Table of contents for 52 - 2017 in Best

If you’re looking for a fab film this Christmas, The Last Jedi is possibly the best Star Wars film ever. ‘It’s remarkable – and kind of unexpected,’ said one reviewer. And what’s not to love about a film where you have to guess which of the Stormtroopers are played by Princes William and Harry? Plus you get to see the late Carrie Fisher’s dog, Gary, in his first starring role as a tribute to her. (Yes, we cried.) We even caught up with Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) on the red carpet and asked him… Does he make that noise at home to impress his fiancée? ‘I do, every day and every night,’ he admitted. ‘She looks quite sick about it right now!’ • Your first best issue of 2018 is on…

‘It’s likely that no amount of operations will fully satisfy Katie’ It’s no secret that controversial Loose Women panellist Katie Price is partial to a cosmetic procedure. Fans regularly voice their concerns on social media that the former model has gone too far, with one saying of Katie’s face, ‘It looks like it’s melting.’ Another tweeted, ‘She looks like a melting waxwork…’ But now, shocking new images have emerged of the star looking almost unrecognisable. Despite the extensive work on her face that Katie, 39, has admitted to, the skin around her strained mouth seems to be sagging, and her skin looks puffy. The mother-of-five has made no secret of her love of enhancing her assets since rising to fame as notorious glamour model Jordan back in 1996. Since then,…

After weeks of rich food, sugary treats and plenty of booze, no doubt you will feel in need of some recovery time for your mind and, probably, your body! Here is how to help your digestive system and body recover from all the Christmas excess, and beat that bloated feeling that seems to affect us all after the festivities. CHECK LABELS It’s not just too much food that can cause bloating, it may be other things you do that are also a problem. Chewing gum and drinking fizzy drinks mean you take in a lot of unnecessary gas, which will worsen your bloated feeling. Also, certain artificial sweeteners can make you very gassy: sorbitol is known to be a culprit, so look out for that in foods. CAREFUL FOOD CHOICES…

Cute crop A cropped cover-up pairs perfectly with a party dress. Skirt the issue A fuller style is ideal for pear shapes. Super hero Capes are bang ontrend and a different way to wrap up warm! Fluffy stuff An oversized jacket will keep your outfit dressy – and you toasty. TAP THE APP Make your New Year’s resolutions on the Mr Plan app, which helps you stick to your goals!…

Yes, it’s that time of year when millions make resolutions to slim down and get fit. Only, for me, the New Year always used to mean continuing my bad eating and barely-there exercise habits, and not making a fresh start. It was only when a holiday to Center Parcs with my husband, Mark, 46, and sons Luke, 10, and Finlay, six, ended in humiliation that I decided to address my 17st 4lb figure. Having trained as a chef, I’d always loved food, but running around kitchens meant I stayed a size 14-16. When I got a job as a hotel general manager in 1999, the trouble really started. I would sit at my desk, snacking. I fell pregnant with Luke in 2007, and it gave me even more of an…

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Life always offers you a second chance-it's calles tomorrow... Should I confront my husband? I’ve been married for 10 years, and I have always thought my husband and I were very happy. However, last week, I found myself snooping on his phone and saw flirty texts from his colleague. He came back into the room, and I haven’t been able to read the rest. Should I confront him about it? Marianne, Portsmouth Sometimes, when you nose around, you discover things you don’t want to see. I’d be careful about confronting your husband – it could end up in a row about you invading his privacy, rather than the messages themselves. Alternatively, you could keep being ‘curious’ and, if the texts continue, speak to your husband. But don’t…

BEST ON Test Extraordinary flavours Tesco Finest Limited Edition Candy Cane Hand Cooked Potato Crisps, £1 The concept is wonderful, but the reality is a bit odd and slightly like toothpaste! Tyrrell’s Black Truffle & Sea Salt at Waitrose, £2 If you’re a truffle fan, these will be an instant hit. A classic crisp with extra trendy oomph! Co-op Sparkling Prosecco Bubbles, £1 Light, airy and slightly fizzy, these take a bit of getting used to, but are surprisingly moreish. best BUY! Cheesy bites M&S Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese & Champagne Hand Cooked Crisps, £2 The salmon taste is strong but, thanks to the cream cheese, not overpowering. Weird but winning! Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Wensleydale & Cranberry Flavour Potato Crisps, £1.50 The cheese flavour is delicious, but the cranberry…

Congratulations on Grandpa’s Great Escape – what a cast! I have loved Tom Courtenay for ever, and I still can’t believe that I’m working with him. He is the perfect Grandpa. And what a treat to be working with comedy genius Jennifer Saunders again. Where do the ideas for your books come from? My sister used to put me in a dress and parade me up and down our street, which was the inspiration for Boy In The Dress. Then we had this contestant on BGT – his first line was, ‘I know what you’re thinking, they’ve dug up Roy Orbison. I am going to eat live cockroaches,’ and then he got out a paper bag and got buzzed off. [But] I got to thinking, ‘What else might he do?’…

BEST’S CELEB INSIDER ON HIS BROTHER, SIMON After a year that included a dramatic health scare and fights with nightmare neighbours, Simon is finally safe on his favourite tropical island, Barbados. Christmas and New Year is the one time Simon takes a whole month away from work. With auditions for Britain’s Got Talent starting in early 2018, it’s now that Simon takes a few weeks’ essential time out to recuperate and get some rest. It comes as no surprise that Simon prefers Christmas in the heat of Barbados instead of spending it in a cold and frosty Britain! He is a sun worshipper – even as a teenager he would opt to spend Christmas with his pals in Antigua, Mauritius or Thailand. But it is Barbados that has remained Simon’s…

WIN 1 X £200, 2 X £ 100 OR 3 X £50 PR I ZES Both sets of clues lead to the same answer, revealing in the shaded squares a new BBC One drama premiering on New Year’s Day starring Juliet Rylance (7) STRAIGHT CLUES ACROSS 6 Not so broad (7)7 Deep-fried thin potato slice (5)9 Behind time (4)10 TV advert (10)11 Propel a bike (5)12 Vacant (5)14 Biblical form of ‘you’ (4)16 Jar covers (4)17 Ceased (5)18 Testaments (5)22 In a formal, authorised way (10)25 Existence (4)26 Afterwards (5)27 Sprinters, joggers, etc (7) DOWN 1 Books, etc (10)2 Hit lightly (5)3 Spruce, tidy (4)4 Threaded fastener (5)5 Galvanising metal (4)6 Adder, or python, eg (5)8 Put into a flower bed (7)13 Increased, using the symbol ‘x’ (10)15 A quantity…

Given the current state of affairs, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to imagine that the Duchess of Cambridge is feeling a little left out in the cold right now, with uber-glamorous Meghan Markle well on track to becoming ‘flavour of the moment’. The media frenzy surrounding the beautiful American actress – whose ex-husband is film producer Trevor Engelson, the pair having divorced in 2013 – is so strong that we wouldn’t be surprised if a new Netflix series was announced with the working title Meghan: Making A Princess! Since Kate, 35, was first revealed as William’s girlfriend in April 2004 (the couple were pictured skiing in Klosters), she has been the standout stylish female taking centre stage with the Royal Family. But now – particularly since Meghan’s engagement to Kate’s…

Anti-ageing guru Lesley Reynolds reveals the latest treatments to help you stay youthful As we age and our metabolism slows down, stomach and hip fat gets harder to shift. But, with the right nutrition, exercise and treatments, you can shape up. BLITZ BELLY FAT WITH WATER LIPO BodyJet is a gentler form of fat removal compared to lipo, and is ideal for areas such as the tummy and love handles. The water jet-assisted procedure ‘washes away’ fat without damaging blood vessels. Under local anaesthetic, a cannula is inserted under the skin. A thin water jet is then channelled into the fat tissue, which is then aspirated through the cannula. Recovery takes one to two days, but support garments must be worn for two to three weeks. The best results are…

For my last column this year, I’m giving you some fab, fun ideas for transforming your home for New Year! Whether your celebrations are big or small, these easy makes will give you a really great look that your guests will love. Happy making! Love Claire xx TABLE DECORATION 1 Take the larger of the two cake plates and place the tinsel wreath on top, then place the pedestal part of the small plate through the middle of the wreath. 2 Arrange the large baubles loosely on top of the small plate, then secure into place with the hot glue gun. Then fill in all the gaps with the small baubles. MACHÉ NUMBERS 1 Paint each number with white paint and let dry. Gradually coat one number at a time…

Lose up to 10lb in a week! HOW IT WORKS 1 Over the festive period, when life is hectic, it’s easy to dismiss tiredness, carb cravings and hard-to-shift flab as just side effects of being busy. But, according to US weight loss expert Dr Sara Gottfried, these are important signs that the body has stopped responding to the hormone leptin. 2 Leptin informs the brain that you’ve had enough food, explains Dr Gottfried, who has helped some slimmers lose more than 4st in six weeks. Eating too much of the wrong kinds of food and exposure to toxins triggers inflammation that causes the brain’s leptin receptors to become too damaged to respond efficiently – a condition called leptin resistance. 3 When your brain thinks you’re starving, it tells the thyroid…

We’ve all been there… You excitedly unwrap your Xmas presents, only to find jewellery you don’t like or clothes that don’t fit you. The problem is so widespread that we returned an estimated £335m worth of presents in 2016*. But how do you deal with unwanted gifts? Far too many of us stash them and forget about them – but our financial expert, Sara Benwell, says there are other options… 1 RETURN IT One choice is to take gifts back and get something you actually like. This is tricky without a gift receipt – most stores won’t give you a refund without one. Even if you have an original receipt, many shops can only issue a refund to the credit or debit card that was used to make the purchase…

Cranberries are not just for Christmas! Kick-start a healthy new year with Ocean Spray Whole Berry, £2.99. Made with whole crushed cranberries, each 200ml serving is bursting with antioxidants and vitamin C – perfect after the festive indulgence! READY-MADE PUDDINGS MINI POST Sweet to share If you are visiting friends for New Year’s Eve, give the hostess a treat by taking along a readymade mouth-watering pud! The Gü Chocolate & Amaretto Pots, £4, come in individual packaging and an easy-to-transport carry case. And, most importantly, they taste absolutely divine. Fab fizz for under £10 Fancy a cheaper alternative to champers, without scrimping on taste? Get a bottle of Exquisite Collection Cremant du Jura, £7.99, Aldi. This crisp wine is a great way to toast the start of 2018! FREEZER FEAST…

...her Corrie comeback I’ve been away about 18 months. I’d said I would have a two-year break but I felt ready to come back. I’d done what I wanted to do and spent time with [my daughter] Daisy. That’s the most rewarding thing. I needed that break. But it was time for me to have some adult banter again. ...reuniting with her Corrie co-stars I’m sharing a dressing room with Kym [Marsh] and Faye [Brookes]. When I came back, I asked which dressing room I was in and they said that Kym had asked if I could share with them, which was so nice. We’re squeezed in together and it’s great fun. ...what’s in store for her character, Carla It’s a different Carla because of the secret she’s keeping. Over…

DARKER – EL JAMES Mr Grey will see you… again. If you loved Fifty Shades Darker, then you’ll adore this steamy account of his erotic odyssey with Anastasia Steele. This time, though, Christian is telling the story. RRP £7.99. PETER KAY’S CAR SHARE: SERIES TWO Catch up on the will they/ won’t they romance between John and Sian Gibson’s Kayleigh, thrown together by work transport arrangements, before the final two episodes air next year. DVD, RRP £9.99. NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL A PARTY 2018 Looking for a soundtrack for your New Year bash? Then look no further! This double CD includes the biggest artists of the past year – from Katy Perry to Rag’n’Bone Man. RRP £15.…

‘We’ll be Billy No-Mates on the big day this year… two lonely snowpersons left out in the cold’ Christmas is a time for family, so it’s no surprise that our favourite TV hostcome- best-sellingauthor was looking down in the dumps when she was spotted out recently. In fact, even a stroll around Hampstead Heath with hubby Richard Madeley near their favourite pub wasn’t enough to put a smile on her face! And there may be a very good reason. For, despite being a mum-of-four, Judy, 69, looks set to be ‘lonely this Christmas’, as the song goes, as none of her brood is set to make it home for the big day. Judy’s twins, Tom and Dan, 40, from her previous marriage, as well as younger siblings Jack, 31, and…

TOP TIP Rich colours plus luxurious fabrics equals grown-up girlie glamour. TOP TIP This timeless coat is DOWN from £85 – grab it while you can! TOP TIP Stiletto ankle boots give even a classic dress a funky edge.…

THE WAY I SEE IT... Wise words from our feisty, fearless and funny columnist ‘I won’t be too unhappy to see the back of 2017. It hasn’t been a great year for me or my family after we lost my sister, Tracy, to cancer in January, and then my other sister Kim’s partner, Shaun, died in September, too. It’s not been all bad, though. I sold my London flat, which allowed me to fulfil a lifelong dream of buying a house in France. Mark and I were able to spend a long and leisurely summer there. However, the best thing is that I managed to survive another year without my own cancer coming back – something I do consider because of what’s happened to my family this year. So I’ve…

TAP THE APP Wow How is a virtual make-up tutorial on a split screen so you can apply make-up in real time!…

GEORGIA TOFFOLO 2018 is set to be the year of the Toff, after Made In Chelsea star Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo took I’m A Celebrity... by storm. Posh Toff, 23, smashed trial after trial and proved she had what it takes to be true Queen of the Jungle. Now she’s in high demand, with offers of work rumoured to be worth up to £5 million. Even the Beeb want her to appear on Question Time! Meet the money spinners... SCARLETT MOFFATT Crowned Jungle winner on last year’s I’m A Celebrity…, Scarlett Moffatt has had a meteoric rise to stardom in 2017. She began the year with a successful weight-loss DVD deal, before being unofficially adopted by fellow Geordies Ant and Dec and landing a regular slot on their award-winning Saturday Night…

The party season may have left you looking a little less fresh than usual, we’re guessing. The usual festive combination of rich diet, extra tippling and late nights will inevitably show itself in the form of lacklustre, dull skin. So we’ve come to the rescue, finding the best make-up to erase the signs of overindulgince and get you back to your glowing, radiant self. THINK DIRTY. TAP THE APP Think Dirty assesses beauty products for potentially toxic ingredients, so you can shop for ‘cleaner’ items. Free for iPhone and Android. 1 GIVE YOUR SKIN A DRINK Primers might seem like a make-up step too far when we’re all so time-poor, but the right one will make your foundation look less patchy – a common occurrence when we’re dehydrated in winter.…

Seafood cocktail Hands-on time: 15 minsCooking time: about 5 minsPer serving: 427 cals, 25g fat(4g saturates), 23g carbs(3g total sugars) 250g fresh, uncooked seafood, suchas squid, prawns and scallops1tbsp olive oil2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil½tbsp sherry vinegar½ garlic clove, crushed1tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint1tbsp roughly chopped basil1 small handful of rocket1 medium tomato, finely dicedLemon wedges, to garnish2 slices toasted sourdough, to serve 1 Slice the squid into rings and deshell the prawns, if necessary. Heat the olive oil in a pan and stir-fry the seafood for 3-4 mins until cooked. Set aside to cool to room temperature. 2 Whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, crushed garlic, mint and basil. Season. 3 Divide the rocket between two glasses. Toss the seafood in the dressing and pile on top of…

5 to give a way! New year, new wardrobe! Well that’s our motto anyway. To celebrate a new season of style, we’re giving five lucky readers the chance to get their hands on £100 to spend at New Look. All you need to do is enter below! best birthday giveaway HOW TO ENTER POST: Send a postcard with your name, address, phone number and email address to New Look Giveaway, GVBSTN17898, Hearst Magazines UK, The Data Solutions Centre, Worksop, S80 2RT. Closing date for postal entries is 12 January 2018. PHONE: Call 09010 272 710 by midnight on 9 January 2018. Calls cost 30p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network access charge, and will last no longer than two minutes. Calls from mobiles may cost significantly more. Phone line…