Innholdsfortegnelse for 08-Jan-2018 i Woman's Own

After four years away, we’re counting down the days until Dancing on Ice returns to our screens. Not only does this year’s series boast a stellar line-up, including Bake Off winner Candice Brown and Bucks Fizz singer Cheryl Baker, but many old favourites are returning. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean  are taking their seats on the panel, with Ashley Banjo and the acid-tongued Jason Gardiner. Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield are back on hosting duties. Bring it on! Receive 6 issues of Woman’s Own for £1* Subscribe online at womansownsubs . co.uk/BWG 7 or call 0330 333 1113, quoting code BWG7 Save 50%…

‘It’s better than a poke in the eye!’ Playing Churchill could be Gary Oldman’s finest hour Congrats on the award nominations! I may be the only actor in history to get a Golden Globe nomination who doesn’t have a publicist. They’ve ignored me for 30 years, but it’s better than a poke in the eye with a stick! Not many people would put you and Churchill in the same breath… If someone said to me, they’re doing a film about Laurel and Hardy and they’re thinking of you for Stan Laurel, I could see that. But Churchill? I thought, ‘How do I get my head round that?’ How was it being turned into him? I’m coming up to a landmark birthday [Gary is 60 in March], so I told the…

‘I’d avoided confronting my size, until now’ Rifling through the snack cupboard, I pulled out two family-sized packets of crisps and headed straight to the living room. ‘Hurry up, it’s starting!’ shouted my boyfriend Darryl from the sofa. Rushing in, I collapsed next to him, and tore open one of the packets. Instinctively, I started shovelling handfuls of crisps into my mouth. Every day it was the same routine. Darryl, then 30, and I came home from work and settled in front of the TV to watch our favourite game show, Tipping Point. Presented by Ben Shephard, contestants must answer trivia questions to collect counters, which are then inserted into an arcade-style machine to win money. I’d been an avid viewer for years. Only tonight, I wouldn’t just be watching…

I run my own business consultancy firm, and last year I lost a staggering £180,000 after being targeted by fraudsters. I think I’m pretty savvy but, looking back, I feel a complete fool. It was December 2016 and I was going away for Christmas with my children, then aged 16 and 18. I was trying to tie up loose ends at work and get the packing done. The kids were finishing school, our dog was sick... and, on top of it all, the landline rang. It’s a ‘security issue’ The woman said she was from BT – I’d been talking to them a lot about WiFi problems. She claimed there had been a security issue with their customers’ bank accounts and named the bank I use for my business, which…

Contact Anita Send your questions to askanita@ timeinc.com  Follow her on Twitter @AnitaNaik Or go to anitanaik.com I feel so sad all the time QI am 49 years old and have been going through the menopause for the last year. The physical symptoms (insomnia and fatigue) I can deal with, but the emotional ones are ruining my life. I feel so sad all the time and with this comes bouts of anger and crying. My husband keeps asking what’s wrong, but I can’t tell him because I don’t really know. I feel like I have lost it. Sara, 47, Ipswich A There’s nothing you can do to stop the menopause, but there are lots of things that help with the symptoms you’ve…

Aries 21 Mar – 20 Apr In many ways you kick off the year on top form, but the risk now is you’ll go too far or say too much. And yet, if you’re one of those desperate to make a change and waiting for the right moment, it’s here. Taurus 21 Apr – 20 May It’s likely your other half is driving you mad. It may be their temper gets on your nerves and sparks yours. Many Taureans have an air-clearing argument, while some make a plan to change things forever. Gemini 21 May – 20 Jun As your ruler sails through your opposite sign, you can get through this week smoothly by letting others lead. If it feels difficult, it’ll be because you’re angry. But saying so helps…

I’ve been playing online bingo for about eight years now. I used to go down to the local bingo hall, but it’s so far away it was a pain to get there, and as you had to queue for books it soon became a bit of a chore, rather than fun with my friends. When I saw an advert for Woman’s Own Bingo, I decided to sign up. Playing online is much more convenient – you can play on your laptop or download the app on your phone to play while you’re on the go. In September this year, I logged into my account one Sunday evening. I had played a free game on the site – each day you get a free game after you’ve made the initial deposit…

Telly medic Dr Xand van Tulleken is back for another series of his C4 show that looks at the world of dieting. He tells us what to expect… In a nutshell, what’s this series about? We take three groups of two people and put them on diets to help them achieve the thing they want. We divide them into crash dieters, shape-shifters and life-changers. How do you choose which diets to try? We take the ones that are out there, the ones that are being talked about – the ones the poor viewers will be wrestling with and wondering which one they should go on. You’re quite sceptical about diets, aren’t you? The thing I’ve learnt in three series is that I should be a lot more open-minded about what…

Lorraine Kelly, 58 She’s the queen of daytime TV but Lorraine attracted a host of new fans when unretouched pictures emerged of her in a bikini for a photo shoot. Alongside a balanced diet, Lorraine credits disco-dancing classes for her great figure. She explains, ‘I was shy at my first class. And the next day I hurt in places I didn’t know I had places! I can’t always keep up but we all feel we’re Beyoncé in our heads. I’ve kept it off for more than two years. I was a size 14 in clothes but now I fit easily into a size 10.’ Susanna Reid, 47 Susanna credits her strong physique to enjoying a number of exercise regimes. She revealed in September, ‘Sometimes I am a Zumba fiend; others…

Tamzin Outhwaite has been away from EastEnders for 15 years, but now she’s back in Walford. We caught up with the 47-year-old to talk about carbs, broken bones and ‘coming home’ to Albert Square What did you think about being voted Sexiest Female in Soap back in the day? It’s flattering and I felt really thankful, but it’s a bit weird and I remember thinking, ‘I’d rather win Best Actress.’ Now I can’t believe that award ever existed. It’s not that British, is it? We normally embrace all sorts and for some reason we’re giving an award for being sexy. What message are we sending out? How does it feel returning to EastEnders as Melanie Owen after being away so long? It sounds ridiculous, but it’s felt like coming home.…

This week’s trend is black lack lace Jessica Alba, 36 Jessica’s gleaming Hollywood waves complement her elegant lace maxi beautifully – timeless glamour that works every time. Karren Brady, 48 Karren’s collared dress is a modern take on lace and with the cutaway panel is ultra feminine. Her simple heels go perfectly, too. Kerry Washington, 40 You’d get a few side glances if you arrived at the wine bar in this! Actress Kerry’s Tiffany blue and black lace gown was made for walking the red carpet. Myleene Klass, 39 Myleene’s lace layer looks stunning, but we would definitely add a black body-shaping dress underneath! Claire Foy, 33 Claire’s dress might be a world away from what she wears to play the Queen in The Crown, but it looks…

1 A genuine bank or organisation will never contact you out of the blue to ask for your PIN, full password, or to move money to another account. Take five to say: ‘My money? My info? I don’t think so!’ This simple phrase will help you stop fraudsters. Only give out personal or financial details to use a service that you’re expecting to contact you, that you’ve given your consent to, and that you trust. 2 Fraudsters are very sophisticated. They can make a familiar phone number appear on your mobile or add their own message to pre-existing threads from a trusted provider. If in doubt, only respond using a known phone number or email address and don’t tap your card number or PIN into your phone keypad. 3 Never…

‘One man was using his mate’s profile as his own’ ‘You have to be so careful’ Name Janice Bryant Age 58-year-old widow Lives St Ives, Cambridgeshire Occupation Retired business analyst Dating ad Happy, confident part-time model looking for a respectful man. Money scammers need not apply. People assume after you lose a loved one you need time alone. That wasn’t the case for me. When a man I met through work asked me out a month after my husband Keith died I jumped at the chance. I didn’t tell anyone. I thought it might be controversial. But I felt so bereft. Things inevitably fizzled out – I’d rushed into it – and I didn’t start dating again for another year or so. At first I said yes to everyone. I…

STAY ACTIVE ‘Even gentle activities like walking and swimming are beneficial. Physical activity helps synovial fluid circulate in the joint, increases blood flow and strengthens muscles.’ EAT WELL ‘Being overweight puts strain on joints – every 1lb of excess weight is an additional 4lb of strain on the knees. Inflammatory processes involved with fat tissues may also affect joints.’ SWITCH SUPPLEMENTS ‘Paracetamol is largely ineffective for joint pain. Instead, try the galactolipid GOPO (GOPO Joint Health, £18.99 for 120 capsules, Boots), which significantly reduces arthritis joint pain and potentially even helps cartilage and joint tissues to rebuild and regenerate.’ 62% of people say joint pain has an impact on them walking, according to a survey by GOPO Joint Health. 75% of…

Buy it Cook it  Caramelised apple and cinnamon porridge Vita Coco Coconut Milk Alternative, 1ltr, Tesco. Core and slice an apple. Place slices in a frying pan over a medium heat. While they’re cooking, combine 100g porridge oats and 200ml Vita Coco Coconut Milk Alternative in a separate pan and begin to cook. Turn the apples occasionally until they’ve started to caramelise. By now, your porridge should be ready. Transfer into two bowls. Top with the apples, mixed nuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Was £2.99 Now £2 Shake it up Yazoo Chocolate No Added Sugar, 200ml x4 This tasty chocolate milk has no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners, and no more sugar than a glass of semi-skimmed milk! It’s packed with the goodness of dairy…

Employ these no-hardship daily tricks to help you shed the pounds 1 Drink more water. Staying fully hydrated can curb the urge to snack. Drink at least six to eight cups of fluid a day (cups of tea and coffee count, too). What’s more, research has shown that drinking water can actually boost your metabolism and burn calories (12 for a 225ml glass)*. Save 12 cals 2 On your night out, switch wine or Prosecco for spirits with diet mixers. A large glass of wine contains around 225 calories, but a single gin and diet tonic has only 60 calories. Save 165 cals 3 Swap dessert for one large square of dark chocolate – it still feels like a treat, but you’ll be making big waistline savings. For example, there’s…

Does it matter which credit card I have? It’s true that most credit cards are still operated either by Visa or Mastercard but, within that, there’s a huge range of different interest rates and extra benefits. Finding the right card for you could save you hundreds of pounds a year – and using the wrong one could cost you a lot of money. I owe a lot on my card. How can I save money? You can switch your balance to a card with 0% interest. The new credit card provider pays the old one, and you then make repayments to them. Currently, you can find 0% interest deals lasting up to 40 months. But beware – if you don’t clear the debt at the end of the period (or…

My nan got me into playing bingo when I was young and I’ve never looked back. I started playing online in 2014 after I saw an article in Woman’s Own about their bingo site. Since I joined, I’ve had a few wins, but in September this year, I had my biggest win yet! I was playing Sapphire Bingo, which has become one of my favourite games. I usually watch the games, but more often than not something in the house is distracting me! That day it was the dogs and so I didn’t notice when I only had one number to go. Seconds later, I had won the jackpot! My account balance soared from just 76p to £1,000.76! I was absolutely thrilled and also in total disbelief. That night, I…

7am I’m always up early with the school run, which is like pushing a snowball up a hill with my two boys, Rudi, nine and Spike, four. When I do manage to get them to school, I’ll grab a coffee and do a few errands. 9am Three times a week I’ll try to run home once I drop the kids off at school. I have a 4k route and I stick to that. It’s multitasking! I hate going to the gym, as I can’t stand the pumping techno music and endless fake-tanned bodies. 11am Being a freelancer, no day is the same for me – I’d hate to become blasé and cynical. I was doing a breakfast show up until two months ago, so I had a bit more of…

‘She’s struggling to figure out what she wants from her life’ Loose Women star Coleen Nolan has confided in pals that she’s come to a crossroads and fears her life is ‘spiralling out of control’. Tragic family situations as well as her strained marriage to husband Ray Fensome have understandably affected Coleen, 52 – and it’s beginning to take its toll. A friend of the star tells Woman’s Own, ‘Coleen feels like her life is spiralling out of control. Every time she tries to pick herself up and be positive, some more bad news comes through.’ The latest blow Coleen has had to endure came when she discovered her sister Linda had been diagnosed with untreatable cancer – four years after the disease tragically took their sister, Bernie. Talking about…

Slimming sleeves Like to cover your arms? Say hello to the sheer sleeve trend! A feminine way to show just enough flesh. Bigger the better An oversize bag can make you appear smaller. It’s true! Here’s a round up of our favourites. Slim and shape jeans With new fabric technology and magi-sculpt control panels that lift and shape, now your jeans can create a sleeker silhouette. Flatter a big bust For those of us with a larger bust, wrap tops are our new best friend, and belted versions will also define your waist. Win, win!…

Peel & reveal Perk up drab skin with Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Bubble Mask Extreme, £7.50. This sheet mask is infused with glycolic acid to smooth and charcoal to detox and remove impurities. Soothe skin If your face is weary of the cold weather, calm and soothe redness with Calm Skin Hydrating 2-in-1 Serum & Moisturiser, £2.99, which contains camomile to hydrate and nourish. Fake it! Feeling pasty? Sweep one of the Solait Medium Tan Face Pads, £4, over your face and neck and a natural, streak-free tan will develop within a few hours. Beautiful bronzing Give skin a glow with a dusting of Primark PS... Bronze Bronzing Brick across cheekbones and decollete. It’s the finishing touch after an application of fake tan. A bargain at just £2.50. Go for gold…

‘Overnight, Arthur became withdrawn and frightened’ Clutching the brightly wrapped present, my son Arthur looked at me expectantly. With a smile, I read the words on the gift label. ‘Wow, this is from Superman,’ I said, handing it to him. ‘And this one here is from Spider-Man.’ It was 24 July 2002, Arthur’s fourth birthday. I was a single mum to Arthur and his older sister, Jayme, then nine. Arthur didn’t see his dad, so I sent him gifts from his favourite superheroes on his birthday instead. Despite being a confident, sociable child, I’d never let him out of my sight – until one day in April 2003. ‘Can we take Arthur to the park?’ Jayme asked when her friend Sasha came over. Attacked by thugs I hesitated. He was…

‘We always talked about having a family’ Sliding the last envelope into the post box, a wave of nervous anticipation washed over me. Posting wedding invitations is a big moment for any couple, but it was especially important for me. You see, they weren’t ordinary invites. They included an unusual request – one so personal that my fiancé Andrew and I had debated whether we should include it at all. But now that it was done, I felt confident in our decision. I’d met Andrew in 2008, at the supermarket where we both worked. We’d got chatting at the Christmas party that year, and when the lights came up, he asked me out. I’d said yes without hesitation and from that very first date, we’d always talked about our future…

Marvellous midwives I love Call the Midwife and each time it’s on our screens it reminds me how brilliant midwives are in bringing new lives into the world. It also reminds me how strong us women can be as giving birth is no easy feat! Rachel Brooke Star Wars tribute It was very moving to see the last scenes Carrie Fisher shot as Princess Leia in the new Star Wars film The Last Jedi. Ever since the first film with that iconic hairstyle, she’s been my favourite. Sarah Stuart Happy New Year! I know a lot of people find January tough with that post-Christmas feeling and talk of diets, but isn’t it great to think you’ve got a whole new 12 months to make all the same mistakes you made…

Amanda Holden, 46 The Britain’s Got Talent judge looks chillier than one of Simon Cowell’s put-downs. Debbie McGee, 59 Perhaps Debbie thinks she’s a contestant on Strictly Come Freezing… Charlotte Hawkins, 42 The Good Morning Britain presenter obviously missed the weather section. Melanie Sykes, 47 All that glitters is not gold… but can be very, very cold, Melanie. Holly Willoughby, 36 Nice tan, Holly, but it won’t shield you from the frosty climes in Blighty! Amy Walsh, 30 The Emmerdale star looks red hot but is surely feeling the wintry temps?! Brooke Vincent, 25 Clearly used to Dancing on Ice, the Corrie actress wasn’t fazed by the cold. Carol has got the right idea... Carol McGiffin, 57 The no-nonsense Loose Woman didn’t forget to grab her coat on the way…

1 Dancing on Ice Sunday, 6pm, ITV Ice, ice, baby! The celebrity ice-skating show is back, with the likes of singer Cheryl Baker and Corrie’s Brooke Vincent and Anthony Cotton taking to the rink with expert partners. Torvill and Dean judge, along with Jason Gardiner and Diversity’s Ashley Banjo. 2 Death in Paradise Thursday, 9pm, BBC1 Poker peril Watch out for Mark Benton playing Les Doyle, affable director of the Caribbean Poker Masters Tournament, who enjoys playing to the crowd. Theo Barklem-Biggs plays card prodigy Ray Campbell. And there’s a murder to investigate… 3 The Voice UK Saturday, 8pm, ITV Olly in a spin! Having been runner-up in The X Factor years ago, now Olly Murs becomes a talent coach for the new series of The Voice UK, joining will.i.am,…