Table of contents for Bella 05 December 2023 in Bella

Sarah Ferguson divided opinions as she made her guest-hosting debut on This Morning last week. The Duchess of York, known as Fergie, dished out marriage and parenting advice in an agony aunt segment, was visibly starstruck as she interviewed singer Cliff Richard and helped make carbonara on ITV's flagship daytime show on 20 November, which she also guest-edited, in addition to presenting alongside Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary. “I was excited to join This Morning with Dermot and Alison. As co-host and guest editor, I've been lucky enough to be able to pick some topics I'm passionate about,” Fergie said. Some viewers called for her to return and dubbed her “a natural” while others described it as “car crash TV” and said it was “painful to watch”. The author and…

After reconnecting with his estranged son Harry, daughter-in-law Meghan Markle and their children on his 75th birthday earlier this month, King Charles has been left wanting more contact with them – despite its potential to cause a Christmas row within the family. The long-awaited reunion happened on his big day on 14 November, when the monarch received a recorded video of Archie, four, and Lilibet, two, singing Happy Birthday to him, along with a phone call from Harry and his wife – believed to be their first contact in more than six months. The conversation, said to be “friendly and cordial”, was the first time that father and son had spoken since April, before Charles’ Coronation. Described as a “turning point” in their relationship amidst the continuing rift between the…

An all-in-one takes the effort out of planning a look Get ready for the festive season with a classic red dress and gold jewels Mix and match different jewel tones in one outfit for a high-fashion feel Give a jersey jumper dress a fancy spin with metallic heels Add a pop of colour to brighten up your wintery wardrobe Give a slip skirt a casual spin with snuggly knits and chunky boots A silk shirt in a rich pink tone will lift your daytime ensemble in an instant A bold blue dress can easily be styled in a multitude of ways Add pretty hair accessories to your outfit for an extra dose of glam…

1 START MONOTASKING Make a conscious decision to stop switching tasks – turn off notifications and leave your phone in a different room while you work. 2 FIND YOUR FLOW Think of a time when you've concentrated so hard on something that you lose track of time – whether it's drawing, writing or a puzzle, then you've been in a flow state. In flow, your focus becomes deeper and you're less susceptible to distractions. 3 LET YOUR MIND WANDER Make a point of going for a walk without your phone. Johann says, “When I give my attention space to roam, my thinking's sharper, and I have better ideas.” 4 REALISE THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR DIET Johann says, “If you have sugary cereal or buttered white toast for breakfast it releases a huge…

Our daughter is mad at us! Q My husband and I were planning a romantic getaway to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. My daughter is the youngest of our three children, and I have to admit, I've always found it hard to say no to her. She heard about our plans and asked if she and her family could join us. We weren't thrilled by the idea, as we rarely go away by ourselves and needed to switch to a family friendly resort. But we did. The day before our trip, my husband told me that he'd kept our original booking, and off we went, leaving our daughter to have her own holiday that we'd paid for in full. We had a wonderful time, but our daughter is furious and…

Josie Gibson has asked Fred Sirieix to help her find love as she declared that she is single in the jungle. Within hours of entering the I'm A Celeb camp, the presenter, 38, asked First Dates star Fred to, “Find me a hot man”. When the restaurateur, 51, replied by saying, “You need a hot man?”, she said that she didn't need one but may like one. Fred then called out, “Anyone single in here? Anybody single?”, with Josie responding, “I'm not that desperate!” Josie, who has five-year-old son Reggie, also made a dig at some of her exes. “Snakes, I'm quite good with… I fell in love with enough!” she said. In August, she revealed that she was in the throes of a new relationship. “There is someone in…

This month marked a momentous achievement for Vernon Kay, as he celebrated raising millions for charity. The BBC Radio 2 presenter, 49, was in tears after he was hailed a “hero” and a “legend” as he rallied the nation when he completed a 116-mile ultramarathon from Leicester to Bolton over four days. By doing so, he raised over £5.8m – and rising – for Children In Need and won over the country. “Thank you!! What a nation,” he said. “As I slowly start to reflect, I can see all the faces of the people I stopped and spoke with and listened to your stories. Thank you for inspiring me to ignore the pains and kick on.” Radio listeners and supporters revealed how much his feat had moved them. “I cried…

As I walked around the neonatal unit, checking on each incubator, I wondered, “Will I ever have a baby?” I was a nurse, caring for sick and premature newborns, and while I loved my job, it made my longing to become a mum even stronger. Problem was, I'd never found Mr Right. I'd always joked that if I got to 35 and hadn't had a baby, I'd use a sperm donor to start a family. Now, with two years of my life taken by the COVID pandemic, I'd hit that age. And while my friends were either married, or had kids, or both, I was still nowhere near either. I could almost hear my biological clock ticking. Plus, I was aware that the older I got, the higher the risk…

Yellow LED Light Therapy Senior Style Writer Emma White says, “I'm always on the hunt for new ways to give my skin an instant ‘pick-me-up’. Perfect for the time conscious and those looking for a quick solution, the light therapy delivers visible results, fast. The treatment started with a gentle cleanse and exfoliation with lactic acid before getting settled underneath the light. For 13 minutes the warm yellow LED targeted deep into my skin cells to prompt faster healing, stimulate collagen production and improve lymphatic drainage. Afterwards my skin was refreshed with a cooling facial mist and then treated to a quick facial massage with a nourishing repair balm and SPF50+ sunscreen. The treatment left my skin looking instantly brighter and healthier, and in the coming days I noticed an…

Chocolate orange yule log Makes 10 slices Ready in 40 mins, plus cooling 100g caster sugar 4 large eggs 2tsp orange extract 65g gluten-free self-raising flour ¼tsp xanthan gum 40g unsweetened cocoa powder A small handful of chocolate orange treats (ensure gluten-free), to decorate FOR THE CHOCOLATE ICING 250g butter, softened 250g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 250g dark chocolate, melted and cooled 2tsp orange extract 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Grease a 33 x 23cm Swiss roll tin and line with non-stick baking paper. 2 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs and orange extract until light and a little frothy – I use an electric hand whisk. Sift in the flour, xanthan gum and cocoa powder. Fold into the mixture carefully until fully combined. Gently pour the mixture…

Jazz up a fireplace with a stylish display of candles, lanterns and sparkling trees Warm woods, natural decorations and pared-back styling are the key to this easy living look Paper decorations are a great eco alternative and can be recycled or reused each year…

CAPRICORN 22 December — 20 January Your thoughts take a very personal turn from the 1st, when you begin to zone in more on your current interests. On the 2nd, this focus on self helps you to clarify facts and plans. Someone's ego gets in the way on the 3rd, especially if they're pulling rank. Theme of the week: Reputation 0906 650 7239 AQUARIUS 21 January — 19 February Small but important tasks await you and it feels good to tackle them. From midweek you're choosy about what you say and who you say it to, making you seem withdrawn. A confident phase begins on the 4th that'll help you connect with important people. Theme of the week: Secrets 0906 650 7240 PISCES 20 February — 20 March You love…

What happens to the Turners in this Christmas episode? Stephen: The specials always pack so much in – there is all the festive love and treats that you always expect but there's a lovely central storyline. Being as secret as I can be with it, the story is about somebody who society has rejected and how they have more to them than we think. It is about their struggles, their medical pains and their social pains which we try to help. It is incredibly moving and contains a beautiful central performance, which I think everyone will love. Laura: There are some really lovely Turner family things this Christmas. I just love how they decorate the house – it's just so beautiful. And there is a little bit of fun to…

PRIZE crossword WIN £200 Solve the crossword to find, reading from top to bottom in the shaded squares, the name of a Mexican actor. This is your competition entry answer. See the ‘How to enter’ panel, below right. Across 1 Oliver Twist author, Charles – – – (7) 4 Maybe (7) 8 Rich French bread roll (7) 12 Chinese art of interior design (4,4) 14 Liquid fuel, anagram of A PAN RIFF (8) 17 Symbol on a computer screen (4) 18 Thin potato chip (5) 19 Wise herb? (4) 20 Polite word of request (6) 21 Hotel California band (6) 23 – – – Simmonds, former British Paralympic swimmer, pictured above (5) 25 Smell (5) 26 Subject of the biopic Rocketman (5,4) 27 Top 10 single in 1995 for Pulp, – – – People (6) 29 Country house with farm buildings attached (6) 32 First…

ZOSIA MAMET Girls star Zosia, 35, literally wears her heart on the palm of her right hand. CHERYL The huge rose tattoo on Cheryl's lower back symbolises the 40-year-old singer's fresh start and new independence after she battled malaria in 2010. KENDALL JENNER A drunken moment led to Kendall, 28, getting the word “Meow” inked on her inner lip in 2016. “I wasn't thinking clearly,” she admitted. RIHANNA RiRi's chest tatt, of Egyptian goddess Isis, is a tribute to the 35-year-old star's beloved grandmother. CARA DELEVINGNE After filming Suicide Squad, Margot Robbie gave co-star Cara smiley-faced “toemoji” tatts on her toes. DAKOTA JOHNSON Actress Dakota, 34, has “Look At The Moon” surrounded by stars tattooed on her right foot. KIM KARDASHIAN Kim, 43, got the infinity symbol inked on her…

If the prize for this year's Strictly went to the pair everyone is talking about, Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola would have already won. Their very close friendship, which some have wondered if there is more to, and brilliant routines have led them to becoming one of the most popular couples of the 2023 series. And what's amazing is that former Corrie actress Ellie, 22, was not a dancer before the show, which makes her rise to the top of the leader board week after week even more impressive. And it certainly seems that Vito, 31, is pleased. We caught up with them to talk the final, their closeness and how they love taking the mickey out of one another… There's a lot of final chat going on. How do…

Glynn and I knew each other through our families for years before we got together. He was seven years older than me and always kind and protective. I rarely saw him though because he lived down south, but when he moved back up to Scotland in early 2020, we bumped into each other at the pub one evening. We started flirting and I immediately fell for his geeky, cool charm. On our third date, Glynn said, “I love you.” Although it was fast, I felt the same way. I already knew from my family that Glynn was fighting bowel cancer, which he'd talk openly to me about. He'd been diagnosed in 2019 and following an operation, he'd recently finished his last round of chemotherapy. With age on his side –…

The show is now a Christmas Day staple – do you watch it on Christmas Day? It's so special that we've become part of the Christmas Day TV menu. It means so much to us and people expect it now, which is a wonderful thing, but also a pressure as well to perform and to keep it as good as ever. And it's always a lovely thing when everybody sits down on Christmas Day and watches us and then chats throughout the evening about it. It's a very special thing. What does Christmas have in store for Trixie? It's Matthew (Olly Rix) and Trixie's first Christmas together with Jonty as a family, following their wedding. So, it's a very special time as it's the first time that they've really come…