithconfidence.gov.uk) has a thorough audit process. TrustMark is a not-for-profit Government-backed scheme, supported by trade bodies, local trading standards and consumer groups. If your tradesman displays the logo, it means that technical skills, quality of work and financial status have all been checked, and that the firm has signed up to a code of practice that includes insurance, health and safety and good customer service. Trustatrader.com and checkatrade.com are national recommendation-based directories, where consumers can do a postcode search to find a list of traders. Both sites require tradesmen to join up, and they are then checked on everything from public liability through to qualifications, their VAT registration and any…

Stephen Mulhern tells Tony Cowell what we can expect from this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, and why he mourns the death of his friend Paul Daniels You’re known for presenting Britain’s Got More Talent, which returns, along with the main BGT show, next month. What’s the talent been like this year? I can honestly say, Tony, that we have too many acts to choose from. One of my favourites, who you must see, is a guy called Rory Jackson, a Michael Jackson impersonator. He’s hilarious. Will there be dogs this year, or has Simon banned them? No, there’s one dog that’s doing something quite different. It’s a tiny miniature thing that I could hold in one hand, and  Simon was very taken with it – I could see from his…

Tracy has everything she could possibly want at this point, with her fiancé buying the bistro and Carla leaving town. So why is she still holding Carla over a barrel? Tracy believes that whatever happens to Carla, she comes up smelling of roses. She’s jealous – she’s been made so unhappy by Carla, so she wants her to be unhappy as well. Is there a part of her that doesn’t trust Robert, now she knows he slept with Carla behind her back? It’s a tricky one, because they weren’t actually together when he slept with Carla – she had left Robert and pledged her love for her ex, Rob. The problem is more that Robert would sleep with Carla when he knew how much Tracy hates her. Does Tracy think…

Both these sets of clues lead to the same answers, revealing in the shaded squares an ITV drama starring James Norton (12) WIN £550 STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 7 Developing into (8) 9 Elevates (6) 10 Detest (4) 11 Useful, easy to use (10) 12 Allow to enter (5) 14 Straight edge (5) 15 Throw a fishing line (4) 16 60 minutes (4) 17 Steals (5) 18 Posed questions (5) 23 Music-making item (10) 24 Hit with the palm (4) 25 Dive (6) 26 More unusual (8) DOWN 1 Look at (6) 2 Way of working, etc. (4) 3 Dance party (5) 4 Attempts (5) 5 Absurd (10) 6 Santa’s animals (8) 8 Departed (4) 13 Studying closely (10) 15 TV programme wavelengths (8) 19 Rubber (6) 20 Musical airs (5) 21…