Tabla de contenidos para 49-2025 en Best

Kate Garraway has always loved Christmas – from long-running family traditions through to outlandish decorations. But since she lost her husband Derek Draper in January 2024, the festive season has changed for the 58-year-old and her children Darcey, 19, and Billy, 16. Now, as she celebrates her second Christmas without Derek, Kate revealed to Prima magazine: ‘I’ve volunteered to cook Christmas dinner this year ...the key message for anyone attending is going to be: it’ll be tasty, but let’s not have any time expectations. It might be quite flexible, as to whether it’s lunch or dinner. So, eat before you come!’ This year, Kate has a helper in the kitchen, as Darcey is keen to continue one of her dad’s side of the family’s traditions – having mashed potatoes, which…

As a Dad of four beautiful daughters (Pearl, 13, Andy, 10, Minnie, seven, and Maple, three) Jack Osbourne, 40, spoke recently about his own Dad, Ozzy, (who he sadly lost this Summer) and the upbringing he wants to recreate for his brood, with lessons from his parents Sharon and the late Black Sabbath star. On... how Ozzy disciplined him growing up. You know, it is funny. It was like: no discipline, no discipline, no discipline… and then it would just come down. You would not know when the hammer would drop. I always found a way to push it to that point. There were a few groundings. There was confiscation of gaming devices and computers. It was pretty standard, but it did not happen often. It probably should have happened…

HONEST TO A FAULT James Jordan, a former Strictly professional whom I remember well from my time on the programme, says the judges are too woke, not criticising the dancers as much as they should. It is of course the modern way, which we have for some while now seen in our schools, where all must have prizes and nobody must be told that his or her performance in maths is somewhat short of Einstein’s. The Strictly judges always thought it quite safe to be rude to me because I was a politician. They called me a Dalek in drag, a dancing hippo, the Ark Royal and a haemorrhoid (I kept coming back and was always more painful than ever). These days they only have to suggest that some step…

FAKE IT YOURSELF Grey matters If you’ve let your natural silver come through, your make-up palette may need adjusting, says Caroline Barnes. ‘It depends on the shade of grey your hair is but in general, cooler, hotter and fresher make-up shades will look better than warm ones. Swap golden brown eyeshadows, for example, for cool silver, and muted tawny blush for something clear and bright.’ 1 LOOK POLISHED IN YOUR 30S Make-up at this age is less about following trends and more about looking bright and polished,’ says make-up artist Caroline Barnes. ‘You’re looking for the perfect concealer to brighten tired eyes, hydrating formulations with skincare properties and colours that will help bring back some freshness.’ Lumene CC Cream, £14.90, can be applied with fingers for an off-duty glow or with…

Blue cheese fondue with potato fries Use a mild blue cheese such as the blended cheese Cambozola, a Danish blue or Gorgonzola for this dish. If you prefer to serve this as a more traditional fondue then go for it, but it does work well on fries. It is also good with ripe pears and wedges of crisp Little Gem lettuce. Serves 6 1 kg Maris Piper, Yukon Gold or King Edward potatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 250 g Cambozola, diced 200 g Gruyère, grated 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 tablespoon cornflour 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme 150 ml light blonde beer 3 tablespoons single cream salt and freshly ground black pepper chargrilled bread or Little Gem lettuce quarters, ripe pear wedges, to serve (optional) FOR…

At just 28 years old, Aussie star Jacob Elordi has already built up a body of work that is highly impressive in its quantity, quality and variety. From films such as Saltburn, Priscilla, Oh, Canada and now Frankenstein, the handsome actor discusses his journey to stardom, his incredible transformation into The Creature for Frankenstein, and his upcoming performance as Heathcliff alongside another fellow Australian and former Neighbours star, Margot Robbie, in Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights’ coming to cinemas in February. Frankenstein premiered at the Venice Film Festival and got a 15-minute standing ovation – how did that feel? Something happened when I finished the film. I felt like something had shifted, like something had come unstuck out of in between my ribs. I felt free. And then something happened…

Nowhere does a wedding like Walford, so when Howie proposes to Kim this week at the Christmas light switch-on, she’s delighted. However, when secrets come to light, her blissful bubble is popped. Star Tameka Empson sheds light on Kim’s perfect proposal… Hi, Tameka! How does Kim feel when Howie proposes? She’s not been herself at all, so for Howie to spring a big, romantic surprise like this lifts her up. He puts Kim in the spotlight, which is where she loves to be. Kim loves love, she loves joy and the ring is amazing, so the fact that she feels treated and seen by her man makes the whole proposal perfect. Does Kim have any doubts that Howie is the right man for her? They have come a long way…

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. CLASSIC PICCALILLI £1.20, M&S This really was head and shoulders above the rest; perfectly balanced, a deep yellow, almost orange hue; contrasting with the neon sunshine colour of the others. Packed with spice; heat from the chilli, which was also visible and spots of mustard seeds; made this my absolute favourite and felt the most authentic of the bunch – both visually and on taste. SWEET & JUICY PICCALILLI £1.04, Asda…

New Year’s party season is calling – and sequins are firmly on the guestlist. Whether you’re backing the show-stopping or the budget-friendly shine, your bag game’s about to sparkle. The Paco Rabanne Mini Sparkle Hobo (£700, Farfetch) is the luxe pick: a silver-tone masterpiece crafted from polished brass, with a chain-link shoulder strap and mesh-like finish that practically glows under the lights – the definition of disco-ready luxury. On the flip side, New Look’s Silver Sequinned Large Phone Bag brings the shimmer without the splurge. At just £16.99, it’s a playful, party-perfect piece with bold sequins, a sleek chain strap, and just enough room for your night-out essentials. That’s a saving of around £685, with no shortage of sparkle. Both deliver serious shine – one’s a forever investment, the…

While tulips have a planting period between September to December, the later you get them in the soil, the better, because they love the cold. Earmark a frost-free date to get stuck in. CHOOSE: we normally think of tulips with their clean, oval shape but there are more flamboyant varities than ever to help add interest to your garden. M&S have a brilliant array of tulip bulbs, £6 for a pack of seven, in their new range that aren’t available from any other supermarket. We love ‘Cranberry Thistle’ with its texture and full petals, and Carnaval de Nice’ for a flash of red and white. HOW: plant them three times their size in depth so they have a solid foundation when they reach their full height (there’s nothing quite like…

SAGITTARIUS 23 November – 21 December Say hello to a fun and flirty week when the planets shine in your go-getting, active zone. With the full moon in your peace-loving balance zone, this is the ideal time to sort out arguments, especially if they’ve rumbled on for so long that everyone’s forgotten what you originally quarrelled about! CAPRICORN 22 December – 20 January Your emotions are strongly highlighted this week, so guard against overreacting or reading far too much into a situation that is actually far simpler than you think. Meanwhile, the full moon brings a need to really let your light shine – you’ve kept your talents hidden for too long. AQUARIUS 21 January – 19 February Sparks could fly when your ideas are rejected. Take a step back…

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret By Benjamin Stevenson ‘Knives Out meets Thursday Murder Club’ One critic said: ‘If Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club kissed under the mistletoe’, you would be describing this novel! What fun – the story promises all the season’s staples: presents and family with an impossible murder or two, and a deadly advent calendar of clues thrown in. You might have encountered Benjamin Stevenson’s detective Ernest Cunningham before, but this one has a wonderful Christmas twist. Ernest was a fan of reading Golden Age murder mysteries, becoming a detective when he started getting stuck in the middle of real-life ones. He’d been hoping for a quiet Christmas, but finds himself backstage at the show of a world-famous magician named Rylan Blaze, whose benefactor has just…

It was so frustrating! I’d just spent £160 on a grey midi dress in Mint Velvet – only to then find the exact same item, in my size, in a charity shop for £20! To add insult to injury, it still had the tag on and had never been worn. I couldn’t believe I’d paid so much for something I could’ve got for a fraction of the price! “I SPENT £150 A MONTH ON CLOTHES, NOW IT’S £15” I felt guilty about spending so much money without needing to. Many families across the country had been feeling the squeeze of the cost-of-living crisis – and mine was no different. My two teenage sons ate me out of house and home so our food bills were astronomical. But it wasn’t just…

My new cat seemed perfectly at home as she settled straight down in my big stripey armchair almost as soon as she arrived at my home (the Wendy House, of course!). According to the box she came in and the accompanying bumf, her name is Percy, but that’s not right at all. She’s so obviously a girl, with a beautiful little face, sparkly eyes, petite ears, whiskers, pink paws, luxuriant tail, and generous amounts of black and white fluff. She is a hefty lump, too, I thought, as I picked her up and flipped her upside down to find the right places to press to make her work. And that was when she emitted the most massive meee-owww, and I almost dropped her. Yep, my robot pet certainly sounds like…

HAIR REPAIR Winter hair needs plenty of TLC and attention to combat some of the problems that the season brings. Step outside and we have colder air, rain and wind to contend with and indoors, there’s ramped-up central heating which can strip moisture from our locks. Hats and hoods may be essential headwear over the next few months, but they also play havoc with our hair. No wonder our manes may have temporarily lost their mojo! The good news is that we can tackle troublesome tresses with the right products, designed to hydrate, fight frizz, strengthen strands, boost fading colour and bring back shine. You don’t have to spend a fortune either. Everything here will make a difference – and everything is under £10. 1 FOR DULL, DRY LOCKS Pantene…

CO-OP IRRESISTIBLE PEDRO XIMENEZ SHERRY NV (17%) £7 Stick this in the fridge and serve it with your Christmas pudding. It’s as thick and rich as treacle with the sweetness of a billion dates squished into a single glass. Deep and dark, it’s also a winner to sip alongside your box of festive chocolates and, as it comes in a smaller-sized bottle, you could even slip it inside a lucky person’s Christmas stocking. A luxuriant treat of a sweet wine! CHEAT’S SOUFFLÉ It’s best to preheat a baking sheet in the oven so you can cook the soufflés on it (and take them out in one go). Whisk 3 medium eggs and 75g (3oz) caster sugar until stiff – fold this mixture into 225ml (8fl oz) fresh bought chilled custard…

For years, Stacey Solomon and Sophie Hinchliffe (AKA Queen of Clean, Mrs Hinch) were so close they were borderline attached at the hip. So, when rumours emerged earlier this year that their friendship had been tarnished by a feud, it left everyone stunned. Their relationship first started in 2019 when Stacey reached out to Sophie on Instagram, and by the following year, the pair had made their friendship ‘Instagram official’. In the years that followed, the cleaning gurus worked together on BBC’s Sort Your Life Out, made countless appearances on each other’s Instagram grids, and just three years into their friendship, Stacey asked Sophie to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. What a whirlwind! It’s no surprise the two got on so well. They were similar ages, had a shared…

TOP TIP A statement dress takes the stress out of planning the perfect outfit…

MY HI-TECH HACKS QUEEN OF HARLEY STREET LESLEY REYNOLDS SAYS… Winter doesn’t play fair. Dull skin, brittle hair, flaky lips and tired eyes, the season piles it on. But beauty tech is on our side. Today’s offerings can give clinic worthy results at home. The right tech makes looking good feel effortless. They may be an investment but unlike committing to clinic visits, the gadgets are yours to keep. You don’t always need a surgeon; just smart gadgets, science-backed formulas, and a few minutes a day. You just need to know what’s worth your time and money. Add these to your Christmas wish list! LED masks have risen in popularity in recent years. Recent headlines have raised concerns about LED masks causing eye damage and skin sensitivity, mainly due to…

As the car pulled up outside our house at midnight, I felt utterly exhausted. We’d been to three counties in a day, rushing around and making fleeting visits to friends and family, including godchildren, nieces and nephews. It was Christmas Day and my husband David and I had spent most of the day on the road. For many years, my Christmas always felt rushed and frantic and involved many hours in the car trying to be everything to everyone. But, two years ago, when I turned 50, I reassessed my Christmas priorities. How can Christmas be about sitting on the motorway? Trying to cram all those people into one day felt like a waste. Not meaningful. ‘Time to do something different,’ I announced to my husband, David. ‘I want this…

TOP TIP! Don’t be afraid to colour clash! This trend works best by using as many different colours as possible…

At the weekend, another package dropped through the letterbox. As usual I didn’t reveal the cost of my purchase to John, my partner. I spend my cash however I wish, because I’ve earned it, thanks to my job as a writer. However, John, 64, did roll his eyes. The amount I spend on gifts every Christmas is something that, years ago, we agreed to disagree on. I suspect this scenario is being played out in homes across the UK – money can be such a sensitive issue, especially at this time of year. Even so, I don’t feel guilty about buying nice Christmas presents such as a Sweaty Betty bag for my sister or Benefit make-up for my niece. I do get some gifts from Vinted – books for another…

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY When my friend said to me ‘ I’ve bought a ticket for this… coming?’ I didn’t hesitate… I knew this particular friend to be the kind of person to do unusual things, including sporting pink hair and doing part-time DJ work– so I felt it was my duty to join her. The event on offer was an afternoon of Northern Soul dancing at the Rivoli Ballroom, which turns out to be a wonderfully restored Fifties ballroom complete with a maple dancefloor, so you can ‘dance all night and not feel it on your feet’. Well, since I hadn’t even danced the polka for 50 years, I wasn’t intending to test myself on an all-nighter. However, I duly took my place on the dancefloor, having done a…

EASTENDERS Accused of staging the nasty message to Zoe, Tommy swears to his parents that he isn’t his sister’s stalker. In a rage, Zoe lashes out at her mum Kat before rowing with the rest of her family in the bar, forcing Kat to step in and ask her daughter to leave. Zoe goes to stay at Anthony’s house, and bonds with Lauren as they discuss Zoe’s long-lost son. However, when they head back to Lauren’s, someone’s watching menacingly from the shadows. Is Zoe’s stalker getting closer to revealing their identity? Elsewhere, Lily becomes concerned about her grandma Jean’s mental health in the wake of Freddie’s exit from Walford. Consulting with doctor Anthony, Lily is advised to urge Jean to book an appointment – but when she relays the suggestion,…

For nearly 80 years, Dolly Parton has refused to be boxed in. In fact, as an 11-time Grammy-winning musician, unstoppable businesswoman and philanthropist, one could say that she’s been building an empire since she arrived on this earthly plane in a one-bedroom Tennessee cabin back in 1946. Prolific from a young age, Dolly was destined for a colourful life – not so much a ‘9 to 5’. She started composing music before she could even write, and she made her illustrious debut at the Grand Ole Opry at just 13 years old. After graduating from high school in 1964, she relocated to Nashville to launch her career. Dolly became a country singer-songwriter who also exploded into pop stardom – releasing 49 solo studio albums and nine live albums – and…

It is a bittersweet feeling seeing my baby on TV this Christmas. My beautiful daughter Ruby appears in the Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Christmas appeal. Who doesn’t think their child is such a beauty they should be the star of an advert? But of course, this is no normal festive fun ad for mince pies or turkey crowns. No, behind the images are heartbreaking stories of children fighting terrible diseases with uncertain futures. When Ruby was born in October 2023, she was just over six pounds – and to me, Elle, a yoga teacher, and her dad Steve, 43, who runs a corporate wellbeing consultancy, perfect. Doctors had no concerns, and we were sent home the following day, two parents newly in love. It wasn’t until a few weeks later…

PETS OF THE WEEK Names: Meg and Shandy Owner: Paula, from Essex Breeds: Meg is a Chihuahua Jack Russell and Shandy is a Jack Russell cross 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.*…

Dinah was not a Christmas cook. Her tension headaches began as soon as the Christmas ads did – tables groaning under stacks of perfectly presented food, families gathered round a snowy tablecloth with glowing, upturned faces, like a whole row of flamin’ Tiny Tims about to chirrup, ‘Gawd bless us, every one!’ It would be great to even feel festive, but that was a tall order, considering that her mother-in-law Olive was coming for Christmas Day. Olive was a snob (not that Dinah’s husband Hugh was going to admit it any day soon, but Dinah did award him points for filial loyalty). When it came to food, Olive had a ‘refined palate’, whatever that was. Turned out that she could spot a shop-bought Yorkshire pudding from the homemade alternative just…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT The city of York, situated in North Yorkshire, is one of England’s most historic sites, boasting both Roman and Viking heritage. Many of the historic sites can still be seen today and easily to visit by foot. York is also picturesque, with the peaceful River Ouse as the backdrop and plenty of green spaces to escape the hustle and bustle. There’s also a lively modern feel with independent shops, bars and restaurants. It’s also the perfect spot at Christmas, when the markets take over the city and festive lights give it a magical feel. INSIDER’S GUIDE Is York England’s most Christmassy city? You can find out for yourself on a York Christmas Walking tour. This 90-minute guided tour around the city’s twinkling streets explores the history and traditions…