Innholdsfortegnelse for 29-sep-14 i Woman's Own

Doesn’t she look great? Claudia Winkleman’s new look (far left) shows the star minus her normal trademark straight fringe, heavy eyeliner and nude lips. We all love Claudia but this new make-under knocks years off the star and makes her even more super-gorgeous. She’s already admitted to trimming her fringe for Strictly ‘out of respect for the viewers’ who she felt deserved a bit of eye contact. But here, in a funky ‘1970’ jumper for London Fashion Week, she’s not only pinned her fringe to one side but added a slick of red lippy. We think it’s a winner! Join us online Head to our fabulous website, womansown.co.uk , to get all the latest celeb gossip, great competitions and deals, plus beauty, fashion,…

Lynda Bellingham has revealed how a hospital dash left birthday plans for her husband of six years, Michael Pattemore, ‘ruined’. The actress, 66, said, ‘My carefully thought out plans were ruined by a short spell in hospital.’ Clearly not expecting the sudden admission, Lynda already had things well underway for the special celebration. ‘I’d ordered the customary chocolate cake, planned the Sunday lunch menu and invited friends and family to join us at our London home to celebrate his 59th year,’ she said. ‘Then I was under doctor’s orders to be admitted for observation, and had to cancel.’ Family to the rescue Although Lynda was crushed, she was comforted by the fact that her family stepped in to make sure Michael, who Lynda lovingly refers to as Mr Spain, still…

Mostly As Gourmet food is your downfall… You love food and cooking and don’t want to miss out on any new taste sensation. You’re great at rustling up healthy food from scratch, but need to limit the less healthy options and your overall intake. SLIM DOWN: The 5:2 diet is great for gourmets as you only have to muster up willpower for two days a week and you’ll enjoy the challenge of creating healthy low-calorie options on your fast days. TOP TIP: Try serving up your favourite dishes on smaller plates – you’ll shrink portions without feeling deprived. Mostly Bs A hectic lifestyle is playing havoc… You’re always in a rush or too busy to cook. And because you frequently find yourself hungry and disorganised, you end up grabbing fast…

You meet online and a romantic relationship develops quickly No real shared interests. You might express an opinion on something and they will parrot it back There’s often a substantial age difference Secretive behaviour – for example, the history of a computer might be deleted Their relatives and friends don’t know about you They might pressure you to buy property overseas, so they can make a claim when they divorce you You’re at risk of this type of fraud if you meet someone who is on a student visa, an illegal immigrant, an asylum seeker, or somebody who is already living in the UK on a spouse visa but doesn’t have the correct indefinite leave paperwork to remain…

Imagine being able to hit the shops with £1,000 in your purse to spend on anything you wanted. Thanks to Palmer’s, one lucky Woman’s Own reader will win £1,000 worth of Love2shop vouchers, which can be redeemed at more than 20,000 high-street stores nationwide. The winner and 10 runners-up will also get a Palmer’s goodie bag worth £50. Firm favourite Every great story has its ups and downs, twists and turns, with a unique set of characters and experiences that shaped it. The Palmer’s story started in the US during the 1800s, and today it’s the No.1 Cocoa Butter brand in the world – and the UK’s favourite Cocoa Butter. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula’s unique heritage and commitment to quality has stood the test of time,…

How to make the most of... SELLING ON EBAY Online auction website ebay has changed the way it charges user for listing items, aiming to give more flexibility. Here's how to make it work for you WHAT ARE THE NEW FEES? In the past, sellers could list 100 items for auction each month at no charge, as long as the bidding started below £1. Now you can only list 20 for free but there is no minimum price. Also, within your first 20 limit, you can list items as ‘Buy-it-now’ for a fixed price rather than having to go through an auction, at no extra charge. HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? Once an item is sold, ebay will take a 10% fee, while PayPal deducts 3.4% of the final value,…

Join with Woman’s Own and Quidco today and start saving! ‘Cashback soon mounts up’ The site keeps track of all cashback earnings and you can see how it mounts up. I’ve bought clothes and booked holiday flights and hotel accommodation through Quidco. I pocketed £180 on my contract with Vodafone – I couldn’t believe it. To date, I’ve earned £900. DEBBIE MACKENZIE, 44 ‘I get the best deals’ I use Quidco for loads of things. You log in, search for what you need, and the site brings up the best deals from the available suppliers. There are some great insurance deals, I’ve earned £50 cashback on my car insurance and £70 on my home insurance! SYLVIA REIS, 36…

‘My 2p ticket turned into £7,197!’ Hayley Morrison, 28, from Aberdeen, splashed out on a new car and a holiday I discovered Woman’s Own Bingo three years ago. I’d tried a couple of other sites, but this was exciting, fun and there was so much going on. Usually you’ll find me playing the slots, but occasionally I’ll dabble in the bingo rooms when there’s a huge jackpot. One day, the Tiki Bingo progressive jackpot was over £7,000, so I bought 120 2p tickets. Soon I only needed five numbers and I watched as they were called – then a message popped up telling me I’d hit the jackpot of £7,197! My partner Andrew, 33, was at work and our son Calum, 11, was at school, so I was home alone.…

He’s the judge who is always at the centre of any controversy and no more so than now, as Craig Revel Horwood comes under attack from ex Strictly dancer James Jordan and wife Ola. James, who recently appeared on Celebrity Big Brother , was axed earlier this year after reports he’d had a series of clashes with Craig. Even Ola suggested it was time for Strictly’s so-called Mr Nasty and fellow judge Bruno Tonioli to be replaced. Woman’s Own caught up with Craig, 49, to get his take on it all… Your Mr Nasty tag is starting to slip! Are you a bit of a softie really? I am a nice person – it’s just…

Does your fella spend hours sweating it out in the gym, honing his abs and perfecting his biceps in a bid to impress you? Well, tell him to stop now – because it seems we women prefer our men fatter! A new study reveals three-quarters of us would choose a flabby man over a chiselled one, with 96% saying image-conscious guys obsessed with the gym are dull and boring on dinner dates*. So what about our lust for Hollywood heart-throbs like Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, Hugh Jackman… And, of course, there’s David Beckham, who turns every woman’s head when he poses in those pants! But that’s the point – these men are ‘lust’ material, something to fantasise over and dream about. In real life, we’d sooner settle for a bloke…

BARRY M SHOWGIRL EXTRA VOLUME MASCARA, £4.99 I love a mascara you can layer up to achieve the flutter you want. This is one of those magic formulas and delivers thicker, fuller-looking lashes. CLINIQUE ANTI-BLEMISH SOLUTIONS POWDER MAKEUP, £24.50 Give shine the heave-ho with this powder foundation. It helps control oil production and the antibacterial sponge prevents future breakouts. MAYBELLINE COLOR DRAMA INTENSE VELVET LIP PENCIL, £4.99 Top up your lips on the go with this handy and oh so creamy pencil, available in 10 semi-matte shades. LAURA MERCIER SATIN MATTE EYE COLOUR, £19 For a sultry, smoky effect, we love the combination of Tempting Green and Gold Seduction from the new AW14 collection. E.L.F ESSENTIAL LITTLE BLACK BEAUTY BOOK EYE EDITION, £8, EYESLIPSFACE.CO.UK With 48 shades, punchy…

Michelle is one of a number of British women who have unwittingly become members of a very unique wives club. And they’ve got one thing in common – they claim they’ve suffered the humiliation and hurt of being conned by scheming foreign grooms. It’s a story so often told – British women who fall for men either through the internet, or while overseas, marrying and then settling with their new partner in the UK. All seems happy until their husbands gain a UK passport and disappear, often leaving their dumped wives devastated and massively in debt. Yet while such stories often gain a fair amount of criticism with accusations of naivety, a group of these duped women have decided to fight back. They have clubbed together to highlight this shocking…

I fear my husbandhas left us broke I’ve just discovered my husband parents lent him £10,000 last year to support his business and now he is unable to pay them back. His credit rating is terrible and he is pressuring me to take a new mortgage on our house so he can return their money. I feel like I don’t have much choice. Teresa, 52, via email I understand your husband is pressuring you, just like he probably pressured his parents to lend him money he couldn’t repay. That’s why I’m glad you’ve taken a pause to write to me. Don’t do anything without professional advice. A good place to start is Step Change (stepchange.org), which can give you and your husband online or telephone debt advice. I’m sure you’re…

We Kiwi fruit love... They’re twice as high in vitamin C as an orange and new research shows that adding two a day to your diet can help you feel more energised and lift your mood. Cut off the tops, like a boiled egg, and scoop out the flesh or slice them into a fruit salad. 3 step fix ITCHY, DRY SKIN DO THIS It’s common to get dry skin after the summer. Sun exposure, chlorine in pools and skin products can trigger a flare-up that can turn into contact dermatitis or eczema. Don’t bathe in too hot water as it can irritate skin and drink lots of fluids to hydrate. TRY THIS We lose natural oils during hormonal changes, so get more healthy oils in your diet. Eat avocados…

Bravo for boys LEGALISE IT! I think gender selection should be made legal because there are many families who’ve had all boys and yearn for a daughter to complete their family. Having had daughters, I would’ve loved a boy but seven grandsons have made up for it. SYLVIA FOSTER, EMAIL Like a scan It’s not so different from some people choosing to find out the sex of their baby during their scan while others don’t. Some don’t care long as the child is healthy, and many of those wouldn’t use selection if it was legal. Those who do might look after their ‘wanted’ child better. LAURA HORVATHSZOVATI, EMAIL BAD FOR SOCIETY Legalising sex selection would dramatically change society. And it could prove emotionally damaging to children who find out their…

Most mums would agree raising children is tough. But when your child has special needs, things are doubly hard. It’s something I know first hand – my son Dan, 10, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was 13 months old and we’ve faced some challenging times over the years. But when I met Yvonne Newbold my own problems paled beside hers – as she was a single mum to three children with special needs. We met in February 2010 at a workshop for parents of children with disabilities, where Yvonne gave an incredibly powerful talk. Afterwards, I went to tell her how moved I was by her speech and we got chatting. She explained how, when her son Toby was born in April 1994, she knew straight away he…

When I logged on to play Woman’s Own Bingo, I never dreamt I’d win again. I’d already had four amazing jackpot wins in just two months. But then within another four months, I’d scooped another three jackpots. Now, I’ve won a total of over £75,000! I’ve been playing online bingo for three years, and like the local bingo hall, it’s a really sociable place. There are chat rooms alongside the games, so you can talk to other players and congratulate them whenever they win! There are also hosts who look after everyone and run fun chat games, and they always help you out if you have any questions. My two latest wins have both been on the Bullion Bonanza game, I won a whopping £18,193 and…

I joined Woman’s Own Bingo two years ago and I love it. The social side is brilliant. I’m usually in the Emerald Value room, where tickets are priced from a penny. But one day I decided to try the Super Snap game. After buying my hand of cards, I went back into the Emerald room. Suddenly my balance shot up to over £5,400! ‘Look at this!’ I called out to my husband Trevor, 63. It was a fantastic feeling! I couldn’t believe it until I saw the money in my bank. I’m going to use some of the win to visit my sister Maureen in Spain. I treated my granddaughter Amy, my son Mark and his partner Debbie, as well as buying a greenhouse for Trevor and a mobility scooter…

Aries 21 Mar – 20 Apr You never like to be confused or lacking in direction, so Wednesday’s tricky vibe won’t feel easy. But things get better as the days go by. You get your mojo back – and wow! At the weekend, things get romantic or downright hot. For more call 0901 609 4780* Taurus 21 Apr – 20 May Feeling frisky? With your romantic ruler Venus skipping through your chart’s zone of fun there should be plenty to smile about. The weekend’s link-up with sexy Mars suggests that making some kind of whoopee is inevitable. For more call 0901 609 4781* Gemini 21 May – 20 Jun It’s likely something happens at work or to do with your daily routine that you won’t be able to talk about.…

Needled on the record! A lady is never too long in the tooth to shake her tush and no one lives up to that more than pal Jane McDonald, who gave me her new dance remix CD in the lift at work. ‘Handy,’ I said. ‘I’m off to a car boot sale Sunday.’ Jesting, of course. I’m listening to it as I write! Blue BOYS! As you can see, super-stylish Jeff Brazier and I are embracing our blue period. Navy is all the rage with fellas at the moment. And why not? As the late, great Joan Rivers once said of her legs, ‘Blue goes with everything!’ THE BEAT GOES ON! If anyone can tell me if Mark Wright has got rhythm it’s his fiancée Michelle…

LOVE UP & DOWNS Strictly contestant Alison Hammond has found love on the internet! Alison, 39, is said to have fallen for Jamie Savage, 36. A source said, ‘They went on a couple of dates and really hit it off. He’s a security guard, which suits Alison fine. She may be a celebrity, but she’s incredibly down to earth and doesn’t have any airs and graces.’ Meanwhile, the ex-girlfriend of fellow contestant Simon Webbe, 36, has revealed dumped the Blue singer because she caught him out sexting other women during their relationship. ‘The final straw came when I found explicit photos of a naked girl on his phone.’ Oh dear. STRICTLY BANNED It seems James Jordan has well and truly burnt his bridges with the BBC – he’s reportedly banned…

What’s your verdict on this year’s lot? Darcey I really like it! There are lots of strong personalities. Len After Strictly finishes each year, I always say to the producers, ‘How are you going to beat that?’ And somehow they do! Who are the celebs to watch? D I’m looking forward to Gregg Wallace. I like someone who is forceful and it will be interesting to see if he can keep his nerve on the dance floor. L Alison Hammond is a bubbly character. I think she could be another Lisa Riley and really shake it about! Do you think Judy Murray will do well? D I think she will be fascinating. L I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Judy was better than we think. How do you think…

Will you do me a favour? Next time your kids are heading out, give them a huge hug before they go. It doesn’t matter if they’re only off to school or to a friend’s. Just hug them. And I don’t mean just the usual ‘see you later’ squeeze. I mean a proper cuddle, where you wrap them up in your arms and hold them tightly. It’s what I wish I’d done when I let my little son and daughter go off that awful day. Because what happened next was so horrific, so unimaginably evil, I’m left with a pain that will never heal and a million moments of regret… The day had started so normally. It was 19 October 2012, a Friday. My partner Steve and I were rushing about,…

In 2003, Elaine Davison met Mahmut* at a nightclub in her home town of Hull. Elaine, then 45, had never married and was waiting for her Mr Right. When she met charming Turkish-born Mahmut, she thought he was the one and the pair wed three years later. Mahmut, who had already been living in the UK for a few years, got a job in a local pizza restaurant and, for a while, they were happy. But, just two days after receiving his UK passport, on 23 July 2010, he disappeared. Elaine says, ‘He borrowed my car, telling me he was doing deliveries, but when I went into the restaurant, his boss told me he’d gone on holiday.’ Doing a runner ‘I called my neighbour, who looked out of the window…

I want to try role playing I’ve been married for 13 years and while things are OK in the bedroom, I’d like to try something new. A friend told me that she and her husband use role play. I want to suggest it to my husband but am concerned that he will take my suggestions the wrong way. Karen, 48, Lincolnshire Assuming you know which role-playing adventure you’d like to indulge in, there are several schools of thought on this. One is that you should chat through your ideas outside the bedroom – use your friend as bait by saying, ‘X told me she and her hubby use role play in the bedroom. I found myself getting turned on by one particular scenario. Interested?’ If he is, go into as…

New research shows half of us are stuck in a hair rut. But I change my hair nearly as often as I change my sheets, with each new style usually heralding a major change in my life. Right now I’m in a happy, relaxed stage and my hair reflects that – long, casual and natural-looking. But if history repeats itself, it will be chopped off quicker than you can say, ‘Pass me the scissors!’ Here’s my life in hair… THEFARRAH(1975) My favourite teen style. I loved it and felt very confident in myself. THE PAGE BOY (1977) I had to spend all my money on hairspray, but it seemed worth it. THE PERM (1979) An ill-advised home perm. I was at university and up for experimenting. THE DIANA (1983) As…

Jammy coconut squares SERVES 6 PREP TIME 10 MINS COOKING TIME 30 MINS COST PER SERVING 50p YOU WILL NEED 250g potatoes, peeled and chopped 1tbsp milk 250g butter, at room temperature 250g golden caster sugar 3 large eggs 1tbsp vanilla extract 250g gluten-free self-raising flour 6tbsp strawberry jam 2tbsp desiccated coconut HOW TO DO IT 1 Heat oven to 180°C/ Gas 4. Grease and line an 18 x 28cm tin. Put the potatoes into a heatproof bowl with 175ml water and microwave on high for 10 mins until tender, or boil the potatoes in a pan. Drain, add milk and mash until smooth. 2 Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Fold in flour and mash. Spoon into the…

Cooking tarts gave me the confidence to think big It was 2007 and the recession was coming. As a manager for a firm of mortgage brokers, I realised I wasn’t going to have a job for much longer. I was almost 49 – not a great age to find myself unemployed. And it hadn’t been a great decade for me. I’d lost my mum, got divorced and my only daughter had hit her teenage years. Finding love again, marrying Richard the previous May, had felt like the sun coming out again at last. But now I faced possible redundancy. ‘I’m going to jump before I’m pushed,’ I told Richard. But what would I do for an income? I loved cooking but knew nothing about doing it as a business. Then…

Yesterday I got back from a lovely weekend in London, watching my football team Sunderland play at Wembley, and it’s thanks to Woman’s Own Bingo! In May last year I won £25,062 on Slots Friendzy. It’s fantastic because anyone can win the jackpot at any time. When one person hits the jackpot, all the other players win the community jackpot too. So if you’ve played the game in the past three minutes you can win a share! Two months later I bagged £1,001 on Double Bubble Slots and later that month I hit the Slots Friendzy jackpot again, taking home £2,082. Then in December I did it again, winning £3,107 on Slots Friendzy, which I was chuffed to bits with. I also play the instant win scratch cards and in…

Uplifting reading How inspiring to read the stories of Lucy, Brenda and Gemma, who have refused to let tragedy hold them back. In a society obsessed with the ‘perfect image’, we can learn a great deal from these girls. They are not only immensely brave, but undeniably beautiful too. Lisa De Blasio, via email Congrats! So lovely to see on the news that Prince William and Kate Middleton are expecting their second child – what a down-to-earth couple they are. But I was sorry to read that Kate is experiencing terrible morning sickness again. I had it during all three of my pregnancies, and tried everything from ginger tea to lemon juice to stop the nausea, so I know how hard it can be – let’s hope she’s feeling better…

GEORGE ON DOWNTON! It’s really happening! The rumour that George Clooney, 53, is going to make a guest appearance on Downton Abbey is true! Apparently George, who is a big fan of the show, will appear in a sketch for this year’s Text Santa charity appeal on ITV, and has recorded his scenes, set at a wedding. A source said, ‘George and Hugh Bonneville became close while filming The Monuments Men , and it was clear that George loved Downton . He’d joke about getting a part, so Hugh helped put the wheels in motion to make it happen.’ Keeping shtum Olivia Colman is just as excited as the rest of us about the return of Broadchurch . The actress,…

All-round Mr Nice Guy, Gok Wan, 39, is just as lovely in person as he is on the telly. We caught up with him to chat freebies, days off and frugality. What’s the priciest item you’ve bought? A Chanel sequinned jacket. A few years ago I went to Paris and was determined to get something from Chanel. It’s the most revolting thing you’ll ever see. I’ve worn it twice and both times it got ripped. Have you ever checked yourself out on Google? Yes. When I first went on the box I didn’t really understand what fame was because I’d worked behind the scenes. I was fascinated with people finding out, or making up information about me. The most bizarre thing I discovered was that somebody had written on Wikipedia…