Table of contents for 19 November 2024 in Bella

Baroness Karren Brady's Instagram comment section was littered with compliments last week when she posted a photo of herself getting ready for the football. Karren, 55, who is vice-chairman of West Ham United, shocked fans with her slim figure, with people commenting that she looks 'dynamite' and asking to know her secret. Despite the growing popularity of Ozempic, The Apprentice aide – who previously described herself as 'a good size 12' – insists that she isn't taking the drug, even writing an article blasting the weight-loss tool in The Sun last year. She wrote, 'Truth is, there is no quick fix to losing weight… other than eating less and exercising more, which sounds pretty simple but appears to be impossible for most of us to stick to.' In that same…

Looking at the colourful pile of bikinis and dresses, I sighed. My husband Nick and I were due to go on our honeymoon but it had to be 44444 because of Covid. But then I had an idea… 'Why don't we start trying for a baby instead?' I asked. I fell pregnant quickly, but sadly, in June 2020, at seven weeks, I had a miscarriage. Soon after I fell pregnant again and we were thrilled. My mum, Michelle, was especially pleased for us. We'd always been close and I wanted to give my children the same wonderful upbringing that she and my dad had given me and my brother. However, when I went into labour in April 2021, there was a problem. 'Your baby is in the posterior position,' the…

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Tip For heated textured milk start with cold milk, use a wand or frother tool below the surface of the milk and froth while heating. Gingerbread latte Serves 1 Takes 10min • ½tsp ground ginger, plus extra for dusting • ¼tsp ground cinnamon • Small pinch of grated nutmeg • 1-2tsp soft brown sugar • 2 drops of vanilla extract • 1 double shot of espresso • 250ml heated textured milk (see Tip) • Double cream, whipped to soft peaks • Crushed ginger cookies, to garnish 1 Put the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and vanilla into a 300ml mug or cup. Add the espresso and mix the ingredients into a syrupy paste. Pour the heated textured milk into your cup so that the syrup mixes with the milk. 2 Dollop some whipped cream on top and…

Snuggling up to my boyfriend Adam, I watched the TV with a lump in my throat. Channel 4's Don't Tell The Bride was one of our favourite shows and I always got emotional during the vows. I desperately wanted to get married, but I knew I wouldn't be walking down the aisle any time soon. Adam and I had been together for six years. But due to pandemic delays, he'd not long got divorced from his previous partner. 'If we ever get married, would we do it like that?' I asked, hoping Adam would correct me to say 'when' we got married. But he stayed silent, which hurt, but I just assumed that marriage just wasn't on the cards for me. Years earlier, I'd visited a psychic. I didn't know what…

I feel so trapped, but can't leave Q Please can you give me some advice. I have been with a man for 27 years now and I care for him a lot. But there are lots of issues. There is no sex at all as he does not want to. He snores and will not lose weight, and I think he really needs to. He sleeps on the sofa every night and only has a bath every eight days or so. I suffer with depression myself and have done for many years. He wants me to change, to make an effort and stop being depressed, but he makes no effort whatsoever to change the things about himself that I'm not happy about. He is good to me and my daughter, but I…

Following her stressful split from husband Eamonn Holmes, Ruth Langsford has wowed fans with her new look – but now she's taking it one step further, Bella can reveal. It's been a rocky few months for Ruth, 64, who recently announced her divorce from husband Eamonn, also 64, after more than two decades together – with Eamonn wasting no time moving on with relationship counsellor Katie Alexander, 43. And now, a source says the stress of their break-up has taken its toll on the mum-of-one, who has been left feeling emotional about her looks. They reveal, 'Ruth is ready for a divorce makeover. While her marriage was great for many years, she says that nothing ages you faster than the stress of a separation, let alone going through it under…

When I was just 10 years old, the school nurse called my mum into school to chat about my weight. 'Do you like chips?' she asked, staring at me. She started talking about my 'puppy fat' and I could feel myself getting upset. My poor mum agreed to put me on a diet but I carried the shame I felt about my weight into my teens. The truth was, I did like chips. I also liked sweets and chocolate. My dad delivered confectionery, so our house was full of Mars Bars and Wagon Wheels which I would happily help myself to before hiding the wrappers from my parents. By my teens, I'd started a miserable cycle of yo-yo dieting. I'd tried slimming clubs and even extreme fad diets like the…

Snowman pavlova Serves 10 Takes 2hr 40min, plus cooling • 6 egg whites (195ml minus pasteurised egg whites, or use aquafaba) • ¼tsp cream of tartar • 420g caster sugar TO DECORATE • Pretzel sticks (or similar) • Bake-safe sprinkles (if you don't have bake-safe ones, add after baking) • 500ml double cream (or use your favourite whippable vegan cream) • 1tbsp vanilla bean paste or extract • Your choice of fresh fruit • Black food dye 1 Preheat the oven to 100°C/fan 80°C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Draw a 20cm circle on the paper, then flip the paper over so the marked lines are underneath but still visible. 2 Add the egg whites (or aquafaba) to a stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl. Whisk on high speed until you have…

GET IN TOUCH Write: Have Your Say, Bella, The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PL. Email: bella.letters@bauermedia.co.uk facebook.com/bellamagazineUK twitter.com/bellamagazineUK instagram.com/bellamagazineUK £50 Star letter What an inspiration Congratulations to Lloyd Hooper for raising £18k by running the London Marathon for charity (issue 42). What a very special person he is. His supportive and very proud mum must also be congratulated for all the hours over the years by helping her beloved son reach his goals. I hope Lloyd continues to shine and wish him all the best. J M Buxton, Mansfield by post Stunning Sara I love Sara Davies' positive attitude and her amazing new look (issue 42). Not one to shy away from reality, she has faced recent business challenges with hard work. She's also dropped two dress sizes by…

SAGITTARIUS 23 November — 21 December Be choosy about who you mix with because right now it's easy to soak up other people's moods. On the 18th someone wants you to see a situation from their perspective, but are you sure they're sticking to the facts? Theme of the week: Enjoy yourself 0906 650 7238 CAPRICORN 22 December — 20 January It's a great time to join a group or club full of prospective new friends. Some good ideas pop into your mind on the 18th, though you may want to keep them to yourself for the time being. Theme of the week: Feeling vulnerable 0906 650 7239 AQUARIUS 21 January — 19 February Ambitions and goals are still major topics for you, but it's becoming increasingly clear that you've…

With her energetic persona on shows like The Great British Bake Off and Cotswold Kitchen, you'd be forgiven for not realising that Prue Leith is 84 years old. Indeed, despite being on our screens since the 1970s, Dame Prue only became known to a wider audience in 2017 when she replaced Mary Berry as the judge of Bake Off – becoming the face of the show alongside fellow judge Paul Hollywood. Now eight series in, she's become a firm favourite with viewers. Here she chats to Bella about filming the hit Channel 4 show and the lessons she's learnt in the kitchen over the years. Is filming Bake Off as much fun as it seems or is it actually very long hours? Not for me it's not! During the time I've…

CELEB NEWS & GOSSIP Fern's accidental diagnosis Fern Britton was wrongly diagnosed 'psychotic' amid the breakdown of her marriage to first husband, TV executive Clive Jones. Fern, 67, shared, '[The psychiatrist] said, “When you're out and about, do you think people are staring and you and saying your name?” This was at a time when I was presenting Ready Steady Cook. I was recognised everywhere I went. “Yes,” I said. Instantly I realised my mistake and said, “No, because they do. I work in television!” Her response was meant kindly enough, “You are psychotic. You need to be in hospital and on strong medication.”' Thankfully, Fern's GP stepped in before she was hospitalised. Jeremy's lifestyle overhaul After being forced to have 'extremely urgent' heart surgery in October, Jeremy Clarkson is…

In addition to the mesmerising routines and striking costumes, fans of Strictly Come Dancing also can't get enough of Tess Daly's brand-new look this year. After being criticised in the past for her daring outfits, the presenter, 55 – who has been at the helm of the dancing show since it started in 2004 – recently started working with a new stylist, Laury Smith, in a move that has seen her inundated with compliments. 'Tess looks better than ever' 'Tess is looking better than ever,' wrote one of her followers under a Strictly snap, 'Don't know how she does it, but so beautiful as always.' 'Another gorgeous dress,' commented a fan on Tess's latest results show outfit, as others labelled her Saturday night looks as 'stunning' and 'unreal'. But it's…

Tunic Style This loose-fitting style is perfect when paired with heels and a blazer Golden Girl Red Alert Midi Marvel In need of a little extra coverage? Look no further than this chic cut Colour-Pop Cool So Slinky Feeling too self-conscious for a tight dress? Pop on some clever shapewear under your frock…

HOW IT WORKS 1 Follow the menu. Feel free to repeat any days you enjoy! 2 Slimming World's eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of energy density (the calories per gram in food), of satiety (how filling a food is) and how easy a food is to overeat. It's a simple way to cut calories without counting them and lose weight without going hungry. 3 Free Food is at the heart of the Slimming World plan. These are the foods you can enjoy without weighing, measuring or counting. There are more than 350 Free Foods to choose from, many of which we have incorporated into this plan. 4 On top of this, to ensure you're getting a balanced and nutritious diet, you can enjoy measured amounts of…

TV WEEK This year, Paddy McGuinness is stepping up and doing his bit for Children in Need by donning Lycra and climbing onto his adapted Chopper bike for Radio 2's Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge. He will be cycling through three nations, beginning in Wales, travelling through England and finishing in Scotland. Starting during the Breakfast Show on Monday 11 November, Paddy will pedal almost 300 miles from Wrexham to arrive in Glasgow on Friday. Can you tell us about your bike? Essentially it's just a normal Chopper with a different seat on it, which weirdly is more uncomfortable than the standard Chopper seat. I'm told over long distances it'll actually be better for me as it's more of a racing bike and raised up a little bit. It's already started…

YOU could be in with a chance of winning £200 PRIZE crossword WIN £200 Solve the crossword to find, reading from top to bottom in the shaded squares, the name of a Scottish comedian. This is your competition entry answer. See the 'How to enter' panel, below right. Across 1 Sesame seed paste (6) 4 Active at night (9) 8 Large South American vulture, anagram of NO CORD (6) 11 The - - -, Howard Hughes biopic directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role (7) 12 Brief excerpt (7) 13 London theatre, or a metal element (9) 15 Army rank (5) 16 Mythical king with a golden touch (5) 18 Minister, priest (6) 19 Timepiece (5) 21 Pollen-bearing organ in a flower (6) 23 Tightly packed food fish? (7) 24 Tease cruelly (7) 27 Brown earthy pigment, anagram of…