Tabla de contenidos para 23-2025 en Best

It’s jam-packed with new and exciting content and all the regulars you look forward to every Tuesday. From this issue, we will be 32 pages bigger every week. And what that means is your great-value best has even more to offer. You won’t need to splash out on a separate TV magazine as now you can get your listings in best. We have extra puzzles, more offers and more brilliant page-turning real-life reads. Along with all our regular finger-on-the-pulse celeb news, plus pages of beauty, gardening, recipes, great home buys and fabulous fashion. A giant welcome to our new columnist Ann Widdecombe… we all know her as a straight-talking politician and we all found new respect when she donned her dancing shoes (she put her foot down when it came…

She’s travelled the world over, thanks to her successful career – and experienced plenty of what life has to offer. Though one thing national treasure Jane McDonald hasn’t added to her life experience is motherhood. But does she regret it? According to Jane, absolutely not – though she did once consider it. In her 2019 autobiography Riding The Waves: My Story, the 62-year-old touched upon her and former husband Henrik’s conversation around starting a family (they wed in 1998 and split in 2003). She wrote: ‘Henrik and I once talked about having children but there wasn’t room for babies in his plans for me. I began to feel lonely in my marriage.’ Jane previously confessed: ‘For me, it was an easy decision to not have children, because I knew I…

It’s hard to believe it’s 25 years since Samia Longchambon first set foot on the cobbles of Coronation Street as fresh-faced kennel maid Maria. Back then, Samia Longchambon was just 17. Today, she’s 42 with a teenage daughter of her own! ‘I was only meant to be in the show for three months, so I can’t get my head around the fact that I’ve been here for 25 years – it feels like forever and five minutes at the same time,’ Samia smiles. These days, she’s swapped the wellies and kennels for a more glamorous look working as a stylist at the hair salon, but Maria Connor’s trials, tribulations and steamy affairs haven’t changed. ‘I’ve actually had to kiss 32 men in 25 years, which is mind-blowing. I don’t…

‘My first thought on seeing the footage of French President Emmanuel Macron being apparently slapped in the face by his wife Brigitte was ‘good girl’! Because I would quite like to give him a slap myself, along with a rake of other similar leaders. However, on closer inspection, it wasn’t a slap, more like a shove, which I suppose isn’t so bad. What is bad though, is it was done in front of the world’s media, as she was obviously unaware the plane door was already open and, when she realised that, his face was an absolute picture. His people were too quick to play it down by passing it off as a bit of ‘couples horsing around’, but we all know it wasn’t that, as he was visibly furious…

1 BESPOKE SKIN SOLUTIONS Renew + Me stems from the same company that makes Skin + Me, a brand that uses a consultation process with a dermatologist to determine a bespoke skincare plan for you. The main difference is that Renew + Me is aimed towards midlife and beyond. You can shop some of the products without commitment – their Balm-to-oil Cleanser, £14.99, provides a nightly deep clean – or fill in the detailed form to try their targeted skincare, from £29.99 a month. Visit renewandme.com for more info. 2 THE HAIR HERO Access to experts who can help with the thorny issue of hair loss is a long and costly process, but Hair + Me (again, from the people behind Skin + Me) take you through the process online,…

Raynor Winn was 50 years old when her whole life fell apart. A devastating combination of a business deal that went wrong and an expensive court case ended with her and husband Moth being evicted from the beautiful Welsh farmhouse they’d owned for 20 years. Not only was it the home that they’d lovingly restored and brought up their two children in, but it was also their main source of income as they rented out rooms to holidaymakers. When the bailiffs came knocking, the couple – who’d been together since their teens – believed things couldn’t get any worse. But in the same week, Moth, 53, was diagnosed with a rare degenerative brain disease. Doctors gave him two years to live. Raynor and Moth were broke – and broken. As…

I was at a work event, proudly wearing my new jacket and bag, when the compliments started pouring in. ‘You look amazing!’ one woman said as she looked me up and down. Another gushed: ‘I love your outfit!’ And a third lady wanted to know where she could buy my jacket: ‘It’s beautiful, so vibrant – where did you get it?’ she asked. I realised my jacket was turning heads because it looked so expensive. So did my bag. But the truth was, I’d bought them both second-hand from Vinted - and I’d paid a fraction of the retail price! In the last two years, I’ve saved hundreds of pounds buying clothes from Vinted – and made even more selling items I no longer need. The online pre-loved platform is…

Lucy and her all-female team of detectives travel back in time once again, to meet women who didn’t play by the rules. Women trying to make it in a world made for men. Women who stepped outside their ordinary lives to do extraordinary things. What do their crimes and the times they lived in teach us about women’s lives today? Here, the presenter and historian, 51, tells us more about the new series! What was the reaction to last season’s swindlers, and why are you back for season two? We thought we should return to swindling because there are so many fabulous female con-artists that we didn’t have room for in season one! I was absolutely thrilled that this time we got to look at a fake medium, and no-one’s…

After 25 years on the cobbles, Sue Cleaver’s final scenes as Eileen Grimshaw air this week, as she swaps Weatherfield for Thailand. The Corrie star reveals the advice she’d give her character for her new adventure… Hi Sue! How does Eileen feel when Jason suggests that she go with him to Thailand? I think that’s when she realises, ‘What do I have?’ She has love for George, but she knows she’s settling. That would be an amazing opportunity, to go to almost the other side of the world, and with the safety blanket of her son being there. What advice would you give Eileen in this situation? I think that we have to have more faith in ourselves. It’s important that at this time in our life when we have…

World-renowned past lives expert David Wells answers your questions. This week, he’s chosen Mandy Stephenson, 56, a former reflexologist, who lives alone in Cardiff. Here, she tells us what came through in their encounter… Have you always believed in past lives? Yes, I’ve always believed in the spirit world. As a child, I had a lot of strange experiences. My mum used to say I’d talk to myself as a baby, and she’d find the side of my cot down in the morning, things like that. I’ve always felt quite sensitive to that kind of energy. I wasn’t fully convinced about past lives when I was younger, but as I’ve got older, it makes more sense to me. I believe we’re reincarnated to learn lessons and what we do in…

WHAT: You have a choice between buying runners, where the plant is in its infancy, or pot grown, where the plant is more established. Runners are sold in late Summer and early Spring, while pot-grown is available around now. WHEN: If using runners, plant as soon as you buy them, avoiding cold, wet conditions. For pot-grown, Springtime is perfect. WHERE: They live happily in pots and even hanging baskets, but make sure it’s deep and wide enough (around 15cm) to allow room to grow. HOW: Fill the base with stones to aid drainage, and fill with compost and manure to encourage healthy growth. Stick to two plants max per pot, as they’ll soon start making the most of the space! WATCH OUT FOR: Slugs, who love to chomp on them!…

GEMINI 22 May – 21 June Venus moves into your dreamy, psychic zone, bringing a need for romance and fantasy. So if your partner is as exciting as a damp dishcloth, get that date night sorted, and if you’re on dating apps, look for someone whose profile pic is near water. Any financial hiccups should improve as the week goes on. CANCER 22 June – 23 July Get set for a shift in your mindset – you’ll feel a sudden sense of determination and drive. Channel this into all the things that need doing, be productive and you’ll end the week on a happy high. Venus shifts into your independent zone bringing a need for personal space – so be clear with loved ones about your boundaries. LEO 24 July…

1 NAPPY NEWS! A new member of Boris Johnson’s family was introduced to the world last week... The former Prime Minister’s wife, Carrie, had her fourth child, Poppy, (following sons Wilfred, Frank and daughter Romy). The 37-year-old wrote on Instagram: ‘I can’t believe how pretty and tiny you are.’ It makes number nine for Boris. He’ll soon have enough for a cabinet... 2 Who wowed the crowd? Nothing says ‘red carpet showstopper’ quite like a gown with a massive train. Heidi Klum stunned at Cannes Film Festival in a pink billowing Elie Saab dress, Jameela Jamil looked radiant in a mint Ali Karoui design and Cynthia Nixon opted for a cool hue with a voluminous feathered number by Richard Quinn. Heidi Klum looked fantastic in a dramatic pink…

They’ve always looked the picture-perfect family, and it seems the Middleton sibling dynamic may genuinely be practically perfect in every way! Usually front and centre of the tabloids since her triumphant return to royal duty since her cancer diagnosis, it’s actually the Princess of Wales’ brother who’s making headlines this week. Opening up in a recent interview with The Mirror about his relationship with his two older sisters, Kate and Pippa, 38-year-old entrepreneur James Middleton has explained they are more than siblings, they are his ‘friends.’ ‘They’ve seen me at my best and at my lowest, and they’ve always been there when I’ve needed them,’ said James. ‘I’m incredibly fortunate to have my two sisters, not just as siblings, but as friends.’ James, who has been open about his mental…

Playing happily in the Spring sunshine, the four toddlers are a picture of childlike innocence. They are too young to understand the bond they share. They are illegitimate, living in an orphanage in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, run by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Nazareth. The photograph, taken in 1962, came as a shock. I’m in it. I’m the chubby-faced infant, with dark hair, sitting in the middle. Back then, my name was Patrick Connolly. All three of us boys were inseparable, always together. Adrian, Patrick and Nigel. The photograph is in the paperback of my book Finding Margaret which is about the emotional search for my birth mother Margaret Connolly, who I tracked down when I was 48. I arrived in the orphanage, a bleak imposing Victorian building, when I was…

‘Did I ever tell you that my husband is a serial entrepreneur? No? Well, I don’t like to boast, and it turns out there’s not much money in cornflakes anyway!’ All of a sudden, I am jolted awake as this silly wordplay pops into my head in the small hours. It takes me a while to get back to sleep, only for another gag to break my slumber. ‘My uncle, the lion tamer, recently bought me an item of clothing for my birthday but, annoyingly, it’s a big top!’ Turns out that the result of enrolling on a stand-up comedy course in my mid 50s, having never done anything like this before, is that the challenge of being funny and coming up with jokes has completely invaded my mind during…

FIVE SUMMER MUST-HAVES Summer is officially almost here, so now’s the time to clear out and restock your make-up bag so you’re all set for the longer, lighter days and evenings. Most of us will have more special events and outings to go to, so products that will stay put for hours and won’t melt in the heat are definitely on the must-haves list. These are the make-up staples you need to buy now to see you through the next few months and, as some of these are already bestsellers or limited buys, it’s best to snap them up while you can, as they won’t be staying on the shelves for long. These are my favourites and as they’re all under £10, none of them will break the bank. 1…

Sausage Fajita Pilaff This easy pilaff all cooks together and makes for a colourful and balanced meal. Microwave rice makes this quick and convenient, we’ve gone for plain basmati but you could use a spiced or flavoured variety if you prefer. Hands-on time 10min. Cooking time about 20min. Serves 4 • 2tbsp olive oil• 1 red onion, cut into 16 wedges• 2 mixed-colour peppers, deseeded and sliced• 8 chipolata sausages, cut into rough 2cm pieces• 35g faijita seasoning mix, we used Old El Paso• 2 x 250g pouches microwave basmati rice• 200ml chicken stock• Finely grated zest 1 lime and juice 1/2• Small handful coriander, roughly chopped• Guacamole, optional, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan) mark 7. In a rough 2 litre ovenproof serving dish mix the…

THERE’S THREE OF US IN THIS MARRIAGE… My whole married life I’ve felt second to the other love in my hubby’s life… Football. Naively, I thought his passion for this stupid sport might dim with age – but clearly not. If anything, now the kids have flown the nest and there are fewer distractions with us both being retired, his interest in football has only grown, and I feel left behind. There’s no talking to him. He won’t change at his age. I have no interest in it whatsoever, so there’s no compromising with either of us. Is it too dramatic to get divorced over a game of football?! Nic, Essex Yes! The man has done nothing wrong. He’s always been a football fan. He never signed a pledge saying…

THINGS COME IN THREES! Sometimes you just have to give in, don’t you… You know that thing where you find yourself doing a new job, and it’s quite intense (in my case rehearsing for a play)… You might be frightened that your back might go any minute – (just from the act of moving about more than usual), and you’d be obliged to admit to the younger folk that you might be… Ahem... A little older than them? You might need a bit of a sit down every so often…? Well, I had that kind of feeling this week, so the moment we were given our first day off, I thought, ‘Right. That is it. It’s pampering time for me.' So, I phoned my nearby salon for a reflexologist. Calamity…

Columbian superstar Sofía Vergara - (who split with Joe Manganiello last year after a decade) - reveals her secrets to looking younger at 52, and how she has no intention of giving into the downside of middle-age! The actress, who has returned to America’s Got Talent, tells us how she loves working with Simon Cowell and that she’s missing Heidi Klum after her exit last season. Sofía also reveals all about the possibility of a Modern Family reunion, and the role that has changed people’s perception of her as an actress. How excited are you to be back on the America’s Got Talent judging panel? I’m super excited. We have some amazing acts, some incredible talent and, of course, I know it’s going to be very emotional. It always is. Everyone…

MEET OUR TESTER THEO MICHAELS TV presenter and former MasterChef contestant Theo is passionate about good quality food! He’s also an author of eight brilliant cookery books including Canned, which helps transform store cupboard ingredients into delicious meals. Theo has joined best to put own-brand staples to the test to help you find the best Essentials without compromising on flavour. READY SALTED CRISPS, £1, Asda I had to double check this one with our house’s chief crisp eater – my nine-year-old son. These actually had a nice potato flavour, perfect crunch and just the right balance of salt without being overpowering – we ate the whole packet… READY SALTED CRISPS £1, Sainsbury’s Very close second, our chief crisp eater wanted to eat the whole packet (but he hadn’t had dinner…

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this century, most will know the name Martha Stewart for her homemaking skills (as well as serving five months in federal prison in 2004!) Here, we take a look at the home of America’s first lady for all things domestic.…

Think funny messy modern family What is not to love about the woman who gave us Me Before You ? If you haven’t read this heartbreaking book or seen the film, what are you waiting for? It made her a household name. If you love family drama, Jojo now has a fantastic new novel out and it doesn’t disappoint. This story is about a woman on the brink of a breakdown, and is possibly her best novel yet. To say Lila’s life is messy is an understatement: She lives in a ramshackle house with her two stroppy daughters and stepdad while trying to keep her career as a writer on track. Then her real dad appears, who she hasn’t seen in 35 years… ‘This book is comedic, it’s a messy…

*YOUR PICTURES WILL ONLY BE USED ON BEST’S PET PAGE. Crumble is currently being cared for by the Cats Protection Coventry volunteer team. She has a heart murmur, which means she’ll be in the charity’s care for a little longer than other kittens, to ensure she’s monitored before she’s rehomed. It’s hoped that she’ll outgrow the condition but if not, her eventual new owner will be given plenty of advice on how to care for her. CALLING ALL PETS! From funny to cute, we’re looking for more pets to star in our ‘Day in the Life’ series. If you think your animal is the perfect match, email bestpets@hearst.co.uk with details of your pet, plus a series of snaps.*…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT Looking for a weekend break that takes you back to your youth, but with an added 2025 twist of style? Look no further than Ibiza – the well-known party island. If you – like me – once danced the night away in the Eighties or early Nineties in the bars of San Antonio or the cooler clubs in Ibiza Town, such as Pacha, it’s a walk down memory lane – not to mention the fact it is hot from now until October and takes less than two hours to reach from most UK airports. INSIDER’S GUIDE The music is still playing all day long – by the three pools and at the rooftop with its infinity pool in the Amàre – but not in a blaring, ‘now I’m…

Known for her positivity and sunny disposition, former Big Brother host and star of The Masked Singer, Davina McCall, has certainly been through the wringer of late. The 57-year-old, who recently received the all clear, was diagnosed with a rare type of benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst in November, and underwent a gruelling six-hour operation. Mum-of-three Davina has since revealed on her Begin Again podcast that she urgently wrote letters to her family, and a will, before the surgery, to make sure ‘everyone was okay’ if she died. Speaking to her guest Jamie Theakston about their respective cancer journeys, she explained: ‘I have never had thought processes like I had before my operation. ‘Some people were like, “You were quite extreme”, because I was like, “I need to…

TOP TIP Go from day to night in a cool beach dress.…

WHY MOTHER KNOWS BEST QUEEN OF HARLEY STREET LESLEY REYNOLDS SAYS… If you’ve ever wondered where a lifelong love for skincare, beauty, and a bit of bling truly begins, let me tell you, it started for me, not in a glossy magazine or expensive dress shop, but in a warm 1950s kitchen with the scent of rosewater and a mother who danced like the stars and stirred magic into every pot, and sang to me with a tea towel she used as a scarf over her head. My mother, Rosina, was young, full of life and everything I aspire to be and more. A professional dancer in the 1950s, she was a showstopper in the most effortless way, always impossibly glamorous, full of laughter, very creative, and never afraid of…

HOW IT WORKS ● Grabbing a sandwich, ready-made salad or a jacket potato mid-way through a busy day could be the reason you’re not losing weight. New research shows getting lunch wrong could tot up to a massive 3,700 calories over a week, which would take around 4½ hours of exercise to shift. ● The average woman should be eating 2000 calories each day to maintain weight and around 500 less to lose, but experts have discovered that ready-made salads, overloaded sandwiches and “healthy” cereal bars are adding extra refined sugars and fats to our diet. Worst still are meal deals which tempt us into consuming extra snacks and fizzy drinks. ● Instead, opt for high-protein lunches like meat, fish or egg with salad or nuts – you can buy…

MORRISONS THE BEST FITOU 2023 (13.5%) £8.50 A standout red this year, balanced with perfume, spice, ripe fruit and lip-smacking sense of scrumptiousness. A great reminder of the excellent value available from the South of France, this red is bang on for bbqs, weeknight feasts or an impromptu party. Blended from Carignan, Grenache and Syrah, expect a wine with decent body, firm texture and the power of a black cherry hooked up to the National Grid. BEAN & ROMESCO DIP Take 50g (2oz) toasted and cooled blanched almonds, 25g bread, 100g roasted red peppers from a jar, 1 chopped tomato, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1tbsp sherry vinegar, 2tbsp olive oil, 1/2tsp sweet smoked paprika and pinch of chilli flakes, season then process until smooth. Toss 400g runner beans, trimmed and…

COMFORT OVER FASHION! One of the signs of ageing, along with moving more circumspectly in the shower, is to choose shoes for comfort rather than fashion. Nevertheless, I do not think I am being merely a grumpy old woman when I say that the modern fashion for heels as high as Everest is just plain daft. Recently I was sitting chatting to a magazine editor. She was smart, sassy, stunningly fashionable and wearing heels like stepladders. I asked her how the heck she could walk in them and to my stupefaction she said she didn’t! She wore them only when sitting down or standing still. Eh? Isn’t the very purpose of shoes to walk in them? Yet, she is wiser than those who do walk in those monsters. Over time,…

Every time I board the ship, I feel the same mix of emotions. I can’t wait to meet the kids, but I know they’ll have been through so much to get there. The orthopaedic ward is always empty and quiet on day one. Slowly, it fills with shy, nervous children. Through a translator, they or their parent or guardian tell me tales of pain and deformity, of not being able to walk to school. And I am there to try and change that... I knew when I was ten years old that I wanted to be a doctor. I became a consultant paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals Trust. But since 2019, I’ve been using my annual leave to volunteer with the international charity Mercy Ships, performing complex life-changing…

I arrived at the office on a rainy Monday morning. I shook my long, damp coat off as I entered, that usual aroma of brewing coffee and instant porridge oats overwhelming my senses. I hung my coat on the hook in the corner and took a seat at my desk, tucking my navy dress underneath me. Logging in, I set to work. If somebody asked me what I did, I’d always tell them, ‘I’m an office manager’. And usually that was enough to end the discussion. But if they asked, ‘And what does that entail?’ I would be forced to answer, ‘Emails. All day long. I write emails’. I sighed as I began sorting through the overnight website enquiries and either replying or sending them in the direction of the…

best magazine, ISSN 0954-8955, is published weekly by The National Magazine Company Ltd, t/a Hearst Magazines UK, c/o USACAN Media Dist. Srv Corp at 26 Power Dam Way Suite S1-S3, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. All rights reserved. No part of best may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Not to be resold, lent, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade at more than the recommended retail price (subject to VAT in Republic of Ireland) or in a mutilated condition. Printed by Walstead Roche Ltd, Victoria Business Park, Roche, Cornwall, PL26 8LX. The publishers, editors and authors accept no responsibility in respect of any products, goods or services that may be…