Table of contents for 27-2025 in Best

Last night, I walked across to the local pub with my other half at 9pm. ‘Now?’ I questioned when he suggested it. ‘It’s still light,’ he shrugged. It was. Right now, those long days and warm nights are in full swing, so best has been turning its mind to how we make the best of that weather and so this week’s issue is full of ideas to help you through the coming weeks. What to wear to keep your cool is on page 12; and for what to eat and drink, see Olly Smith’s latest wine recommendation – a £5 fizz, no less – is on page 41. (There are also delicious strawberry recipes on page 38 if you are enjoying Wimbledon, as well as interviews with Annabel Croft and…

Previously nicknamed ‘horticultural Viagra’ and selling more calendars than top models, Garden Rescue’s Charlie Dimmock, now 58, has stuck to the declaration she first made over a decade ago... Speaking in 2014, Charlie (then 47) heartbreakingly said, ‘I’m too old now, certainly too old for marriage, there’s no point. ‘I do think I’m too old now. I can’t see anything happening when it comes to romance; somebody would have to really bowl me over. I am quite content without a man in my life.’ But the flame-haired presenter wasn’t always down on love! When she was picked to be the water features expert on Ground Force in the late Nineties, Charlie was living with long-term boyfriend John Mushet, but they split when she had a fling with the show’s sound…

New balls, please! You know Summer has arrived when Wimbledon gets going... Here, we chat to the BBC presenters who will be bringing the game to life for those of us watching at home. The BBC’s lead Wimbledon presenter Clare Balding, 54, and tennis legends Annabel Croft, 58, and Andrew Castle, 61, tell us what to expect from the class of ‘25 – and why they’re hoping for big clashes... CLARE BALDING Clare, what can we expect from this year’s Wimbledon? Top class tennis in the most prestigious setting. Epic five-set thrillers to keep you on the edge of your seats, informed insight from Grand Slam winning pundits, in-depth analysis and fascinating features that build up the characters on court. What are you most looking forward to? I love being…

THE PRICE OF PERFECTION Counsels of perfection do not work because if people were capable of that degree of control, they would not need to give up eating, drinking or smoking too much in the first place. My first TV reality show was back in 2002 when I took part in a health and diet programme called Fit Club. The programme’s doctor, Adam Carey, told us we could eat between meals. Yay, I thought, this is my type of diet. Then I asked him what we could eat and he told us solemnly ‘two walnuts’. I told him that would not keep a budgie going, let alone a politician coping with all-night sessions at Westminster. All I wanted when the division bells rang at 4am was a socking great bacon…

1 BEAT THE HEAT ‘UV rays and heat oxidize hair in a similar way to bleach, weakening its protein structure,’ says Anabel Kingsley, trichologist at Philip Kingsley. Cover up with a hat or scarf and stay out of the sun when you can! If being out and about is an inevitable part of the holiday, switch your styling products for ones designed to tackle classic Summer issues. Pantene Sunkiss Glow Leave-In Treatment, £12, is a spray-on formula that offers UV, salt and chlorine protection, creating a barrier against the elements. Spray before going out, then rinse your hair after swimming or exposure. 2 ONE STEP TO SMOOTH Feeling frayed? Once ends are split, they’re split for good, but a weekly mask can tide you over until your next trim. ‘Keep…

TOP TIP! Switch to a Summer-tog duvet to help your sleep on balmy evenings.…

This week, Paddy is attacked by villainous new farmer Celia’s dog, resulting in grave injuries and triggering a feud with his father Bear. Star Dominic Brunt reveals all about what the attack means for the vet’s future… Hi Dom! What are Paddy’s concerns after the attack? It’s a bad injury – it goes through an artery in his arm. He thinks that he can’t be a vet anymore and he doesn’t know anything else! He has no other skills – he’s not the most worldly-wise person. He went to university and became a vet and that’s it. Can Paddy and Bear resolve their differences? It’s about miscommunication. Bear is just venting, and he doesn’t mean anything he’s saying. He’s worried about his son and doesn’t know what to say. He…

CANCER 22 June – 23 July Love planet Venus shifts into your romantic and compassionate zone this week, and a sudden psychic connection with a new face could hit you like a lightning bolt! There’s definitely a reason this person has come into your life, but it’s up to you to discover it. Meanwhile, avoid making any sudden changes on long-term finances. LEO 24 July – 23 August Someone’s quietly taking a lot of liberties behind the scenes, and if you look closely you’ll see they’ve been putting themselves first for far too long now. Let that Leo pride shine and make it clear you won’t stand for anyone taking advantage or acting selfishly. Luck is linked to an old item in a shoebox. VIRGO 24 August – 23 September…

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World-renowned past lives expert David Wells answers your questions. This week, he’s chosen Debbie Cox, 60, a surveyor from Basildon, who has two grown-up kids and lives with her husband Mark. Here, she tells us what came through in their encounter... Have you always believed in the spirit world and past lives? Yes, even at a young age I believed in the spirit world, and I’ve always thought past lives were a real possibility. I’ve had this constant feeling throughout my life that there’s something more… so I’ve always felt quite curious about the spiritual world. I’ve never had a reading like David’s before, but I did once meet a medium who did a spiritual reading for me. Talk us through your reading with David… David saw three past lives…

Saffy and Neil had been married four years. Saffy’s mum gave them a linen tablecloth for their four-year anniversary. Shortly after celebrating it, they moved from a bustling town to the pretty rural village of Loxham. ‘Fresh start for both of us,’ Neil said in the car, not quite meeting Saffy’s eye. It was nobody else’s business, but they’d decided on a fresh start after his ‘moment of madness’ with a fellow teacher at his school. The moment in question had happened on a school trip to France. It was very stressful herding a group of 14-year-olds around Paris, apparently. You needed patience, vigilance and the ability to talk angry patisserie owners out of calling the police. There had also been what Saffy called ‘the Everest defence’. In other words,…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT Hands up, this trip to New Smyrna Beach wasn’t my first rodeo, but this colourful part of Florida is a hidden gem. Around an hour from all the usual attractions of Orlando, it has a totally different vibe. You’ll find art everywhere, electric bikes to cycle over the 17 miles of golden sand (rent a bike with Pedego Electric Bikes) and get zen with yoga classes on the beach with Om Yoga Sunshine. You can either stay by the beach adjacent to Flagler Avenue, or further afield at a luxury B&B, such as Victoria 1883, a stunning seven-bedroom Victorian guest house. INSIDER’S GUIDE What’s your poison? Local distilleries are everywhere. Try a beer at the New Smyrna Beach Brewing Company, a cocktail at Sugar Works Distillery or Yaupon…

After claiming that it was her own decision to axe her latest podcast series, Meghan Markle (sorry, Sussex...) explained in a new interview that she wanted to focus her efforts on other projects. ‘The only thing I want spread thin is my jam,’ she joked. However, critics are claiming that the only thing the mum-of-two is spreading thinly, is the truth! Meghan – who has said that heartbreakingly she fell victim to racist comments in the past – and her brand has been dismissed as spin by one Royal commentator, who has even branded the whole podcast endeavour ‘a disaster’. The 43-year-old launched her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, in which she interviews successful women who have started up their own businesses, back in April. And though fans online…

I was in my late 20s and had been working as a nurse for the International Committee of the Red Cross for just over a year when I was asked to go to Ethiopia in 1983. I’d never been to Africa before and thought ‘why not?’ But I had no idea of what I was about to face. It was a brutal civil war, there was no food and millions of displaced people were starving to death. I remember clearly the day a BBC news crew turned up in October 1984 at the improvised feeding shelter where I was stationed. There was only enough food to take in an extra 70 people. But when I looked outside, I counted 10 rows of children, and in every row there were 100…

Shaking, I dialled the emergency number. ‘Help,’ I said, fighting back tears. ‘I’m homeless.’ I grew up in care and left school at 14 with no qualifications. I got pregnant at 15 and at 16, I had my son, Dylan. My mental health was shocking, but in my traumatised 16-year-old mind, I thought, ‘I can be a mum’. Dylan lived with me for the first four years of his life, but at 21, I was admitted to a mental health hospital and Dylan went to live with a member of staff that I’d met at the children’s home. I kept in contact, but when he was nine, they moved to Australia. I was devastated. I felt I was at a crossroads, so I moved to Wales. I didn’t want to…

HEATWAVE HEROES! Summer beauty is meant to be carefree, light and breezy, but it can be tricky when the heat is on. We are not used to extreme temperatures in the UK, so it pays to be prepared and it’s well worth having a few reliable products to cope with the humidity on hot, sticky days. On my must-haves list are long-wear eyeshadow sticks and an eye primer to prevent eye make-up melting and a good waterproof mascara that won’t smudge or budge. Plus, a blemish stick to tackle any breakouts. And a tool that’s new to me…a bamboo face roller to banish shine. These are all under a tenner and will all help you keep your cool beautifully. 1 SETTING SPRAY L’Oreal Paris Infallible 3-second Setting Spray (currently £7.99,…

Vegan No-Churn Strawberry Nice Cream A dairy-free ice cream alternative, so ‘creamy’ no-one will know it’s vegan? Yes, it’s true! Black pepper may seem an odd ingredient in a dessert, but it really enhances the strawberry flavour, without the end result tasting peppery. Hands-on time 20min, plus cooling, overnight freezing and softening. Cooking time about 10min. Makes 1.8 litre, or about 12 scoops • 400g strawberries, hulled• Juice 1/2 lemon• 2tbsp icing sugar• 1/4tsp freshly (and finely) ground black pepper• 250ml vegan whippable double cream alternative, chilled, we used Elmlea*• 2tsp vanilla bean paste• 370g tin vegan condensed milk alternative, we used Carnation• 150g vegan cream cheese alternative, we used Philadelphia TO SERVE, OPTIONAL Vegan white chocolate 1 Finely chop 100g of the strawberries and set aside in a small…

WHAT DO I WEAR? I am meeting up with an old flame after 22 years, and I’ve never been so nervous. I’ve been looking at my wardrobe and nothing is working for me. I’m going to have to go shopping because I want to feel confident going into this. He’s the one that’s always been in the back of my mind, so this meet-up needs to go perfectly. I don’t want it to seem like I’ve spent ages on what I look like though, but obviously I want him to fancy me. What do you think I should wear? Laura, Luton Relax. He wants to see you. He’s not being dragged to your rendezvous against his will. What you wear should make you feel pretty, confident and comfortable. There’s nothing…

Set to be this Summer’s must-see film, 61-year-old superstar, Brad Pitt, plays a Formula One driver who comes out of retirement to team up with and mentor a younger driver in F1. Here, the American hunk (who’s reportedly estranged from the six children he shares with ex, Angelina Jolie) reveals what it was like to drive a 200mph racing car, his bad habits – and his thoughts on fate and destiny... How much do you need to know about motorsport to enjoy F1? I really don’t think you need to know anything. This isn’t just a race movie, it’s a very human story. It’s about people and the risks they take to be the best at what they do. More than anything, it’s a really fun and exciting thrill ride…

Follow the renovation journey of reality star Billie and husband Gregory Shepherd as they build their dream home on @homewiththesheps.…

As she prepares for her huge Hyde Park performances this weekend (hopefully showcasing her new song ‘Manchild’), we look back at Sabrina’s music to date... WHERE IT ALL BEGAN... It was 10 years ago when the young songstress released her very first album in 2015, ‘Eyes Wide Open’ at the age of just 16. It sold 12,000 copies in the first week, and hit the Billboard 200 chart in the US at number 43. SHORT N’ SWEET Fast-forward a decade to 2024, and the now pop superstar released her ‘Short n’ Sweet’ album and embarked on her first-ever global tour, having to extend dates due to demand! This is the album that gave Sabrina her greatest hits to date – as well as a music video for ‘Please Please Please’…

This book has had so much love from readers! It’s the tale of two writers competing for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of octogenarian Margaret Ives. Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize winner. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island wanting to write the biography of Ives – who no-one has seen in years – or at least to meet her. Ives is an heiress and former tabloid princess from one of the 20th Century’s most famous families. She gives both Alice and Hayden a one-month trial period, after which she’ll decide who tells her story. There are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game. One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people…

PET OF THE WEEK Name: Princess Sophie McGeeBreed: TabbyOwner: Tina, Newport 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.*…

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 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 advertised or…

Never one to shy away from voicing her opinion - Oscar-winning actress, Dame Emma Thompson, says she feels sex should be prescribed on the NHS. The 66-year-old mum-of-two, who has been married to fellow actor Greg Wise since 2003, made the comments during a live Q&A at a screening of her film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande at The Kiln Theatre in north west London. Emma reflected on the surprising response to the movie, in which she plays a retired, widowed teacher who explores her sexuality with a male escort. She said: ‘We need to learn about our own response to: what if when you’re unwell, you can’t make connections, but you need sex?’ ‘You need sex because it’s part of our health plan, if you like. It should…

TOP TIP Loose tunic-style tops are a pretty alternative to the classic T-shirt.…

MY SUMMER SKINCARE SOLUTIONS QUEEN OF HARLEY STREET LESLEY REYNOLDS SAYS… Whether you’re dry, oily, sensitive or somewhere in-between, your skin deserves to glow in the sunshine too! Keep it simple, stay protected, and hydrate smartly. A consistent, lightweight routine will help you enjoy radiant, happy skin even through a UK heatwave. Do you feel like your skin gets more sensitive during the Summer? As the weather heats up, skin becomes more reactive due to increased sun exposure, humidity, and pollution. UV rays break down collagen and weaken the skin barrier, leading to dehydration, irritation, and redness. Sweat and oil production also spike, clogging pores, while air con zaps moisture. Add more frequent shaving, and you’ve got a perfect storm for stressed-out skin. Here’s how to protect, soothe, and glow…

HOW IT WORKS 1 Back in the Fifties family meals were a lot smaller. The average plate size then was 22cm – now we regularly eat off a 28cm plate and wine glasses are fuller too. Portions served in restaurants and ready-made meals like curries have jumped by 50 per cent and biscuits are up to a quarter bigger! 2 Recipe terms used by our favourite chefs can lead us astray with ‘glugs’, ‘handfuls’ and ‘dollops’ used to ‘measure’ ingredients which might make cooking easier but can also mean more fats, carbs and proteins being loaded onto our plates. 3 Visualise the amounts of carbs, fats and protein you should have on your plate. A recommended serving of 175g of potatoes looks the size of a computer mouse, a 90g…

Sharing his passion for wine for 20 years, Olly’s a regular on Saturday Kitchen, a food hero for P&O Cruises and award-winning author of eight books. With his extensive knowledge of all things booze, the only thing Olly is more enthusiastic about than a glass of the good stuff, is sharing it as widely as possible. So, here’s his boozy bargain find for this week... TESCO BELLA CUCINA ASTI 2024 (7%) £5 This sparkler is as sweet and frothy as it is splendidly fun. Nothing beats it served cold with a bowl of freshly-cut strawberries for a moment of bliss. It’s also a complete winner to serve with cake. Thanks to a low level of alcohol (just 7 %), it’s ideal for a lunchtime treat and you’ll love its gorgeous…

‘Before I go on, let me just say I love my friends. I love our friends. And I love seeing them. So why, some of them are asking, have we implemented a ‘no guests’, apart from close family, policy at our house after eight years of almost back-to-back visitors? First and foremost, it’s too much hard work. There’s the shopping, the laundry, the catering, the time you have to invest when people are effectively on holiday in your house while forgetting you’re not! Also, it’s expensive. It doesn’t matter how much guests try and ‘pay their way’, it’s still just a contribution to the bigger picture. And, our house is, contrary to popular belief, small. It doesn’t really have a ‘spare’ room anymore because we use all of them, all…

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. BATTS SALAD CREAM 99p, Lidl This salad cream was lightest in colour than the rest with a silky texture that kept you coming back for more. Notes of mustard lingered after every bite adding an enjoyable heat and giving another dimension to the sauce. SALAD CREAM £1.60, Sainsbury’s A close second, this one was probably the strongest of all the salad creams, which tasting on its own made me pull…

Samantha Gillingham was just 16 when she found a letter from her mum to say she was leaving and wouldn’t be coming back. It wasn’t until years later that she found out her dad had in fact callously murdered her mum and faked the note. Now, 40 years on, Samantha is pleading with her father to reveal what he did with her mother’s body – before it’s too late. It was 1985 when Russell Causley killed his wife Carole Packman and then proceeded to cover it up for years to come – especially keeping the secret from his daughter, Samantha. While the couple’s life before the murder appeared normal – they both had jobs in the aviation industry, a family home in Bournemouth and regular holidays – their life behind…