Table of contents for 06-Jun-2019 in Chat

Francesca’s first photo of her little girl Eden probably won’t end up on the mantelpiece. But she treasures it for a very special reason (p20). Marjorie learned the truth about her daughter’s life too late and now she’s got an important message to other women (p6). And we love Doll (p10)! She’s just turned 100, but what’s that saying? You’re only as old as the fellas you feel! As well as your usual faves, we have bath buys (p39), homeware (p27), swimwear (p12) and the perfect treat to celebrate National Fish and Chip day (p26). Tuck in!…

Bra-vo! To keep your bras in good condition, hand wash in shower gel instead of soap powder, and rinse well afterwards. It's much more gentle and keeps the elastic strong and stretchy. Donna Flint, Cleethorpes Step on it  I couldn't afford to renew my stair flooring. So, to give the steps a spruce, I took up the old carpet, painted the steps and added tile stickers. Paula Lewis, Tylorstown Cord blimey! Use the cord handles from old gift bags to make great laces to brighten up old trainers. Valerie Bowler, Derby Turn of the screw… If you don't have the right size of screwdriver, put a rubber band on the screw head. It'll improve the grip, making it easy to turn. Janice Wood, Aylsham Beach buddy When I go on…

Inside out My bowel pokes Q out of my bottom when I poo, and I have to push it back. Can I treat it myself? Brenda, Monmouth A Sounds like a rectal prolapse. The lining of your rectum is sliding out, maybe due to weakened muscles with age, straining on the loo, or nerve/muscle damage. Plenty of fibre to prevent straining will help, otherwise you may need an operation. Sex allergy? Q Half an hour after sex, my vagina burns – but not if we use a condom. Could it be an allergy? Joka, Gravesend A Allergy to the protein in a man's semen is rare, but see your GP if the symptoms worsen or if you have an itchy rash or breathing difficulty. The best treatment is to use…

Alternative fish and chips Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 26 mins • 400g new potatoes, sliced into wedges • 1tsp medium curry powder • 1tbsp olive oil • 150g fine polenta or panko breadcrumbs • 1tsp garlic powder • Zest and juice of 1 lemon • 350g sustainable cod or pollock fillet • 1tsp smoked paprika • 4tbsp seasoned plain flour • 1 egg beaten with 4tbsp cold water • Olive oil for frying • 200g frozen peas • 6 leaves fresh mint • 1 lemon, cut into wedges • Tartare sauce, to serve (optional) 1 Heat oven to 200C/Gas 6. Place the potato wedges in a bowl and toss together with the curry powder, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread out on a large…

For the next four months, I moved back home with my parents. Mum was incredible. Day or night, if I needed her, she was there. But despite her love and support, I found myself sinking into a depression. And whenever I went out, people would make nasty comments. ‘Look, it’s the devil,’ they’d whisper. One child even asked his father if I was a monster. I knew he was just a kid, didn’t mean to hurt me. But I was devastated. A few months later, with my confidence at an all-time low, and my career over, I started to make plans to move away. ‘Don’t go,’ Mum begged. But I’d made my mind up. I even invited all my friends to the pub for leaving drinks. But when they asked…

1 PS Gel Effect Longwear & One Coat in White Out, £1, Primark White nails look chic, go with any outfit and make your tan pop. I’ve been using this on my toes for the last couple of months. 2 Lee Stafford Anti Humidity Spray, £5.99, Boots have wavy hair that errs on the frizzy side, so summer can be a nightmare. I’ll use a light misting of this to keep things smooth when it’s sticky out. 3 Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced Face Protection Mist, £6, Boots If you want to fend off wrinkles (and I do!) it’s so important to protect your skin from the sun. I keep this SPF50 spray in my handbag.…

Zach Skow, 39 Scrolling through the photos, I gazed into the poodle’s sad brown eyes. ‘We have to help her,’ my wife Heather, 32, said. It was February 2018, and Heather had been looking at some pictures. They were from an animal shelter, to see if we could rescue a dog. She’s the happiest of all my 115 rescue dogs! You see, in 2009, I’d founded Marley’s Mutts, here in California. I rescued, rehabilitated, and trained hundreds of animals every year. Many were close to death and in need of a safe home when we took them in. I’d get messages from shelters all the time. And this poor pooch Cora Rose, then 4, had been in a car accident. She was at death’s door. Vets at the shelter considered…

Coronation Street Baby shock for ‘Chemma’ It took them yonks to get together, but Chesney and Gemma’s relationship lasted about as long as it takes to sup a pint in the Rovers! So the news that Gemma is pregnant came as a bit of a shock. This week, an even bigger shock is in store for the pair… When Gemma collapses with severe morning sickness, Ches gets her checked out at hospital where they discover they’re having quads! Emmerdale Jamie’s secret family Kim spent years without any contact with her son Jamie, so she’s thrilled to have him back in her life. This week, however, a potential fly in the ointment emerges when a car speeds into the village and turns out to contain Jamie’s secret wife Andrea and…

Two-faced My sister who lives in Canada was complaining about people’s use of video messages. She said, although her callers wouldn’t speak to her unless they could see her, they then spent the whole time checking their own picture out instead. She’s right! I must make an effort not to do this in future! Suzanne Roswell, Ormesby Beauty bonus Competing in my first beauty pageant in October 2016, I was a bundle of nerves but loved every minute. I’ve never felt I could do pageants as a plus-size woman, and struggled with confidence. Since then, I’ve taken part in many of them, raising money for charity. This September I competed in UK Rose, raising money for Rosemere Cancer Foundation and Mind. So far I’ve planned an Elvis night, a car-boot,…

They’d not long landed in Brazil, and Jeremie Bellanger, 25, and Fannie Blancho, 23, were already strolling arm-in-arm along Copacabana beach. Fannie’s little boy Bounty, 3, played in the sand nearby, in the glorious sunshine. It was March 2010. After months of planning, the young family had finally arrived in Rio de Janeiro for the adventure of a lifetime. Travelling from their home in Nantes, France, the couple wanted to see as much of South America as they could before Bounty started school the following year. So, after two weeks in Rio, they travelled to Argentina to explore the nature reserves and see the waterfalls. They were there to attend a festival For months, the couple and toddler had the times of their lives, seeing all the tourist attractions, texting…

Growing up, my grandad Charles was my hero. A widower, he was fiercely independent, and my mum Ruth, then 42, was happy to leave me with him. ‘Be good for Grandad,’ she’d smile as she dropped me off for our visits in the holidays. I had the best of times. We’d spend hours in the kitchen, attempting to make pancakes. When they turned out lumpy and raw, Grandad – then 74 – would shrug. ‘A bowl of syrup it is then,’ he’d chuckle. Tucking into golden syrup, we’d sit and watch back-to-back episodes of The Simpsons. But when I was 7, Grandad started to forget what he was looking for, call me the wrong name. And in 2000, he was diagnosed with dementia. ‘It just means he can’t remember as…

Is it cancer? Q My baby can’t turn his head to the right. The clinic says he has a sternomastoid tumour. Is that dangerous? Sali, Dewsbury A It isn't dangerous or cancerous. It's a lump of scar tissue in a muscle on the side of the neck, usually the result of injury during childbirth. Treatment can involve gentle manipulation - or, more rarely, surgery. Write to Dr Martin Edwards at Chat, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Or e-mail chathealth@ti-media.com Sorry, he can’t reply personally.…

Plump & Juicy Whole Tail Scampi, 300g, £4.50, Waitrose With a great ratio of plump filling and a thin coating of breadcrumbs, this scampi  took the top spot but needed a good sprinkling of salt. Breaded Wholetail Scampi, 200g, £3, Tesco We loved the gorgeous golden breadcrumbs on this scampi. It also needed salt, but had good chunks of scampi tail with an even coating. Breaded Wholetail Scampi, 300g, £3.20, Asda These had a good seafood taste and were uniformly shaped, avoiding fights over who got the biggest piece, but the texture was a little mushy – possibly due to added water.…

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK How much would you pay for great skin? A fiver sounds pretty good to us, especially when the result is velvety, full coverage that has amazing staying power. This liquid foundation even helps to protect skin from premature ageing with vitamin E. MUA Pro Base Long Wear Foundation, Superdrug 40% That’s the number of adult women affected by acne. Help keep your skin blemish-free with Simple Daily Skin Deto x SOS Clearing Booster , £5.99, Boots. Dab directly onto spots up to three times a day to reduce redness and prevent future pimples. 3 BATH BUYS YOU NEED TO TRY Bath Bomb, £5.95, Lush Can you believe it’s been 30 years since Lush launched their iconic bath bomb? To celebrate, they’ve launched 54 new versions. The…

Kristie Butterfield, 31, Blackpool Scrubbing the bathroom tiles, I counted how long it’d been since my last fag. ‘Eight days,’ I muttered, thinking about my minor blip last weekend. My sneaky ciggie after a few drinks was a stumbling block, but I’d stayed strong since. Feeling energised by the warmer weather, I decided to give my house a spring clean. Normally I’d sneak a couple of cigarettes in while I waited for the timer on the washing machine to finish. ‘I found myself craving a nicotine hit’ But today, I kept myself busy cleaning skirting boards and dusting my bookshelf. ‘What a rock ‘n’ roll weekend!’ my housemate laughed as I emptied the bins. After my alcohol-induced moment of weakness, I decided to stay sober this weekend. I’d always found…

The judge sentenced Jaime Martinez to 30 years in jail without the possibility of parole for the murder of Fannie and Jeremie. He was convicted of sexually assaulting Fannie, then shooting dead both Fannie and Jeremie. Fannie’s mother Mariline Blancho sobbed as the verdict was announced. Jeremie’s father Patrick Bellanger said, ‘We are not happy with the decision for the other accused and intend to appeal. It is important to see the culprits punished.’ However, while the court upheld Martinez’ 30-year sentence following an appeal, the three other men once accused of involvement are still innocent in the eyes of the law.…

What’s that clot? Q There’s a tender red line on my leg. My GP says it’s a harmless blood clot. But aren’t clots dangerous? Lavinia, London A Superficial thrombophlebitis is a clot in a small vein just under the skin. Unlike deep-vein thrombosis, DVT, which your GP will rule out, it's unlikely to break off and cause damage, and it should go with painkillers and support stockings. Nail health Q How can I stop my nails flaking and splitting? I already take supplements. Mary, Newry A Buy a dishwasher! Repeated soaking is the main cause of this. Unless you have a deficiency, which is rare, supplements can't help. Wear cotton-lined gloves if you wash up, keep nails short, avoid harsh nail-polish remover and try nail hardener. Eye-drop flavour Q When…

Q What do your family and friends think about what you do? A Most of them are supportive, as they can see how much happier Hayden is, but some have said it's disgusting. But women have been sharing breast milk for years - and in the old days people used ‘wet nurses' to help them feed their babies. It shouldn't be taboo - it's the obvious thing to do if your supply is low. Q Do you pay for the milk or is it given for nothing? A It's always donated for free. I'm lucky to be part of a community of women that believe ‘breast is best' and are happy to help each other out. Some women have too much milk, so they prefer to give it to someone…

Holding up his drink, my friend Jason raised a toast. ‘To you,’ he laughed. It was March 2013 and after finishing my first big acting job, we’d decided to celebrate. I’d moved to Los Angeles six years earlier to try my luck in the film industry, working as a waiter and model to keep myself afloat. The hard work had paid off after I bagged a role in a music video for pop star Nicki Minaj – playing a barber. Funny! As a kid, I’d wanted to have my own barbershop. But acting was far more glamorous. Jason and I clinked bottles, and I went to take a sip. Then I heard an almighty bang. Jumping to my feet, I saw a spark fly from the air-conditioning unit and hit…

Aries 21 March - 20 April Ads that say, ‘prices from only…’ are there to get your attention. The real cost is usually a lot more - and what you gain a lot less. If you get a job offer that’s too good to be true, be very careful. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May Should you stick with what you know? You have two options - the first is familiar, and if it’s what you like, then go for it. But if you want a walk on the wild side, try the other. You might be surprised! Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June It’s time for the big discussion that both of you have been avoiding. Who’s…

Joanna Lumley  The actress looks incredible for 73, so what’s her secret? Good old Astral Intensive Moisturiser, £4.49, Superdrug. ‘I’m thrilled to try all sorts of face firmers and wrinkle-reduction creams,’ she says. ‘But the one I always come back to is Astral cream. I’ve used it for over 35 years and it just works for me.’ Beyoncé  It’s not all silk sheets and turn down service for Beyoncé’s bedtime routine. The 37-year-old  slathers her face in Eucerin Aquaphor Skin Soothing Balm, £4, eucerin.co.uk, before she goes to bed, to plump and deeply moisturise the skin. ‘I go to bed looking totally greasy,’ she says. Judging by that smooth skin, it’s worth it!…

WENDY WON PLAYING BINGO LOUNGE  75-Ball Bingo is played on a 5x5 grid bingo ticket with 24 numbers between 1 and 75. The numbers on the card will be in a specific pattern, such as a pyramid, bench chair, or triangle or even a total Blackout of numbers. How many 75-Ball Bingo rooms are there at Chat Mag Bingo? There are four, Lounge, Bingo 20, Speed Bingo and Round the Clock The first player to dab the winning pattern or Blackout... wins! How many jackpots are there to be won? There are two, the game jackpot which is won every new game and the Progressive Jackpot. The Progressive Jackpot keeps growing until it’s won within a set number of ball calls. In the Lounge room, you’ll also find ‘Loungin’ Around’…

Victoria Silvestri, 29 Seeing my newborn baby Gavin in his incubator, you might think I’d be scared. Hooked up to wires, he looked tiny. His face was incredibly swollen, looked blue and sore. Yet none of that mattered. Just laying eyes on my baby boy for the first time was magical. He’s beautiful, I thought. My husband Joe and I couldn’t have been prouder. And as Gavin grabbed my finger tightly, I knew, whatever happened, that he would be OK. It was February 2018 and Gavin was just 3 days old. But I’d known since an 18-week scan that he would look different. After a textbook early pregnancy, the sonographer had spotted something on my baby’s head. ‘A growth of some kind,’ she’d said. Gavin had been diagnosed with cystic…

The 2006 film Hollywoodland tells the story of detective Louis Simo, played by Adrien Brody, as he tries to decipher exactly what happened to George Reeves. Although Brody's character is completely fictitious, he's a creation based on real people . Ben Affleck plays a true portrayal of George R eeves, while Bob Hoskins plays Eddie Mannix, Diane L ane takes on the role of T oni Mannix, and Robin Tunney is Leonore Lemmon. Devised as a series of flashbacks, the Oscar-nominated film uses a mix of real and imagined events as it explores the lead-up and aftermath of George's mysterious death.…