56e dht

AFGHAN ANIMAL RESCUERS

MAFS’ NIKITA

‘I’ve no regrets – it’s better to be talked about’

EXCLUSIVE!

‘Some friends have escaped – we WILL save the others’

CELEBS…AND SO MUCH MORE!

SHINING STAR SARAH

‘She was warm, wonderful... and wild’

ROYAL TRUCE? ● Queen torn over

Meghan & Harry ● Kate & William decide their ‘fate’

EXPERT:

‘Coleen’s face tweaks BAKE OFF are armour against SPECIAL! Wayne’s wandering PLUS: eye & Wagatha trial’ DELICIOUS

‘We’re one big, RECIPES dysfunctional family!’ INSIDE

ISSUE 972

PRUE & PAUL

SHOCK NEW LOOK!

18 – 24 SEPTEMBER 2021 £1.95 (CANARY ISLANDS ¤3.45,

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Welcome to

inside this issue...

ON THE COVER 6 Cosmetic expert: “Coleen looks

CELEB NEWS 17 Imogen Thomas’ column 20 Inside pals Rebel and Matt’s enduring friendship... and shrinking waistlines 24 Can Britney ever really be free?

26 Love dramas 30 Strictly is back!

REAL LIFE 14 The terrible cost of “wine

Rescue mission couple of weeks ago Pen Farthing was making headlines everywhere for “Operation Ark” – his mission to rescue 173 animals from Afghanistan. People donated thousands of pounds so he could charter a plane to fly the dogs and cats, which he’d made his responsibility, to safety. But there was controversy too, with people accusing him of putting creatures above people – something he fiercely denies. This week, we’ve spoken exclusively to Pen’s wife Kaisa, who feared she’d never see her husband again, and she reveals the nightmares they’ve both suffered since thinking about the loved ones – the friends and staff – they were forced to leave behind. Miraculously, some have escaped and Kaisa says she and Pen are working round the clock to rescue the rest.

We desperately hope they succeed.

A

LISA BURROW, EDITOR

only in closer every week!

Boost the

o’clock” 32 What’s it really like to be the victim of revenge porn?

LIFE & STYLE 38 Ferne: “I’m too busy for love – I’ve got everything I need!”

40 It’s the perfect time to reboot your life!

43 Good taste 45 Fridge raider 46 Dr C’s check-up: “Please don’t fear the menopause” 48 Life balance: Help children deal with school fears 50 Cash point: How to cut costs & save the planet 52 Style alert 54 Top ten... Catwalk copycats 59 Star buys that really work!

ALSO IN CLOSER 66 Puzzles 71 What to watch 89 Your stars 90 Snaps & chat!

Pen and wife Kaisa are trying to rescue their friends left in Afghanistan

EXPERT ADVICE ON RELATIONSHIPS, HEALTH, FASHION & BEAUTY

INSTANT PICK-ME-UPS!

OUR 17-PAGE TV & FILM GUIDE

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great, but needs to be careful not to get addicted” 8 Palace insider: “Harry and Meghan’s fate is in William and Kate’s hands” 12 “Sarah was warm, wonderful and wild – she lived life to the full” 18 MAFS’ Nikita: “I don’t have regrets – it’s better to be talked about!”

22 Afghan animal rescuers: “Our battle to save lives has only just begun” 34 Bake Off returns! “It’s the best year yet – just count the handshakes!”

61 Home front: Time for tea 62 Delicious bakes made easy!

COSMETIC EXPERT:

‘Coleen looks great, but to get addicted’ As Coleen shows off a new look ahead of her much publicised WAGatha trial, an aesthetics specialist warns her not to go overboard with treatments

S

upporting husband Wayne at the Soccer Aid charity football match in Manchester last week, Coleen Rooney drew attention from fans, who were shocked by her new look.

Pictures of the mum of four smiling from the stands racked up hundreds of comments from social media users musing over how different her face looked.

One wrote, “New teeth, or lips… something has changed, she looks different,” while another posted, “What has she done to her face?!” Others said, “Omg her face!!!”, and, “Doesn’t even look like her!”

And sources have told Closer that Coleen, 35, has splashed

out on non-surgical treatments as she prepares for her highprofile High Court trial against WAG Rebekah Vardy, which could take place in just a few months’ time.

CONFIDENCE LIFT

The source says, “Coleen knows her fans love her girlnext-door-image and following her life as a busy mum, but she’s been so determined to look the best she can ahead of this trial, when she knows all eyes will be on her.

“It’s all non-surgical procedures like laser, lip fillers and Botox, as well as EMSculpt [a non-invasive clinical treatment that is said to build muscle and burn fat], and she’s hired a new image consultant to give her a sexy and sophisticated new look.

It has given her a huge confidence lift.”

It’s been a stressful two years for Coleen since she first accused former friend Rebekah of selling stories Coleen on her and her pictured family following in 2018 an Instagram “sting”. Rebekah, who alleged she suffered anxiety and panic attacks following the claims, which she vehemently denies, is suing Coleen for libel in a bid to “vindicate [her] reputation”.

As well as the strain of the upcoming trial, Closer reported last month how Coleen was left humiliated when Wayne was forced to publicly apologise after a string of embarrassing snaps of him looking worse for wear in a nightclub in July – and then in a hotel room alongside three scantily

21-year-old women – went viral on social media. The women all insisted nothing untoward had happened.

It followed years of the couple’s marriage being rocked by scandals, including Wayne cheating with a number of prostitutes, being caught in compromising positions with other women while boozing and admitting to being addicted to gambling after losing £500,000 in a two-hour spree at a Casino

Coleen posted a picture from her Pilates class

Coleen accused Rebekah Vardy of leaking stories

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Wayne was seen with another woman after a night out in July

NEWS

needs to be careful not CAREER

❛SHE’S DETERMINED TO LOOK THE BEST SHE CAN BEFORE THIS TRIAL WHEN ALL EYES WILL BE ON HER❜ in Manchester. Despite his misdemeanours, Coleen has always stood by her husband.

EMOTIONAL TURMOIL

The source adds, “Coleen has been through a tough time personally, but always stayed strong for her family and now she wanted to do something for herself. Her new look has helped her to feel positive, which is just what she needs at the moment.”

But despite her beauty

overhaul giving her the boost she needs, Harley Street Cosmetic Practitioner Amar Suchde, of AMS Aesthetics, warns that turning to noncosmetic surgery to “fix” any emotional turmoil could be the start of a destructive path to addiction.

Amar says, “Coleen looks great – she appears to have had fillers in her cheeks, lips and under her eyes, and possibly Botox on her forehead. She has just the right balance for

“Aesthetics is such a powerful tool as you can really build esteem and morale, because all men and women want to look good – but there’s a difference between confidence and happiness.”

Closer recently revealed how Coleen has also been doing everything she can to stay in optimum physical and mental health through her recent tough times.

She’s posted pictures on Instagram of herself enjoying green juices, as well as double workout sessions of Pilates and hot yoga, and a source added how she’s also ditched “anything that could cause a dip in her mood and focus” from her diet – like starchy white bread and pasta, and high-sugar snacks.

Sources also claim Coleen’s latest transformation could give her the boost she needs to relaunch her career in TV, having previously hosted ITV series Coleen’s Real Women and assisted Sir Trevor McDonald on his show Tonight With Trevor McDonald in a programme about the genetic disorder Rett syndrome, from which her late younger sister, Rosie, suffered.

The source says, “Coleen and Wayne are currently filming a biopic film about his life, and having cameras following them

‘It’s a form of battle armour’ Closer’s psychological therapist Emma Kenny believes Coleen is changing her looks as a form of “battle armour” ahead of the trial, but warns it’s a slippery slope. She says, “Coleen knows all eyes will be on her during the upcoming trial and she wants to look rejuvenated and at her best – having a brand-new look is like a form of battle armour for her, an extra layer of confidence before she hits the stand.

“But changing your look is a slippery slope – she shouldn’t use it as a quick fix to make her feel more confident when she’s going through stressful and difficult times. Coleen is still young and attractive and doesn’t need these enhancing treatments.

“Also, Wayne seems to have a wandering eye, so that may have caused her to have some insecurities. She’s a brilliant mother and has been a very loyal wife, and I hope she recognises she’s more than enough for anyone.

“Ultimately, if she does have any insecurities, it would be better for Coleen to change the way she feels, rather than the way she looks. Going to see a practitioner or therapist could help her to understand her considerable self-worth.”

around has given her a taste of that world again. She would love to go back into TV, and it’s more achievable now that the boys are older. She wants to look and feel the best she possibly can.”

By Daisy McLure CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK

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her face, but it’s important she doesn’t go overboard and become addicted, which can easily happen.

“People can become addicted to that ‘fresh and plumped’ look you get straight after having non-surgical work, such as fillers, because of the happiness boost it gives them. So, while it makes people who are going through difficult times – which may be the case with Coleen – feel good, it’s important not to become hooked on that high.

PALACE INSIDER:

‘Harry & Meghan’s fate is in William & Kate’s hands’ As rumours grow that Prince Harry and wife Meghan are preparing to visit the UK, former royal butler Paul Burrell reveals the depths of the frosty reception that awaits them and why Prince William and Kate hold the cards to their future with The Firm

T

PHOTOS: PA, GETTY IMAGES, REX/SHUTTERSTOCK, MAIL ONLINE

heir relationship with the royal family has been fractured since they left for America, with a spate of interviews and bombshell claims creating increasing hostility between them.

However, reports last week claimed that Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle were gearing up to return to the UK, and had even requested a meeting with the Queen.

And as it had been previously reported that the couple had wanted their three-monthold daughter Lilibet to be christened at Windsor, fans speculated on social media as to whether the couple were plotting a christening during the rumoured visit.

While Harry, who turns 37 this week, has been back twice this year, the potential UK trip would be the first for Meghan,

Wills and Kate are likely to mediate

40, since she left in March 2020 to set up home in LA, where she, Harry, son Archie, two, and Lilibet now live.

The pair’s popularity has plummeted since their departure, with polls earlier this month revealing it was at its lowest ever – and a clip from their Oprah interview being booed when it was played at last week’s National Television Awards.

ACCUSATIONS

The visit would see Meghan come face-to-face with the royals for the first time since she scandalously accused a royal of racism in her infamous interview with Oprah in March this year, as well as insisting that her cries for help about her mental health went unanswered by The Firm.

Harry has also criticised his family in a podcast with Dax Shepard, where he blasted his father’s parenting, saying that Prince Charles had made him “suffer” like he had growing up.

In the documentary The Me You Can’t See, Harry said there were “efforts from The Firm and the media to smear” Meghan.

The recent re-release of the couple’s biography Finding Freedom has added fuel to the fire, and fans were left openmouthed last month when it emerged that Harry will release a tell-all memoir next year, with no doubt even more secrets about life behind Palace walls.

While it’s unclear when Meghan and Harry will return – with the Queen due to stay at her beloved Balmoral Castle in Scotland until October – Paul Burrell, who worked for both the Queen and Princess Diana as a butler for a decade, Paul believes the Queen tells Closer that a meeting will feel torn is inevitable, either later this year or at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations next summer.

And he believes the Queen would welcome them back – but warns they could struggle to win over Prince Charles.

He says, “The day Harry and Meghan return to the UK will be extremely tense. There’ll be an icy reception from Palace aides, staff and certain members of the family. I don’t think Harry and Meghan are aware of just how Harry criticised his father Prince much hurt they’ve caused.

Charles’ parenting

FORGIVENESS

“The Queen will feel torn between her role as a grandmother and her role as Queen. While she is no doubt upset over what Harry and Meghan have said and done, family is everything. She’ll want to talk to Harry and she’d forgive him, should he ask for her forgiveness. They’ll probably bring Archie and Lilibet – and I know she’ll be desperate to see Archie again and to meet Lilibet.

“It’s Prince Charles who has

really been in the firing line from Harry. Harry has criticised him as a father, in terms of his parenting, and he’s attacked Charles’ character, which could affect his reputation with the public. Charles was reportedly livid, and I think he’ll be the most reluctant to welcome back Harry and Meghan with open arms. I think there’ll be pressure on the Queen from Prince Charles’ household to

NEWS

Andrew has gone to l Balmoral amid his scanda

‘The Queen won’t bail out Andrew’ F

❛I DON’T THINK THEY ARE AWARE OF JUST HOW MUCH HURT THEY HAVE CAUSED❜ be stern and not forgiving.

“But I believe Prince William and Kate will play mediators between the Queen and Prince Charles. William and Kate will be thinking both logistically and emotionally about how to go about things should Harry and Meghan come back the UK. I think they will be the ones who decide if Harry and Meghan are accepted back into the fold – their fate lies in William and Kate’s hands.”

The growing divide between Harry and his brother William is said to have started when William warned him against rushing things with Meghan in 2016. In 2019, Harry claimed he

and William were “on different paths”. But sources have claimed William has been saddened by the rift. There was a glimmer of hope in April when Kate was seen to bring Harry and William together to talk after Prince Philip’s funeral.

Paul says, “William and Kate are in the middle – they’ll want to call a truce and make peace with Harry and Meghan, but they also know there’s a danger in forgiving them.

“William has an alignment to the throne, but also to his brother. I suspect he’s thinking very carefully about when they come face to face again.”

By Lily Smith

resh royal scandal was brewing last week when it emerged that Prince Andrew had joined his mother in Balmoral to reportedly “avoid being served papers” relating to Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s attempt to sue him for “sexual assault”.

Lawyers are alleged to have made “multiple attempts” to serve him with the papers after it emerged that Virginia, now 38, made a US civil claim against the Duke, 61, for “sexually abusing” her 20 years ago, when she was under 18 – something he strongly denies. It’s the second time Andrew has made a trip to Balmoral this summer, having already visited his mother there in August with ex-wife Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson. And Paul says that, as well as the predicament with Harry and Meghan, the Queen will be under tremendous pressure regarding Prince Andrew.

He says, “Every royal family member has one trip to Balmoral each year to visit the Queen – so the fact Prince Andrew has fled back there to be at his mother’s side shows how much of a crisis this is. It’s

Virginia claims Andrew abused her a terrible time for the Queen.

If Andrew is served papers and if the claim is successful, he could be ordered to pay Virginia millions of pounds, and he’ll most likely have to ask the Queen for the money – he only gets a modest pension from the Navy. But the Queen simply cannot be seen to be associated with this scandal. It would horrendously damage her reputation. She loves Andrew – he’s said to be her favourite son – but she knows her duty and that the future of the monarchy could be jeopardised. It will be hard for her but, in this case, duty comes before her family – she won’t bail out Andrew.”

CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK

9

‘Sarah was warm, wonderf – she lived life to the full’ After the tragic news of Sarah Harding’s passing, Closer takes a look at her incredible 20 years in the spotlight, and speaks to pal Danielle Lloyd about what she was really like

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arah Harding’s devastated mum Marie confirmed the heartbreaking news last week that her daughter had “slipped away peacefully” in her sleep.

Thousands of fans, along with her celebrity friends – including Davina McCall, Geri Halliwell, Jordan and ex Calum Best – plus her Girls Aloud bandmates posted touching tributes on social media.

PHOTOS: RUTH ROSE/CHILLI MEDIA, RHIAN AP GRUFFYDD, INSTAGRAM, GETTY IMAGES, BACKGRID, COPPAFEEL

DEVASTATED

Kimberley Walsh wrote, “Beautiful Sarah, this hurts so bad. To wake up and know that you are really gone is too much to bear. Hearing your infectious chuckle was one of my favourite things in the world. Your fire burned so bright and you loved, lived and laughed so hard. My heart is broken.”

Meanwhile, Nadine Coyle said, “I am absolutely devastated!! I can’t think of words that could possibly express how I feel about this girl and what she means to me!” Cheryl added, “Although we knew this day would arrive I am somehow still feeling at a loss for words that our stunning, unique, crazy, quirky, kind and soft-hearted girl has departed, I love you Sarah... farewell.” And Nicola Roberts wrote a long post, opening with the words, “I’m absolutely devastated and I can’t accept that this day has come.”

In her autobiography Hear Me Out, which was released this year, Sarah explained she had 12

found a lump in her breast at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, but had left the lump for months without getting help. She self-medicated with pain killers until eventually she ended up in A&E in agony.

Despite chemotherapy and a mastectomy, the cancer advanced, leaving her with just months left to live.

After sharing the news of her diagnosis, Sarah, who was just 39 when she died, vowed to “live and enjoy every second of [her] life, however long it might be.”

Sarah grew up in Ascot, Berkshire, and worked as a hairdresser, a club promoter, a Pizza Hut waitress, a van driver and a debt collector, before rising to fame on

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❛ALTHOUGH SHE WAS UNLUCKY IN LOVE, SHE ALWAYS REMAINED POSITIVE AND HAPPY❜

on Sarah and Danielle ther ge to ai holiday in Dub

Clubbing in Essex in 200 6

NEWS

ul and wild She launched to fame after appearing on Popstars: The R ivals Starring in St Trinian’s 2

Sarah won CBB in 2017

Girls Aloud in 2009

Popstars: The Rivals aged 20.

She was chosen, alongside Nadine, Nicola, Cheryl and Kimberley, to form Girls Aloud. The band bagged five nominations and one Brit award in 2009, and sold more than 8m records, including two number-one albums and 20 consecutive top-10 singles, four of which were number one.

PARTYING

Sarah also made headlines for her high-profile romances – dating reality star Calum Best, presenter Steve Jones and her Celebrity Big Brother co-star Chad Johnson. Her love of partying led her to be dubbed “Hardcore Harding”, with Sarah herself once proudly saying she could “outdrink” her bandmates.

But her party lifestyle came to a head in 2011, when she checked into rehab for an addiction to alcohol and sleeping pills, as well as depression, after her break-up with fiancé DJ Tom Crane.

She embraced sobriety, however, and bounced back.

Then in 2013, Girls Aloud announced their split after 10 years in the spotlight. There was reported tension within the band, with Nadine and Sarah remaining close while Nicola, Cheryl and Kimberley formed their own tight friendship group.

To avoid the party scene, Sarah opted for a “quieter life” by moving to the Buckinghamshire countryside in 2014 and saying, “I’ve got animals now – it’s like

being a mum.” She then released a solo album, Threads, acted in St Trinian’s 2 and starred in Celebrity MasterChef, The Jump and Tumble, before winning CBB in 2017. She and her bandmates reconciled and got back in touch after she revealed her cancer diagnosis, with the girls meeting up last summer for the first time in eight years.

This March, Sarah released solo single Wear It Like A Crown, which raised money for cancer charity The Christie Foundation.

When it reached number one, Sarah said, “I can’t believe it. I’m a bit overwhelmed.”

Sarah said she wrote her 2021 autobiography with the aim of closing the space between her public persona and the girl she truly was. She wrote, “It feels like this is my chance to show the real me. Somewhere between the nightclubs, hairdos and hits, the ‘other’ Sarah Harding got lost.”

And her friend Danielle Lloyd tells Closer that Sarah was great fun, incredibly talented and a fiercely loyal friend.

DOWN TO EARTH

Danielle, 37, says, “I met Sarah in 2006 at an event in London, and we hit it off straight away. She was a few years older than me and took me under her wing. She invited me out the following week – and took me to Cheryl’s hen party! It was surreal. I

remember thinking, ‘How lucky am I to be here!’

“Sarah was just so warm, wonderful and totally wild. She was very down to earth, and was always up for having fun and going out. She really did live life to the full. And she was so incredibly talented – she was a shining star.

“When we both went through bad break-ups in 2007, we

decided to go to Dubai together to cheer ourselves up. We just laughed every day, went partying and had fun. She was a hopeless romantic and wanted marriage and a family.

Although she was unlucky in love, she always remained positive and happy and never gave up hope. Our lives went in separate ways when I moved up to Birmingham, got married and had my kids. But although I didn’t see her often, I always knew she was there for me.

“She was going to come and stay with me in November 2019 for a catch-up, but sadly it didn’t work out. Then it all came out about her cancer, and I reached out. I told her I loved her and was here for her to talk. I didn’t know what else I could say. To die at 39 is just so young, but she really did live life to the full and she’s made me determined to do the same.”

By Lisa Blake and Lily Smith

IT’S IMPORTANT TO CHECK YOUR BREASTS REGULARLY AND GET ANY CHANGES LOOKED AT Sarah suffered from secondary breast cancer, which occurs when breast cancer spreads to another part of the body. In around 5% of women, breast cancer has already spread by the time it has been diagnosed.

Make checking your breasts a part of your routine. You can check in the shower, in front of a mirror, or just when you wake up in the morning. It is important for all women to check their breasts regularly – so encourage your family and friends to as well. Make sure you always get any new

or unusual breast changes checked by a GP. ● For more information, visit breastcancernow.org

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13

CLOSER NEWS REPORT

‘My wine o’ clock habit almost cost me my marriage’ Shocking new figures reveal that the number of women drinking at ‘high risk’ levels was up by 55 per cent during the first lockdown. Here, Rhian Williams reveals how her drinking spiralled out of control...

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fter picking her girls up from school, Rhian Williams would relax with a bottle of wine. She’d often have another, before moving on to gin. The mum-of-two didn’t consider herself an alcoholic, yet she was drinking 70 units a week – far more than the recommended 14 unit allowance for women.

It wasn’t until her husband, Chris, 40, asked her to leave the family home that she finally realised she had a problem.

Rhian, 37, from Swansea, says, “To me, an alcoholic was someone drinking on the street corner at 10am. But I suddenly realised that my behaviour wasn’t normal.

“I went to an Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meeting the very next day. Now, I’ve been sober for over 18 months, and feel the best I have in years.”

There were 7,423 deaths from alcohol misuse in England and Wales last year, more than any of the previous 20 years. Data shows the pandemic was a huge contributing factor, with deaths increasing from March 2020, when the first national lockdown was enforced. In particular, the number of women drinking at “high-risk”

levels rose by 55 per cent during the first lockdown.

David Nutt is a Professor at Imperial College London, specialising in the research of drugs that affect the brain. He says the pandemic put greater pressures on women than men.

She’s now m ore present when with h er family

d think she ha Rhian didn’t roblem a drinking p

CHEAP ESCAPE

David says, “Even working women still do the majority of household tasks, and they had to continue to do these with extra obstacles, like male partners and children home from school getting in the way.

They were also denied other

When she married Chris in 2009, they’d share a bottle of wine on the sofa two or three nights a week. And within two weeks of giving birth to each of her children, Annabel, 11, and Olivia, eight, Rhian was back on the booze.

She says, “By the end of 2013, I was polishing off a bottle of wine four nights a week.”

But Rhian, then a project manager, convinced herself she didn’t have a problem. She says, “I’d concentrate on what I didn’t do – I didn’t crave a drink in the morning, or drink every single night, so I thought I was OK.” By 2016, Rhian and her husband would regularly argue about her drinking. She’d give up for a month to “prove” she could, but would quickly go back to old habits.

Rhian says, “I’d sneak in a glass of wine before Chris got

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❛HANGOVERS WERE TERRIBLE – I’D STICK THE KIDS IN FRONT OF A FILM TO GET THROUGH IT❜

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stress-relieving activities, such as exercise and social time with friends. Alcohol is a quick and easy way to escape, but it has a long term-cost.”

Rhian says her alcohol use increased gradually.

She says, “I started drinking heavily at uni, and over the years I built up a tolerance. I needed to drink more to feel the effects.”

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home, and then openly drink a bottle in front him. But I started to long for the evenings when he was away with work or out with friends, when I could open a second bottle and have some gin. I’d start drinking while I was cooking dinner for the kids, until I went to bed.

GROGGY

“During the week, I didn’t feel hungover – I thought everyone was groggy in the morning. But at the weekend, the hangovers were terrible. I’d stick the kids in front of a film and try to get through it.”

But one evening in March 2020, Chris got home to find Rhian drunk yet again – and it was the final straw. The next morning, she woke up to a text message from him, asking her to leave.

She says, “I’d taken the girls to

REAL LIFE

‘I quit alcohol the day the pubs reopened’ Broxanne Checkley, 35, lives in Brighton with her partner, Paul, 35 and their Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Riley, 11.

She says, “Before the pandemic, running a live music venue was not only fun, but an easy way to drink socially without anyone noticing I had a problem.

“My venue had to close throughout all the lockdowns. The toll on my mental health was huge and, with nothing to do, I started drinking earlier in the day, and for longer. I’d easily drink the recommended limit of 14 units a week, in a day, up to four times a week – having a couple of bottles of prosecco and some cocktails in a night.

“Then on 2 July, I got so drunk that I couldn’t work in the venue’s cafe the next day, which had been able to reopen. My chef covered for me, but told me bluntly I was drinking too much and needed to address it. So, on 4 July, the day the pubs reopened, I signed up to One Year No Beer, an online platform that helps people to give up alcohol, with encouraging emails and videos with tips to beat cravings, and an active community.

I signed up to go sober for 30 days, but have just kept going. I feel so much better. I’m less stressed, my relationships and selfesteem have improved, socially I’m busier than ever, and I’ve gone from a size 14 to a 10. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.” Visit oneyearnobeer.com @ oynbuk on Twitter and @oynb on Instagram

the corner shop to buy sweets, and picked up some wine for myself. I’d bought two bottles, only intending to drink one, but I polished off both. I hid one of the bottles, but Chris had found it.

When I saw the text message the next morning, my heart dropped.

I couldn’t believe my husband wanted to split up with me, and that my wine o’clock habit could be costing me my marriage. I refused to leave and told him I’d get help instead. The next day, I went to my first AA meeting. On the drive there, I was in tears. I was convinced there wouldn’t be anyone like me there, but when I found the courage to walk in, there were people of all ages, from all walks of life.”

The following week, the UK was plunged into its first national lockdown. Rhian

says, “I was nervous that I’d struggle to cope without alcohol, but being forced to stay home actually helped me to quit. I listened to lots of sober podcasts, and found a sober community online.

“With the pub no longer an option, I had no choice but to bunk down in my booze-free bubble with Chris and the girls.

Chris would only have the odd drink on a video call with his colleagues, so I didn’t feel like I was missing out.”

Over the next three months, Rhian learned techniques to help her cope with cravings.

She says, “If I found myself longing for a glass of wine, I’d run a bath or read a book. Nonalcoholic drinks helped, too.

I also confided in friends and family, and Chris was great – he

was really encouraging, and understood that my cravings could make me irritable.”

Now, Rhian appreciates the huge benefits of giving up alcohol. She says, “I sleep well and my skin looks clearer. I also exercise three times a week.

“I’m more present for the girls, I’m not half-listening to them while looking for my glass of wine. Thankfully, they’ve told me they never felt ignored, but I know I’m less snappy with them, and we love doing activities all together. ” ASHAMED

Rhian has set up a sober coaching business, helping other women, through oneto-one sessions and video lessons. She says, “When I first went sober, I felt so ashamed about my addiction. But it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

There are so many women like me – mums with full-time jobs, seemingly functioning – but they’re actually in the depths of addiction. I’m proof that you can change your life for the better.” ● Visit inmysoberskin.com to

HOW TO CUT DOWN ● The Drink Free Days app allows you to set yourself a weekly unit target to stick to. ● Switch to white and rosé wines, as they are lower in strength than red, and opt for low-alcohol alternatives. ● Remember, there are lots of plans you can make with friends that don’t involve booze. Now that restrictions have lifted, you can go to the cinema, meet up for food, head to a museum or sign up to a gym class together. ● Sticking to an alcohol budget can ensure you drink less. If you take only a certain amount of cash, you’ll know that once your money is gone, you can’t drink any more. ● Opt out of buying rounds, as this can sometimes mean you drink more than you planned. ● Find alternative stress releases. Exercise or a new hobby can help you relax.

For more info, visit nhs.uk/ better-health/drink-less/

learn more.

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Celeb

IMOGEN THOMAS

guest

THE MODEL AND TV STAR , 38, SHARES HER OPINIONS AND HER LIFE

EVERY WEEK WE BRING YOU A BRILLIANT NEW GUEST COLUMNIST

‘I’d love to get married – even though divorce rates are high!’

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trictly’s head judge Shirley Ballas, 60 – who’s dating actor Daniel Taylor, 47 – sparked a debate after she joked about marriage, saying she could “collect husbands” and that “you can always get a divorce!” Some people criticised her on social media, saying that marriage isn’t a joke and should be taken seriously. I think they need to calm down! In the UK, a recent survey by the ONS showed fewer people than ever are getting hitched, while more people than ever are getting divorced. I think social media is partly to blame – these days you can see other ways of life or other people, and I think that means people are more inclined to make changes if they arent happy, and to perhaps get divorced.

I’ve never been married. I had

my two daughters, Ariana, eight, and Siera, five, with my ex partner Adam Horsley, who I was with for six and a half years before splitting in 2018.

When we were together, we never felt the need to get married – I think a lot of couples feel there’s no point. But three years on from our split, I’ve changed my mind. Deep down, I’m a true romantic at heart, and I really would love to get married, if I found The One and I 100 per cent knew I was meant to be with them. I want someone who gives me butterflies and I’m attracted to, but also someone who is my best friend and always there for me. Even though I know divorce rates are high, I would still love to live out that fairy tale.

She’s mum to Ariana and Siera

IF I RULED THE WORLD...

Shirley with boyfriend Daniel

All murderers would spend the rest of their lives in jail. I think that’s fair, because they’ve taken someone else’s life.

‘You don’t have to wait eight dates to get physical!’ a guy isn’t going to hang around forever. If he’s not sleeping with you, who else is he sleeping with? I’ve just got back on the dating scene after lockdown, and I’ve been on a few post-pandemic dates.

But I’ve found a lot of the guys to be players. So maybe that’s why waiting can be good – so you filter out the players who just want to sleep with women from the guys who are after something genuine. ● Check out Imogen’s bikini collection at chasingsummer.co.uk

I’d teach kids manners at school.

So that we’d all grow up to be polite and respectful as adults.

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PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES, INSTAGRAM, SHUTTERSTOCK

Imogen says chemistry is important

A recent study found that the average time UK women say they’ll wait until they have sex with a potential new partner is eight dates, with 30 per cent saying they wouldn’t expect a kiss on the first date. That really surprised me! I don’t think you have to wait to get physical with someone. My ex Adam and I hit it off and got physical straight away, and we ended up together for six years! I think physical attraction and chemistry is a big part of compatibility, so why wait? And let’s be honest,

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NIKITA:

‘I don’t have regrets - it’s better to be talked about!’

MAFS’ Nikita Jasmine discusses being one of the most controversial contestants ever, her cosmetic surgery and how she’s coped with instant fame

PHOTOS: UNLEASHED TALENT MANAGEMENT, INSTAGRAM. LOCATION: THE SHANKLY HOTEL IN LIVERPOOL

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he’s made waves on the UK’s newly revamped Married At First Sight, which sees matched singletons meet for the first time on their wedding day. But contestant Nikita Jasmine – who hit headlines last week after she was dramatically asked to leave the show, following an outburst at the first dinner party with her fellow contestants – says she has no regrets.

“It’s better to be talked about than not talked about. I’m not beige – I don’t want to be forgotten!” she says. “I don’t have any regrets, but I learned a lot about myself and that’s invaluable. I enjoyed the experience, I made some amazing friends for life, and I believe from the get-go I was true to myself. I didn’t play up to the cameras.”

TROLL COMMENTS

Nikita caused a stir when she had a furious row with her new husband – business development specialist Ant Poole – on their honeymoon, which resulted in her throwing a coffee cup at him. She caused further drama at the first dinner party after starting an argument with Jordan Mundell, who married her friend Alexis Economou. Nikita was then asked to leave the show by producers due to her fiery temperament. But despite receiving a barrage of negative comments online from viewers, the saleswoman, 26, says she was fully herself on the show.

She says, “What you see is what you get with me. Whatever I’m thinking or feeling, I’ll say it. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I know what I want in life but, in my eyes, that doesn’t make me a bad person. I stood up for my friend Alexis in the argument. It’s all good now – I’m friends with everyone on the show.”

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But when it comes to her and Ant, Nikita says their relationship has gone no further.

“We just weren’t compatible. We were so different. Our honeymoon was great, we had one argument, but that’s all you saw on TV,” she explains. “But I went on the show to find love and I won’t give up on that!”

Before she was matched with Ant, Nikita gave a long list of physical attributes she liked in a man – including “green eyes, muscles and veneers” – but she insists she’s not shallow.

“I’ve got a type and I made that very clear, but I also listed what I look for in terms of personality but they didn’t show that.”

And despite her thick-skinned exterior, Nikita – who appeared on Jimmy Carr’s show Your Face Or Mine in 2019 – admits the troll comments have been hard to read.

“I’m a confident girl and people think I’m very thick skinned, and I am to a certain extent, but when you get loads of hate and it’s out of control, it’s going to affect you in some ways. I’m a human being,” she says. “We don’t get to see what is cropped and edited [beforehand]. You hope for the best, but there’s always got to be a villain in reality TV and at the minute that seems to be me. But the only people’s opinions that I’m bothered about are my friends’ and family’s and a lot of people do love me. If I was a cruel and nasty person, I’d have nobody in my life.”

She had an argument at the first dinner party

The couple o n their weddin g day

When she was first introduced on the show, the star revealed that she’d been under the knife several times, and when she chats to Closer she is just as honest about her cosmetic surgery. In 2018, Nikita had her first procedure – a breast enlargement, taking her from a 34DD to a 34G. She also had a Brazilian bum lift (BBL – where liposuction is used to remove fat, generally from the abdomen, and is inserted into the bum to create an hourglass shape) and veneers fitted.

The following year, she had a second BBL and a nose job, followed by a breast uplift and reduction – going down to a 34DD – in 2020.

In addition, she gets regular fillers and Botox.

ADDICTIVE

She explains, “I was insecure when I was younger. I was naturally big breasted and then, after I left school, they started to sag.

When I went clubbing and started meeting guys, I wanted to start looking better.

Everything I’ve had done is definitely an improvement – in my eyes, anyway.”

Brazilian bum lifts are particularly controversial. Over the past three years, three British women have died as a result of complications arising from having BBLs in Turkey – and while it’s the fastest growing cosmetic procedure around the globe, it’s also considered the most dangerous.

“I did a lot of research,” says Nikita. “I looked at cosmetic surgeons and spoke to a lot of girls who have done it. I had multiple

INTERVIEW

‘The Geordie Shore girls give me advice’

With Rebecca, Sophie and Bethan When Nikita first hit our screens, a host of her reality pals took to social media to wish her luck. From Geordie Shore’s Chloe Ferry to Love Island’s Rebecca Gormley, it soon emerged Nikita was pals with plenty of famous faces – and she says their support has been invaluable.

She says, “They’ve all given me so much advice, especially [Geordie Shore’s] Bethan [Kershaw] and Sophie [Kasaei] who are my closest girls and they’ve been in the industry for years. They said, ‘Keep being you and don’t rise to the comments’.”

Nikita explains that she met her famous pals out partying in Newcastle before any of them were well-known faces.

She says, “I’ve known lots of the girls for years, before Geordie Shore. They’ve become really good friends of mine. I’m lucky to have friends in the industry. Everyone has been so supportive, sending nice text messages and wishing us luck, so that does really put a smile on my face.”

Before she had cosmetic surgery

‘What you see is what you get with me!’

consultations with my surgeon and followed all the aftercare. I did take into consideration what could happen, but there are dangers with everything.”

And despite being happy with her cosmetic work, which she had done in the UK, Nikita is adamant that she’s not addicted.

“I’m very content now,” she explains.

“You do look in the mirror and think, ‘Could I change this, could I change that?’

It is addictive for some people but I’m really pleased with the way I look now.

I don’t have plans for more surgery – at the moment anyway.”

And while we watch the rest of the show unravel, Nikita says being plunged into the spotlight has come as a bit of a shock.

She says, “I was on the train yesterday and it was the first time I’ve been out of my local area since the show started. People came up to me and said they loved me on the show, and could see I was a nice girl rather than just crazy Nikita. I was just sitting there with no make-up on, rollers in my hair, eating crisps – I didn’t expect it, but it was lovely!”

By Annabelle Lee CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK

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INSIDE PALS REBEL AND MATT AND SHRINKING WAISTLINES Beaming on a jet-set birthday getaway with friends, Rebel Wilson looked a world away from her former self – and so does her old flatmate Matt

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he looked incredible as she enjoyed a belated 41st birthday celebration with friends last week on a private island near Tahiti – which she jokingly renamed “Rebel Island” for the lavish bash.

And Rebel Wilson looked every inch the Hollywood glamour-puss as she partied with close pals, including her former Pitch Perfect co-stars Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Chrissie Fit and Shelley Regner.

The friends posted pictures from a private jet and on a beach, with Rebel wearing a series of sexy outfits.

The star enjoyed a lavish party with pals in Tahiti

PHOTOS: LANDMARK MEDIA, BACKGRID, INSTAGRAM, REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

HEALTH VOW

The new-look star turned 41 in March, but her planned celebrations were postponed due to the pandemic.

After rising to fame as “fat Amy” in Pitch Perfect, the once-curvy comedian decided to change her life, vowing to make 2020 her “year of health”.

And she did just that.

The 5ft 2 star has wowed fans with the results of her 4½st slim down – dropping from 16st to 11½st following The Mayr Method diet, which consists of high-alkaline foods, such as fish and vegetables.

She also started a new exercise regime, which includes a combination of HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts, mobility and weights.

By the end of last November, she’d reached her target goal and has continued to lose weight since then – although she’s not 20

with She reunited Pitch some of the Perfect cast

disclosed how much.

It’s all a far cry from her former lifestyle where she kept mainly covered up in public and used food as a crutch to make her happy. Reminiscing about those days recently, Rebel told her Instagram fans she indulged in too much junk food after losing her father to a heart attack in 2014.

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In a caption accompanying an unflattering throwback photo, Rebel explained it was taken “when I was at my unhealthiest – being overweight and indulging way too much with junk food. Using food to numb my emotions.” She added that it was “such a sad time” and that she was “in so much pain” and wanted to “send some

encouragement with those struggling with weight or body issues or emotional eating.”

At the time, Rebel was living a quiet life in Los Angeles with comedian and Bake Off presenter Matt Lucas, 47, who lodged at her apartment for three years, where she revealed they’d enjoy nights in “singing show tunes”.

Matt, who asked her to move

NEWS

’S ENDURING FRIENDSHIP...

The pair used to live together – and also played flatmates in Bridesmaids!

She and Matt – pictured in Mar ch – are still close

She admits she used to indulge in junk food

in after he’d played her flatmate in hit movie Bridesmaids, said at the time, “Our home life is much quieter than in Bridesmaids...

We’ve never really fallen out over anything. We have a dishwasher, she did more loading, but I did more unloading”.

As she approached her recent

milestone birthday, Rebel – who recently met up with Matt in London – grew fed up with being typecast as the “bigger” girl in her film career. She said last year, “I turned 40 in March and so I thought, ‘This is gonna be it. This is going to be the year for me to just concentrate on the health benefits’… It’s not like I want to lose weight and get to around a certain number.

It’s more than that, it’s about dealing mentally with why I was overeating, and I had a job where I was paid a lot to be bigger at times, and that can mess with your head a bit.”

She then went public with a boyfriend for the first time,

He’s been looking slimmer recently

billionaire Jacob Busch. She also confessed her health kick was driven by her hope to start a family, saying in December, “I was thinking about fertility and having good-quality eggs in the bank so I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to do this. I’m going to get healthy’.”

GRATEFUL Now, Rebel’s Instagram page regularly features her in figurehugging dresses and swimwear, and she recently enjoyed an extended holiday in the Med, where Closer revealed the star – who split from Jacob last February – enjoyed a romance with a businessman in Rome.

She also received several public flirty comments – including

some from her ex Jacob and former England rugby hunk, Sam Burgess.

She’s now pushing forward with IVF plans and, after a setback in May where she’d received “bad news” , she last week hinted she was on her way to achieving her dream as she posted about receiving some “great news”, saying, “I feel like when you give out to the universe, the universe gives back to you – so lucky, so grateful.”

Her weight-loss journey has astounded and inspired fans but, more importantly, she seems happy with her lifestyle changes, saying, “I like to think I looked good at all sizes and stuff, and I’ve always been quite confident… But now I’m super-confident.”

By Lisa Blake

Matt: ‘I had to sort my lockdown weight’

Matt in 2015

Like his former flatmate, Matt has impressed fans with his weight-loss over the past 18 months.

During last week’s National Television Awards, where he picked up a gong for The Great British Bake Off, fans commented on his svelte figure, with comments like, “WOW Matt Lucas has lost a lot of weight!” and, “I didn’t recognise Matt Lucas, he is so trim.”

Admitting he’d “put on a lot of weight” during the first lockdown, Matt, 47 – who joked he was often “mistaken

as Rebel” when they lived together – recently admitted he was forced to take action after seeing himself back on TV. He said, “In the last couple of episodes [the last series of GBBO] I can’t fit on the screen!

But I’ve lost some weight, I needed to take the edge off, because I put on a lot of weight in lockdown. I just had to do something about it.”

While he refuses to disclose how much he’s lost, it’s been speculated that he may have had a helping hand from his latest housemate, personal trainer Jamie Barnard.

AFGHAN ANIMAL RESCUERS:

‘Our battle to save lives has only just begun’

Pen saved 173 animals from the Taliban

While Pen Farthing has returned to the UK, along with 173 animals thanks to Operation Ark, his staff are still trapped in Afghanistan. Here, Pen’s wife, Kaisa, says they won’t rest until their friends are brought to safety...

PHTOOS: INSTAGRAM

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fter a traumatic two weeks, Kaisa Farthing breathed a sigh of relief when she learned that her husband, Paul – known as Pen – had finally touched down on British soil.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on 15 August, he had been pleading with the British government to help him in his rescue mission, the now famous Operation Ark. Pen, 52, had vowed not to leave the war-town country without the 71 staff who work for his charity, Nowzad, which reunites servicemen with the animals they befriended while serving, and more than 200 animals in their care.

But tragically, while Pen and most of the animals were evacuated, the Taliban refused to let his staff on the flight.

Pen’s evacuation without his staff has caused much controversy. Critics wrongly believed that British military resources had been used to rescue animals, rather than people – despite the flight being privately funded by Operation Ark supporters. Celebrities also waded in on the debate, with TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp saying that people had been told “animals matter more”.

Pen has been quick to defend himself, saying that “at no time did I put animals before people.”

And now, speaking exclusively to Closer, his wife, Kaisa, says they 22

won’t rest until their loved ones in Afghanistan are safe.

Kaisa, 30, who is currently at home in her native Norway, says, “We expected people to be understanding of Pen’s escape, but everyone jumped to conclusions. Now, he’s tired, frustrated by all the red tape, but still 100 per cent determined to help the friends we left behind, and despite what some might believe, our focus is on trying to evacuate as many people as we can.

that he witnessed an organised dog fight in a remote town called Nowzad. He broke it up, and went on to adopt one of the dogs involved. This eventually inspired him to set up his charity, and by the time Pen was forced to leave Afghanistan, he had 71 staff, 140 dogs, 60 cats, 12 donkeys, two horses, one goat and one cow, relying on him.

Kaisa moved to Afghanistan in October 2019 to work with an NGO, Ascend Athletics, which empowers young women through athletic activities, such as mountain climbing.

NIGHTMARE She says, “It takes bravery “I’ve been sent videos by the girls to climb, but you also I worked with of people being learn teamwork, focus, beaten with sticks by the Taliban communication, and how to take – it’s brutal and terrifying and we responsibility. And when you will not give up trying to get our friends out safely. Our nightmare reach the summit and look back at how far you’ve come, it’s so is far from over.” empowering. We were teaching As an ex-Royal Marine, Pen young women that they could knows only too well the reality conquer anything.” of fighting the Taliban, having She met Pen in January served in Helmand Province in 2020 when their organisations 2006. It was during this time joined forces for an educational project.

Kaisa says, “He’s my best friend and the love of my life. To live in Kabul you have to have a sense of adventure, be able to cope with danger and look after yourself. Pen has all of those things and so Pen was much compassion. able to leave And he’s a wonderful Afghanistan partner. He’s a tough with his animals guy, but he’s romantic

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Nowzad reu nites servicemen with animals they befrien ded abroad

– he hates coffee, even the smell, but he treated me to a fancy coffee machine because he knew how much I loved it.

He writes me notes and loves taking me for dinner.”

FORCED TO FLEE

But when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Kaisa knew she had to flee. She says, “I had no choice – I faced being shot if I stayed due to my work, but it was agonising leaving Pen.” Kaisa escaped on 19 August.

She says, “At the airport, there was a sea of people desperate to leave. One woman even asked me to take her baby. We were packed, nose to nose, barely able to breathe. I felt so lucky to get on a plane.”

Once safe, Kaisa anxiously waited to hear news from her husband. She says, “By that point, the public had donated thousands to Operation Ark,

REAL LIFE Kaisa left Kabul on a military aircraft

❛PEOPLE ACCUSED PEN OF PUTTING ANIMALS BEFORE PEOPLE – BUT THAT WAS NEVER THE CASE❜ and Pen was lobbying the British government for help, but everything was so uncertain. On a couple of occasions, I broke down and cried, imagining the possibility I’d be facing life without him.”

It was during this time, when tensions were high, that Pen left an expletive-laden voicemail for a government aide, accusing him of blocking his evacuation efforts – the voicemail was subsequently leaked to the press.

Kaisa says, “Pen was in a war zone, surviving on a few hours’ sleep a night, with the Taliban literally outside his door. He was under immense stress and what he said was in the heat of the moment. I think if anyone tried to imagine themselves in that position, they might have reacted in the same way,” On 26 August, Pen was at Kabul airport when a bomb went off, killing over 100 people. Kaisa

says, “He’d had all his staff and animals there ready to take off via a privately chartered commercial plane funded by donations. But at one of the checkpoints, the Taliban pointed an AK47 at his head and told him they had to leave. He begged on his hands and knees, but they wouldn’t be persuaded.”

CHECKPOINTS

At that point, Pen says his staff told him it was “time to go”, amid concerns for his safety. On his second attempt three days later, he was allowed through the checkpoint, and onto a plane with his animals, who were stored in the hold. After the 11-hour flight, Pen landed safely in the UK, where the animals are now quarantining.

Kaisa says, “All the animals have homes to go to, and their owners are eagerly awaiting their release. There were some reports

that animals would have to be put down, but that’s simply not true.

The working animals, such as the cow and donkeys, have remained in Afghanistan, as the Taliban see them as useful. The Nowzad sanctuary is still open, and they’re being looked after there.”

Pen and Kaisa were reunited in Oslo, Norway. Kaisa says, “When I saw Pen, it was an immediate release of stress, I think I actually felt my pulse drop. He was exhausted, but so happy to see me. I even managed to get some sleep that night. I still have nightmares though, and when I wake up, I don’t feel refreshed.”

Now, the couple say they’ll keep fighting to rescue those they left behind. Kaisa says, “I miss all the girls I worked with terribly. We had such a strong sense of community and I loved being greeted by their smiley faces each morning. It’s too dangerous to talk specifics, but

some of our friends have escaped, and we will save the others.

“Physically our friends who have fled are unharmed, but they need counselling. They also need provisions – many of them have just a toothbrush and the clothes they were wearing when they escaped.

“Others are still there in hiding and we have to try to get them out. We are literally working round the clock. The airport and all the borders are closed, but the Taliban need supplies to come in and out of the country, so they do need some open routes. We hope that we can be a part of that somehow, and that might be an escape route.”

Kaisa also says she fears for animals in Afghanistan. She says, “People accused Pen of putting animals before people – it was never that. But there’s a real animal welfare problem that cannot be ignored. We had many programmes educating people on how to treat animals and that needs to continue somehow.

FEARS

“I’m not sure what the future holds for Nowzad – at the moment, all our focus is on getting our staff to safety.

But Nowzad was specific to Afghanistan and the issues going on out there, so we can’t just set it up elsewhere.”

Now Kaisa wants to ensure Afghanistan stays in the spotlight. She says, “I worry Afghanistan will fade from the news and that this vibrant country will be forgotten, along with the people and animals there. They need us more than ever.”

By Mel Fallowfield

● For more information, vist

ascendathletics.org and nowzad.com

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CAN BRITNEY EVER REALLY BE FREE? As Jamie Spears agrees to release his daughter Britney from her ‘abusive’ conservatorship, experts warn it may be a long and complex road to recovery for the star…

PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM, PLANET PHOTOS, BACKGRID, GETTY IMAGES, SPLASH

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n a shock move, Jamie Spears last week filed a petition to end his daughter’s conservatorship after 13 years in control of her life, career and £45million fortune.

In court documents, Jamie’s legal team wrote, “If Ms Spears wants to terminate the conservatorship and believes that she can handle her own life, Mr Spears believes that she should get that chance. As Mr Spears has said again and again, all he wants is what is best for his daughter.”

It comes three months after Britney, 39, spoke out in court for the first time against the controversial guardianship, describing it as “abusive”.

The court-order has seen her deprived of almost every life choice – from buying a coffee and going out unsupervised, to being able to marry and have a baby. She argued to have her dad – who she said she’s “scared of” – removed as guardian, with the intention of then removing the court order permanently.

The judge, who will have the final say on whether to terminate the conservatorship, which could happen at the next hearing scheduled for 29 September, looks set to green light Britney’s bid for freedom, but experts tell Closer her path to “normality” will not be easy...

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POP GURU:

‘She’s vulnerable to the moneyhungry industry’ By the time her father was granted a conservatorship by the courts in 2008, Britney had released six albums, and later held a four-year Las Vegas residency between 2013 and 2017 – making her millions.

But in 2018, she refused to perform any longer while under the conservatorship. In her court statement, Britney told a judge that she’d been forced into performing even when sick and faced threats she would be sued if she didn’t.

It has emerged that Jamie has earned £3.6million as a “salary” for being Britney’s conservator, as well as taking a percentage of all of her ticket sales and merchandise.

The singer performing in 2017

Dad Jamie has been in charge of her life

has Pal Paris Hilton ort for shown her supp ram Britney on Instag

While fans hope she’ll make a return to her career and sit down for a tell-all interview with Oprah, pop culture expert Nick Ede believes Britney will have to be cautious.

“There’s no doubt Britney will have a queue of people wanting to make her music and take her millions,” says Nick. “LA, and the showbiz industry, can be money-hungry, and the danger for Britney is that, while she’s shown how strong she is, she’s still very vulnerable.

“The most important thing for her is to take some time out and take stock – she’ll be pulled in so many directions and it will be a lot for her to take in. A celebrity mentor, who has nothing to gain from her, would be hugely beneficial.

Someone like her friend Paris Hilton – who has been a great support to her, and who is very grounded and has totally reinvented herself – would be perfect.”

NEWS THERAPIST:

‘The emotional scars will stay with her forever’ After 13 years of silence, Britney spoke out against her ordeal for the first time in court in June, and her revelations sent shockwaves across the world.

Comparing her conservatorship to “sex trafficking”, she accused her guardians, including dad Jamie, of taking control of her day-to-day decisions, which included everything from painting her cupboards to shopping for basics, and said they would occasionally strip her of her possessions, including her phone, cash and passport.

And after so many years of being in a “psychological prison”, Closer’s psychological therapist Emma Kenny warns Britney will be vulnerable.

Emma says, “She hasn’t been

able to do anything for herself for a very long time, so it could be difficult for her to adapt to a new normal.

“Going from having no power, to making all her decisions – even small choices like changing her hairstyle or visiting friends – is going to be overwhelming.

“Britney is also likely to be suffering post-traumatic stress disorder – she will never be completely free because she will bear emotional scars for life.

“Unless she has a highly supportive network around her, she could invest in the wrong people. Her first steps to protect herself would be to surround herself with a supportive team and start to process the years of trauma.”

RELATIONSHIP EXPERT:

‘Marriage and a baby may lead her to lose control again’ ently Sam was rec at rings seen looking

Last week, Britney’s boyfriend of five years, Sam Asghari, was spotted browsing engagement rings in Beverly Hills – just months after Britney said in her court statement that she wants to marry him.

She has also revealed she hopes for a baby with Sam, 28 – but had been banned from having her IUD (contraceptive coil) removed. And insiders say Britney – who is mum to Sean-Preston, 15, and Jayden-James, 14, with her ex-husband Kevin Federline, and currently has partial custody of them – is desperate to start a family as soon as possible as she turns 40 in December.

But relationship expert Alex Mellor-Brook tells Closer he would advise against going full-throttle

with marriage plans as her life as she knows it is about to change so dramatically.

Alex explains, “Britney needs stability and cohesiveness in her life – and she seems to get that from Sam. But her life is about to change again, and she needs time to explore these changes and discover who the ‘new Britney’ is. Being in a marriage too quickly may even lead Britney to feeling a loss of control again.

“While it’s understandable that she’s in a rush for a baby as she turns 40, it would be advisable to still have a good amount of time together with Sam first to settle into their new life, share more experiences together, and rediscover what she is all about. I’m sure those close to Britney would urge her to get a prenup, too, to safeguard her fortune.”

SHERIDAN’S ‘FALLING QUICKLY’ FOR NEW MAN A

Sheridan has rekindled things with Alex

LILY’S ‘DREAM’ WEDDING! Emily In Paris actress Lily Collins shocked fans last week when she revealed she’d wed director Charlie McDowell in a low-key, secret ceremony.

Lily, 32, shared a picture from their big day on Instagram, and wrote, “I’ve never wanted to be someone’s someone more than I do yours, and now I get to be your wife... I love you beyond.”

Lily – daughter of pop legend Phil Collins, who attended the ceremony in Colorado, USA – and new husband Charlie, 38, were said to be dating for a year before getting engaged last September.

Charlie’s mum – American actress and Step Brothers star Mary Steenburgen – described the wedding as “a dream”.

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Lily and Charlie got engaged last September

ctress Sheridan Smith has found love again – two months after ending her engagement to ex Jamie Horn. Sheridan, 40, last week confirmed she’s dating a former flame, actor Alex Lawler, 39. Sharing a video of them on social media, she wrote, “So pleased this fitty I dated back in the day (20 years ago) is back in my life! Life works in mysterious ways. Miss u Mr L.” The pair had reportedly been an item for a few weeks before making things official.

Last week, a source told Closer, “It’s very early days, but Sheridan admits she’s falling quickly for Alex. She thinks he’s been a great support and

She split fr om Jamie in J uly

JESY’S BACK ON WITH EX HARRY Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has rekindled her romance with ex Harry James – who she split from in 2018 after 16 months together.

The pair were spotted at a luxury resort in Antigua, and while they appeared to be keeping things under wraps, they both posted snaps on social media from the same location.

The holiday comes just weeks after Jesy – who dated Love Island’s Chris Hughes and Our Girl actor Sean Sagar after her breakup with musician Harry – insisted, “I’m not looking for a relationship any more.”

Their trip was said to be “a great way” for the lovebirds to reconnect, with friends insisting Jesy, who left the band earlier this year, is “in the best place.”Jesy, 30, is due

Jesy and Harry dated for 16 months to release her first solo track, as her relationship with her former bandmates reportedly remains strained. As Closer went to press, she’s was yet to publicly congratulate Little Mixers LeighAnne Pinnock, 29, and Perrie Edwards, 28, on becoming first-time mums.

Love

dramas THE LATEST HOOK-UPS, MAKE-UPS AND BREAK-UPS

been looking for this all my life. I’ve looked in the wrong places – in nightclubs, going out drinking, pushing myself with work. Now in this little baby I’ve found… that I’m at peace with everything.”

However, in July, they released a joint statement confirming things had come to an end, saying, “It is with great sadness that we have decided to have some time apart. We both remain completely committed to raising our beautiful boy Billy together.”

BABY JOY FOR J-LAW! Two years after insiders revealed they were talking about starting a family, Hunger Games actress Jennifer Lawrence is expecting her first baby with husband Cooke Maroney.

The Oscar-winner was first linked to the 37-year-old art gallery director in June 2018, and they married in a lavish ceremony in 2019, with celebrity guests including Adele, Amy Schumer, Kris Jenner, Sienna Miller and Emma Stone.

Last week, the actress was spotted out in New York on a lunch date with a pal, with signs of a tidy bump.

Jennifer – who previously dated Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, and Skins actor

Jennifer is expecting her first child with husband Cooke Nicholas Hoult, recently said of her husband, “This is The One. He’s the greatest human being I’ve ever met, so I feel very honoured to become a Maroney.”

The couple are stronger than ever

CHRISSY’S THANKFUL FOR ‘SUPPORTIVE’ JOHN

After a testing three months, Chrissy Teigen celebrated 50 days of sobriety last week, which friends say has helped keep her mental health “on an even keel”.

In an Instagram post, the model wrote, “This is my longest streak yet! I still dunno if I’ll never drink again but I do know it no longer serves me in ANY way. I don’t get more fun, I don’t dance, I don’t get relaxed. I get sick, fall asleep and wake up sick, having missed what was probably a fun night.”

The admission comes after historic tweets from Chrissy, 32, apparently cyber-bullying a then 16-year-old Courtney Stodden, now 26, in 2011 resurfaced in June – including a shocking post that urged Courtney to take her own life.

After being criticised, Chrissy said she was “so sorry” for her past behaviour, and in July admitted she was

suffering from depression.

She said, “Going outside sucks and doesn’t feel right, being at home alone with my mind makes my depressed head race.”

However, her husband, singer John Legend – dad to their children Luna, four, and son Miles, two – has been supportive, as friends credit him for “nursing her through” a troubling time.

A source says, “Chrissy isn’t after sympathy as she knows she did wrong, but she has been at her lowest.

It’s why she gave up the booze, because it was just making her feel even more depressed and she needed to get on an even keel again.

“The one positive she takes is having John as her husband. His support has been unwavering and he’s really nursed her through the dark days, which she’s eternally thankful for.”

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PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES, INSTAGRAM, SPLASH, BACKGRID, MEGA, CEDAR & PINES PHOTOGRAPHY

comfort since her break-up from Jamie.”

Sheridan and Jamie, 31 – who share one-year-old son Billy – met through the dating app Tinder in 2018, and got engaged shortly after.

But the pair suffered bumps in the road, once splitting up after the actress accused his mum of killing her dog, which she later retracted.

They seemed happier than ever after welcoming Billy in May 2020, with Sheridan saying her family dream had “completed” her, adding, “I’ve

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Love dramas THE LATEST HOOK-UPS, MAKE-UPS AND BREAK-UPS

JESS’ BIG WHITE WEDDING BASH! T

he Wright family enjoyed a lavish break in Majorca last week as they celebrated Jess Wright’s nuptials to William Lee Kemp.

Just days before the ceremony, which was to be held over the weekend, the family – including brothers Mark, 34, Josh, 31, and sister Natalya, 21, as well as parents Carol, 61, and Mark Sr, 64 – partied aboard a luxury yacht, where they were pictured drinking Champagne and diving into the sea.

Absent during the boat trip was Mark’s wife Michelle – one of Jess’ 12 bridesmaids – who joined them days later after finishing filming in Manchester.

Jess, 35, confirmed her relationship with William in April 2019 and announced their engagement in May last year, after he proposed during a skiing trip. Their wedding has been postponed twice due to Covid.

Speaking to Closer earlier this year, the former TOWIE star said, “We are best friends and we make each other laugh every single day. I am so happy.

We met through mutual friends and he is three years older than me. He is really mature for his age. I feel like we are perfect for each other.”

Brother Mark and mum Carol joined in the fun

Jess and William partied in style!

Michelle a rrived in time for th e big day

VICKY’S ROMANTIC SURPRISE

Packing on the PDA, Vicky Pattison was in romantic bliss with her boyfriend Ercan Ramadan as they celebrated his birthday in Croatia last week.

The lovebirds were seen kissing and giggling before Vicky, 32, posed for pictures taken by her boyfriend.

The couple, who have been dating since early 2019, were marking Ercan’s 38th birthday, in which Vicky surprised him with a fun-filled day on a boat followed by a romantic dinner.

Sharing the pics on Instagram, she wrote, “Surprised my birthday bear with a beautiful day out yesterday and I’m still not over it to be honest, I want to see every inch of the world with you, but for now, I’ll settle for the green list countries. Love you

Posing for pics in Croatia

babe, thanks for being you.”

The ex-Geordie Shore star recently told Closer her boyfriend is The One – and that she’s hoping to start a family with him in the future.

They’ve been together since 2019

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STRICTLY IS BACK! The summer holidays are over and autumn is on its way.

And that can only mean one thing – Strictly will soon be back on our screens with a whole new star-studded cast pairing up with the professional dancers to battle it out to lift the famous glitterball trophy. This year – incredibly the 19th series of the show – will see exciting new changes, JUDI LOVE:

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES, INSTAGRAM, REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

Chatting with the Loose Women

including the introduction of Anton du Beke as a judge, replacing Bruno Tonioli, four new pro dancers, the first ever same-sex male partnership and the first deaf contestant – EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis. With a brilliant cast of celeb contestants this year, Closer catches up with three hopefuls joining the glitzy show...

MATILDA RAMSAY:

‘I can dance... with the Loose Women after some prosecco!’

‘Dad will be nervous because I’m terrified!’

Stand-up comedian and Loose Women presenter Judi Love jokes that she is preparing for Strictly by “walking on tiptoes”.

“Only the other day I was answering my phone on my tiptoes because I had to go upstairs to get my son, Shi, ready for school and I was looking at the time it took and it was two minutes,” she says.

“I’m very conscious about keeping my body moving. [I’m doing] a bit of strengthening now and again and I’m really focusing on putting myself 100 per cent into this.”

Born in East London, Judi, a former social worker, hit the

She’s the daughter of feisty chef Gordon Ramsay – but Matilda Ramsay reckons Gordan and his wife Tana will suffer with nerves during her performances.

“I think Mum will be a really big supporter. She is very good at calming me by just being there, and the same with Dad,” she says. “I think they’re both so excited but also nervous for me because they know that I’m feeling slightly terrified.”

Matilda can usually be found on CBBC’s Matilda And The Ramsay Bunch, which follows her attempts to feed her parents and siblings, including

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big time when she became a panellist on Loose Women.

A single mum to two children, daughter Shan, 15 and Shi, 11, she quickly became a favourite with fans and her fellow female presenters. She says, “I can dance in heels on a Friday night with the Loose Women girls after some prosecco. But in a professional capacity, it’s like, “Yeah, let’s see how that works.”

And the 41-year-old star says her family and kids will be cheering her on. She adds, “I think when they actually see me dressed up and ready to dance, it’s going to be a very emotional journey.”

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With her dad Gordon

Megan, 22, twins Holly and Jack, 21, and Oscar, two, as they embark on adventures in LA, London and Cornwall.

But while she is used to taking on cooking challenges, 19-year-old Matilda – who has postponed her University studies to take part in the show – could find mastering the Waltz her greatest challenge yet.

“It’s the dance I’m most nervous about,” she confesses. “I’d rate my dance skills as very, very low, I am probably a two out of 10. I’m not very good at dancing and I hate wearing heels. I’ve worn them once to my 18th birthday, and they were off within five minutes!”

NEWS THE NEW PROS JOWITA PRZYSTAL Polish Jowita, 27, won the 2020 series of BBC’s The Greatest Dancer.

KAI WIDDRINGTON Englishman Kai, 26, won the World Junior Latin American title aged 14.

NIKITA KUZMIN Ukranian Nikita, 23, has been the Italian national dance champ six times.

CAMERON LOMBARD South African Cameron, 20, has 18 national titles to his name.

TOM FLETCHER:

‘People think watching me dance will be funny!’

Tom Fletcher, 36, has spent years leaping around the stage with McFly – but he admits that by the end of Strictly he hopes to be even more flexible.

“I want to do it before I get too old and by the time I leave Strictly I’d like to be able to touch my toes,” he laughs.

“Harry [Judd his bandmate, who won Strictly in 2011] has

got 10 years on me and he was in much better shape then and he is still in much better shape now. I’m so not flexible and when I signed up I thought, ‘I’m going to get in shape and do yoga and Pilates. I’m going to eat well...’ and it just went out of the window.”

And Tom reveals his three sons, Buzz, seven, Buddy, five, and Max, three, with his author and

He has three sons with wife Giovanna

blogger wife Giovanna, cringe when he tries to dance. He says, “I am the king of the Dad dance and my kids get embarrassed when I try a bit of dancing round the house! Giovanna’s been really

supportive... I don’t know if she thinks it’s going to be funny to see me dance, I think a lot of people want me to do it because they think it will be really funny!”

2021 CONTESTANTS

TV presenter AJ Odudu, 33

GBBO winner, chef and author John Whaite, 32

Coronation Street actress Katie McGlynn, 28

Actor and children’s TV presenter Rhys Stephenson, 27

EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, 27

Peep Show actor and comedian Robert Webb, 48

Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty, 26

Actor and producer Greg Wise, 55

EastEnders actress Nina Wadia, 52

TV presenter and author Dan Walker, 44

Entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den judge Sara Davies, 37

Rugby star Ugo Monye, 38

WHAT’S IT REALLY LIKE TO BE TH GB News presenter and ex-MEP Alex Phillips bravely revealed last week that she had been the victim of revenge porn – the sharing of explicit photos and videos with the intent to cause harm. In 2009, after two years together, Alex’s then-partner stole all her savings and warned her that if she went to the police, he’d send intimate videos of the pair to every newsroom in Britain. Alex felt so humiliated by her experience that it took her two years to go public with it. Speaking about the ordeal, she said, ‘I’m an intelligent, strong, hardworking, optimistic and secure woman — if it

can happen to me, believe me, it can happen to anyone. No one should feel ashamed.’ She added, ‘Few people are aware of how big a problem revenge porn... has become, or that it is getting much worse.’

Revenge porn cases spiked during lockdown.

According to figures published by the Revenge Porn Helpline, 2020 saw a shocking 87 per cent increase in the number of people reaching out to them compared with the previous year.

Here, Closer speaks to Sarah Smith*, whose ex-boyfriend is serving four years in prison for sharing explicit videos of her...

‘I felt exposed and vulnerable’ B

usiness analyst Sarah, 32, from Stockton-onTees, says, “When I read about what Alex Phillips has been through, my heart broke for her. I know exactly how it feels to be betrayed like that.

“In November 2017, I ended my engagement to my boyfriend of five years, after I’d realised I couldn’t marry him.

“When we’d met seven years earlier, I thought he was perfect, but over the years he became Her ex-boyfriend filmed her without her consent

very controlling – dictating what I wore, how I spent my spare time and isolating me from my friends and family.

When I told him it was over, he begged me to stay, but I moved out of the home we shared and back in with my parents.

“Then, two weeks after we split, he asked me to come over. I knew breaking up was the right thing to do, but it was hard to adjust to my new life and, feeling lost and lonely, we ended up sleeping together – little did I know the impact that night would have on the rest of my life. Without my knowledge, he’d set up a camera and filmed us having sex.

WORST NIGHTMARE

“A week later, I was in London for work when he sent me a couple of screen shots from that night and demanded I meet him. At first, I was so shocked I didn’t respond, but then the threats increased. He said that 32

if I didn’t see him, he’d send the videos to everyone I knew. Too embarrassed to tell anyone, I agreed to meet him in the hope I could reason with him, but all he did was try to persuade me to get back together.

“I was terrified of the pictures and video getting out, so I went to the police. But, while revenge porn was made a sexual offence in 2015, making threats to release explicit content isn’t illegal, so there was nothing they could do. I felt helpless.

“Less than two weeks after the threats began, in December 2017, my worst nightmare came true. A girl at work grabbed me and showed me a WhatsApp message she’d been sent. My ex had circulated the video and images and my world crashed down. My colleagues, parents, friends, friends of friends, managers and so many more received them. I remember looking around the office and I could tell who’d got them from

REAL LIFE

E VICTIM OF REVENGE PORN?

Alex Phillips is now a presenter on GB News

the way they looked at me.

I drove straight to the police station, in a blur.

“While I was at the police station, he left me a voicemail threatening to kill me and I played it to the police in full. He was then arrested.”

DARK PLACES

and reassured me that it was all a reflection on him and not me. My work even set up counselling for me.

“However, I went to some dark places. I couldn’t sleep or eat. I felt so humiliated and was convinced when I went out that people were staring at me as

take things slowly.

“In October 2020, the case went to court, having been adjourned for a year while my ex tried to get evidence for his defence. But two weeks before the trial, he pleaded guilty.

“That was a turning point. I went to court and read out my impact statement – I had tears in my eyes and I wouldn’t look at him while I spoke.

“But after speaking about my experience, I realised I wanted to speak out to help others come forward.

I wanted to do something positive after such an awful experience. I know how small and lonely I felt and I want people to know you can get through it.

“But there’s more that can be done to help victims. Police should have more training and the threat of sharing sexual images should be a crime, too.

“I’ve found speaking out about my experience to be cathartic and it has helped me on my journey to recovery. My anxiety is finally easing and I

❛I WAS TERRIFIED, BUT ALSO DISGUSTED THAT THE MAN I’D PLANNED TO MARRY HAD TURNED OUT TO BE A MONSTER❜

Sarah’s ex was charged with 11 offences, including two counts of circulating intimate photos with the intent to cause distress.

Sarah said, “I felt a mix of emotions – I was terrified, but also disgusted that the man I’d planned to marry had turned out to be a monster.

“The investigation lasted for 12 months and the lead detective was amazing. He was calm and non-judgmental, reassuring me he hadn’t seen the images and wouldn’t need to. He was one of many people who helped me get through it.

“And I was incredibly lucky.

My friends, family, colleagues and employees were all very supportive. No one judged me – they looked after me

they’d seen the videos. I’ve never felt so exposed and vulnerable.

“It took months to get back to anything approaching normality. My recovery was helped by Folami Prehaye, who runs the support group Victims of Image Crime (VOIC). She experienced the same and knew exactly how I was feeling.

“At the end of 2018, I met my current boyfriend when I was out with a friend. He has been brilliant, too. He understands my trust issues and was happy to

● Once someone has sexually explicit images or videos of you, it’s hard to control how they use them. Even if you are in a relationship, think carefully before you share any sexual images with somebody. ● If you become a victim of image-based sexual abuse, report the pictures to the site they’re being shared on.

Facebook and Instagram have policies to help prevent those type of images from being shared on users’ profiles. ● Social media can remove pictures quickly when they are reported, but that could leave you without proof of a crime – make sure to take screenshots before your images are lost. ● Go to the police. Revenge porn is now a criminal offence in England and Wales. Create a timeline to show exactly what has happened. Sometimes it can be difficult to show a pattern of abuse, unless the evidence is clearly outlined. ● Tell someone you trust. The worst part of revenge porn for a victim can often be the fear of loved ones seeing the images. Confiding in someone you trust can help solve the issue and reduces the fear about people finding out. ● Contact the Revenge Porn Helpline by calling 03456 000 459, or visit Revengepornhelpline.org.uk.

All victims are treated with sensitivity, and the helpline is run by a small team ready to help.

feel positive about my future.

“What my ex did to me was sexually abusive. He tried to destroy me. Hundreds of people saw intimate pictures and film of me without my consent. It was devastating, but he didn’t succeed in destroying me, thanks to the support I had.”

By Mel Fallowfield ● For more info, visit voic.org.uk and revengepornhelpline.org.uk.

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*NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES, INSTAGRAM, MAIL ONLINE

PROTECT YOURSELF

BAKE OFF RETURNS!

‘It’s the best year yet - just count the handshakes!’

GBBO judges Paul Hollywood, 55, and Prue Leith, 81, talk showstoppers, larks on set and glugging champers in their downtime…

HAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS YEAR’S BAKERS? PRUE: It’s the usual mix – no one baker is like the other. As judges, Paul and I keep our distance in order to not be too chummy with them. However, inevitably, as they stay longer you do get to know them and they’re such interesting people – you want to be friends with them.

ARE THEY A TALENTED BUNCH? WILL WE SEE SOME AMAZING SHOWSTOPPERS? PAUL: The standard this year is the highest I’ve encountered. It’s incredible, and you’ll see that from the off.

PRUE: Just count the handshakes!

WERE THERE ANY BIG DISASTERS IN THE TENT? PAUL: There was a bit of collapsing going on!

PRUE: And the most over-flavoured bake I’ve ever had on Bake Off. It was unbelievable.

PAUL: Sometimes, the bakers panic and do something slightly unusual or mess it up.

PRUE: I prefer it when some of them are not so good – it’s much easier to judge if you have a few disasters! How do you judge 12 damn-near perfect bakes?

LIKE LAST YEAR, YOU WENT INTO A COVID-FREE BUBBLE, SO YOU COULD STILL TASTE THE BAKES AND DOLE OUT HANDSHAKES...

PAUL: There was more testing being done in the Bake Off bubble this year than ever before, because a lot of the crew – and myself – had to leave to get our jabs then come back on set again.

PRUE: It did seem stricter this year – but you’re grateful for that, because it does make you feel safe. I’ve had both my jabs, but I

W

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live in the middle of the countryside with nobody around. I felt quite excited to come into London to do this interview, but I would rather be at home!

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A REAL LAUGH ON SET? PRUE: It never stops!

PAUL: It’s relentless, and when Prue was made a Dame [she was awarded a damehood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June] we had a little party, and we changed the name on the door of her hut.

PRUE: Instead of just ‘Prue’, it said ‘Dame Prue’ – on a little wooden plaque. I took it home with me, after we had flowers, cake and a sing-a-long at three o’clock in the afternoon. It was like a child’s birthday – with alcohol!

ANY ANTICS THIS YEAR WITH BAKE OFF PRESENTERS MATT [LUCAS] AND NOEL [FIELDING]?

PAUL: We always have a laugh doing the intros. There’s always a giggle to be had and there was a lot of dressing up this year.

PRUE: Paul didn’t used to enjoy doing the links [when they lark about introducing each episode] but now he’s great at it. He’s a good actor and he can do accents.

Noel and Matt host the show

DO YOU HANG OUT MUCH TOGETHER AT THE ESSEX HOTEL WHERE YOU FILM? PAUL: We do join for dinner on occasion, but Noel was running back to his room to read a bedtime story to his kids and Matt was working on a children’s book. The weather wasn’t as good as last year and so we did spend more time in our rooms.

PRUE: If you’ve been eating a lot of cake then sometimes you don’t feel like dinner, and if it’s tipping it down with rain you do tend to scarper off to your room. I preferred last year, just because I got a good suntan.

WHAT’S A PAUL AND PRUE DRINKING SESSION LIKE? PAUL: Very expensive [laughs].

PRUE: If Paul has his way, he will buy a really good bottle of champagne for everybody else, and he’ll drink beer. He did that a lot.

DO YOU FEEL CLOSER NOW YOU’VE BUBBLED FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS? PAUL: I feel like I know these guys much better than I did Mel [Giedroyc] and Sue [Perkins] – the original hosts of Bake Off – and Mary [Berry], the show’s former judge.

If you can sit in the same room as someone for half an hour and feel quite comfortable with not saying anything then that’s a good friend, and that’s what I’m talking about.

PRUE: It feels more like a family.

PAUL: Yeah, it does feel like a family – a really weird, dysfunctional one!

By Hannah Wright ● The Great British Bake Off returns Tue 21 Sept, 8pm, C4 Turn to pages 61-65 for our Bake Off lifestyle special, which has all you need to create your own showstoppers!

TV INTERVIEW

‘It feels like a really weird family!’

MEET THE BAKERS

MAGGIE, 70 Baking comes easy to Maggie, a retired nurse and midwife from Dorset. She loves canoeing and sailing – and her favourite thing to bake is bread.

TOM, 28 Four years ago, Tom made a sticky toffee pudding for his dad and discovered a love of baking. He rustles up everything from pies to bread.

LIZZIE, 28 Liverpudlian Lizzie is studying criminology and loves baking cakes. She may look “frantic and messy”, but is often calm on the inside.

JAIRZENO, 51 “Baking is like breathing” for Trinidad-born Jairzeno. He obsesses over flavour and uses lots of Caribbean spices.

CRYSTELLE, 26 The enthusiastic singer loves using spices like turmeric and curry powder in her bakes and even adds in spring onions.

GIUSEPPE, 45 Italian Giuseppe, whose dad was a chef, is a selfconfessed food snob. He wants to give his three sons homemade treats, not from the shop.

JÜRGEN, 56 He moved to the UK in 2003 and, unable to find traditional German bread, decided to make his own, sparking a passion for baking.

FREYA, 19 Student Freya has dreamed of being on Bake Off since she was nine.

She likes to be “unexpected” with her baking, which is mostly vegan.

CHIRAG, 40 Sales manager Chirag from Leicestershire only started baking during lockdown, teaching himself complex bakes via online videos.

AMANDA, 56 A police detective, Amanda’s style is creative with Greek and Middle Eastern influences.

She likes to start her day with an outdoor swim.

GEORGE, 34 Married to his childhood sweetheart, dadof-three George gives his bakes a touch of class with a shabby-chic, vintage vibe.

ROCHICA, 27 A dancer as a child, Rochica started baking when an injury left her unable to dance.

Her bakes reflect her Caribbean heritage.

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it’s all about you

Life& Style FASHION

COPY J-LO’S STYLE... WITHOUT THE PRICE TAG BEAUTY

HOW TO GET ZOE KRAVITZ’S GLOW HOME

FERNE MCCANN:

‘Sunday gave me a purpose in life’

HOST THE ULTIMATE TEA PARTY!

FOOD

EASY-TO-MAKE TRAYBAKE

Bake off special!

PHOTOS: @CHELSEAWHITEPHOTOG, GETTY, SPLASH

MONEY

HELP SAVE THE PLANET – AND YOUR BANK BALANCE

FERNE:

‘I’m too busy for lov got everything I ne Reality TV star Ferne McCann opens up about how being a single mum has been the making of her and why she’s putting romance on hold

S

he stole the show during her mum’s recent appearance on This Morning, excitedly jumping across the famous sofas and delighting viewers.

And when we arrive at Ferne McCann’s house in Essex for our photo shoot, her three-year-old daughter Sunday is just as entertaining and adorable.

As both of them cuddle up for the camera, Ferne admits the hugs have been in plentiful supply as Sunday was preparing to start school. While she’s thrilled to see her daughter thrive, she admits she can’t believe how fast she’s growing up.

Ferne, 31, tells Closer, “Sunday’s leaving nursery – she’s been there since she was eight months old, she’s nearly four now and she’s starting school. It’s crazy! It’s a massive milestone for her, and for me too. I’m looking forward to the change but I’m very emotional about it. No matter how old she gets, she’ll always be my baby!”

PHOTOS: GOFF, INSTAGRAM, @CHELSEAWHITEPHOTOG

ALL CHANGE

And the star, who found fame in TOWIE in 2013, made sure Sunday was prepared.

Ferne says, “We drove past her school so she was familiar with the journey, I told her the teacher’s name and we picked her uniform together, it helped her understand there’ll be a change. I love watching her develop and she’s getting more grown-up and confident – she’ll come home and say different phrases and completely surprise me. She’s always copying the personalities of her favourite L.O.L. Surprise! dolls – she’s super confident!”

Much has changed for Ferne too, and she insists that being a single mum has been the making of her. She endured a tumultuous time after splitting from Sunday’s father, Arthur Collins, during her pregnancy after he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for taking part in an acid attack inside a 38

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nightclub in 2017. Since then, determined Ferne has refused to let anything hold her back – she’s fronted her own TV show, Ferne McCann: First Time Mum, which is now in its seventh series, launched her health and fitness platform, Embodyment, last year, and has appeared in a number of reality TV shows.

MOTHERLY INSTINCTS

Opening up about motherhood, she says, “I’m super proud of myself. I’m a single parent, and a lot of my friends say they couldn’t do what I do, but it’s all I’ve known. It’s been one heck of a journey!

“I’ve learned so much and relaxed into it and I’ve no qualms about asking for help. I wasn’t overly maternal before I had Sunday, but the moment I found out I was pregnant, my motherly instincts switched on and I absolutely knew it was my destiny. I’ve learned how to become a mother on the job. I had to mature overnight, I instantly became a mother, a woman and a grown-up all in one. Sunday gave me a purpose in life.”

Ferne recently split from model and marketing manager Jack Padgett, 27, while filming her latest series. The pair, who were friends for five years, started dating last October and moved in together soon after, with the star labelling him The One.

Ferne is single after splitting from Jack in June

She has always been healthy

She is now more dedicated to fitness than ever

“It’s difficult going through something very personal in the midst of filming, but I had no other option and I’m looking forward to showing that honest side of me,” she says. “Our relationship worked during lockdown, but with life back to normal, it didn’t. I really do struggle with heartbreak and I’m always searching for answers after a break-up. It’s all-consuming for me, but this time around I’ve got a child to look after who needs my attention, and I’m doing good.”

Though she’s described herself as a “sucker for love,” Ferne isn’t in a rush to settle down.

THERAPY

“I’m a hopeless romantic but I’m content and have all I need,” she says. “I’ve surrendered my love life because I’m too busy for love and it would have to take a really good guy for me to date now. There’s something fun about being single! I’m looking forward to finding The One and falling in love but, until that day comes, I’ll have a lot of fun along the way.”

Meanwhile, she’s been open about having therapy for over three years amid personal struggles. She’s credited the sessions with saving her and reveals she’ll continue.

She says, “I still have therapy once a

INTERVIEW

e – I’ve ed!’ week and I love it. It’s healthy to speak to someone who is completely impartial and it’s freeing to have that safe space, particularly being in the public eye. I don’t know when I’d stop. I can offload and work things out with someone who isn’t connected with my life. It’s not like I hit rock bottom, but it was a healthy decision to take.”

SELF-CARE

The star has also turned to healing therapies to improve her wellbeing and has even taken the plunge by bathing in freezing temperatures.

She says, “I’ve always been a spiritual being and I’ve recently found my faith. I pray every day and I meditate. I’ve also started having cold baths, and it’s amazing. It speeds up your metabolism and awakens every single cell in your body – it’s a part of my routine now.”

She adds, “I couldn’t be the best version of myself without exercise. I’m a big advocate of getting steps in and making sure I get outdoors every day, it’s a huge boost to your mental health. But don’t get me wrong – I’m a foodie. I love a glass of wine, and I’m the first to dive into a barbecue or have a cheeky takeaway!”

By Neeru Sharma ● Ferne and Sunday are L.O.L. Surprise! ambassadors for the launch of the new O.M.G. Birthday Doll

She has raised Sunday alone

‘Sunday gave me a purpose in life’

‘My pal Arg is healthier than ever – I’m so proud’

Arg has overhauled his lifestyle

Ferne’s close friend James “Arg” Argent, 33, recently lost 4st following gastric sleeve surgery to remove 70 per cent of his stomach. His battles with his weight have been well-documented and Ferne, who has supported Arg amid his troubles, says she’s proud of her former TOWIE co-star. She says, “Arg is doing amazing. I saw him last weekend, he’s losing weight

and is looking healthy. He’s keeping up with swimming and is back into exercise.

He’s one of my best friends and I just want the best for him. Life is never going to be plain sailing and there will be ups and downs along the way, and that’s the journey Arg has had. I’m so proud of him, he’s come out the other side and is leading a healthy lifestyle now.”

IT’S THE PERFECT TO REBOOT YOUR Children are back at school and more workplaces are reopening as life slowly gets back to normal. Here’s how to embrace the shift in routine and use it as a chance to create a calmer, more contented future ith the new school term in full swing, more workplaces opening up and restrictions eased (for now at least), things are beginning to feel more “normal” than they have for a long time.

That makes now the perfect opportunity to reassess what you want from your future and nourish your relationships.

“This is a great time to take stock,” says life coach Kerry Hales (kerryhales.com).

“Reflect, listen to yourself, and ask, ‘What do I really want from here on in?’ You can live a life that’s far more connected to who you really are.”

From detoxing your relationships to having a financial fresh start, here are our expert tips for leading a happier, richer life…

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WORDS: SOPHIE BARTON PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

WORK OUT WHAT YOU LOVE

Between work and family commitments, we’re often too busy to think about what really makes us tick. But identifying what makes you happy is an essential step towards creating the future you want.

“On a piece of paper, write down all the things you do each week,” says psychotherapist Mark Newey, founder of headucate.me. “Add up how much time you spend doing each activity, then rank them from most time to least. Now score each activity out of 10, according to how important it is for you living a good life. This is not about work or supermarket shopping – this is about what makes your heart sing.

It will help you clarify what you need to do more and less of.”

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SCHEDULE ‘SLOW’ TIME

With life being more normal than it has been in 18 months, it could be easy to slip back into living at breakneck speed. But psychotherapist Mark says it’s essential we don’t get completely sucked back into the rat race. “Living in sprint mode means our body is filled with adrenaline and cortisol to fire us up – that means our mind and body are constantly stressed,” says Mark. “Instead, we need to think of life as a marathon, with an occasional burst of sprint – we need to learn to take things easy and pace ourselves.”

Reduce your stress levels by taking proactive steps to stick to a slower pace of life. “Start by managing your diary and prioritising nourishing things like exercise and friendships,” explains Mark. “Think about what keeps you calm, then book these things and any other ‘time out’ activities in your diary at the same time for the next two months. They will become a priority in your mind and slow things down.”

HAVE A FAMILY FORUM

The new school term is the ideal opportunity to give your relationship with your children some TLC. “Between homeschooling and the long summer holidays, this year has been very intense for families,” says parenting expert Dr Maryhan Baker (drmaryhan.com). “As our routines change again, this is a good moment to look at strengthening our connections.”

To do this, Dr Maryhan recommends checking in weekly as a family. “You could do this over Sunday lunch,” she says. “Ask

TIME LIFE!

Boost the

Whether you want to Boost your mind, bod y, soul, finances, relati we’ve got recommen onships, love life or st dations for things tha yle, t actually work. Scan the QR code for more tips!

how everyone is, what’s been good about their week and what’s been bad. Chat through the practicalities of the week ahead, too, and find out if anyone is facing any challenges – talking about things like school clubs often leads to discussions around emotions. For example, your older child might feel aggrieved at the thought of sitting through their younger sibling’s swimming class again. By airing feelings early in a calm forum, you have the chance to do something about it.”

MOT YOUR LOVE LIFE

Set aside time to reboot your romantic relationship, too. “Life’s speed means it’s all too easy to drift apart from your partner, especially if you’re juggling family commitments and commuting again,” says psychotherapist Judith Lask, an expert behind relationship app Paired (getpaired.com). “Make time to socialise and relax together. Decide when you’ll do the ‘housework’ of your relationship. That means having a regular catch up to discuss plans, allocate tasks and talk through any disagreements.”

SPOT SPENDING TRIGGERS

With furlough ending at the end of the month, it might be a good time to examine your expenditure. “Spending is often

an emotional response to being bored, frustrated, unhappy or tired,” says Lisa Wynn, a Master Certified Coach (lisawynn. com). “Identify your triggers by keeping a tally of what you spend and why. For example, are you buying takeaway because you love it, or because you are too exhausted to cook? Once you understand the root cause, you can avoid using money as a way to numb discomfort.”

Keep off the spending treadmill, too – adding a coffee and croissant to your daily commute costs over £1,000 a year.

“Lunchtime trips to a shop or cafe can mean you spend huge amounts without noticing,” says Lisa. “Make yourself think twice, by tracking your spend. Use a notebook with two columns – include actual expenditure and cash saved when you don’t spend!”

CHALLENGE UNHELPFUL HABITS

As our routines shift, this gives us the perfect opening to reflect on the small and unhelpful habits we’ve fallen into.

“Be honest with yourself,” says Michael.

“It will help shake out those things that are not useful. For example, spend a moment thinking about what you would rather do on a Friday evening versus what you actually do. Or, is the food you’d rather eat at home different to the food you actually do?

Challenge yourself, then make changes.”

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Good

Go Vegan YOU DON’T NEED MEAT TO MAKE A MEAL OF IT...

SRIRACHA CRISPY TOFU

taste

serves 4

● 1 1/2 tbsp maple

● 300g basmati rice

syrup ● 6 tbsp soy sauce ● 1 tbsp sesame seeds ● 2 spring onions, thinly sliced (optional) ● Handful fresh coriander ● 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

● 5 tbsp cornflour ● 2 x 280g firm tofu,

drained and cut into cubes ● 200g tenderstem broccoli, cut into 3 ● Vegetable or sesame oil ● 3-4 tbsp sriracha (or chilli sauce)

5 63 C 13. 3G ALS 10.1G FAT S 3.6G UGAR SALT PE R SER VI N G

FOOD & DRINK

FOLLOW THESE RECIPES TO CREATE DELICIOUS MEALS AT HOME

● TV chef Ainsley

says, “A traditional French clafoutis is made with cherries, but I love the unique taste of blueberries.”

serves 4-6

● Small knob butter,

for greasing ● 10 0g caster sugar, plus extra for sprink ling ● 250g fresh blueberries ● Zest 1 lemo n ● 125ml whole milk ● 150 ml doub le cream ● 1/2 tsp almo nd extract or 1 tsp vanilla extract ● 3 large egg s ● 30g plain fl our ● 40g groun d almonds ● 1 tsp baking powder ● Pinch salt FO R T H E C A R DAMOM CR E AM ● 250 ml doub le cream ● 1 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting ● Seeds of 4 -5 cardamom pods, crushed

5 82 C 43.1G ALS 38 .6G FAT S 0. 5G UGAR SALT PE R S ER VING (BA S ED O N SERV E S 6)

AINSLEY HARRIOTT’S BLUEBERRY AND ALMOND CLAFOUTIS

STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4.

STEP 2 Grease a 20cm ovenproof baking or pie dish with the butter and sprinkle with 2 tbsp sugar to coat the inside. Put the blueberries in the dish and scatter over the lemon zest.

STEP 3 Mix together the milk, cream and almond or vanilla extract.

STEP 4 In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and frothy. Stir in the flour, almonds, baking powder and salt. Gradually pour the milk mix onto the egg mix, whisking continuously, until the batter is smooth and creamy, being careful not to overmix it.

STEP 5 Pour the batter over the blueberries and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the oven for 35-40 mins or until puffy, golden and just set with a slight wobble in the middle.

STEP 6 Meanwhile, whisk the cream and icing sugar together until soft peaks form. Fold in the cardamom until combined. Chill until needed.

STEP 7 Remove the clafoutis from the oven and transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5–10 mins.

The clafoutis will deflate as it cools. Dust with icing sugar and serve with the cardamom cream. ● Recipe from Ainsley’s Good Mood Food by Ainsley Harriott (Ebury Press, £20).

STEP 1 Cook the rice according to the pack instructions.

STEP 2 Put the cornflour in a bowl and season with salt and black pepper. Toss the tofu and broccoli in the cornflour to evenly coat.

STEP 3 Put a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add a glug of oil. In two batches, fry the tofu and broccoli for 5 mins, turning regularly, until crisp and golden.

STEP 4 Put the sriracha, maple syrup and soy sauce into a small pan with 3 tbsp water over a medium heat.

Cook for 3-4 mins until sticky and bubbling.

COFFEE FIX STEP 5 Divide the rice between (Greggs Pumpkin Spice Latte, four bowls. Top with the tofu and £1.95) The wait is over for the broccoli then pour over the sticky popular autumnal beverage! Take sauce. Scatter over the sesame a sip of freshly ground Fairtrade seeds and spring onions (if using), coffee, pumpkin spice flavoured tear over the coriander and serve syrup and steamed milk, topped with the lime wedges. with sweet, tasty cream and a ● Comfort MOB by MOB sprinkle of spiced sugar.

Kitchen is published by Hodder & Stoughton, £18.99, out now.

PHOTOGRAPHY: DAN JONES, DAVID LOFTUS

new & delicious WHOLESOME SOUPS (Baxters plant-based soup range, Asda, £1.55) There are more tasty, nourishing additions to this line-up, from sundried tomato and thyme to Thai yellow vegetable curry.

One of your five-a-day, they’re ideal for a mid-week lunch.

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Fridge

FOOD

raider

Jess How much do you spend per week?

FORMER LOVE ISLAND STAR JESS HAYES, 28, ON HER FOOD HABITS

It used to be so much – around £120. Since splitting with my fiancé Dan [Lowry], it’s about £60 for me and my son Presley, two. I’ve become better at being able to cook something out of what I’ve got and it’s made me see how much I was overspending.

“I love Cadbury’s chocolate with crunchy pieces inside”

Describe your daily diet...

I’m not good with breakfast, and sometimes fast until 12pm.

When I have it, I might go for banana pancakes that I make for Teddy, a smoothie, or avocado, salmon and scrambled eggs. For lunch, I like a Pret chicken or fish salad, or a chicken sandwich. I often make pasta for dinner, like spaghetti Bolognese or creamy chicken pasta with Parmesan. I’ve recently been getting a plant-based meal delivery service, so I have a few meals in the freezer, like udon noodles, cauliflower cheese, or katsu curry. I’m not vegetarian but I like to have meat-free days.

“I always have some yoghurts for my little boy”

What do you snack on?

I like Snack a Jacks, celery and carrots with houmous. I’m also addicted to ice lollies.

What do you refuse to eat?

Coriander and mushrooms.

What do you cook to impress?

An Italian meal – a big salad of mozzarella, tomatoes, avocado and basil, then a creamy, fancy tagliatelle dish with prawns.

INSIDE JESS’ FRIDGE

Food hangover cure?

PHOTOS: BACKGRID, SHUTTERSTOCK

●

Eggs ● Ketchup ● Tabasco hot sauce ● Parmesan ● Dairy Milk chocolate ● Diet Coke ● Greek yoghurt ● Mayonnaise ● Cream cheese ● Margarine ● Cheddar ● Houmous ● Broccoli ● Blueberries ● Raspberries ● Kids’ yoghurts ● Prawns ● Salmon ● Smoked salmon ● Mozzarella ● Oat milk ● Avocado ● Spinach ● Chilli sauce ● Apple juice ● Orange juice ● Rosé wine

McDonald’s, but it can make me feel worse. I’ll get a double cheeseburger with a coke Zero. ● Jessica is an ambassador for Saying Goodbye charity and will raise awareness this October for Baby Loss Awareness Week.

VERDICT NUTRITIONIST JULIETTE KELLOW SAYS: “It’s great Jess is eating more plant-based meals – it benefits her health and the planet. Eating breakfast will help to give her more energy in the morning. She could try berries and yoghurt with oats and nuts. She should watch out for salt – her fridge has a lot of sauces, cheese and smoked salmon, which are all salty. Too much salt is linked to raised blood pressure.”

FRIDGE HEALTH RATING 7/10

CLOSER ONLINE

GET RECIPES, DIET AND FITNESS ADVICE AT CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK/DIET-BODY

TAKEAWAY ORDER...

COMFORT FOOD...

NANDO’S I order chicken thighs, mashed potato, houmous and olives.

ROAST CHICKEN DINNER It always makes me feel better if I’m feeling down!

Follow @juliettekellownutritionist on Instagram

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45

HEALTH

‘PLEASE DON’T FEAR THE MENOPAUSE’ A new billboard campaign is encouraging people to take the menopause more seriously. Dr C says women need to be listened to and supported, but everyone’s experience will be unique to them

A

campaign has been launched to challenge the sentiment that menopause isn’t a big deal. The posters include messages such as, “Lost your mind? 60 per cent of women suffer brain fog in menopause” and, “Lost Your Job? 10 per cent of women quit work due to menopause” – with sufferers pointed in the direction of The Menopause Charity for help.

Menopause absolutely shouldn’t be shrugged off. We need to have conversations about it.

PHOTOS: REX/SHUTTERSTOCK, GUARDIAN

DON’T STRUGGLE

Although it happens to all women, it shouldn’t be dismissed as something you just get on with. It’s sometimes described as a “female hormone deficiency” and while that’s factually true, it makes it sound like a disease, when the menopause is an entirely natural and normal process. Some women don’t need help at all, while others have a very difficult experience and do. Just as some women struggle with their periods while

others don’t – everyone responds differently. There are lots of things we can do to help with the symptoms of menopause, but not all women need medication.

CHECK BONE STRENGTH

The drop in oestrogen during menopause can cause changes to the mineralisation and strength of your bones and they can get weaker and more brittle. It’s to do with calcium and vitamin D metabolism. Women need to be aware of that risk, which can be picked up by a bone density scan.

Ask your GP if you’re concerned, but be aware that if you carry on exercising, your bone strength ought to be maintained. Aim for 20 minutes a day of moderate exercise, so cycling or walking, as well as some weight-bearing exercises like squats and lunges.

Also eat calcium from green, leafy veg, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and dairy products and take a vitamin D supplement. In the same way as some women struggle with blood pressure and cholesterol problems thanks to genetics, some will have weaker bones, but the idea that all women need to be on a hormone supplement for menopause is wrong.

MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT

Your mum’s symptoms could give you an idea of what to expect

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If you go through menopause at a healthy weight, that should set you up for a healthy old age,

Davina has spoken about her experience of the menopause

as being overweight makes symptoms worse, but also raises risks of things like breast cancer.

Regular exercise can also help counter the changes that occur, and if that isn’t enough, we can prescribe things to help. If you can, ask your mum about her menopause, as that will give you a good indication of when yours will be and what it’s likely to be like. That way you can read up and decide what you want to do before you’re in the thick of it. Also ask how long it lasted – whether it dragged on for years or lasted six months. That will help you decide if you want HRT. SEE YOUR GP IF YOU SUSPECT IT’S EARLY

Early menopause is more of a condition than menopause at the normal time, which is around the age of 50. Early menopause – in your 30s or early 40s – may be normal for your family, but because you’ll be post-menopausal for longer, the risks in terms of bone density go up and you should talk to your GP. Again, it doesn’t mean that you’ll need treatment – your doctor will be able to assess that and monitor you.

CHECK FAMILY HISTORY

As well as treating symptoms like brain fog, depression, sleep problems, hot sweats, low libido and vaginal dryness, HRT helps to stave off heart disease, osteoporosis and dementia – but it does carry some risks so your GP needs to look at those. All of the risks are tiny but if you have a strong family history of breast, ovarian or womb cancer, blood clots or liver disease, you may not be able to have HRT. There would be things we could do, though. We could consider an SSRI antidepressant, for example, which can help with mood problems, pain and brain fog. If you’re really struggling but only need to take HRT for six months, the raised risk of breast

Dr C’s

Boost the

check-up DR CHRISTIAN GIVES HIS TAKE ON THE HOT HEALTH TOPICS OF THE WEEK

small changes make a big difference

WEAR THE RIGHT MASKS AND OPEN WINDOWS orried about going back to your commute, returning to the office, or the school pick-up?

A new study has highlighted ways to stay safe. Researchers looked into what happens when someone is breathing in a large room – there was a significant build-up over time of exhaled droplets of virus suspended and travelling through the air when they used cloth and blue surgical masks. Because they don’t tend to fit well, they filter about 10 per cent of droplets. Higherquality N95 (£1.69 per mask,

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cancer would be tiny and would return to normal once you stop taking it, so you may feel that’s a good decision for you. It’s an individual choice, based on individual circumstances. In terms of risks, eight more women per 10,000 would develop breast cancer if they had HRT – that risk is actually smaller than the increased risk associated with drinking two glasses of wine a night. If it’s delivered as a gel it’s not linked to breast cancer risk at all, because it’s applied locally so it tends to not affect your entire body. Similarly, there’s no increased risk of blood clots from HRT patches or gels, and only a very small one with tablets, while the increase in stroke risk is tiny.

The use of unopposed oestrogen

(oestrogen given alone, without progesterone) is the one associated with a slight increased cancer risk, but your GP will look at your symptoms to see what combination of hormones you might benefit from. For an obese woman who smokes and has a strong family history of heart disease, high cholesterol or breast cancer, HRT would carry risk, but for the majority of women, the risks are very low, and the benefits can be vast.

LOOK AFTER YOURSELF

There’s good evidence for wild yam extract and black cohosh, so there’s no harm in trying those, but also look after yourself; eat well, move regularly and find ways to deal with stress, because

the menopause marks a turning point in life, which can be psychologically challenging.

OPEN UP AND TALK

Talking about menopause shouldn’t be seen as “brave”, it should be totally normal.

TV presenter Davina McCall, 53, recently talked about her experience of menopause, which was a positive step. Women need to talk, and we all – men included – need to listen.

Women have years of experience so we should be having these conversations, not struggling in silence. Menopause isn’t exceptional, it’s utterly normal and we doctors can help it pass comfortably if you need us to.

chemistclick.co.uk) and KN95 masks (£5.95 for 5 on Amazon) were five times more effective.

The researchers also looked at ventilation and how it circulates and replaces air in rooms.

They found that even modest ventilation was as effective as the best masks in reducing the risk of transmission – so if you have to wear a cheaper or a cloth mask, opening a window (or switching on a well-maintained air con unit) can really make a difference. Combine highquality masks and ventilation and you’ll be doing everything you can to limit risks.

worth trying

An activity book to up children’s confidence The Happy Workbook (£10.99 VIE books) is packed with puzzles, colouring and thoughtprovoking questions to help eight to 11-year-olds feel positive.

Our tester’s daughter enjoyed the activities and it helped balance school stress.

Life balance YOUR GUIDE TO EMOTIONAL ISSUES AND FAMILY LIFE WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIST EMMA KENNY

FAMILY MATTERS

HELP CHILDREN DEAL WITH SCHOOL FEARS If kids are struggling with the return to the classroom and mornings are a battleground, it’s time to consider what’s going on

I

s your child anxious or refusing to attend school? Ask them why they feel so unhappy there. They could be struggling with a change of teacher, or have been put in different sets from their friends.

If they have transitioned from primary to secondary, they may feel overwhelmed. If these are the reasons, reassure them these

feelings won’t last. Remind them of similar situations they’ve faced, such as when they started primary school or began a new activity. Help them identify how they managed to make friends and become accustomed to change. If they preferred being home educated and are feeling

48

separation anxiety, reassure them that this is entirely normal and think of some rewards they can work towards for going in and having a positive attitude to their education. Under-18s have a 99.98 per cent recovery rate from Covid-19, but many children may still see school as a scary place. Explain why they don’t need to worry about Covid-19 and help them think about leading a healthier lifestyle, eating well and being active. If your child is being bullied and left out, take this seriously.

Tell them you believe them and that you are on their side, but explain that you need to get involved.

Help them make a list of the perpetrators and incidents so you are informed, then speak to the school so that they can support you in dealing with it.

Changing schools may be an option – it may seem dramatic, but if it results in a happy child, it’s the correct action to take.

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WOULD LIKE TO MEET

Closer’s dating expert, Rebecca Twomey, on having that awkward STI chat when you start seeing someone

T

here’s so much awkwardness when dating – the first message, first date, first kiss, the first time you sleep together. Most uncomfortable of all is the first time you bring up sexual health.

I don’t need to reiterate how important this chat is, but I fall into the 52 per cent of daters who find it tricky to talk to dating partners about sexual health. And, according to dating app Badoo, as many as

one in five has had unsafe sex because they were concerned about killing the mood.

Firstly, as you know, that’s dangerous. Secondly, it makes me feel sad. If someone doesn’t want to practise safe sex, then do not sleep with them. Anyone who respects you will do so, and if they don’t, why would you want to sleep with them anyway?

I am an adult and I am aware that, in the heat of the moment, it’s not always easy to ask

WELLBEING

RELATIONSHIPS

BE OPEN-MINDED ABOUT FRIENDS & RELATIONSHIPS It’s becoming more common for people to end friendships or avoid being around those who hold different opinions, but Emma says it’s important to talk rather than shut people out

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DON’T JUDGE OTHERS When I met my husband, he was a meat eater who felt there was no way he would ever change.

His kindness is unending and his generosity of spirit changed my own and my children’s lives for the better. If I hadn’t been open to him because of his eating

T... about sexually transmitted infections. However, what I try to do is bring things up way before I get into bed with someone new.

You know the moment when you suggest going to each other’s place for the first time, or book a hotel? That is the

moment to bring it up. I don’t want someone to think I don’t trust them, so I try to flip the chat around. I volunteer when I last had a test, and they have always reciprocated. If not, I would say, “And what about you?”

Without meaning to be negative, my experiences in dating have taught me never to assume anything or that the person you’re exclusive with is the same. Always practise safe sex!

The research also found that 63 per cent of daters would find a potential partner more attractive if they spoke about sexual health – even if that’s the only reason you do it, just make sure you do.

habits, my life would have been less happy. Over time, as he saw the way my family talked about and treated animals, he decided he would never touch an animal product again. My son’s girlfriend has also become vegetarian, not through force, but because when you are around animal lovers, you find yourself seeing the world differently.

SHARE YOUR WORLD Meat eaters aren’t unworthy or unkind, they just see the world slightly differently. We can all learn from each other when we allow people into our lives.

The same can be said for every situation where people have different opinions. I have Hindu, Muslim and Christian friends, and we disagree on theological

levels, but we all accept and respect one another. Since the beginning of time, humans have thrived because we think differently – it’s the mother of invention, creativity and new philosophies.

LEARN FROM PEOPLE If you don’t acknowledge other people’s perspectives, you live in an echo chamber and you simply won’t develop and grow as a person. Instead of seeing the world through one lens, it is far braver and better to allow yourself the technicolour that life offers when you accept and respect other people’s points of view. You are more likely to educate and, in turn, learn from others by leaving your door open to people who make different choices to you.

CELEB PICK-ME-UP

Boost the

small changes make a big difference

CHEF AND TV PRESENTER AINSLEY HARRIOTT, 64, ON HOW HE LOOKS AFTER HIS BODY AND MIND MAKE SOMEONE SMILE EVERY DAY... it doesn’t cost a thing. When you smile and laugh with someone else, it releases happy endorphins. I enjoy being positive and having a feel-good factor about me. Even from the days I ran kitchens, there were no pans or swear words being thrown about. I try to inject joy in whatever I do.

THE RIGHT FOOD CAN IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH... and the key is a balanced diet. Seeds and nuts boost our mood and are full of antioxidants. Salmon contains amino acids, which can increase our serotonin [the hormone that regulates anxiety and happiness].

IF I WANT TO FEEL CLOSER TO NATURE... I do some gardening, plus it helps me feel like part of a community. I’ll be tidying leaves while catching up with my neighbours and saying hello to dog walkers. It’s wonderful to get out and be social with people. ● Ainsley’s Good Mood Food airs on ITV, Saturdays, 11.40am.

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PHOTOS: REX/SHUTTERSTOCK, GETTY IMAGES

y immediate family is plant-based.

We would love for everyone to stop eating meat, but we don’t judge those who do. That’s why I was surprised by new research, which found that 38 per cent of vegans and vegetarians will only date someone who follows the same diet as them, and over half of millennial vegans and veggies wouldn’t invite a meat eater to a social occasion.

HOW TO CUT COSTS & SAVE THE PLANET The Closer team has tried and tested apps and websites that will help you reduce your carbon footprint – and spend less, too! slash food bills & waste Shockingly, in the UK, we waste 6.5 million tonnes of food every year. That’s a lot of wasted money – and perfectly good grub! The OLIO app connects you with your neighbours and local businesses so you can share food that would otherwise be thrown away. You can list items you have that you won’t be able to consume (if you’re about to go on holiday, or you’ve grown way more veggies than you can eat, say) and also search for items in your area from neighbours or local businesses, like the bakery or corner shop, for items they haven’t sold at the end of the day. To date, more than 17 million portions of food have been shared on OLIO, which has saved the equivalent carbon of over 52 million car miles. ● Visit olioex.com, or download the Olio app (iOS and

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

Android, free)

rent out items to your neighbours There are so many things you might only need temporarily – think power tools, bikes and jet washers – so you don’t want to splash out to own them.

App Fat Llama allows you to rent these items from people in your area. You can agree the loan time – and extend it if you need to – then simply return to the owner. You are responsible should a loss or damage occur to an item you have borrowed.

Similarly, you can make money yourself renting out items.

Going to a wedding? We saw

a professional camera you could rent for £5 a day to take amazing pictures. Lawnmower broken? Rent one for £6. ● Fatllama.com, Fat Llama (iOS and Android, free)

Get vouchers for old clothes An estimated £140m worth of clothing is sent to UK landfill every year, and many items take up to 50 years to decompose. ReGAIN allows you to donate your clothes to charity, to either be resold or recycled, by taking them to one of 25,000 drop-off points or arranging home pick-up.

In return you get discount vouchers for clothing retailers like Boohoo, Miss Selfridge and Dune. ● Visit regain-app.com, or download the reGAIN app (iOS and Android, free)

Buy and sell second-hand, & look for freebies We’re all learning that buying everything new is unnecessary and costly, but buying secondhand doesn’t mean scouring the local charity shop or eBay. PreLoved, unlike eBay or Gumtree, has no listing or selling fees, and sidesteps the hassle of auctions, because you can buy items instantly online without bartering, messaging or bidding. You can shop for anything from baby essentials and furniture to household items and wedding dresses,

while saving money on the RRP. Similarly, you can also make money listing items you no longer need. Buyers tend to collect and you can search by postcode. There’s also now a Freeloved section, full of ads from people who are giving stuff away for free. We spotted all sort of things – including a piano, an exercise bike and horse manure for gardeners! ● Visit preloved.co.uk, or download the PreLoved app (iOS and Android, free)

Cash point

HELPING YOU SPEND WISELY, SAVE MORE AND EARN BETTER

Boost the

small changes make a big difference

MAKE money FROM YOUR EMPTIES!

use an eco search engine This one is less about saving money, more about saving the environment – and it’s so easy!

Google says its carbon footprint is now zero, but someone who performs 25 searches each day, watches an hour of YouTube, has a Gmail account and accesses some of its other services will still produce around 8g of CO2 a day, due to the energy needed to run devices and power wireless networks. Want to do better?

If you swap to search engine Ecosia, you’ll be searching safe in the knowledge that they

donate 100 per cent of their profits for climate action. They fund the planting of a new tree roughly every second and when you use the site you have a personalised tracker, which tells you how many searches you’ve done, so you can see how many new trees you’ve helped plant. What’s more, they put a green leaf next to websites in your search results from companies they believe share their mission, meaning it’s easier for you to access green websites and services. ● Visit ecosia.org

Get a new wardrobe by swapping with others More than nine in 10 women have at least one item in their wardrobes they’ve never worn, and probably a lot of us are guilty of much more! But what doesn’t suit you is someone else’s treasure, and that’s where Vinted comes in. Not only can you list your items for sale or swap, but you can

also buy and swap with others.

From designer goodies at bargain prices to high-street stuff for adults and kids, it means you can update your wardrobe regularly without adding to landfill. ● Visit vinted.co.uk/app, or download the Vinted app (iOS and Android, free)

As a nation, we’re drinking 75 million bottles of gin every year, but rather than popping your empty bottles in the recycling bin, you could be selling them on eBay, where there’s huge demand for them for upcycling, wedding and home décor projects.

Data analysts at Lifestyle Packaging looked into it and found that pretty bottles can make a pretty pound! For example, Mermaid Pink Gin, which comes in a textured blush bottle, sells for £11.98, the classic Gordon’s London Dry Gin (which is one of the cheapest options at £15.50 for 70cl) sells for £4.65, while Eden Mill Golf Gin bottles can be snapped up for £8.82.

Social media is full of craft projects with TikTok videos and Pinterest moodboards showing people how to turn empty bottles into lamps, diffusers, candles, terrariums and vases. Of course, you can pop other attractive empties up for sale, and you can choose other sites too, like Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree.

Alternatively, you can get crafty and save yourself a fortune by following the online tutorials and making your own homewares – or even selling them as a side project by starting a shop on Etsy!

Give and receive kids’ stuff for free Children can get through mountains of stuff, but they also grow out of things quickly.

YoungPlanet helps parents declutter while also helping the planet by getting rid of their children’s items, as well as being able to pick up things you need for free. You can search for items in your area, or post a request for something specific you are looking for. Many users report the joy of giving gives them great pleasure, while keeping items they don’t need any more out of landfill. It’s not just clothes and toys; parents sell brand-new nappies that their children no longer fit

into, bottle sterilising kits and bouncy chairs – all things that can cost a fortune for parents if they buy everything brand new. ● Visit youngplanet.com, or download the Young Planet app (iOS and Android, free)

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Style alert CELEBRITY INSPIRATION TO UPDATE YOUR WARDROBE

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IN THE NEWS...

SECOND-HAND SEPTEMBER WITH OXFAM AND SIENNA MILLER EMILY ATACK

I WANT WHAT SHE’S GOT! ZOE HARDMAN

fashion wor RED HOT

September signposts a big movement in fashion as actress Sienna Miller is SAVE d an r fu ux fa s ar we Sienna MONEY – encouraging rs second-hand designe AND THE everyone to shop including Jaeger second-hand this PLANET month to raise awareness about the impact of fast fashion. She says, “These small changes can make a huge difference. And rooting around in a charity shop is like hunting for treasure. Be a magpie!” Each week, 13 million items of clothing end up in landfill, so shop smart! Oxfam is home to an array of amazing second-hand items – there’s also a designer boutique and a kidswear section online, so you don’t have to leave the sofa. Otherwise, with 561 shops in the UK, pop down to your local store to see what vintage treasures await you!

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Kate Hudson, 42

Everything about Kate’s whimsical look had us lusting after it. Keeping things simple and letting her tulle Valentino frock do all the talking, the actress looked flirty and fabulous.

FANCY FOILS

Cynthia Erivo, 34

Actress Cynthia is a pro at making an entrance and she didn’t disappoint in this metallic cape. Teaming the centrepiece with a black pencil skirt and platform heels, she looked super cool.

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Blooms, statement dots and punchy Aztec prints are all over the celeb circuit right now – worn together! If you’re intimidated by the slightly chaotic trend, add a patchwork piece and the hard work is done for you. Wear a patterned dress alone or style it simply like Heidi Klum. Teaming contrasting prints seems a faux pas, but it’s a look to invest in. Copy the A-listers with these high-street gems…

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Anya Taylor-Joy, 25 The Queen’s Gambit star looked gorgeous in her pink Dior gown.

The bold hue worked amazingly with her blonde locks and the statement jewellery ensured she looked like a true princess.

FLAME GAME

Jessica Chastain, 44

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These stars looked dazzling on the red carpet of the Venice International Film Festival

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Dakota Johnson, 31

Dripping in all that glitters, actress Dakota looked simply sensational.

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Zendaya, 25

Zendaya’s wetlook wonder was an incredible work of art. The Balmain custom gown fitted the actress like a glove and showcased her amazing legs.

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WILD PRINTS Like florals for spring, leopard print is a timeless classic we love to embrace every year. Get the designer vibe with a printed tailored coat and it’ll transform everything from trousers and tees to floral tea dresses.

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Transforming your trusty jeans with a punchy floral top WAREHOUSE £35 is a simple way to get autumn ready.

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Get inspired by the autumn/ winter 2021 runways! Snap up these designer dupes and step into the new season in style…

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SUPER STRIPES Breton stripes, combined with a relaxed collar, can only mean one thing – hello Celine dupe. There’s not a fashion editor who hasn’t snapped up this classic copycat – Instagram is going wild for it.

Forget delicate, layered necklaces – chunky chains are where it’s at this season.

The more jumbo the links, the better. Keep things classy by teaming with wardrobe staples like a slip dress and blazer.

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Take your favourite frock or skirt straight into new-season territory with a pair of burgundy knee-highs.

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Rock this blouse with the matching trousers, or tuck into jeans for the school run.

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Cinch in smock dresses for a new look.

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You can use it on your face (applied sparingly), but it works on cracked heels, dry elbows and over-washed hands, too.

WELEDA SKIN FOOD £8.25

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GWYNNIE’S FUSSFREE CLEANSER USED BY: Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Lucy Hale, Ellie Goulding OUR VERDICT: It’s hard to believe that micellar water was once a niche buy, but this formula started it all. Once only available in French pharmacies, the cleanser is now available worldwide and has a flock of fans. Gwyneth said, “It’s the best makeup remover. It’s unscented, doesn’t dry skin or sting, and gets rid of all your make-up with a few swipes.”

USED BY: Naomi Campbell, Selena Gomez, Chrissy Teigen OUR VERDICT: You know that radiant glow that celebs have? Yes, it’s limiting sugar and necking green juices, but this acid peel helps! It uses a blend of AHA and BHAs to melt away dead cells to leave skin looking luminous.

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Home front INSPIRATION YOU’LL LOVE!

INTERIORS MERI MERI

Bake off special!

TALKING TABLES Turn tea time into a party by hanging some playful bunting – this cheery fabric decoration can be reused for future birthdays, too.

TIME FOR TEA PASTEL TONES AND ELEGANT FLORALS WILL ADD A VINTAGE FEEL TO A SLICE OF CAKE AND A CUPPA WITH YOUR BESTIES

TALKING TABLES £18

As well as being pretty, these sustainably-sourced plates are made from bamboo and sugar cane.

PARTY PIECES £7.99 FOR PACK OF 8

A jug and faux blooms will add a sophisticated vibe to even the simplest of sugary spreads. HABITAT £16

Display your showstopper in all its glory with this classic, dome-lid glass stand. IKEA £10 This set of six porcelain cups and saucers will add a whimsical feel to your afternoon brew.

WAYFAIR £20.99 FOR SET OF 6

A soft linen table cloth will transform your outdoor table into an Instagramworthy base for your bakes.

H&M £34.99

SPOTLIGHT ON… THE LITTLE BOTANICAL

COMPILED BY MATILDA STANLEY

THE LITTLE BOTANICAL

Perfect for sending as a gift or to perk up your WFH desk, The Little Botanical is your one-stop shop for all kinds of indoor and outdoor plants, from mini succulents to big leafy statements! As well as being responsibly sourced and delivered in recyclable packaging, choosing a plant from the family-run business is super easy as you can filter by where in your room you’d like it to sit and how big you’d like it £7.50 to grow. Each buy comes with a pot without an extra charge, too.

Pretty illustrated paper napkins will make a chic addition to your table décor.

JOHN LEWIS £4 FOR 20

TRY THIS… ● Why not raise money for a helpful cause while eating your baked treats? Charities like Macmillan have great fundraising packs to turn your soirée into a good deed. See macmillan.org.uk to host your own coffee morning on 24 September. ● You don’t have to go with pastel tones! Try a bold rainbow scheme or look for an animal theme if little ones are joining the party. Trawl Etsy.com for fun cake toppers, from mini balloons to little Gruffalos. ● Buying brand-new crockery can be expensive, so browse in local charity shops for cups, saucers and teapots. Mix styles and designs for a vintage feel.

Go to pages 34-35 for our Bake Off chats with Paul and Prue, plus turn over for delicious sweet treats to whip up at home!

DELICIOUS B From tarts to cakes to traybakes, we've raided new charity cookbook Piece of Cake for mouthwatering treats you can create at home

Vegan Chocolate Cake

SERVES 12 ● Plain flour ● 400g caster sugar ● 80g cocoa powder ● 80g bicarbonate of soda ● 1tsp salt ● 300ml cold water ● 150ml vegetable oil ● 2tbsp white vinegar ● 160ml orange juice STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160fan/gas mark 4.

Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8inch loose-bottomed sandwich tins STEP 2 In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix gently to combine.

STEP 3 In a large jug, mix the cold water, oil, white vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla and liqueur.

STEP 4 Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix well to make a fairly liquid batter.

STEP 5 Divide the batter between the tins and bake in your preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

STEP 6 When the cake is cooked allow it to cool completely in the tins.

● Zest of 2 oranges ● 1tsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract ● 40ml Cointreau (or water) ● 250g vegan chocolate ● 225g full-fat coconut milk (from a can) ● 1tbsp sweet orange marmalade ● 2 orange slices ● 3 chocolate chunks STEP 7 To make the ganache, chop the chocolate finely and put into a large bowl. Heat the coconut milk in a saucepan until it’s just starting to bubble then pour over the chocolate, stirring continuously. The chocolate will melt into a smooth ganache. Put the ganache aside for a few hours until it becomes firm enough to fill and ice the cake.

STEP 8 When you are ready to ice the cake, release the cakes from their tins, and spread a little of the marmalade onto the bottom cake. Top with some of the ganache. Place the second cake on top and spread ganache on the top of the second cake. You can decorate with orange slices, zest or chocolate chunks. ● Recipe from Nielsen-Massey

AKES MADE EASY!

RECIPES Bake off special!

Spring Berry Chocolate Traybake SERVES 12 ● 175g self-raising flour ● 150g light brown sugar ● 50g cocoa powder ● 1tsp bicarbonate of soda ● 150ml milk ● 2 eggs

● 150ml oil (vegetable or sunflower) ● 450ml double cream ● Berries – we recommend strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries

STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan) and line the traybake tin with baking parchment.

STEP 2 In the mixing bowl, fully combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and bicarbonate with the whisk before adding the milk, eggs and oil.

STEP 3 Mix everything together to form a smooth batter, then pour into the lined traybake tin. Place in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 25-30 minutes until springy in the centre.

STEP 4 Allow the sponge to cool before removing from the tin.

STEP 5 Whip the cream to soft peaks, swirl on top of the cooled sponge and top with your preferred berries just before serving. ● Recipe from the Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched

by UK Flour Millers

gluten free Bakewell Tart

COMPILED BY ANNABELLE LEE

SERVES 8-10 FOR THE BASE ● 225g gluten free flour ● 15g sugar ● 110g diced butter

FOR THE FILLING ● 2 eggs ● 100g butter ● 100g sugar ● 2 eggs ● 100g ground

STEP 1 To make the pastry base, mix the gluten-free flour and sugar in a bowl. Add the diced butter and combine using your hands to achieve a crumbly texture. Add the eggs and mix until smooth. Chill in the fridge for about 1 hour.

STEP 2 To make the frangipane [the sweet filling], cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until the mixture becomes very light and fluffy. Now add the eggs one at a time and finally slowly mix in the almonds.

Mix until smooth.

STEP 3 Grease the quiche tin

almonds ● Raspberry jam ● Fresh raspberries TO FINISH ● Flaked almonds ● Icing sugar

using a bit of soft butter. Now roll out the pastry dough to an even layer and line the tin with the pastry. Spread the raspberry jam on to the base and carefully pour over the frangipane.

STEP 4 Add the fresh raspberries to the top (make sure there is a bit of space between them) and gently press them into the frangipane mix. Finish the tart with flaked almonds and bake for 40-50 minutes at 160°C. Leave to cool and dust with icing sugar.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or on its own. ● Recipe from Jack & Beyond

● Piece Of Cake charity e-book from Cake Week – which is sponsored by Cuisinart – was created to raise funds for FoodCycle – a charity which provides meals for those at risk of poverty and social isolation – available to purchase for £3 on Payhip at the following link: payhip.com/b/jF8oh

Go to pages 34-35 for our Bake Off chats with Paul and Prue, plus turn over for the best baking kit

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pretty spoons

INTERIORS dotty apron

Pretty bakeware that’s both useful and lovely is worth investing in. You’ll want to keep these measuring spoons on display! OLIVER

Keep your clothes clean with this spotty cotton apron.

Not only is it super practical, but it’s money well spent!

MACMILLAN.ORG. UK £13

BONAS £26.50

Bake off special!

cute tin Spread the love and let everyone know you’ve put your heart into your bake with this cute tin. No soggy bottoms here! MORRISONS £5.50

THE ULTIMATE EDIT:

BEST BAKING KIT!

classic bowl

HABITAT AT SAINSBURY’S £10

Cool cutters

fun decor

Useful Utensils

Baking is best served with a side of fun and these cookie cutters take the biscuit. Treat time has never looked so good. Get kids involved with icing! HOBBYCRAFT £3.50

If you’re not the best baker but love decorating, disguise cake flaws with butter cream and a showpiece cake topper – try these rainbow pom poms. MERIMERI £7.50

Treat start-up bakers to this trendy set of tools – a silicone spatula, brush and spoon, plus a stainless steel mini whisk – all under for a tenner! ANYDAY AT JOHN LEWIS £8.99 FOR SET

retro scales

Happy tins

handy stand

A retro set of scales is not only useful, it also looks great on the kitchen counter. You’ll strike gold with this one.

Any storage container that contains baked goods is bound to put a smile on everyone’s face!

This set of tins will also keep them fresh.

Be smart in the kitchen with this handy bookstand, which will stop your favourite pages getting caked in flour and butter.

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DUNELM £10

Go to pages 34-35 for our Bake Off chats with Paul and Prue!

MATALAN £7

COMPILED BY: HARRIET DAVEY

Everything you need to whip up a storm in the kitchen and reap some tasty rewards…

Fold, beat and stir your favourite ingredients in this stylish enamel bowl.

Use it as a fruit bowl between bakes.

Puzzles

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25

I

15

4

13

C

P

3

N

16

3

2

D Q

4

17

1

E

R

5

18

10

F

S

6

19

T

7

20

U

8

21

V

9

22

18

11

11 25

1

G I 3 N

25

13

11

6 21

GUESS THE FILM STILL B

14

2

13 3

G

O

7

11

H

2

22

1

B

11 2

A

11

25

3

8

19

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR LETTERS HERE:

5

23

12

11

9 10

19

24

8

25

25

23

5

23

20

11

1

17 20

4

18

6

10

25

2

3

15

7

19

7

25 12

21

Every number in the grid stands for a different letter. We’ve given you the word GIN to get you started. Fill in all the 1s, 2s and 3s and you’ll be able to start guessing other letters. All 26 letters of the alphabet appear at least once.

Cross off the ones you’ve used on the list below

11

7 11

J W

10

23

16

K

X

11

24

7

L

Y

12

25

M

Z

13

26

13

NAME THE STARS With the help of our clues, rearrange the letters in the words below to make a celeb’s name

1

Don’t leave this presenter on an Island...

PHOTOS: REX/SHUTTERSTOCK, ALLSTAR

MATURE AIR HOWL

2

This American actress’ favourite time of day is Twilight

RAWEST KNITTERS An unusual ailment means that a child is born old and becomes gradually younger

66

CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK

A woman whose life and marriage fall apart seeks solace at her sister’s flat

See p88 for all puzzle solutions

PUZZLE TIME

THE BIG CROSSWORD 1

2

3

ACROSS

1 Newspaper’s feature writer ➒ 7 Rod Hull’s bird ➌

8 - - - - - - - Ardern, New Zealand’s

5

4

6 7

9

8

10

11

12

13

14

8 ACROSS

15

16

17

18

Prime Minister ➐ See pic 9 Remove fleece ➎ 12 Arrive at ➎ 17 Personal liberty ➐ 18 Treasure - - - - - -, classic novel ➏ 19 Debacle ➏ 21 Process and use again ➐ 22 Des - - - - -, TV presenter ➎ 24 Exactly upright ➎ 26 Gandhi’s honorific ➐ 28 Computer port ➊➊➊ 29 Three feet of beer? ➍➋➌

DOWN

1 Board game ➎

2 Lucy - - -, Elementary star ➌ 3 Serious ➎

19

20

4 Cause to happen to oneself ➎

21

5 Paint container ➌ 6 Small amount ➍

10 Rock - - - - - -, film legend ➏

22

23

24

11 Top-ranking naval officer ➐

25

13 Electric fish? ➌

14 Carry (goods) ➏ 15 Statue ➏

16 Humorous TV show ➏

26

27

20 Medicinal spring ➌

28

22 As meek as a - - - -, simile ➍ 23 Gauge ➎

24 Teacher of Aristotle ➎ 25 Holy book ➎

29

27 Sir Chris - - -, British cyclist

and Olympian ➌ 28 Wyoming’s country ➊➊➊

27 DOWN

Boxing body (1, 1, 1)

Mattress support

Make money

Film effects (1, 1, 1)

Road surface

Dispute

London railway station

Prized fur

CLUES & ARROWS

Tennis Stiff paper player, --- Festival Rusedski

Fool

Fill in the grid using the clues provided

Jonathan --- Meyers, Irish actor

Cartridge

ParaTosca , eg trooper?

(3, 5)

Australian actor, --- Everage

Beaver-like animal

Thong

Took action, --with

Hospital department (1, 1, 1)

Shipping forecast area

And so on (abbr)

Highland politicians (1, 1, 1)

Robinson

Cardinal number

Lethargic Oil producers’ cartel

Expedition

---, novel

Military campaigns

Yuck!

Costa del Become ---, Spanish sick resort

Ribbed fabric

Pop star, --- John

Revolve, rotate

Woodland mushroom

TURN FOR MORE PUZZLES ➜

Puzzles CRISS CROSS

Have a laugh with these words relating to legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

SUDOKU

Complete the grid with the numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains the numbers 1 to 9 only.

LEVEL 1: EASY

7 9 6 2 3 4 7 9 4 8 3

1 2 2 1 7 8 4 5

2 3 6 7

3 3 9 LEVEL 2: MEDIUM

6

7 4 1 9

4

8 3 LETTERS DUO FAT HAT TIE

*TCS&CS APPLY. PHOTOS: REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

4 LETTERS FILM GAGS STAN THIN

5 LETTERS DRAMA HARDY JOKES MOVIE OLLIE SONGS 6 LETTERS ARTHUR LAUREL SHORTS

Win! Enjoy a night of laughs and bingo in a decked-out booth, with a delicious two-course meal and a bottle of bubbly, at your choice of one of 70 Mecca Bingo clubs across the country. Head to winit. closeronline.co.uk to enter*.

68

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SILENT STUDIO 7 LETTERS ATLANTA NORVELL 9 LETTERS JEFFERSON MOUSTACHE SLAPSTICK

A VIP NIGHT WITH THE GIRLS AT MECCA BINGO!

4 1 2

1 8

7 6 5

3

5 2 3

5 6 9

FIND YOUR HAPPY EVER AFTER AT FLIRTIFY.CO.UK It’s mobile friendly so you can sort your love life on the go!

PUZZLE TIME

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Can you spot the six differences between these two pictures of Heidi Klum?

GUESS THE CELEB

Can you name these stars from looking at just one part of their famous faces?

A

B

WORD SEARCH

Can you find all the Sacha Baron Cohen-related words in the grid? Words can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal

M S

R E L

L

E

S

R E T

E P A Y

H T

I M S R E M M A H

T H F R

N R O B F H X G R H U G O K A

B C

BIRTH - - - DREAM GOOD - - - - POLL

T T

Z B J

L B

S A

E F U

I

H T

N C Z B D B A J M C A

K C

A W I

A

I

I

A E

S

F E E

L G

I

C A M B R

E Q T J

R V

D E F

See p88 for all puzzle solutions

WOOD - - - - PAN FOLK - - - - - HALL UP - - - - - - DAMP

I

T

L A N N I

D G E J M

I

Q G U U

I W U P

Z A L K L

S

I

C

E T X Y P O Y O Y O C E O

K H M T N J

Fill in the blanks to find a word that will make sense when placed at the end of the first word, and the start of the second word.

FILM - - - - - TIME

P C O F A O N M

Z D D N F D S O X A N

WORD LINK A

A O K A F

Y B Q Y S M A N M

W T

O B N E Z B

Z L

C X E C V M G R

W H O I

S W O D R H A

S A M E R

I

I

M S

B Y

C A B A F

ALADEEN

GRIMSBY

MADAGASCAR

ALI G

HAMMERSMITH

MOCKUMENTARY

BORAT

HUGO

PETER SELLERS

BRUNO

KAZAKHSTAN

SPYZ

CAMBRIDGE

KING JULIEN

THE DICTATOR

COMEDIAN

LUCA

WHO IS AMERICA

SACHA BARON CO HE

N

TV WEEK: 18-24 SEPT

What to watch

THE SHOWS EVERYONE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE UK SEASON THREE FINALLY LANDS, WITH HUNS RUPAUL AND MICHELLE VISAGE

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF PRUE, PAUL AND A LOAD OF NEW BAKERS RETURN TO THE TENT! STRICTLY COME DANCING UNLEASH THE GLITTERBALL! SATURDAY NIGHTS GET GREAT

MANHUNT THE NIGHT STALKER MARTIN CLUNES IS DCI COLIN SUTTON, BACK FOR A NEW CASE

NEVER MIND THE BUZZCOCKS THE BELOVED SHOW MAKES A COMEBACK, FRONTED BY GREG DAVIES THE MARTIN LEWIS MONEY SHOW LIVE TOP TIPS WITH MR MONEY BAGS AND ANGELLICA BELL

PLUS: 7-DAY LISTINGS, CELEB CHATS & SOAPS

Soap

Spotlight!

this week’s top stories

Playing it cool, or not...

He’s in dema

nd!

IT’S ALL OVER

CORONATION STREET Any episodes featuring the old-school Corrie crew are winners in our eyes, and this week sees the likes of Rita, Audrey, Claudia and Ken taking centre stage as the friends gather to bid a fond farewell to the dearly departed Norris Cole. A hip flask filled with tequila is passed round courtesy of Aud (respec’), while Rita delivers a heart-warming eulogy and Billy gets the honour of reading out a letter left by Norris himself. Could it be that the paperboy outside The Kabin holds a secret? And is Audrey about to find out that Rita used to secretly get her hair coloured

by Claudia? LOLs. Elsewhere, Gail’s back from Thailand – and Zeedan is beaten to a pulp by a mysterious group of yobs.

Rita gets all misty-eyed

HOLLYOAKS

It’s time for Mercedes to tell Bobby the truth about Sylver wanting to call time on their marriage, and there’s not a whiff of the whole “treat ’em mean, keep ’em keen” thing here – Merc is doing everything in her power to win him back. This does involve throwing a load of cash at Fergus, to pay off Sylver’s debt – but he’s strangely unimpressed when she tells him what she’s done. Elsewhere, Cher is at rock bottom after being rejected by everyone and things take a dangerous turn when she has nowhere to go.

A nice lie down

Where did you get that ha t?

, L L E W E FAR S I R R O N

‘DON’T TRUST HIM’

k, “Knock knoc ” who’s there?

EMMERDALE

CHARITY OUT COLD

There’s a power cut at The Woolpack, forcing Chas and Marlon to shut up shop. Fast forward to a hooded figure breaking in and forcing the till open with a crowbar, with poor Charity getting knocked over as the intruder legs it, and she’s left in a pool of blood! Elsewhere, Kim and Paddy come to an unexpected arrangement when Paddy begs for her help in getting rid of Al, and Diane goes on a date with a chap called Michael – who is played by non other than Colin Baker (yes, the Doctor Who legend). Michael’s passion is “a bit of a puzzle”, he teases.

Qasim Akhtar, 30, on returning to the cobbles as Zeedan Nazir after three years away…

How is it being back?

It’s amazing. I’m having a great time and loving every minute.

Zeedan is flashing the cash and Alya “Not my is suspicious? face!”

He’s being very cagey, and he doesn’t tell her where the money has come from. She knows her brother well, so she is right not to trust him and what he is saying.

FOLLOW OUR LIVE TWEETS OVER AT

@CloserOnline 72

CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK

Mick tried out his best “mean face” Karren Brady’s got nothing on Rai nie

EASTENDERS

RAINIE TAKES ON THE CARTERS T

he Carters are not usually a bunch to be messed with (we certainly wouldn’t want to meet a miffed Shirley down a dark alley, that’s for sure), so has Rainie bitten off more than she can chew by plastering the walls of Walford with flyers proclaiming that Max is the father of Linda’s baby?

Mick is quite tasty in a fight as well, swiftly coming up with a plan to deal with Rainie – although Stuart doesn’t take too kindly to that, threatening Mick that the Carters could now be in danger. Blimey, it’s all going a bit Sopranos in E21. Elsewhere, Bobby goes to see Harvey at the cab office and professes his love for Dana, promising to look after her.

Unfortunately, the “looking after” part soon turns out to be a fib, as about five minutes later a group of racists attack Bobby, Dana, Kioni and Iqra, with Dana left lying bloodied in the street after Bobby fails to protect her.

It’s also not a good week for Martin. He’s at breaking point, strugging with no money and living with the kids (plus a rabbit) in an empty house, although Zack has a plan to help him, getting back at Ruby in the process. Things are looking up for Stacey, though, when her mum gives her some good news – there’s just the small matter of that drug-dealing charge to deal with now, eh, Jean?

“Where’s the furniture?”

Don’t do it

!

We’d be a little nervous too...

Come back Stace, all is forgiven!

ALSO THIS WEEK Janine’s return to the Square isn’t going quite as well as she’d hoped, what with no one exactly falling over themselves to give her a job and daughter Scarlett not buying her mum’s story that she’s a reformed character.

But there’s one person who’s prepared to give Janine the time of day, and that’s the (almost) equally unpopular Zack. As Janine drowns her sorrows at Ruby’s, there’s a lot of lingering looks over the bar as sparks start to fly between the two of them…

CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK

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TOP 20

TV WEEK: 18-24 SEPT

tv pic 1

TUNE IN TO CLOSER’S PICK OF THE TELLY EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT WITH TV EDITOR HANNAH WRIGHT

UNLEASH THE GLITTERBALL! SAT 18 SEPT, 7.45PM, BBC1

Bringing glitz, glamour and glory to Saturday nights – Strictly returns for its 19th series. This is the launch show (the Lives start on the following weekend – Sat 25 Sept). A total of 15 celebrities have signed up and this year’s couples will be revealed tonight. On the judging panel are Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood. Joining them is former professional dancer Anton Du Beke, standing in for US-based Bruno Tonioli. Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly return to host the main event. Aceness!

NEW SERIES

did you know?

STRICTLY COME DANCING

2

NEW SERIES

THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW

WITH THE BOND LOT FRI 24 SEPT, 10.35PM, BBC1

Kicking off with the stars of the longawaited James Bond film No Time To Die. In his final appearance as 007, Daniel Craig is joined by French star Léa Seydoux, and you can guarantee Graham will be “shaken, not stirred…” Ed Sheeran’s on too – great stuff!

THE WHO CARES WINS AWARDS WITH THE SUN

PHOTOS: REX/SHUTTERSTOCK, BBC

HEALTHCARE HEROES SUN 19 SEPT, 7.30PM, C4

This star-studded awards ceremony – set up in 2017 to celebrate healthcare heroes and key workers – is being televised for the first time. “It was an honour to meet the winners and nominees and hear their amazing stories,” says host Davina McCall.

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CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK

Spin-off show It Takes Two is back from Mon 27 Sept, with (Strictly pro) Janette Manrara replacing Zoe Ball – who’s stepped down as a presenter. She’ll share hosting duties with Rylan Clark-Neal.

4 NEW SERIES

Y: THE LAST MAN APOCALYPTIC DRAMA WED 22 SEPT, DISNEY+

3

All males of every species die – except one. This story (adapted from the acclaimed science fiction comic books) focuses on that lone male survivor, and his pet monkey...

NEW SERIES

THE HAIRY BIKERS GO NORTH A NEW FOOD ADVENTURE THU 23 SEPT, 8PM, BBC2

5

Those bearded fellas, Si King and Dave Myers, head off on their “most personal journey yet”, on a foodie adventure (aboard motorbikes, obvs) which comes from a different place each week – starting off in Lancashire. It’s not all about hotpots, black puddings and Eccles cakes, you know…

ks MANHUNT THE NIGHT STALKER

6

DID YOU KNOW? The first Manhunt – which aired back in 2019 – proved to be one of ITV’s most successful dramas of the year, following Sutton as he tracked down serial killer Levi Bellfield.

NEW SERIES

BASED ON A TRUE STORY MON 20-THU 23 SEPT, 9PM, TV

Martin Clunes returns as former Met Police detective Colin Sutton in this new drama stripped over four nights. Between 1992-2009, a sex offender dubbed the “Night Stalker” was wanted for a string of burglaries and rapes across South East England. Naturally, this isn’t an easy watch – but Clunes is excellent, although Sutton doesn’t exactly get a hero’s welcome when he’s drafted in on a case that seems unsolvable – despite the culprit’s DNA being in the system.

“Seventeen years and he’s never left a fingerprint or let a victim see his face…” You’ll be gripped.

MARTIN CLUNES:

‘We don’t glamorise or sensationalise anything’

Actor Martin Clunes, 59, on reprising the role of former Met detective Colin Sutton in the second series of the hit ITV drama… hat’s the drama about?

MARTIN: The true story of the investigation into the so-called Night Stalker – a notorious serial burglar and rapist whose 17-year reign of terror left thousands of elderly people living in fear of going to bed at night. Colin has successfully caught Levi Bellfield, then he gets asked to see if he can assist a team with this horrible case. They’ve been slogging their guts out for many years, and not getting anywhere.

Series one was a huge success...

Everything about it we were happy with; not portraying the actual detail of the crimes, but the solutions. I think this case is in a way more dramatic. What brought about the stalemate is that they found the offender’s DNA so early, but when you’ve got DNA and you are trying to find a match, it is very hard – especially with a criminal who is so meticulous in his planning.

W

Was it interesting to play DCI Colin Sutton again?

The last time I played him I got very invested in the notion of the police, to the extent that I now feel a bit defensive if they come under attack in the media! I met Colin on a number of occasions, which was hugely helpful. The character is my idea of a version of Colin – he told me I nailed it, and that I was a better spoken, thinner Colin…

The crimes aren’t shown…

There are no scenes depicting the crimes – they are real and abhorrent, and to see them re-enacted would be wrong The real Colin Sutton

for this particular drama.

Manhunt’s focus is on dogged, painstaking, real police work. We don’t glamorise or sensationalise anything. Some things are altered for the sake of dramatisation, but it is a drama and not a documentary.

How did the story affect you?

It affected me because of the nature of the crimes. With raping and sexually assaulting people, you think, “What is wrong with this guy?” When he’s finally caught, the line that Colin had in the script was, “I’m so pleased to

meet you”, which I loved. Happy to meet him because it meant he was in captivity. God knows how many more victims there might have been if the team hadn’t caught the Night Stalker.

What’s next for you?

When the first lockdown happened, I was filming a new documentary series – Islands Of The Pacific, so we have that to complete. We were also due to film the 10th series of Doc Martin, but we postponed filming until next year because of the coronavirus.

“MARTIN IS FANTASTIC” The first Manhunt depicted the investigation into capturing evil murderer Levi Bellfield, led by Colin Sutton – the ex-Met murder Senior Investigating Officer (SIO). Now retired, Sutton led more than 30 successful murder investigations, as well as the re-investigation of the Night Stalker, Delroy Grant, who was convicted for a series of rapes on the elderly. On Martin Clunes’ performance in Manhunt, he says, “I was thrilled with it, I thought it was fantastic. I hope the reaction to this new series will be, ‘Didn’t they do well in the end, and wasn’t that a terrible series of crimes these poor people suffered?’”

CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK

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tv picks THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF

TASKMASTER

NEW SERIES

LET THE SILLINESS COMMENCE THU 23 SEPT, 9PM, C4 A fab new set of celebs take on surreal challenges in the BAFTA-winning comedy game show. Greg Davies is back as host, alongside his loyal assistant (and the show’s creator) Alex Horne.

8

7

NEW SERIES Turn to page 34 to read Closer’s chat with Paul and Prue

KICKING OFF WITH CAKE WEEK TUE 21 SEPT, 8PM, C4

The opening credits where Prue, Paul, Matt ’n’ Noel lark about is perhaps one of the finest pieces of television you’ll ever witness... And then we’re straight into the tent meeting this year’s jolly lot (Prue’s doppelgänger is in there, along with a cheerful German bloke using actual spanners in his showstopper). It’s an excellent episode, involving the creation of 12 mini rolls (they can go mad with the flavours and fillings), along with malt loaf (causing confusion) and a “gravity-defying” end piece. Let’s bake!

NEW SERIES

NEVER MIND THE BUZZCOCKS

BELOVED SHOW COMEBACK TUE 21 SEPT, 9PM, SKY SHOWCASE / NOW The iconic music-based panel show is being rebooted by Sky, with Greg Davies on hosting duties. Noel Fielding and Daisy May Cooper are the team captains, while stand-up comic Jamali Maddix is a regular guest.

10 76

CLOSERONLINE.CO.UK

LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON FRI 24 SEPT, NETFLIX

The Haunting Of Hill House is one of Netflix’s most critically-acclaimed original TV series ever, and this is the latest terrifying story from the creators of that show. The supernatural horror drops just in time for NEW SERIES a Halloween lead-up binge.

SEX ACTUALLY WITH ALICE LEVINE

PRINCE PHILIP: THE ROYAL FAMILY REMEMBERS

Alice Levine asks if there is such a thing as “normal” when it comes to bedroom antics, after a recent survey discovered there was a 900 per cent increase in Brits searching for sex toys online during lockdown...

Originally conceived to mark Prince Philip’s 100th birthday, this features interviews filmed both before and after the Duke’s death aged 99 in April. Royal Family members including Prince Charles, Harry and Wills appear, along with long-standing staff at the Palace.

SHACKLES ARE ABANDONED WED 22 SEPT, 10PM, C4

11

NEW SERIES

A HISTORIC TRIBUTE WED 22 SEPT, 9PM, BBC1

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE UK

NEW SERIES

SEASON THREE LANDS, HUNS THU 23 SEPT, BBC THREE

We’re being spoilt with more Drag Race fabulousness with Mama RuPaul and her crew back on our screens in a third series where 12 stars battle it out for the title of Next Drag Superstar. Expect the usual celeb appearances (Oti Mabuse, Matt Lucas and Steps have been announced as guest judges – see below right) and Michelle Visage is back as a regular judge – with Graham Norton and Alan Carr alternating each week. The post on RuPaul’s official Twitter page read, “Ding dang dong. It’s round three, huns.” We are seriously excited!

9

13

MIDNIGHT MASS

12

14

WHEN NIRVANA CAME TO BRITAIN HERE WE ARE NOW, ENTERTAIN US SAT 18 SEPT, 9.30PM, BBC2

The story of rock band Nirvana, charting their rise to fame – from their very first British tour and with legendary appearances on shows such as The Word and Top Of The Pops.

5 MINUTES WITH...

Some of the celebrity guest judges assisting RuPaul and the Queens through their various challenges as they compete to become the UK’s Next Drag Superstar… ow was it being on the show?

OTI MABUSE: Fantastic, I loved it! I’ve watched every episode and I was so excited to meet the Queens.

MATT LUCAS: It was on my bucket list. My years of wearing tights are behind me, so I was both relieved and delighted to be asked to be on the panel! It was one of the most entertaining days I’ve ever had.

KATHY BURKE: I’m a big Drag Race fan, so it was absolutely brilliant to meet RuPaul and Michelle Visage – and I loved the very “kind to old ladies” lighting.

H FROM STEPS: This show means so much to me! It champions diversity and equality, and encourages all of us to be our authentic selves.

I want to do drag now!

CHARITY SHOP SUE (fashion icon): Amazing – it felt like we’d been given a golden ticket. The contestants were lovely, and so we felt very at home.

How would you describe yourself as a judge?

MATT: The more serious the

H

situation, the sillier I tend to be.

So, I was very silly.

What can we expect from your episode?

H: RuPaul’s Drag Race and Steps is the perfect marriage! A total camp-combo! But we worked the Queens hard and it paid off… It’s going to be an iconic episode, it was no “drag-edy!”

Why do you love Drag Race?

CSS: It gives people the confidence to shine bright – no one should ever dim their light.

Sum up this year’s Queens…

JAY REVELL (choreographer and Drag Race regular): Top tier, very high standard across the board! There are laughs and epic personalities.

OTI: They’re so funny, so talented – but even more than that, they are real.

Matt brings the silly factor

FACTFILE

The winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK series two was Lawrence Chaney, who took the crown from season one champ The Vivienne. The finalists lip-synced to Elton John’s I’m Still Standing. Just faaaabulous!

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tv picks THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF: AN EXTRA SLICE SPIN-OFF SHOW RETURNS FRI 24 SEPT, 8PM, C4

NEW SERIES

15

One helping of Bake Off just isn’t enough, so Jo Brand is back for this fab spin-off show, welcoming celebrity fans Sarah Millican, Sunetra Sarker and Iain Stirling. Expect best bits and unseen footage, along with an interview with the first baker to leave the tent. Tom Allen gets to judge the bakes created by viewers at home.

TOOL CLUB LEARN DIY SKILLS SAT 18 SEPT, 4PM, C4

16

THE MARTIN LEWIS MONEY SHOW: LIVE TOP TIPS DOLED OUT THU 23 SEPT, 8.30PM, ITV

Michael Underwood and a team of professionals aim to give viewers at home the confidence to tackle DIY challenges themselves. We see an old coach turned into a library, and two sentimental items transformed into something practical.

Martin Lewis and Angellica Bell are here with important news on how to avoid a massive rise in energy bills. Martin also answers some frequently asked questions (very quickly – this is live!)

18

RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW 2021

BLOOMING LOVELY FROM SUN 19 SEPT, 6PM, BBC1 / MON 20 SEPT, 7PM, BBC2 A host of celebrity gardeners will be flocking to the annual show, with experts such as Monty Don and Joe Swift on hand with top tips. It’s on all week – BBC1 and 2.

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Shows up for awards include The Crown and Mare Of Easttown with Pose’s MJ Rodriguez as the first transgender person to be nominated for a major role.

19

NEW SERIES

TV TALK

THE 73RD PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS

TV’S BIGGEST NIGHT MON 20 SEPT, 10.50PM, SKY MAX / NOW

17

20

HAWKING: CAN YOU HEAR ME? SCIENTIST CELEBRATED MON 20 SEPT, 9PM, SKY DOCUMENTARIES / NOW

The story of Stephen Hawking’s life, featuring interviews with family and colleagues – many speaking publicly for the first time since the renowned scientist’s death in 2018.

PRESENTING GIG Love Island’s Olivia Attwood will present ITV2 show Getting Filthy Rich, exploring the uncharted world of “selling sex” online in 2021.

LET’S COOK! Jamie Oliver is on the hunt for the next big name in cookery. Go to Plumpictures. co.uk/cook bookstar to get involved.

Saturday 18 September BBC1 6am

6pm

ITV

C4

CHANNEL 5

6am CITV. 9.25 ITV News. 9.30 James Martin’s Saturday Morning. 11.40 Ainsley’s Good Mood Food. 12.40 James Martin’s American Adventure.

1.10 ITV News; Weather. 1.30 ITV Racing: Live From Newbury. 4.30 Tipping Point: Best Ever Finals. 5.0 Family Fortunes.

6am The King Of Queens. 6.25 The King Of Queens. 6.50 Mike & Molly.

7.15 Mike & Molly. 7.35 Mike & Molly.

7.55 Frasier. 8.20 Frasier. 8.50 Frasier.

9.20 The Simpsons. 9.50 The Simpsons. 10.20 The Simpsons. 10.50 The Simpsons. 11.20 The Simpsons.

11.50 The Simpsons. 12.20 Couples Come Dine With Me. 1.20 Four In A Bed. 1.50 Four In A Bed. 2.25 Four In A Bed. 2.55 Four In A Bed. 3.25 Four In A Bed. 4.0 Tool Club. DIY show hosted by Michael Underwood.

5.0 A Place In The Sun.

6am Milkshake! 9.55 SpongeBob SquarePants. 10.10 SpongeBob SquarePants. 10.20 Entertainment News On 5. 10.25 Friends. 10.55 Friends. 11.25 Friends. 11.55 Friends.

12.20 Friends. 12.50 FILM: Dances With Wolves (1990) ★★★★★ 4.30 Susan Calman’s Great British Holiday.

5.55 5 News Weekend.

6.0 ITV News; Weather (S) 6.15 ITV News London (S) 6.30 Celebrity Catchphrase

6.0 Location, Location, Location: 20 Years And Counting House-hunters who

6.0 All Creatures Great And Small Return of the drama,

The RNLI rushes to the rescue of a man in the water in the Thames. (S) (R)

With Joe Lycett, Chizzy Akudolu and Nick Knowles. (S)

struggled to make a decision.

7.30 The Cube Ade and KK,

✱ 7.45 Strictly Come Dancing New series. Tess Daly

7.30 Dad’s Army Mainwaring and Wilson are trapped in the bank vault with an unexploded bomb. (S) (R)

and Claudia Winkleman present the launch of this year’s contest. (S)

8.0 Giraffes: Africa’s Gentle Giants A mission to save the

6am Breakfast. 10.0 Saturday Kitchen Live. 11.30 Nadiya’s Family Favourites.

12.0 Football Focus. 1.0 BBC News.

1.15 Bargain Hunt. 2.15 Money For Nothing. 3.15 Garden Rescue. 4.0 Final Score. 5.10 BBC News. 5.20 BBC Regional News; Weather. 5.25 The Wall.

6.15 Pointless Celebrities A Strictly edition of the general knowledge quiz. (S)

7pm

7.0 The Hit List Strictly Special Strictly Come Dancing stars take part in the music quiz. (S)

8pm

BBC2 6.35am Wild & Weird. 6.50 Marrying Mum And Dad. 7.15 Ricky Wilson’s Art Jam. 7.35 Blue Peter. 8.05 Planet Defenders. 8.30 Supersized Earth.

9.30 Hugh’s Wild West. 10.30 Chris And Meg’s Wild Summer. 11.0 Serengeti II. 12.0 Nigel Slater’s Middle East: Turkey. 1.0 Animals With Cameras. 2.0 Take A Hike. 2.30 Take A Hike. 3.0 Take A Hike. 3.30 Take A Hike.

4.0 Take A Hike. 4.30 A House Through Time. 5.30 Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop.

6.30 Saving Lives At Sea

endangered giraffes of Africa.

9pm 9.30 Casualty A minivan carrying hearing-impaired passengers gets into an accident. (S)

9.0 QI With Sara Pascoe, Johnny Vegas and Ed Balls. (S) (R)

Including highlights of Aston Villa v Everton. (S)

11pm 11.55 Tonight With Target. 12.45 The NFL Show. 1.20 BBC News.

7.45pm Strictly, BBC1

and Jo and Dan take part. (S)

8.30 Beat The Chasers

9.35 Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up

visits to the UK. (S)

With Amanda Holden, David Haye, Johnny Vegas and Aston Merrygold. (S)

10.30 Reel Stories: Dave Grohl The Foo Fighters frontman looks back on his career. (S) (R) 11.15 FILM: Detroit (2017) ★★★★ 1.30 This Is BBC Two.

7pm The Hit List, BBC1

10.20 ITV News; Weather (S) 10.35 FILM: 22 Jump Street (2014) ★★★★ Crime

comedy, with Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. (S)

12.45 Shop: Ideal World. 3.0 FYI Extra.

3.15 Britain’s Brightest Celebrity Family. 3.40 ITV Nightscreen.

9.35pm Paul O’Grady, ITV

starring Nicholas Ralph. (S) (R)

(S) (R)

7.0 News (S)

✱ 9.30 When N irvana Came To Britain The band’s

pm

10.10 BBC News (S) 10.30 Match Of The Day

✱

Contestants from across the UK take on the six experts. (S)

(S) (R)

10

✱ CLOSER PICKS

7.30 Britain’s Most Historic Towns Professor Alice

7.0 William & Kate: Too Good To Be True

Roberts explores the medieval history of Lincoln. (S) (R)

Documentary exploring the relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. (S) (R)

8.30 Bettany Hughes’ Treasures Of The World

8.30 Lakes & Dales’ Most Scenic Railway Journey The

Bettany embarks on a Mediterranean voyage. (S)

Northern Belle travels through England’s rural north-west. (S) (R)

9.30 FILM: Deadpool 2

9.30 The Murder Of Lord Mountbatten: 3 Days That Shook Britain The events

(2018) ★★★★ The wisecracking anti-hero attempts to protect a young mutant being pursued by a heavily armed cyborg from the future. Action comedy, starring Ryan Reynolds and Josh Brolin. (S)

surrounding the killing of Louis Mountbatten in August 1979. (S)

10.50 When TV Goes Horribly Wrong Television mishaps. (S) (R)

11.50 FILM: The Girl In The Spider’s Web (2018) ★★★★ 1.50 Iris Prize Best British Shorts: Better. 2.10 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 3.0 Couples Come Dine With Me. 3.55 Hollyoaks Omnibus. 5.55 Kirstie’s House Of Craft.

6.30pm Catchphrase, C4

12.50 Entertainment News On 5. 1.0 Live Casino Show. 3.0 Entertainment News On 5. 3.10 DHL: Delivering The World To You. 4.0 Inside DHL: The World’s Biggest Delivery Company.

4.50 Wildlife SOS. 5.15 Great Artists.

5.40 Milkshake! Monkey’s Amazing Adventures. 5.45 Peppa Pig.

7pm William & Kate, C5

SATELL ITE I D IG I TAL I C AB L E L ISTI NGS W 6pm Bang On Budget. 7.0 Outnumbered. 7.40 Outnumbered.

8.20 Outnumbered. 9.0 Outnumbered. 9.40 Miranda. A shopping expedition ends in disaster.

10.20 Miranda. 11.40 Louis Theroux – A Place For Paedophiles. 1am Louis Theroux’s LA Stories. 2.15 Renovate My Home: Leave It To Bryan.

ITV2 5.45pm FILM: Despicable Me (2010) ★★★★ 6.30 FILM: Stardust (2007) ★★★★ 9.0 Family Guy. 9.30 Ready To Mingle: No Filter. 10.30 Family Guy. 11.30 American Dad! 11.55 American Dad! 12.25am The Stand Up Sketch Show. 1.25 Don’t Hate The Playaz. 2.25 Iain Stirling’s CelebAbility. 3.0 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records.

E4 6.10pm FILM: Independence Day (1996) ★★★★ 9.0 Celebrity Gogglebox. 10.0 Gogglebox. 11.05 Gogglebox. 12.10am First Dates.

Dating show. 1.15 First Dates. 2.20 World’s Greatest Weddings. 3.15 Celebrity Gogglebox. 4.10 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 5.0 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA.

ITVB E

E!

6pm The Real Housewives Of Cheshire. 7.0 The Real Housewives Of Cheshire. 8.0 Celebrity Dinner Date.

The Only Way Is Essex star Chloe Sims takes part. 9.0 Botched. A patient seeks help with her breast, which looks like an elephant’s trunk. 10.0 Ibiza Weekender. 12midnight The Real Housewives Of Atlanta.

6pm Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 7.0 Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 8.0 10 Things You Don’t Know. 8.30 We Got Love Teyana & Iman. 9.0 FILM: Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003) ★★ 11.30 Dating: No Filter. 12midnight Botched By Nature.

1.0 DR. 90210. 2.0 Teleshopping. 2.30 Teleshopping. 3.0 Big Rich Texas.

MTV

TLC

SKY SHOWCASE

SKY ATLANTIC

SKY DOCUMENTARIES

6pm Catfish: The TV Show. 7.0 Catfish: The TV Show. 8.0 Catfish: The TV Show. 9.0 Catfish: The TV Show. 10.0 2021 MTV Video Music Awards. 1am KSI: I Want My MTV. 1.30 Anne-Marie: I Want My MTV. 2.0 Ridiculousness.

2.25 Ridiculousness. 2.50 Ridiculousness. 3.15 Ridiculousness.

3.40 Ridiculousness. 4.0 Teleshopping.

6pm Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta. 7.0 Say Yes To The Dress: America. 8.0 Dr Pimple Popper. 9.0 Embarrassing Bodies: Teen Special. 10.0 Hoarding: Buried Alive. 11.0 My Extreme Excess Skin. 12midnight Dr Pimple Popper.

1.0 Embarrassing Bodies: Teen Special. 2.0 Curvy Brides Boutique.

3.0 Say Yes To The Dress: UK.

6pm Battle Of Britain 80: Allies At War. 7.0 Impossible Animals. 8.0 Football’s Funniest Moments. 8.30 A League Of Their Own. 9.30 FILM: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) ★★★★★ 12midnight Isle Of Wight Festival 2021. 1.0 The Russell Howard Hour.

2.0 S.W.A.T. 3.0 Brit Cops: Frontline Crime UK. 4.0 Modern Family.

6.45pm The Sopranos. 7.50 The Sopranos. 9.0 Game Of Thrones.

Stannis and Davos arrive in Braavos for their meeting with the Iron Bank.

10.05 Game Of Thrones. Tyrion makes an unlikely ally. 11.10 Game Of Thrones.

12.15am Game Of Thrones. 1.25 Game Of Thrones. 2.40 Californication.

4.0 Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets.

5.15pm Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary. 7.0 I Am Paul Walker. 9.0 Missile From The East.

10.55 FILM: Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind (2018) ★★★★ 1.10am FILM: The Act Of Killing (2012) ★★★★★ 3.20 FILM: Kill Chain: The Cyber War On America’s Elections (2019) 5.0 The Directors.

Sunday 19 September BBC1 6am

6am Breakfast. 7.35 Match Of The Day. 9.0 The Andrew Marr Show. 10.0 Politics England. 10.30 Sunday Morning Live. 11.30 Wanted Down Under. 12.15 Bargain Hunt. 1.0 BBC News. 1.15 Songs Of Praise. 1.50 Points Of View. 2.05 Escape To The Country.

2.50 FILM: Alice Through The Looking Glass (2016) ★★ 4.35 Serengeti II. 5.35 BBC News. 5.50 BBC Regional News; Weather.

BBC2 6.35am Gardeners’ World. 7.35 Countryfile. 8.30 Landward. 9.0 Weatherman Walking: The Welsh Coast. 9.30 Beechgrove. 10.0 Saturday Kitchen Best Bites. 11.30 Rick Stein Tastes The Blues. 12.30 My Million Pound Menu. 1.30 Cycling: Road World Championships. 4.15 Flog It! 5.10 FILM: The Finest Hours (2016)

★★★★

✱ CLOSER PICKS

ITV 6am CITV. 9.25 ITV News. 9.30 Wonders Of Scotland With David Hayman. 10.0 Love Your Weekend With Alan Titchmarsh. 11.55 All Around Britain. 12.50 Love Your Garden. 1.50 ITV News; Weather. 2.0 Goodwood Revival Live. 4.0 Tipping Point: Best Ever Finals. 4.30 Dickinson’s Biggest And Best Deals.

5.30 The Cube.

C4 6.10am Mike & Molly. 6.35 Mike & Molly.

6.55 The King Of Queens. 7.20 The King Of Queens. 7.40 The King Of Queens. 8.05 The Simpsons. 8.35 The Simpsons. 9.0 The Simpsons. 9.30 Sunday Brunch. 12.30 The Simpsons.

1.0 The Simpsons. 1.30 FILM: The Karate Kid Part III (1989) ★★ 3.45 The Dog House. 4.50 News. 5.20 FILM: The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Show 2021 Adam Frost and

behind the great hop revival. (S)

6.45 ITV News London (S) 7.0 Incredible Journeys With Simon Reeve Simon recalls some of the most dangerous experiences of his travels. (S) (R)

8pm

8.0 Antiques Roadshow From Dyffryn Gardens near Cardiff. (S)

9pm

9.0 Vigil The submarine is forced into lockdown as disaster strikes. (S)

10pm

10.0 BBC News (S) 10.20 BBC Regional News; Weather (S) 10.30 Match Of The Day 2

Including highlights of Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea.

11pm (S)

11.30 Cristiano Ronaldo: Impossible To Ignore. 12.30 FILM: Sus (2010) ★★★ 2.05 BBC News.

6pm Chelsea Flower Show, BBC1

★★★

6.25 5 News Weekend (S) 6.30 Britain’s Favourite Sandwich A countdown of

6.30 ITV News; Weather (S)

Angellica Bell preview the event. (S)

7.0 Countryfile The secrets

6am Milkshake! 9.55 SpongeBob SquarePants. 10.10 SpongeBob SquarePants. 10.25 Entertainment News On 5. 10.30 NFL End Zone. 11.0 Cruising With Jane McDonald. 11.20 Friends. 11.50 Friends. 12.20 Friends.

12.50 FILM: The Alamo (1960) ★★★★ 4.05 FILM: Ben-Hur (2016)

★★★★

6pm ✱ 6.0 RHS Chelsea Flower

7pm

CHANNEL 5

8.0 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing Bob and Paul head to the Norfolk Broads. (S)

8.30 Chris And Meg’s Wild Summer Exploring the coasts

7.0 Family Fortunes The Napiers of Nottingham go up against the Collins family of Surrey. (S)

with Cuba Gooding Jr and Laurence Fishburne. (S)

12.30 Sign Zone: Question Time. 1.30 Sign Zone: Holby City. 2.10 This Is BBC Two.

8.30pm Chris And Meg, BBC2

8.0 Million Pound Motorhomes Ricky Tomlinson

8.0 Endeavour A taxi driver is found dead in his cab on the outskirts of Oxford. (S)

9.0 FILM: Last Man Standing: Suge Knight And The Murders Of Biggie And Tupac (2021) ★★★ Premiere.

10.45 FILM: Boyz N The Hood (1991) ★★★★★ Drama,

✱ 7.30 The Who Cares Wins Awards With The Sun Award ceremony celebrating healthcare heroes. (S)

of north-east of England. (S)

Nick Broomfield revisits Los Angeles in search of new evidence of rap mogul Suge Knight’s involvement in the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious BIG. (S)

the nation’s best-loved sandwiches. (S)

10.0 ITV News; Weather (S) 10.20 Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace – What Happened Next An update on some of the stories of people who were abandoned as babies. (S) (R) 11.15 Heathrow: Britain’s Busiest Airport. 11.40 Stephen. 12.30 All Around Britain. 1.20 Shop: Ideal World.

3.0 FYI Extra. 3.15 Motorsport UK. 4.05 ITV Nightscreen. 5.05 Tipping Point.

8pm Endeavour, ITV

goes on a trip down memory lane in North Wales. (S)

9.0 Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins The recruits take

9.0 Sean Connery: The Man & The Movies A profile of the

on the “redman” challenge. (S)

Oscar-winning actor. (S)

10.0 Gogglebox The armchair critics share their opinions on what they have been watching. (S) (R) 11.0 Walter Presents: When The Dust Settles. 12.15 FILM: Unsane (2018) ★★★★ 1.55 Help. 3.40 George Clarke’s Amazing Christmas Spaces.

4.35 Location, Location, Location.

5.35 Beat The Chef.

9pm The Only Way Is Essex, ITVBe

10.25 FILM: The Rock (1996) ★★★★ Action thriller, with Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage. (S) 1.05 The 21.co.uk Live Casino Show.

3.05 Entertainment News On 5. 3.15 Dale Winton’s Florida Fly Drive. 4.0 Inside DHL: The World’s Biggest Delivery Company. 4.50 Inside DHL: The World’s Biggest Delivery Company. 5.35 House Doctor.

7.30pm Who Cares Wins, C4

SATELL ITE I D IG I TAL I C AB L E L ISTI NGS W

ITV2

E4

ITVB E

E!

6.20pm Outnumbered. 7.0 Extreme Food Phobics. 8.0 Nurses Down Under.

9.0 Million Dollar Wedding Planner.

The exclusive world of a woman who organises nuptials for the super-rich in the Far East. 10.0 Louis Theroux – A Place For Paedophiles. 11.20 Louis Theroux’s LA Stories. 12.40am Renovate My Home: Leave It To Bryan.

5.55pm FILM: Despicable Me 2 (2013) ★★★ 6.45 FILM: School Of Rock (2003) ★★★★ 9.0 Family Guy. 11.25 American Dad! 11.50 American Dad! 12.20am Plebs. 12.50 Plebs. 1.25 Iain Stirling’s CelebAbility. 2.05 Don’t Hate The Playaz. 2.55 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records. 3.25 ITV2 Nightscreen. 3.30 Teleshopping.

5.50pm Wipeout USA. Game show.

6.45 Lego Masters Australia. 8.0 FILM: The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014) ★★★★ 10.50 Naked Attraction. 11.55 Gogglebox. 1am The Big Bang Theory. 1.30 The Big Bang Theory. 1.55 Wipeout USA. 2.50 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 3.40 Hollyoaks Omnibus.

5.55pm Dinner Date. 7.0 Ferne McCann: First Time Mum. 8. 0 Celebrity Dinner Date. 9.0 The Only Way Is Essex. Lockie is in a pickle and Chloe Brockett wants answers. 10.0 Botched: Most Outrageous OMG Patients Countdown. 10.30 Botched: Most Outrageous Celebrity Patients.

11.0 Botched. 11.55 Vanderpump Rules.

6pm Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 8.0 We Got Love Teyana & Iman. 8.30 Dating: No Filter. 9.0 Celebrity Game Face. 10.0 We Got Love Teyana & Iman. 10.30 10 Things You Don’t Know. 11.0 Live From The Red Carpet: The 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards. 1am We Got Love Teyana & Iman. 1.30 Dating: No Filter.

MTV

TLC

SKY SHOWCASE

SKY ATLANTIC

SKY DOCUMENTARIES

6pm Catfish: The TV Show. 7.0 MTV Cribs US. 7.30 MTV Cribs US. 8.0 MTV Cribs: Best Bachelor Pads. 9.0 Geordie OGs. 10.0 Catfish: The TV Show. 11.0 True Life Crime. 12midnight Jersey Shore Family Vacation. 1.0 Ridiculousness. 1.30 Ridiculousness.

2.0 Ridiculousness. 2.25 Ridiculousness. 2.50 Ridiculousness.

6pm Doubling Down With The Derricos.

7.0 Say Yes To The Dress: Lancashire.

8.0 I Love A Mama’s Boy. 9.0 Dr Pimple Popper. 10.0 The World’s Smallest Woman: Meet Jyoti. 11.0 Life After Lockup. 12midnight I Love A Mama’s Boy. 1.0 Dr Pimple Popper. 2.0 The World’s Smallest Woman: Meet Jyoti. 3.0 Say Yes To The Dress: UK.

6.15pm FILM: Minions (2015) ★★★ 8.0 Young Rock. 8.30 Young Rock. 9.0 S.W.A.T. 10.0 Isle Of Wight Festival 2021. 12midnight Wolfe. 1.0 A League Of Their Own. 2.0 Road Wars. 3.0 Nothing To Declare. 3.30 Nothing To Declare. 4.0 Modern Family. 4.30 Modern Family. 5.0 The Early Rundown. 5.30 The Early Rundown.

6.45pm The Sopranos. 7.50 The Sopranos. 9.0 Britannia. Antedia and Lucius bond over their mutual wish for revenge. 10.0 The White Lotus.

Belinda tries to redirect Tanya’s focus.

11.10 In Treatment. 11.45 In Treatment.

12.20am Hemingway & Gellhorn. 3.05 Californication. 3.40 Californication.

4.15 Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets.

5.10pm FILM: The Donut King (2020) ★★★ 7.0 FILM: Steve McQueen: The Lost Movie (2021) ★★★ 9.0 Look Away. 11.0 The Story Of Late Night.

12midnight FILM: You Cannot Kill David Arquette (2020) ★★★ 2.0 The Wimbledon Kidnapping. A look back at the disappearance of Muriel McKay in 1969.4.0 The Guest Wing.

Monday 20 September BBC1 6am

C4

CHANNEL 5

6.30am Bargain Hunt. 7.15 Garden Rescue. 8.0 Sign Zone: Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop. 9.0 BBC News At 9. 10.0 BBC News. 12.15 Politics Live. 1.0 Eggheads. 1.30 Cycling: Road World Championships. 3.45 Hairy Bikers’ Best Of British. 4.30 Glorious Gardens From Above. 5.15 Flog It!

6am Good Morning Britain. 9.0 Lorraine. 10.0 This Morning. 12.30 Loose Women. 1.30 ITV Lunchtime News. 1.55 ITV News London. 2.0 Judge Rinder. 3.0 Tenable. 4.0 Tipping Point. 5.0 The Chase.

6am Countdown. 6.40 Cheers. 7.10 Cheers. 7.40 The King Of Queens.

8.05 The King Of Queens. 8.35 The King Of Queens. 9.05 Frasier. 9.35 Frasier. 10.0 Frasier. 10.30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 11.25 Channel 4 News Summary. 11.30 Find It, Fix It, Flog It. 12.30 Steph’s Packed Lunch. 2.10 Countdown. 3.0 A Place In The Sun. 4.0 The Great House Giveaway. 5.0 Four In A Bed. 5.30 Come Dine With Me.

6am Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine. 11.15 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door.

12.15 5 News At Lunchtime. 12.20 Traffic Cops. 1.15 Home And Away.

1.45 Neighbours. 2.15 FILM: Nanny’s Killer Scandal (2020) ★★★ 4.0 Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun. 5.0 5 News At 5. 5.30 Neighbours.

6.0 BBC News At Six; Weather (S)

6.0 Richard Osman’s House Of Games With Ruby Bhogal,

6.0 ITV News London (S)

6.0 The Simpsons Mr Burns is

6.30 ITV Evening News (S)

sent to prison. (S) (R) 6.30 Hollyoaks Sylver is finally home, and Mercedes is determined to mend their marriage. (S) (R)

6.0 Home And Away Ryder tries to cheer Chloe up while her mum is in the hospital. (S) (R)

6.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S)

7pm

ITV

6am Breakfast. 9.15 Morning Live. 10.0 Crimewatch Live. 10.45 Close Calls: On Camera. 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer. 12.15 Bargain Hunt. 1.0 BBC News At One; Weather. 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather. 1.45 Doctors.

2.15 Unbeatable. 3.0 Escape To The 3.45 RHS Chelsea Flower Country.

Show 2021. 4.30 Antiques Road Trip.

5.15 Pointless.

✱

6pm

BBC2

✱ CLOSER PICKS

7.0 The One Show Presented

by Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas. (S)

✱ 7.30 RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021 Nicki Chapman

and Angellica Bell introduce coverage of the opening day. (S) 8pm 8.05 EastEnders Jean visits Stacey in prison. (S)

8.30 Football’s Broken Dreams – Panorama A look

at the system that has produced English footballers. (S) 9pm 9.0 Silent Witness Nikki, Jack and Adam are brought in to investigate the murder of a surgeon. (S)

Ed Byrne and Ingrid Oliver. (S) 6.30 Take A Hike Five people showcase countryside walks in Northumbria. (S)

✱ 7.0 RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021 Further coverage

from the Royal Hospital Chelsea. (S) 7.30 Mastermind Specialist subjects include John Cleese, and Marvel’s Avengers films. (S) 8.0 Only Connect Two more teams get another chance. (S)

8.30 University Challenge

7.0 Emmerdale Paddy is

7.0 News (S)

desperate. (S)

6.30 5 News Tonight (S)

7.0 Traffic Cops PC Chris Ryan’s car is rammed five times. (S) (R)

7.30 Coronation Street Zeedan brings trouble to Alya and Yasmeen’s door. (S)

8.0 Beyond The Line: North Wales’s Traffic Cops New

8.0 Jamie Oliver: Together The chef prepares a feast for people doing voluntary work through the pandemic. (S)

8.0 Motorway Cops: Catching Britain’s Speeders New series. Following officers as they crack down on the nation’s worst drivers. (S)

St Catharine’s College, Cambridge takes on University College, Oxford. (S)

series. Following the North Wales Roads Policing Unit. (S) 8.30 Coronation Street Kelly hears some painful truths. (S)

✱ 9.0 Manhunt The Night Stalker New series. Fact-

9.0 Bin Laden: The Road To 9/11 Al-Qaeda ramps up

9.0 Submarine: Life Under The Waves Part two of two.

at the rise of the celebrity footballer. (S)

based crime drama, starring Martin Clunes. (S)

operations in Afghanistan.

Last in the series. (S)

Captain Stephen Brian takes command of HMS Trenchant.

9.0 Fever Pitch: The Rise Of The Premier League A look

(S)

10pm

10.0 BBC News At Ten (S) 10.25 BBC Regional News; Weather (S)

10.35 Nowhere To Run: Abused By Our Coach

11pm

Charlie Webster speaks about the sexual abuse she suffered as a child. (S) 11.35 The Hit List Strictly Special. 12.25 BBC News.

9pm Silent Witness, BBC1

10.0 Alma’s Not Normal Alma gets a job at a sandwich shop. (S)

10.30 Newsnight (S)

11.15 A Killing In Tiger Bay. 12.15 Sign Zone: Countryfile. 1.10 Sign Zone: China’s Magic Weapon. 2.10 Sign Zone: Saving Lives At Sea. 3.10 This Is BBC Two.

9pm Manhunt, ITV

10.0 ITV News (S) 10.30 ITV News London (S) 10.45 Fred And Rose West: Reopened Part one of two.

Investigators explore new leads in the case of Fred and Rose West. (S) (R) 11.45 Junk And Disorderly. 12.35 All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite. 1.25 Shop: Ideal World. 3.0 FYI Extra. 3.15 Lingo.

4.05 ITV Nightscreen. 5.05 Tipping Point.

8pm Jamie Oliver: Together, C4

10.0 First Dates Those taking part include self-confessed man-eater Caroline. (S)

11.05 The Holden Girls: Mandy & Myrtle. 12.05 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 12.55 The Man Putin Couldn’t Kill. 2.15 Undercover Boss USA. 3.05 24 Hours In A&E. 4.0 Couples Come Dine With Me. 4.55 Location, Location, Location. 5.50 Kirstie’s Vintage Gems.

9pm Hawking, Sky Docs

10.0 Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts A 77-yearold man is rushed into hospital showing signs of a heart attack. Last in the series. (S) 11.05 The World’s Heaviest Child.

12.05 Extraordinary Medical Mysteries.

1.0 Live NFL: Monday Night Football.

4.30 Britain’s Greatest Bridges. 4.45 Wildlife SOS. 5.10 House Doctor. 5.35 Entertainment News. 5.40 Milkshake!

Monkey’s Amazing Adventures. 5.45 Peppa Pig. 5.55 Peppa Pig.

9pm Married At First Sight UK, E4

SATEL L ITE I D IG I TAL I C AB L E L ISTI NGS W

ITV2

E4

ITVB E

6pm Property Brothers: Forever Homes. 7.0 MasterChef Australia. 8.0 Inside The Ambulance. 9.0 Extreme Food Phobics. 10.0 Killer Women With Piers Morgan. 11.0 Inside The Ambulance: Coast And Country.

12midnight Inside The Ambulance: Coast And Country. 1.0 Renovate My Home: Leave It To Bryan.

6pm Catchphrase Celebrity Special.

7.0 Superstore. 7.30 Superstore.

8.0 Bob’s Burgers. 8.30 Bob’s Burgers.

9.0 Ready To Mingle. 10.0 Family Guy. 11.30 American Dad! 12.25am Bob’s Burgers. 1.25 Superstore. 2.15 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records. 3.05 FYI Extra. 3.20 ITV2 Nightscreen. 3.30 Teleshopping.

6pm The Big Bang Theory. 6.30 The Big Bang Theory. 7.0 Hollyoaks. 7.30 Young Sheldon. 8.0 Don’t Tell The Bride Revisited. 9.0 Married At First Sight UK. 10.10 World’s Greatest Weddings. 11.10 Naked Attraction.

12.15am Gogglebox. 1.20 Married At First Sight UK. 2.25 First Dates. 3.20 Naked Attraction. 4.15 The Goldbergs.

6pm Masters Of Flip. 7.0 Buying And Selling. 8.0 Dinner Date. Ben from Hampshire chooses three blind dates.

9.0 Totally Unbelievable. A selection of bust-ups between famous people.

10.0 Botched. Cosmetic procedures that have gone wrong. 11.0 Love Island USA. The latest from the villas. 12.55am ITVBe Nightscreen. 1.0 Teleshopping.

E! 6pm Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry. 7.0 Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 8.0 Celebrity Game Face. 9.0 10 Things You Don’t Know.

9.30 We Got Love Teyana & Iman.

10.0 Live From The Red Carpet: The 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards.

12midnight Botched. 1.0 Kourtney & Kim Take Miami. 2.0 Teleshopping.

MTV

TLC

SKY SHOWCASE

SKY ATLANTIC

SKY DOCUMENTARIES

6pm Catfish: Love At First Swipe. 7.0 The Hills: New Beginnings. 8.0 MTV Cribs US. 8.30 MTV Cribs. 9.0 Catfish: The TV Show. 10.0 The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies. 11.0 Ridiculousness. 12midnight Tattoo Disasters: What Were You Inking? 1.0 RuPaul’s Drag Race. 2.25 RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked! 2.50 Teen Cribs.

6pm Say Yes To The Dress. 7.0 Little People, Big World. 8.0 Doubling Down With The Derricos. 9.0 Say Yes To The Dress: Lancashire. 10.0 Dr Pimple Popper. 11.0 I Love A Mama’s Boy. 12midnight Doubling Down With The Derricos. 1.0 Say Yes To The Dress: Lancashire. 2.0 Dr Pimple Popper.

3.0 Say Yes To The Dress: UK.

6pm The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. 6.30 The Simpsons. 7.0 The Simpsons. 7.30 The Simpsons. 8.0 Landmark. 9.0 FILM: Hawking: Can You Hear Me? 10.50 The 73rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. 12.50am The Russell Howard Hour. 1.50 Manifest. 2.45 Road Wars. 3.10 Hawaii Five-0. 4.05 Magnum P.I. 5.0 The Early Rundown.

5.40pm The Sopranos. 6.45 The Sopranos. 7.50 Game Of Thrones. 9.0 The White Lotus. Rachel shares some harsh truths with Shane and confides in Belinda. Last in the series. 10.15 In Treatment. 10.45 In Treatment. 11.20 Dexter. 1.30am True Blood. 3.40 Californication. 4.15 The Guest Wing.

5.05 Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets.

6pm McMillion$. 7.10 The Nineties.

9.0 FILM: Hawking: 8.0 Fish Town.

Can You Hear Me? A look at the life and career of physicist Stephen Hawking. 10.50 FILM: Rock And A Hard Place (2017) 12.30am Cured. 2.0 FILM: Tread (2020) ★★★ 3.40 My Icon: Sophie Cook. 4.0 Discovering: Doris Day. 5.0 The Movies.

✱

Tuesday 21 September BBC1 6am

CHANNEL 5

6am Good Morning Britain. 9.0 Lorraine. 10.0 This Morning. 12.30 Loose Women. 1.30 ITV Lunchtime News. 1.55 ITV News London. 2.0 Judge Rinder. 3.0 Tenable. 4.0 Tipping Point. 5.0 The Chase.

6am Countdown. 6.40 Cheers. 7.10 Cheers. 7.40 The King Of Queens.

8.05 The King Of Queens. 8.35 The King Of Queens. 9.05 Frasier. 9.35 Frasier. 10.0 Frasier. 10.30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 11.25 Channel 4 News Summary. 11.30 Find It, Fix It, Flog It. 12.30 Steph’s Packed Lunch. 2.10 Countdown. 3.0 A Place In The Sun. 4.0 The Great House Giveaway. 5.0 Four In A Bed. 5.30 Come Dine With Me.

6am Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine. 11.15 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door.

12.15 5 News At Lunchtime. 12.20 Traffic Cops. 1.15 Home And Away.

1.45 Neighbours. 2.15 FILM: Hidden Family Secrets (2018) ★★★ 4.0 Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun. 5.0 5 News At 5. 5.30 Neighbours.

6.0 BBC News At Six; Weather (S)

6.0 Richard Osman’s House Of Games With

6.0 ITV News London (S)

6.0 The Simpsons Homer

6.0 Home And Away Ryder tries to get Bella involved with the art fundraiser. (S) (R)

Weather (S)

7pm

7.0 The One Show Presented

by Alex Scott and Jermaine Jenas. (S) 7.30 EastEnders Rainie and Stuart are left dumbfounded at Mick’s false accusation. (S) Holby City Jeni starts 8pm 7.50 making plans to send Evie away. (S) 8.30 My Family There is a death in the family. (S) (R)

10pm

C4

6.30am Bargain Hunt. 7.15 Escape To The Country. 8.0 Sign Zone: Shop Well For Less? 9.0 BBC News At 9. 10.0 BBC News. 12.15 Politics Live. 1.0 The Super League Show. 1.45 Eggheads.

2.15 The Big Painting Challenge. 3.15 Handmade In Bolton. 3.45 Make Me A Dealer. 4.30 Glorious Gardens From Above. 5.15 Flog It!

6.30 BBC Regional News;

9pm

ITV

6am Breakfast. 9.15 Morning Live. 10.0 Crimewatch Live. 10.45 Close Calls: On Camera. 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer. 12.15 Bargain Hunt. 1.0 BBC News At One; Weather. 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather. 1.45 Doctors.

2.15 Unbeatable. 3.0 Escape To The 3.45 RHS Chelsea Flower Country.

Show 2021. 4.30 Antiques Road Trip.

5.15 Pointless.

✱

6pm

BBC2

✱ CLOSER PICKS

Matthew Pinsent. (S) 6.30 Take A Hike Student Jasmine leads a seaside stroll along Whitley Bay. (S)

✱ 7.0 RHS Chelsea Flower Show The famous

6.30 ITV Evening News (S)

7.0 Emmerdale Paddy makes a dangerous deal. (S)

strikes up a friendship with Chief Wiggum. (S) (R) 6.30 Hollyoaks Cher is determined to try and get her family back. (S) (R)

7.0 News (S)

horticultural event. (S)

6.30 5 News Tonight (S)

7.0 GPs: Behind Closed Doors Dr Ali is visited by a young patient who has let her urinary tract infection go untreated for eight weeks. (S)

8.0 Saving Lives At Sea The RNLI crew battle through gale force winds and huge waves as they try to save a surfer. (S)

8.0 Love Your Garden Alan Titchmarsh and his team of gardening experts head to Waltham Abbey. (S)

9.0 Silent Witness Part two

9.0 A House Through Time

of two. An attacker is at large in the hospital. (S)

A back to 1913, when Number 5 is home to Frederick and Louisa Pryce Lewis. (S)

✱ 9.0 Manhunt The Night Stalker Colin presents his review findings to DCS Hamish Campbell. (S)

✱ 8.0 The Great British Bake Off New series. Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas welcome 12 new contestants into the tent. (S)

9.30 Spice Girls: How Girl Power Changed Britain Five

8.0 The Yorkshire Vet A farmer rushes in a struggling pregnant sheep who belongs to his two-year-old son. (S) 9.0 Ben Fogle: New Lives In The Wild Ben travels to a unique and tiny island in the Scottish Hebrides. (S)

become four as Ginger dramatically leaves the group.

10.0 BBC News At Ten (S) 10.25 BBC Regional News;

10.0 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing

Weather (S)

Bob and Paul head to the Norfolk Broads. (S) (R)

10.35 Back To Life Several

disasters threaten to derail 11pm Miri’s first date with Billy. (S) 11.05 Bill Bailey: Larks In Transit. 12.05 Patrick Kielty: One Hundred Years Of Union. 1.10 BBC News.

10.35pm Back To Life, BBC1

10.30 Newsnight (S)

(S)

10.0 ITV News (S) 10.30 ITV News London (S) 10.45 Fred And Rose West: Reopened Part two of two.

10.30 Gogglebox The

10.0 Police Code Zero: Officer Under Attack A

armchair critics share their opinions on what they have been watching. (S) (R)

desperate gang of suspected burglars try to smash a police vehicle with bricks. (S)

11.35 Sixteen: Class Of 2021. 12.35 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 1.25 Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back. 2.15 Iris Prize Best British Shorts: Queering Di Teknolojik. 2.25 Undercover Boss USA. 3.15 The Handmaid’s Tale. 4.15 Couples Come Dine With Me. 5.05 Location, Location, Location.

11.05 FILM: RoboCop (2014) ★★★ 1.15 The 21.co.uk Live Casino Show.

3.20 Inside DHL: The World’s Biggest Delivery Company. 4.05 Dale Winton’s Florida Fly Drive. 4.50 Wildlife SOS. 5.10 House Doctor. 5.35 Fireman Sam. 5.45 Paw Patrol.

Police to take over the search.

11.15 NFL This Week. 12.05 Sign Zone: Ambulance. 1.05 Sign Zone: A Killing In Tiger Bay. 2.05 This Is BBC Two.

8pm Great British Bake Off, C4

(S) (R)

11.45 Beyond The Line: North Wales’s Traffic Cops. 12.10 Shop: Ideal World.

3.0 FYI Extra. 3.15 ITV Nightscreen.

5.05 Tipping Point.

9pm New Lives In The Wild, C5

9.30pm Spice Girls, C4

9pm Buzzcocks, Sky Showcase

SATELL ITE I D IG I TAL I C AB L E L ISTI NGS W

ITV2

E4

ITVB E

E!

6pm Property Brothers: Forever Homes. 7.0 MasterChef Australia. 8.0 Never Seen A Doctor. 9.0 Inside The Ambulance: Coast And Country. The crews attend a man who has fallen off his bike. 10.0 Nurses Down Under. 11.0 One Born Every Minute. 12midnight One Born Every Minute. 1.0 Renovate My Home: Leave It To Bryan.

6pm Celebrity Catchphrase. 7.0 Superstore. 7.30 Superstore. 8.0 Bob’s Burgers. 8.30 Bob’s Burgers. 9.0 Ready To Mingle. 10.0 Plebs. 10.30 Plebs. 11.0 Family Guy. 11.30 Family Guy. 12midnight American Dad! 12.30 American Dad! 1.0 Bob’s Burgers. 1.55 Superstore. 2.50 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records.

6pm The Big Bang Theory. 7.0 Hollyoaks. 7.30 Young Sheldon. 8.0 Don’t Tell The Bride: Revisited. 9.0 Married At First Sight UK. 10.0 The Holden Girls: Mandy & Myrtle. 11.05 Naked Attraction. 12.05am Gogglebox.

1.10 Married At First Sight UK. 2.10 The Holden Girls: Mandy & Myrtle. 3.0 First Dates. 3.55 The Big Bang Theory.

6pm Masters Of Flip. 7.0 Buying And Selling. 8.0 Dinner Date. Abby from Cardiff chooses three blind dates.

9.0 Ferne McCann: First Time Mum. Ferne and her best pals hit the road in a campervan for a holiday in Cornwall.

10.0 Botched. 11.0 Love Island USA. 11.55 The Only Way Is Essex.

12.45am FYI Extra. 1.0 Teleshopping.

6pm Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry. 7.0 Live From The Red Carpet: The 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards.

9.0 Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

10.0 We Got Love Teyana & Iman.

10.30 Nightly Pop. 11.0 Celebrity Game Fac e. 12midnight Botched. 1.0 Kourtney & Kim Take Miami. 2.0 Teleshopping. 2.30 Teleshopping.

MTV

TLC

SKY SHOWCASE

SKY ATLANTIC

SKY DOCUMENTARIES

6pm Catfish: The TV Show. 7.0 The Hills: New Beginnings. 8.0 It’s Your Fault I’m Fat. 9.0 MTV Cribs US. 9.30 MTV Cribs. 10.0 Geordie Shore: Ten Years On The Toon. 11.0 Tattoo Disasters: What Were You Inking?

12midnight Ridiculousness. 12.30 Ridiculousness. 1.0 RuPaul’s Drag Race.

2.25 RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked!

6pm Say Yes To The Dress. 7.0 Say Yes To The Dress: Lancashire. 8.0 SMothered. 9.0 Life After Lockup.

10.0 Life After Lockup. 11.0 Dr Pimple Popper. 12midnight SMothered. 1.0 Life After Lockup. 2.0 Life After Lockup. 3.0 Say Yes To The Dress: UK. 3.30 Say Yes To The Dress: UK. 4.0 Say Yes To The Dress: UK.

6pm The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. 6.30 The Simpsons. 7.0 The Simpsons. 7.30 9.0 The Simpsons. 8.0 Supergirl.

Never Mind The Buzzcocks. 9.45 FILM: Batman Begins (2005) ★★★★★ 12.25am Code 404. 1.0 Wellington Paranormal. 2.0 The Force: Manchester. 3.0 Hawaii Five-0. 4.0 Magnum P.I. 5.0 The Early Rundown.

5.40pm The Sopranos. 6.45 The Sopranos. 7.50 Game Of Thrones. 9.0 Britannia. 10.0 Patrick Melrose. A young Patrick suffers at the hands of his abusive father. 11.10 Dexter.

12.15am Dexter. 1.20 Californication.

2.0 Billions. 3.05 True Blood. 4.10 Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets.

5.05 Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets.

6pm McMillion$. 7.10 The Nineties.

8.0 Fish Town. 9.0 The Wimbledon Kidnapping. 10.50 FILM: Bowling For Columbine (2002) ★★★★★ 1am The Reagan Show. 2.30 Gary Cooper: The Irresistible. Examining the actor’s career. 3.40 My Icon: Ebony Rainford-Brent. 4.0 Discovering: Errol Flynn. 5.0 The Movies.

✱

Wednesday 22 September BBC1 6am

7pm

CHANNEL 5

6am Good Morning Britain. 9.0 Lorraine. 10.0 This Morning. 12.30 Loose Women. 1.30 ITV Lunchtime News. 1.55 ITV News London. 2.0 Judge Rinder. 3.0 Tenable. 4.0 Tipping Point. 5.0 The Chase.

6am Countdown. 6.40 Cheers. 7.10 Cheers. 7.40 The King Of Queens.

8.05 The King Of Queens. 8.35 The King Of Queens. 9.05 Frasier. 9.35 Frasier. 10.0 Frasier. 10.30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 11.25 Channel 4 News Summary. 11.30 Find It, Fix It, Flog It. 12.30 Steph’s Packed Lunch. 2.10 Countdown. 3.0 A Place In The Sun. 4.0 The Great House Giveaway. 5.0 Four In A Bed. 5.30 Come Dine With Me.

6am Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine. 11.15 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door.

12.15 5 News At Lunchtime. 12.20 Traffic Cops. 1.15 Home And Away.

1.45 Neighbours. 2.15 FILM: Young, Stalked And Pregnant (2020) ★★ 4.0 Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun. 5.0 5 News At 5. 5.30 Neighbours.

6.0 BBC News At Six; Weather (S) 6.30 BBC Regional News;

6.0 Richard Osman’s House Of Games With, Ed Byrne. (S) 6.30 Take A Hike Marketing

6.0 The Simpsons Lisa

6.0 Home And Away Ari remains by Nikau’s side while he is in a coma. (S) (R)

Weather (S)

assistant Angus guides the group on a fashion-themed hike around Harbottle. (S)

6.0 ITV News London (S) 6.25 Party Political Broadcast (S) 6.30 ITV Evening News (S) 7.0 Emmerdale The police are

7.0 News (S)

6.55 Party Political Broadcast (S) ✱ 7.0 RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021 The sights and

8.0 The Repair Shop Restoring a Victorian railway lamp, agricultural trophies and a musical jewellery box. (S) (R)

9pm ✱ 9.0 Prince Philip: The

Royal Family Remembers A

10pm

C4

6.30am Antiques Road Trip. 7.15 Escape To The Country. 8.0 Sign Zone: Our Lives: Pride Of Place. 8.30 Sign Zone: Beechgrove. 9.0 BBC News At 9. 10.0 BBC News. 11.15 Politics Live.

1.0 Head Hunters. 1.45 Eggheads. 2.15 The Big Painting Challenge. 3.15 Handmade In Bolton. 3.45 Make Me A Dealer. 4.30 Glorious Gardens From Above. 5.15 Flog It!

sounds of the annual show. (S)

8pm

ITV

6am Breakfast. 9.15 Morning Live. 10.0 Crimewatch Live. 10.45 Close Calls: On Camera. 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer. 12.15 Bargain Hunt. 1.0 BBC News At One; Weather. 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather. 1.45 Doctors.

2.15 Unbeatable. 3.0 Escape To The 3.45 RHS Chelsea Flower Country.

Show 2021. 4.30 Antiques Road Trip.

5.15 Pointless.

✱

6pm

BBC2

✱ CLOSER PICKS

7.0 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Adam Henson and Steve Brown compete in the Cotswolds. (S) (R)

suspicious. (S)

7.30 Coronation Street

8.0 Heathrow: Britain’s Busiest Airport Travel

horticultural event. (S)

becomes more complicated. (S)

8.30 Coronation Street

Gemma launches a search for Aled. (S)

✱ 9.0 Manhunt The Night Stalker The Force Tasking

royal tribute to the Duke by his children and other members of the family. (S)

workshop make furniture for a veteran who set up a charity. (S)

Group have to come to a decision about funding Colin’s high stakes gamble. (S)

10.0 BBC News At Ten (S) 10.25 BBC Regional News;

10.0 Mock The Week With Jack Whitehall and Chris Addison. (S) (R)

10.0 ITV News (S)

Weather (S)

10.35 Gossip Girl Obie grows

suspicious of Zoya’s new friend.

(S) 11pm 11.35 Hayley Goes. 12.10 BBC News.

9pm Prince Philip, BBC1

10.30 Newsnight (S)

11.15 FILM: Whiplash (2014) ★★★★★ 12.55 Sign Zone: Imagine – Bernardine Evaristo: Never Give Up. 2.10 Sign Zone: Celebrity MasterChef. 3.10 This Is BBC Two.

10pm One Stop Wedding Shop, E4

10.30 ITV News London (S) 10.45 Peston Political magazine show presented by Robert Peston. (S) 11.40 British Touring Car Championship Highlights. 12.55 Shop: Ideal World. 3.0 FYI Extra. 3.15 ITV Nightscreen. 5.05 Tipping Point.

8pm Changing Rooms, C4

6.30 5 News Tonight (S)

7.0 Inside Greggs: Britain’s Best Bakery Documentary revealing the secrets of the successful bakery chain. (S) (R)

Freda worries that Aled’s family aims to eradicate his deafness. (S)

✱ 8.0 RHS Chelsea Flower Show The famous

9.0 Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop Jay and his

befriends a beached whale. (S) (R) 6.30 Hollyoaks Cher is at rock bottom after being rejected by her family and friends. (S) (R)

8.0 Changing Rooms The teams transform two neighbouring rooms in Bury St Edmunds. Last in the series. (S)

8.0 Coastal Devon & Cornwall With Michael Portillo Michael begins this leg of his journey at South Devon’s most southerly point, Start Point. (S)

9.0 Grand Designs A widowed teacher making a fresh start in rural Cambridgeshire. (S)

Farming brothers Rob and Dave Nicholson take on a new apprentice. (S)

✱ 10.0 Sex Actually With Alice Levine New series. Sex

10.0 Levi Bellfield: Getting Away With Murder?

and sexuality in the 2020s. (S)

Documentary examining the crimes of serial killer Levi Bellfield. (S)

11.05 Death On The Common. 12.05 Bin Laden: The Road To 9/11. 1.0 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 1.50 Deceit. 2.45 The Handmaid’s Tale.

3.35 Iris Prize Best British Shorts. 3.55 Come Dine With Me. 4.45 Location, Location, Location. 5.40 Iris Prize Best British Shorts.

11.30 999: Criminals Caught On Camera. 12.25 Motorway Cops: Catching Britain’s Speeders. 1.15 The 21.co.uk Live Casino Show. 3.15 Dale Winton’s Florida Fly Drive. 4.0 Now That’s Funny! 4.45 Wildlife SOS. 5.10 House Doctor. 5.35 Fireman Sam. 5.45 Paw Patrol.

10pm Sex Actually, C4

9.0 This Week On The Farm

10pm Levi Bellfield, C5

SATEL L ITE I D IG I TAL I C AB L E L ISTI NGS W

ITV2

E4

6pm Property Brothers: Forever Homes. 7.0 MasterChef Australia. 8.0 Extreme Food Phobics. Dr Ranj meets a chef who can’t stomach his own food. 9.0 Nurses Down Under. Medical dramas and stories from Sydney’s busiest hospitals. 10.0 Gavin & Stacey.

12midnight One Born Every Minute. 1.0 Renovate My Home: Leave It To Bryan.

6pm Celebrity Catchphrase. 7.0 Superstore. 7.30 Superstore. 8.0 Bob’s Burgers. 8.30 Bob’s Burgers. 9.0 Ready To Mingle. 10.0 Family Guy. 10.30 Family Guy. 11.0 Family Guy. 11.30 American Dad! 12midnight American Dad! 12.30 Bob’s Burgers.

1.0 Bob’s Burgers. 2.20 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records.

6pm The Big Bang Theory. 7.0 Hollyoaks. 7.30 Young Sheldon. 8.0 Don’t Tell The Bride: Revisited. 9.0 Married At First Sight UK. 10.0 One Stop Wedding Shop. 11.05 Naked Attraction. 12.05am Gogglebox.

1.10 Married At First Sight UK. 2.10 First Dates. 3.05 The Big Bang Theory.

3.30 Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

ITVB E 6pm Masters Of Flip. 7.0 Buying And Selling. 8.0 Dinner Date. Jason chooses three blind dates. 9.0 The Mummy Diaries Extra: Little Darlings.

Showcasing the funniest moments with Sam and Billie Faiers’s children.

10.0 The Only Way Is Essex. Lockie is in a pickle. 11.0 Love Island USA. 12midnight The Only Way Is Essex.

E! 6pm Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry. 7.0 Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 10.0 Celebrity Game Face. 11.0 Nightly Pop. 11.30 We Got Love Teyana & Iman. 12midnight Botched. 1.0 Kourtney & Kim Take Miami. 2.0 Teleshopping. 2.30 Teleshopping. 3.0 Big Rich Texas.

4.0 Wags. 5.0 Teleshopping.

MTV

TLC

SKY SHOWCASE

SKY ATLANTIC

SKY DOCUMENTARIES

6pm Teen Mom OG. 7.0 Teen Mom OG. The story of Amber. 8.0 16 And Pregnant. 9.0 Catfish: The TV Show.

10.0 True Life Crime. 11.0 Catfish UK. 12midnight Ridiculousness. 12.30 Ridiculousness. 1.0 RuPaul’s Drag Race.

2.25 RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked!

2.50 Teen Cribs. 3.15 Teen Cribs.

3.40 Teen Cribs. 4.0 Teleshopping.

6pm Say Yes To The Dress. 7.0 Love After Lock Up. 8.0 Dr Pimple Popper.

9.0 Toddlers & Tiaras: Where Are They Now? 10.0 I Love A Mama’s Boy. 11.0 Return To Amish. 12midnight Dr Pimple Popper. 1.0 Toddlers & Tiaras: Where Are They Now? 2.0 I Love A Mama’s Boy. 3.0 Say Yes To The Dress: UK. 3.30 Say Yes To The Dress: UK.

6pm The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. 6.30 The Simpsons. 7.0 The Simpsons. 7.30 The Simpsons. 8.0 DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow. 9.0 Liverpool Narcos. 10.0 Code 404. 10.30 A League Of Their Own. 11.30 The Russell Howard Hour.

12.30am S.W.A.T. 1.30 The Force: Manchester. 2.30 Road Wars. 3.0 Hawaii Five-0. 4.0 Magnum P.I.

5.40pm The Sopranos. 6.45 The Sopranos. 7.50 Game Of Thrones. 9.0 Billions. As Axe Cap returns to the office, Axe makes a surprise announcement. 10.05 In Treatment.

10.35 In Treatment. 11.10 Dexter.

12.15am Dexter. 1.20 True Blood. 2.25 True Blood. 3.30 Californication. 4.05 Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets.

6pm McMillion$. As the trial nears, many of the defendants take plea deals. 7.10 The Nineties. 8.0 Fish Town.

9.0 Liverpool Narcos. 10.0 FILM: Hawking: Can You Hear Me? 11.50 The Story Of Late Night. 12.50am Drew: The Man Behind The Poster.

3.0 The Directors. 4.0 Discovering: Sidney Poitier. 5.0 The Movies.

Thursday 23 September BBC1 6am

7pm

8pm

10pm

C4

CHANNEL 5

6.15am Antiques Road Trip. 7.0 Homes Under The Hammer. 8.0 Sign Zone: Gardeners’ World. 9.0 BBC News At 9.

10.0 BBC News. 12.15 Politics Live. 1.0 Head Hunters. 1.45 Eggheads. 2.15 The Big Painting Challenge. 3.15 Handmade In Bolton. 3.45 Make Me A Dealer. 4.30 Glorious Gardens From Above. 5.15 Flog It!

6am Good Morning Britain. 9.0 Lorraine. 10.0 This Morning. 12.30 Loose Women. 1.30 ITV Lunchtime News. 1.55 ITV News London. 2.0 Judge Rinder. 3.0 Tenable. 4.0 Tipping Point. 5.0 The Chase.

6am Countdown. 6.40 Cheers. 7.10 Cheers. 7.40 The King Of Queens.

8.05 The King Of Queens. 8.35 The King Of Queens. 9.05 Frasier. 9.35 Frasier. 10.0 Frasier. 10.30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 11.25 Channel 4 News Summary. 11.30 Find It, Fix It, Flog It. 12.30 Steph’s Packed Lunch. 2.10 Countdown. 3.0 A Place In The Sun. 4.0 The Great House Giveaway. 5.0 Four In A Bed. 5.30 Come Dine With Me.

6am Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine. 11.15 Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords.

12.15 5 News At Lunchtime. 12.20 Traffic Cops. 1.15 Home And Away.

1.45 Neighbours. 2.15 FILM: Mother’s Deadly Secret (2017) ★★★ 4.0 Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun. 5.0 5 News At 5. 5.30 Neighbours.

6.0 BBC News At Six; Weather (S)

6.0 Richard Osman’s House Of Games With

6.0 ITV News London (S)

6.0 The Simpsons

6.30 BBC Regional News;

6.30 Take A Hike Life coach

6.30 ITV Evening News (S)

6.0 Home And Away Nikau regains consciousness, but refuses the support of those closest to him. (S) (R)

Weather (S)

Teresa hosts a wild walk in Kielder Forest. (S)

Surveillance cameras are installed in Springfield. (S) (R) 6.30 Hollyoaks Guilt-ridden Sylver tries to avoid his problems. (S) (R)

Ingrid Oliver. (S)

✱ 7.0 RHS Chelsea Flower Show Coverage from the

7.0 The One Show Presented

by Alex Scott and Ronan Keating. (S) 7.35 EastEnders Bobby and Dana face a huge test to their relationship. (S)

Royal Hospital Chelsea. (S)

8.0 Shop Well For Less?

✱ 8.0 The Hairy Bikers Go North New series. Simon King

Joanna Page and Melanie Sykes help a Gloucester family.

Last in the series. (S)

9pm

ITV

6am Breakfast. 9.15 Morning Live. 10.0 Crimewatch Live. 10.45 Close Calls: On Camera. 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer. 12.15 Bargain Hunt. 1.0 BBC News At One; Weather. 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather. 1.45 Doctors.

2.15 Unbeatable. 3.0 Escape To The 3.45 RHS Chelsea Flower Country.

Show 2021. 4.30 Antiques Road Trip.

5.15 Pointless.

✱

6pm

BBC2

✱ CLOSER PICKS

and Dave Myers explore the best of northern British food. (S)

9.0 A Killing In Tiger Bay

10.0 BBC News At Ten (S) 10.25 BBC Regional News;

10.0 QI With Alan Davies,

10.35 Question Time Fiona

Bruce hosts the political 11pm debate. (S) 11.35 Newscast. 12.10 BBC News.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, BBC3

7.0 News (S)

7.0 How To Stop Your Migraine Dr Dawn Harper investigates migraines. (S)

7.30 What’s Really In Our Food? Tonight Helen Skelton reports on food fraud. (S)

9.0 Ambulance A child with a dislocated knee kicks off another busy night shift. Last in the series. (S)

Weather (S)

7.0 Emmerdale Gabby presents Jamie with an ultimatum. (S)

6.30 5 News Tonight (S)

With three of the men sentenced to life in prison, the families begin a campaign.

Last in the series. (S)

Eshaan Akbar, John Barrowman and Victoria Coren Mitchell. (S)

8.0 Emmerdale Diane tries Gabby see sense. (S)

✱ 8.30 The Martin Lewis Money Show: Live Tips on

how to avoid an energy bills price hike. (S)

✱ 9.0 Manhunt The Night Stalker The team are losing morale. Last in the series. (S)

8.0 Nick Knowles’ Big House Clearout In Lowestoft,

Joe as he annoys the boss of Samuel Smiths pubs. (S)

Suffolk, the host helps a family overwhelmed by clutter. Last in the series. (S)

✱ 9.0 Taskmaster New

9.0 All Creatures Great And Small Tristan worries that

series. Alan Davies, Desiree Burch, Guz Khan, Morgana Robinson and Victoria Coren Mitchell compete. (S)

10.0 ITV News (S)

10.0 Highlife Docu-ality series

10.30 ITV News London (S)

following British Nigerians and Ghanaians. (S)

10.30 Newsnight (S)

10.45 Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up

11.15 When Nirvana Came To Britain.

12.15 Sign Zone: Strictly Come Dancing. 2.0 Sign Zone: Fever Pitch: The Rise Of The Premier League. 3.0 Sign Zone: Celebrity MasterChef. 4.0 Sign Zone: Celebrity MasterChef. 4.30 This Is BBC Two.

With Amanda Holden, David Haye, Johnny Vegas and Aston Merrygold. (S) (R)

8pm Hairy Bikers, BBC2

8.0 Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back Guest Kirsty Wark joins

11.30 Beat The Chasers. 12.25 Shop: Ideal World. 3.0 FYI Extra. 3.15 What’s Really In Our Food? Tonight. 3.40 ITV Nightscreen. 5.05 Tipping Point.

8.30pm Martin Lewis, ITV

11.05 First Dates. 12.05 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 12.55 Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. 1.50 FILM: Criminal (2016) ★★ 3.40 Iris Prize Best British Shorts: My God, I’m Queer. 4.10 Couples Come Dine With Me. 5.05 Location, Location, Location.

9pm Taskmaster, C4

Siegfried is in danger of losing his edge. (S)

10.0 A&E After Dark Return of the documentary following life at Hull Royal Infirmary. (S) (R)

11.05 Police UK: Armed And Deadly.

12.05 Criminals: Caught On Camera.

1.0 The 21.co.uk Live Casino Show. 3.0 Entertainment News On 5. 3.10 Dale Winton’s Florida Fly Drive. 4.0 Now That’s Funny! 4.45 Wildlife SOS. 5.10 House Doctor. 5.35 Fireman Sam. 5.45 Paw Patrol.

7pm Stop Migraines, C5

SATELL ITE I D IG I TAL I C AB L E L ISTI NGS W 6pm Property Brothers: Forever Homes. 7.0 MasterChef Australia. 8.0 Inside The Ambulance: Coast And Country. 9.0 Gavin & Stacey. First episode of the comedy. 9.40 Gavin & Stacey. 10.20 Gavin & Stacey. 11.0 Extreme Food Phobics. 12midnight One Born Every Minute. 1.0 Renovate My Home: Leave It To Bryan.

ITV2

E4

ITVB E

E!

6pm Catchphrase Celebrity Special.

7.0 Superstore. 7.30 Superstore. 8.0 Bob’s Burgers. 8.30 Bob’s Burgers. 9.0 Ready To Mingle. 10.0 Family Guy. 10.30 Family Guy. 11.0 Family Guy. 11.30 American Dad! 12midnight American Dad! 12.30 Bob’s Burgers.

1.0 Bob’s Burgers. 1.30 Superstore.

2.20 The Stand Up Sketch Show.

6pm The Big Bang Theory. 6.30 The Big Bang Theory. 7.0 Hollyoaks. 7.30 Young Sheldon. 8.0 Don’t Tell The Bride: Revisited. 9.0 Married At First Sight UK. 10.0 Married At First Sight UK: Afters. 10.50 Naked Attraction.

11.55 Gogglebox. 1am Rick And Morty.

1.30 Robot Chicken. 1.45 Robot Chicken. 2.0 Married At First Sight UK.

6pm Masters Of Flip. 7.0 Buying And Selling. 8.0 Dinner Date. Jennifer from Essex chooses three blind dates. 9.0 Vanderpump Rules. Raquel gives James an ultimatum. 10.0 Totally Unbelievable. A selection of bust-ups between famous people. 11.0 Love Island USA. 12midnight The Only Way Is Essex. 12.50 ITVBe Nightscreen.

6pm Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry. 7.0 Celebrity Game Face. 8.0 Live From The Red Carpet: The 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards. 10.0 Dating: No Filter. 10.30 Nightly Pop. 11.0 Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 12midnight Botched. 1.0 Kourtney & Kim Take Miami. 2.0 Teleshopping. 3.0 Big Rich Texas.

MTV

TLC

SKY SHOWCASE

SKY ATLANTIC

SKY DOCUMENTARIES

6pm Catfish: The TV Show. 7.0 Catfish: The TV Show. 8.0 Teen Mom OG. 9.0 Teen Mom: Young & Pregnant. 10.0 Jersey Shore Family Vacation. 11.0 Families Of The Mafia. 12midnight Adorableness. 12.30 Deliciousness. 1.0 RuPaul’s Drag Race. 2.25 RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked! 2.50 Teen Cribs.

3.15 Teen Cribs. 3.40 Teen Cribs.

6pm Say Yes To The Dress. 7.0 Say Yes To The Dress: UK. 7.30 Say Yes To The Dress: UK. 8.0 Dan’s 80lb Testicle. 9.0 Dr. Pimple Popper: Pop Ups. 10.0 Dr Pimple Popper. 11.0 Sex Sent Me To The ER. 12midnight Dan’s 80lb Testicle. 1.0 Dr. Pimple Popper: Pop Ups. 2.0 Dr Pimple Popper.

3.0 Say Yes To The Dress: UK.

6pm The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. 6.30 The Simpsons. 7.0 The Simpsons. 7.30 The Simpsons. 8.0 The Flash. 9.0 A League Of Their Own. 10.0 The Russell Howard Hour. 11.0 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. 11.45 Wolfe. 12.45am Manifest. 1.45 Code 404. 2.15 Road Wars. 3.10 Hawaii Five-0. 4.05 Magnum P.I. 5.0 The Early Rundown.

5.40pm The Sopranos. 6.45 The Sopranos. 7.50 Game Of Thrones. 9.0 The White Lotus. Rachel shares some harsh truths with Shane and confides in Belinda. 10.15 Billions. As Axe Cap returns to the office, Axe makes a surprise announcement. 11.20 The Night Of. 12.25am Dexter. 1.30 Dexter.

2.35 True Blood. 3.40 Californication.

6pm Harrow: A Very British School.

7.0 The Nineties. Music from the decade.

8.0 Fish Town. 9.0 The Story Of Late Night. 10.0 Mr Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown. 12.10am FILM: Steve McQueen: The Lost Movie (2021) ★★★ 1.50 FILM: The Act Of Killing (2012) ★★★★★ 4.0 Discovering: Steve McQueen. 5.0 The Movies.

Friday 24 September BBC1 6am

6am Countdown. 6.40 Cheers. 7.10 Cheers. 7.40 The King Of Queens.

8.05 The King Of Queens. 8.35 The King Of Queens. 9.05 Frasier. 9.35 Frasier. 10.0 Frasier. 10.30 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 11.25 Channel 4 News Summary. 11.30 Find It, Fix It, Flog It. 12.30 Steph’s Packed Lunch. 2.10 Countdown. 3.0 A Place In The Sun. 4.0 The Great House Giveaway. 5.0 Four In A Bed. 5.30 Come Dine With Me.

6am Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine. 11.15 Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords.

12.15 5 News At Lunchtime. 12.20 Traffic Cops. 1.15 Home And Away.

1.45 Neighbours. 2.15 FILM: A Teacher’s Killer Obsession (2019) ★★★ 4.0 Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun. 5.0 5 News At 5. 5.30 Neighbours.

6.0 BBC News At Six; Weather (S)

6.0 Richard Osman’s House Of Games Ruby Bhogal and

6.0 ITV News London (S)

6.0 The Simpsons A new

6.30 ITV Evening News (S)

neighbour moves in. (S) (R) 6.30 Hollyoaks Mercedes makes a drastic decision and has a big announcement for her family. (S) (R)

6.0 Home And Away Logan wins friends in some parts of the community and clashes with others. (S) (R)

7.0 The One Show Presented

by Ronan Keating. (S)

✱ 7.30 RHS Chelsea Flower

Show 2021 The famous horticultural event. (S)

8.05 EastEnders Sheree’s plans backfire significantly. (S)

8.30 Question Of Sport With

9pm

CHANNEL 5

6am Good Morning Britain. 9.0 Lorraine. 10.0 This Morning. 12.30 Loose Women. 1.30 ITV Lunchtime News. 1.55 ITV News London. 2.0 Judge Rinder. 3.0 Tenable. 4.0 Tipping Point. 5.0 The Chase.

Weather (S)

8pm

C4

6.15am Antiques Road Trip. 7.0 Homes Under The Hammer. 8.0 Sign Zone: Chris And Meg’s Wild Summer. 8.30 Sign Zone: Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing. 9.0 BBC News At 9. 10.0 BBC News. 12.15 Politics UK. 1.0 Head Hunters. 1.45 Eggheads. 2.15 The Big Painting Challenge. 3.15 Handmade In Bolton. 3.45 Make Me A Dealer. 4.30 Glorious Gardens From Above. 5.15 Flog It!

6.30 BBC Regional News;

7pm

ITV

6am Breakfast. 9.15 Morning Live. 10.0 Crimewatch Live. 10.45 Close Calls: On Camera. 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer. 12.15 Bargain Hunt. 1.0 BBC News At One; Weather. 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather. 1.45 Unbeatable. 2.30 The Repair Shop. 3.0 3.45 RHS Escape To The Country.

Chelsea Flower Show 2021. 4.30 Antiques Road Trip. 5.15 Pointless.

✱

6pm

BBC2

✱ CLOSER PICKS

Eddie Hearn, Katharine Merry, Alex Yee and Laura Collett. (S)

9.0 Would I Lie To You?

Previously unseen material from the comedy panel show.

Last in the series. (S) (R) 9.30 The Cleaner Crime scene cleaner Wicky pm 10 encounters a radical vegan. (S)

10.0 BBC News At Ten (S) 10.25 BBC Regional News;

Weather (S)

✱ 10.35 The Graham

Matthew Pinsent compete. (S) 6.30 Take A Hike Civil servant Paul hosts his hike along the stunning Alnwick coast. (S) 7.0 MOTDx Football discussion presented by Jermaine Jenas. (S) 7.30 Inside Culture Mary Beard returns with the cultural review show. (S)

8.0 Iolo: The Last Wilderness Of Wales From the Cambrian mountains. (S) (R)

✱ 8.30 RHS Chelsea Flower

Show The famous horticultural event. (S)

9.30 The North Water A discovery by Sumner sends Drax into a murderous rage. (S)

10.30 Newsnight (S)

Norton Show New series.

With the stars of the long11pm awaited James Bond film No Time to Die. (S) 11.25 FILM: A Monster Calls (2016)

★★★★

10.35pm Graham Norton, BBC1

11.05 Fever Pitch: The Rise Of The Premier League. 12.05 Golf: Ryder Cup Highlights. 2.05 Sign Zone: Football’s Broken Dreams – Panorama.

2.35 Sign Zone: Amy Winehouse: A Life In Ten Pictures. 3.35 This Is BBC Two.

9pm Grantchester, ITV

7.0 Emmerdale While Al toys with Paddy, Moira is surprised.

7.0 News (S)

7.30 Coronation Street

Norris causes mischief at his own funeral. (S) The chef creates a meringue with blackcurrant coulis, and a heritage salad. (S)

8.30 Coronation Street

Daniel angers David. (S) 9.0 Grantchester American airmen are arrested for trespassing at the local quarry.

(S)

10.0 ITV News (S) 10.30 ITV News London (S) 10.45 FILM: Rocky II (1979) ★★★★ Drama sequel, with Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire and Carl Weathers. (S) 12.50 Shop: Ideal World. 3.0 FYI Extra.

3.15 ITV Nightscreen.

8pm Bake Off: An Extra Slice, C4

7.0 The Thames With Tony Robinson The presenter starts his journey heading up the estuary to Southend Pier, where as a young man he would drive to with friends. (S)

(S)

8.0 Simply Raymond Blanc

6.30 5 News Tonight (S)

✱ 8.0 The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice

8.0 The Cotswolds With Pam Ayres The poet’s latest

New series. With guests Sarah Millican, Sunetra Sarker and Iain Stirling. (S)

journey starts in Wiltshire in the town of Bradford-on-Avon.

9.0 Gogglebox The armchair critics share their opinions on what they have been watching. (S)

(S)

9.0 Lighthouses: Building The Impossible Rob Bell uncovers the incredible stories behind Scotland’s Bell Rock lighthouse. (S)

10.0 The Last Leg New series.

Comic review of the significant moments of the past seven days. (S)

10.0 Greatest Hits Of The 80s The stories behind six

11.05 Sarah Millican: Control Enthusiast. 12.05 FILM: Rough Night (2017) ★★★ 1.55 Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA. 2.45 Iris Prize Best British Shorts. 3.05 Come Dine With Me. 5.20 Beat The Chef. 5.45 Jamie’s Comfort Food.

11.30 Freddie Mercury: The Greatest Showman. 1.0 The 21.co.uk Live Casino Show. 3.0 Entertainment News On 5.

3.10 Violent Child, Desperate Parents.

4.0 The Funny Thing About Kids. 4.45 Wildlife SOS. 5.10 House Doctor. 5.35 Fireman Sam. 5.45 Paw Patrol.

10pm The Last Leg, C4

more songs from the decade.

(S) (R)

9pm Gogglebox, C4

SATEL L ITE I D IG I TAL I C AB L E L ISTI NGS W

ITV2

E4

ITVB E

E!

6pm Property Brothers: Forever Homes. 7.0 MasterChef Australia. 8.30 Nurses Down Under. 9.30 Inside The Ambulance. Crews attend to a man found unconscious in the stairwell of a block of flats. 10.0 The Catherine Tate Show. 12midnight One Born Every Minute. 1.0 Renovate My Home: Leave It To Bryan. 3.0 Teleshopping.

6pm Catchphrase Celebrity Special.

7.0 Superstore. 7.30 Superstore. 8.0 Bob’s Burgers. 8.30 Bob’s Burgers. 9.0 Ready To Mingle. 10.30 Family Guy. 11.0 Family Guy. 11.30 Family Guy. 11.55 American Dad! 12.25am American Dad! 12.55 Bob’s Burgers.

1.45 Superstore. 2.35 The Emily Atack Show. 3.15 ITV2 Nightscreen.

6pm The Big Bang Theory. 7.0 Hollyoaks. 7.30 Young Sheldon. 8.0 Don’t Tell The Bride: Revisited. 9.0 FILM: The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014) ★★★★ 11.50 Naked Attraction. 1.55am Gogglebox.

2.55 First Dates. 3.50 The Big Bang Theory. 4.15 Brooklyn Nine-Nine. 4.40 The Goldbergs. 5.05 The Goldbergs.

6pm Masters Of Flip. 7.0 Buying And Selling. 8.0 Dinner Date. David from London looks for love. 9.0 Botched.

Terry Dubrow helps give a threebreasted woman the perfect pair. 10.0 Botched. Paul Nassif steps into the surgical ring to help a boxer’s crushed nose. 11.0 Love Island USA. 11.55 The Only Way Is Essex. 12.45am FYI Extra.

6pm Hollywood Medium With Tyler Henry. 7.0 Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 8.0 FILM: Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttl e (2003) ★★ 10.30 Nightly Pop. 11.0 Dating: No Filter. 11.30 10 Things You Don’t Know.

12midnight Botched. 1.0 Kourtney & Kim Take Miami. 1.30 Kourtney & Kim Take Miami. 2.0 Teleshopping.

MTV

TLC

6pm Catfish: The TV Show. 6.55 The Official UK Number One. 7.0 MTV Cribs. 7.30 MTV Cribs. 8.0 MTV Cribs.

8.30 MTV Cribs US. 9.0 MTV Cribs US. 9.30 MTV Cribs US. 10.0 True Life Crime. 11.0 Teen Mom OG Uncut.

12midnight The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies. 1.0 Families Of The Mafia.

2.0 Adorableness. 2.50 Teen Cribs.

6pm Say Yes To The Dress. 7.0 Curvy Brides Boutique. 8.0 Say Yes To The Dress: Lancashire. 9.0 Say Yes To The Dress. 10.0 Seeking Sister Wife. 11.0 Dr Pimple Popper. 12midnight Say Yes To The Dress: Lancashire. 1.0 Say Yes To The Dress: UK. 1.30 Say Yes To The Dress: UK. 2.0 Seeking Sister Wife.

3.0 Say Yes To The Dress: Ireland.

SKY SHOWCASE 6pm The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. 6.30 The Simpsons. 8.0 Young Rock.

8.30 Mr Mayor. 9.0 Wolfe. 10.0 Never Mind The Buzzcocks. 10.45 The Late Late Show With James Corden: Best Of The Week. 11.45 Anthony Joshua V Oleksandr Usyk: The Weigh-In. 12.15am Manifest. 1.15 A League Of Their Own. 2.10 Road Wars.

SKY ATLANTIC

SKY DOCUMENTARIES

5.40pm The Sopranos. 6.45 The Sopranos. 7.50 Game Of Thrones. 9.0 The Pacific. The Marines return home after the Japanese surrender. 10.05 Britannia. Cait and her band of travellers strike a deal with Hella. 11.05 Dexter. 12.10am Dexter. 1.15 True Blood. 3.25 Californication. 4.0 Richard E Grant’s Hotel Secrets.

6pm Harrow: A Very British School.

7.0 The Real Chernobyl. 8.0 Fish Town.

Brixham’s fishermen prepare for the annual Trawler Race. 9.0 Missile From The East. 10.50 Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary. 12.30am Cured. 2.0 FILM: Tread (2020) ★★★ 3.40 My Icon. 4.0 Discovering: Maureen O’Hara. 5.0 The Movies.

MONTHLY

THE DARKEST CRIMES AND EVIL MINDS

TERROR FLIGHT

TEACUP POISONER

ROYAL SCANDAL

ISSUE 30 ON SALE NOW BUY OR SUBSCRIBE AT GREATMAGAZINES.CO.UK/CRIME AVAILABLE IN ALL GOOD SHOPS AND SUPERMARKETS

GREAT NIGHT CINEMA & ON-DEMAND TV

Out

this week!

THE BEST FILMS, BOOKS, AND MUSIC TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS

Come From Away

STREAMING ON APPLETV+ NOW This filmed version of the Tony and Olivier award-winning Broadway musical tells the true story of the 7,000 passengers stranded in the small town of Gander in Newfoundland after all flights into the US were diverted on 9/11. The quiet community suddenly needed to deal with a vast influx of tired and worried visitors in need of a place to stay – and the town responded in style. Inspiringly, the locals and travellers came together in the aftermath of the awful events but, as well as heartbreak, this beautifully performed stage show is filled with warmth and hope.

MUST READ

The Chateau

(CATHERINE COOPER)

Aura and Nick don’t talk about what happened in England. They’ve bought a chateau in France to make a fresh start, and their kids need them to stay together – whatever it costs. The expat community is welcoming, but when a neighbour is murdered at a lavish party, the couple don’t know who to trust… Chillingly brilliant.

BEST DAY OUT

WORDS: MATILDA STANLEY, AMY ROWLAND, ALYS WEBB PHOTOS: GETTY

Alton Towers Scarefest

Mandibles

AVAILABLE IN CINEMAS AND ON DIGITAL 20 SEPTEMBER Possibly one of the most bizarre films of the year, this odd French comedy centres on two friends in desperate need of money. The pair stumble across a giant fly (yes, you read that correctly!) and decide that it’s their one-way ticket to mega riches. Unsurprisingly, their plan doesn’t go so well and they end up in all kinds of awkward, and very funny, situations while trying to train the huge insect as a pet.

Now we are midway through September, it’s time to start planning for the Spooky Season and what better way to kick it off than at Alton Towers Scarefest. Taking place on 8-10 and 15–31 October, the resort plays host to all things Halloween as it reveals the four new totally terrifying Scare mazes and Trick O’ Treat Town.

And of course, there’s always the Alton Towers Dungeon to explore as well… if you dare. And if your little ones fancy getting in on the action too, there’s the Freaky Five and CBeebies Land Monster Ball for even more fun. For tickets and more info, visit altontowers.com.

TUNE IN

Various Artists NOW That’s What I Call HMV

To celebrate 100 years of the music titan HMV, this is a very special compilation album featuring 100 tracks on 5CDs of the best songs from legendary artists.

Featuring old and new from the likes of Billie Eilish, Queen, Elvis Presley, Celine Dion, Coldplay, ABBA and Marvin Gaye.

What a listen! Out 24 September.

MAGIC RADIO IS NOW AVAILABLE ACROSS THE UK ON YOUR DAB DIGITAL RADIO FOR MORE INFO VISIT: WWW.MAGIC.CO.UK

87

PUZZLE ANSWERS

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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

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WORD LINK

A) EXTRA B) DAY C) DEED D) CHIP E) MUSIC F) RISING

A) THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON B) BLUE JASMINE

NAME THE STARS 1) LAURA WHITMORE 2) KRISTEN STEWART

GUESS THE CELEB A) ALISON HAMMOND B) DAVID HARBOUR

CLOSER MAGAZINE TERMS & CONDITIONS 1. These terms and conditions together with any specific rules displayed or referred to on the relevant page of Closer magazine in respect of a prize draw or competition (a “Prize Draw Notice”) and H Bauer Publishing’s General Terms and Conditions (available online at http://www.bauerlegal. co.uk/competition-terms.html) are the prize draw rules (the “Rules”) that apply to each and every prize draw and/or competition of any nature included in Closer magazine (a “Prize Draw”) unless otherwise expressly stated in the Prize Draw Notice. By entering a Prize Draw, entrants agree to be bound by these Rules.

2. Each Prize Draw is organised by Closer magazine, part of H Bauer Publishing Limited of registered address Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DT. In the event of a discrepancy between these terms and conditions and the Prize Draw Notice, the Prize Draw Notice shall prevail.

3. H Bauer Publishing reserves the right to cancel or amend a Prize Draw at any time without prior notice.

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23. These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed and performed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, whose courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction to decide any dispute arising under them.

Your stars With Yasmin Boland 14-20 SEPTEMBER THIS WEEK’S CELEB STAR SIGN

Virgo 23 AUG-22 SEP

This week is a potential litmus test for your most important relationships.

If you’re involved with H someone who is shady, JADA PINKETT SMIT R LE EH they are likely to act AMY PO 18 SEPTEMBER 1971 71 19 even shadier this week.

16 SEPTEMBER However, if you are K E E W S feeling all loved up, it RTHDAY THI I B R U O Y s S ’ nd IF IT could be the real deal! er, a lot depe uplifting. Howev d an g in ir , sp rs in he be Single? Mingle! Visit erything for ot This year could life. If you do ev of e m ga e ek th Se ay yasminboland.com for on how you pl t as nice as you. when they are no n w ! do st t be le e el th fe your daily horoscopes. you might . You deserve thy of your love or w e ar ho w le out peop

LIBRA

23 SEP-22 OCT

This week could be pretty intense. Don’t get into any upsets if you can possibly avoid it.

It could all go horribly wrong if you start to argue now. That doesn’t mean you have to be a simpering wallflower, though. Use all your Libra charms if someone is annoying you. Visit yasminboland.com for your daily horoscopes.

SCORPIO 23 OCT-21 NOV You are in a period of personal growth at the moment, have you noticed? This week, you should be extra mindful of how you treat the people in your personal life. Try to push through any fears you have about there not being enough love to go around.

Visit yasminboland.com for your daily horoscopes.

PHOTOS: REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

SAGITTARIUS 22 NOV-21 DEC Your current number-one challenge is to pay attention to what happens when you think positively versus when you think negatively.

Remember, you are creating your world with every thought. This week, particularly be careful about negative thoughts to do with romance and/or cash. Visit yasminboland. com for your daily horoscopes.

CAPRICORN

22 DEC-19 JAN

You are entering a period of several weeks when you really need to go for it professionally. Please don’t be disheartened if work doesn’t seem to be working out in your favour straight off the bat. You’re being pushed to chase your goals. Challenges are just tests from the universe. Visit yasminboland.com for your daily horoscopes.

AQUARIUS 20 JAN-18 FEB By the time this year is over, you will have taken a few more steps towards being one of the strongest of all the zodiac signs. That said, there could be some challenges to do with love or money this week. Show the universe (and everybody else!) what you’re made of. Visit yasminboland.com for your daily horoscopes.

PISCES

19 FEB-20 MAR

You essentially have two choices at the moment. Either you can look around, find out what inspires you, and seek more of that – or you can allow yourself to fall into a confused or disappointed funk. So what’s it to be? PS If you know how to meditate, that will really help now! Visit yasminboland.com for your daily horoscopes.

CALL CLOSER’S DESTINY LINE TO HEAR YASMIN’S WEEKLY FORECAST AND ADVICE

ARIES 21 MAR-19 APR You could feel a little bit on the back foot this week, like you’re not quite firing on all cylinders. That’s fine. You’re moving into a once-every-two-years cycle, where you can see what happens when you cool those Aries jets of yours and slow things down. Just remember to breathe! Visit yasminboland. com for your daily horoscopes.

TAURUS 20 APR-20 MAY “Ouch!” That’s the sound you could be making this week if you’re not careful.

The Universe is setting you straight and forcing you to wake up and face the facts.

If you’ve been ignoring something at work or in your personal life, you may have to deal with it soon. Visit yasminboland.com for your daily horoscopes.

GEMINI

21 MAY-20 JUN

There’s something you should know.

Although life is all about relationships and relating to others to make us better people, happiness and fulfilment for you right now is to be found in standing on your own two Gemini feet. So be at least a bit independent, even if you’re attached. Visit yasminboland. com for your daily horoscopes.

CANCER 21 JUN-22 JUL The skies are a bit tense this week, but for once, you are not in the firing line. You’re actually quite well placed to have a pretty good week. In particular, it should be possible for you to turn one really important relationship around. You are super persuasive at the moment! Visit yasminboland.com for your daily horoscopes.

LEO 23 JUL-22 AUG What do you want when it comes to cash, property and possessions? And how are you doing in terms of your self-esteem? If you can believe in yourself and your worth this week, you could find that you end up attracting more cash and even transforming your daily life somehow. Visit yasminboland.com for your daily horoscopes.

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SPECIAL

A FINAL FIX OF THIS WEEK’S PICS & TWEETS

o? Not driven lim Chauffeursh she he’s so po for Toff – s t out es the boa h s u p s y a alw season. for awards

The award -winning T his Mornin for the nex g team aud t series of D ition o c tor Who by into the NT squeezing A’s TARDIS – or is that the lift?

PHOTOS: TWITTER, INSTAGRAM

Lydia puts on her “inte rested” face as a fa n bores he r with her holida y snaps. “.. .and this was the bu ffet – they did ice sculptures every day!”

YAWN!

Daredevil Katie prepares to make an entrance by sliding down a bannister into the awards arena. Hope she was wearing her best knickers!

For god’s sake, HRVY, stick to the brand! You should have written, “wl, lst nt flt lk a drm”!

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