Table of contents for 17 - 2016 in Best

‘I put everything down to the menopause now – tiredness, irritability, global warming… Well, it could be, couldn’t it? Two hundred lady Eskimos all having a hot flush at the same time.’ You can actually hear Victoria Wood’s inimitable voice delivering those lines, the like of which had the nation in stitches for years – as much as they leave us mourning her loss now. She’s repeatedly been hailed as a comic genius, a national treasure – but those closest to her are struggling to find words to do justice to her legacy. Poking fun at the ordinary, she spoke to the ‘everyday’ woman with her unique talent for making the mundane hilarious (see her life in pictures on p8). Her death truly shocked everyone. As with many before her…

Denise van Outen, 41, launched her career on Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast in the 90s, going on to become a successful West End star in hit shows like Chicago and Legally Blonde. The mum-of-one (she has daughter, Betsy, six, with her ex-hubby, singer and actor Lee Mead, 34) claims there’s no big secret to her youthful looks, except ‘everything in moderation’. Now dating fellow Essex native, trader Eddie Boxshall, 42, Denise admits juggling motherhood, relationships, her career and staying in shape isn’t always easy, but she wouldn’t change a thing… Hi Denise, you’re helping Disney On Ice celebrate its 25th anniversary. We bet Betsy loves that… Yes, she’s the perfect age. I’ve taken her to the show a couple of times and she’s grown up on Disney films. Has…

Last week, yet another report confirmed that older mothers are on the increase. But trying for babies until your 40s can bring its own heartbreak. Conceiving naturally, as TV host Ruth Langsford did at 42, is not impossible but it is lucky. She had just a 10 per cent chance of falling pregnant. And if it doesn’t happen naturally, you may need IVF, which – as actress Emma Thompson knows – can be ‘brutal’, can take more than one round to work and sometimes doesn’t work at all… A TICKING CLOCK ALE X JONES, 39 I never considered an early menopause The One Show’s popular host Alex Jones may be newly married but, at 39, has she left it too late to be a mum? Just four months after marrying…

THIS WEEK... YOU’RE GROUNDED! DOWN THE DRONES Eamonn: Why is there so much droning on about drones? The whole line seems to be that they are dangerous, intrusive, out of control and flout existing regulation. Temperatures rose considerably after one was believed to have struck a plane landing at Heathrow. So why all the inaction? If they are that big a concern, surely there are three options – ban them, licence them or make it legal to shoot them down. Because who cares? Do you actually know anyone who has one. I have only ever seen them while filming for TV, where they now provide a very cheap and good alternative to hiring helicopters. All this talk about them soon delivering our post is nonsense. Unless they are operating on…

BROOKE SHIELDS Blue Lagoon star Brooke Shields may be nearing her 51st birthday, but the striking brunette still looks great, as holiday snaps in Mexico last year reveal. Brooke, who has two daughters, Rowan, 12, and Grier, 10, with husband Chris Henchy, says it’s avoiding stress that’s kept her looking good. ‘When I sweat the small stuff, then I don’t look my best. I really think surrounding yourself with good people is key,’ she said. ‘And enjoying your life – don’t be so hard on yourself!’ Brooke is also refreshingly realistic. ‘This is what I look like now, and I feel good about it! I want my daughters to see that you grow older and your body changes and your face changes. You need to celebrate it, because otherwise you’re…

THIS WEEK... Last week, potential parents of a primary school in Brighton were sent a letter asking them to ‘support your child to choose the gender they most identify with. Or if they have another gender identity please leave this blank and discuss with your child’s school’. Seriously? What if little Timmy wants to be a dinosaur or a fish today? Anyone with a brain should know that a child of four could want to be anything. It’s called being a kid and using their imagination. When my son Jake was three, he wanted to play with dolls, so I bought them for him. I didn’t think the dolls would make him gay. I knew if that was the case, he would let me know in his own time and…

Gino D’Acampo is back on our screens with a new series of Celebrity Juice. He tells Tony Cowell about his plans for a new TV show, and the truth about his row with Phillip Schofield The 15th series of Celebrity Juice is on TV at the moment. Is it still fun to do? For me, it’s not like work at all – it’s like going out with my mates for a drink. We get there about 5pm and just have a chit-chat, because there’s no preparation or rehearsal – we just do the show and hope that it works. Then we all go for a drink together afterwards. It’s crazy, but I think people like it! What do you think is the secret of the show’s success? The fact that…

Have you been following what you believe to be a healthy diet without getting anywhere with your weight-loss goals? It could be because your food shopping is making you fatter, not fitter. Some foods that are thought of as healthy are, in fact, little more than junk food in disguise. It’s true that some contain vital nutrients, but they’re also packed with fat, sugar and calories – all a dieting disaster. Make these simple swaps and you could lose up to 14lb 1 Low-fat fruit yoghurt WHY: This might sound diet-friendly but, when fat is taken out of a food, sugar is often added to enhance the taste and texture. A pot of fruit yoghurt can contain up to 4tsp sugar. TRY: Natural yoghurt. 2 Veggie crisps WHY: They sound healthy…

1 MARIAH’S NEW REALITY SHOW OUR FAVOURITE SHOWBIZ DIVA, MARIAH CAREY, HAS LANDED HER OWN TV SHOW CALLED MARIAH’S WORLD. Spread over eight episodes, the series will air on E! later in the year and promises to reveal ‘a unique, vulnerable and humorous side’ to the Hero singer. Also, her new fiancé, James Packer, is reported to be making an appearance! ‘I’m so excited to bring my fans into my life for the next journey I’m about to embark on’, the 46-year-old said. Bring on the drama! 2 WHY HELEN’S FINALLY SMILING... SHE CALLED TIME ON HER MARRIAGE TO ACTOR OLIVER BOOT just before competing on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing last year. And now, Helen George, 31, has reportedly found love with her Call The Midwife co-star, Jack Ashton,…

It’s a question most of us don’t get asked very often, but when her Loose Women co-stars asked Coleen Nolan if she’d ever tell a friend that she didn’t trust their partner, she shocked them – and viewers – by revealing that she once lost a friend because she slept with the woman’s boyfriend. ‘I have a confession to make. I did something I’m not proud of, and it’s very bad,’ Coleen admitted. ‘A girl came along and had an affair with my boyfriend. It all finished with me and him but, surprisingly, I got friendly with the girl [who continued her relationship with him]. ‘Then, one night, she sat there and said, “The difference between you and me is this, Coleen: he wouldn’t do that to me.” In other…

Talent tends to run in families, as does a healthy dose of sibling rivalry. And as we all know, that desire to compete with, and outdo, your sibling never truly disappears, whatever your age! But imagine what it’s like when you’re competing for world album sales, catwalk triumphs or Hollywood box-office hits – with every success and failure played out in front of the entire world! ROSANNA & PATRICIA ARQUETTE These sisters are both well-respected actresses, and actor brother David is Courteney Cox’s ex-hubby. Patricia, 48, became a household name after playing a psychic mum in hit TV show Medium, while big sis Rosanna, 56, who starred in the 1985 cult classic Desperately Seeking Susan, won a raft of younger fans for her provocative role in lesbian drama The L…

ELAINE TILLING is head of clinical education at interdental brand TePe UK, and knows all there is to know about maintaining your pearly whites. Elaine explains, ‘Practising good oral hygiene is the best way to look after your teeth and prevent gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss.’ Top tips to keep your teeth white • Brushing twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste and a manual or electric toothbrush is an essential part of your regime, while looking after your teeth between brushing is vital. Avoid brushing for up to 40 minutes after consuming acidic foods and drinks, as this can soften the tooth surface and lead to erosion of the enamel. • In addition to regular brushing, you must clean between teeth using floss or…

Chicken buknade SERVES 4 Prep: 25 minutes, plus 1 hour or more marinating Cook: 45 minutes MARINADE • 30ml vegetable oil • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 1tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped • 2tsp fresh sage, finely chopped • ½tsp ground nutmeg • 3tsp ground ginger • 20ml/1tbsp white wine vinegar • Salt and pepper • 4 large chicken thighs, on the bone VEGETABLE MIX • 200g carrots, cut into chunks • 200g onion, roughly chopped • 250g celery, diced • 350g fresh tomatoes, chopped • 750ml chicken stock • 1tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped • 1tsp fresh sage, chopped • 250g green cabbage, shredded Add 2tbsp of the oil to a shallow china or glass bowl then add the garlic, parsley, sage, nutmeg, ginger and wine vinegar. Season…

‘I love the full and flirty skirt on this. It’s a great option for a wedding or special occasion’ ‘I’d never have considered white jeans, but they look great with this jacket, as it skims over my middle and looks modern’ ‘ Don’t ever shy away from print! When teamed with a clever draping, it’s a perfect way to flatter curves’ ‘It’s easy to get caught in a colour rut. While black might be easy to wear, it can be boring. These gorgeous pastel colours are so hot right now’…

How would you describe What Would Be Your Miracle? It’s a show about ordinary people living with conditions that, unless you have any of them yourself, you’d probably know nothing about. And it’s about a ‘modern miracle’ – an operation that could change their futures and lives forever. You thought about studying medicine at a point, didn’t you? Yes. My mum was a nurse, and she worked in a hospital all my life really, so that’s something I always thought I would do. The show had a big pull for me. In episode one you meet Garin, aged nine. What is his story? Garin is a very confident young boy who was born with cerebral palsy. His parents were told, when he was just two, that he would never walk.…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £ 100 OR 3 X £50 PRIZES Both these sets of clues lead to the same answers, revealing in the shaded squares an ITV series featuring Louis Walsh (5) WIN £550 STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 7 Assaulted (8) 9 Breaks down words into letters (6) 10 Woodwind instrument (4) 11 Capable of yielding crops, etc. (10) 12 Wild creature (5) 14 Overpowers (5) 15 Caribbean republic (4) 16 Turn into tatters (4) 17 Roofing material (5) 18 Belt of leather, etc. (5) 23 Monarchs’ daughters (10) 24 Groups, collections (4) 25 Extremely harsh (6) 26 Disposition, or trend (8) DOWN 1 Place for a horse (6) 2 Dead (4) 3 Hops, using a rope (5) 4 Publish, send out (5) 5 Colony, or small group of…

The vision of our favourite TV gardener being airlifted to hospital, clutching at his stomach after scoffing a big plate of fish and chips and some Easter egg, might be comical under other circumstances. But knowing that Alan Titchmarsh, 66, takes statins to lower cholesterol, has a family history of heart disease, and lost his own dad to a heart attack at 62, takes the humour right out of it. Alan collapsed in agony on the Isle of Wight, where he has a home. Taken to St Mary’s Hospital in Newport before being airlifted to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, the popular Yorkshireman arrived in a wheelchair, reportedly looking very ‘grey’. Doctors were soon able to identify the severe pain as gallstones but, given his family history, the episode must…

BABY SNATCH Hands trembling, I picked up the phone. Seconds later, I heard the word I’d waited 24 years to hear… ‘Mum?’ The phone call was the end of a long and heartbreaking search that had dominated a huge part of my life. I couldn’t stop the tears rolling down my face as I explained to my daughter, Shaymaa, 26, that I’d never stopped looking for her since we’d been parted when she was just 18 months old. I was 18 and working as a nanny in Greece when I fell in love with an Egyptian man 12 years older than me. At first, he treated me like a princess, but over time he became increasingly aggressive and abusive. It was just as I was about to leave the country…

Tana was just 18 when she met chef Gordon Ramsay and, by all accounts, the quietly spoken family woman and the one-man tornado with a penchant for drama were the perfect match. Four kids later, and celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary this year, the Ramsays – who count the Beckhams as close friends – seem to live a charmed existence. But things haven’t always been easy. It’s a good job Tana is ‘one tough cookie’ [Gordon’s words] and grounded. Back in 2008, the Croydon-born mother-of-four was rocked by talk of The F Word star’s alleged affair. For someone who says she prefers to be ‘behind the scenes’, it must have been painful to find herself making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. ‘You face things and move on together’…

‘I didn’t know if I was going to make it’ Stepping onto the Ellen set wearing a trademark black suit, John Travolta spoke movingly about his recent showstopping performance as head defence attorney Robert Shapiro in the 10-part series The People v OJ Simpson. ‘All the little details [in the show] settled a lot. You get to understand how the totality [of the case] equalled the outcome,’ he reasoned. The ‘little details’ – such as evidence tampering, racism, changing juries and the prosecution mistakes – ultimately led to OJ Simpson being found not guilty for what, to many at the time, seemed like an open-and-shut case of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. SHOWSTOPPING But a story of so much family tragedy was something the actor, 62,…

GET PAID TO WATCH TV If you fancy yourself as a bit of a Gogglebox star, why not get paid for giving your opinion on TV? Sign up for free at theviewers.co.uk and you could be picked to tell broadcasters what you think about their shows. They may want your thoughts on a programme you watched, or ask you to gather opinions on a new idea. You could be involved in the development of show titles, or marketing, or even help launch a new TV channel. The usual format is a face-to-face group chat, but it could be online and, though there’s no guarantee how many times you’ll get selected, you’ll earn £40-£70 for two hours – often paid in cash after the event. RENT OUT YOUR DRIVEWAY If you…

Kirstie And Phil’s Love It Or List It The property gurus are back with a new series of their head-to-head show. While Phil Spencer tries to get homeowners to sell, Kirstie Allsopp argues for extending or redesigning. In this episode, Matt and Lucia’s house in Wiltshire is bulging at the seams, as it’s home to their three grown-up kids from previous relationships. Matt loves it, Lucia doesn’t. Will the family up sticks, or opt to stay put? The Secret Life Of Puppies Love dogs? Then this fly-on-the-wall doc following man’s best friend’s first year of life will melt your heart. The first episode looks at the eight weeks from birth to joining their human families. Baby bulldog Big Ron has a growth spurt, Basil the Basset has sensory overload, and…

You’ve come a long way since The X Factor – how do you think you’ve changed? I’m more mature, and wiser. I’ve learnt a lot over the past six years. When I came out of The X Factor, I didn’t really get that it was a TV show and also a business. Does the news of Ben Haenow being dropped by Syco remind you of just how much pressure there is? It’s difficult because, when you win, the media try to write you off. It doesn’t mean that his career is over. You have a very close family – have your parents helped you through it all? They were very realistic about my chances. My dad, in particular, asked how I was coping mentally. They still worry about me now.…

SIMPLE STYLE AT SAINSBURY’S Update a minimalist bedroom with a subtle colour palette and stylish accessories EASTERN DELIGHTS AT ASDA Add some pure luxury with bold objects in metallic shades COUNTRY LIVING AT TESCO Stylish new door knobs can totally transform an old chest of drawers…