Having a giggle: Bradley in the new series of Keep It In The Family. Right: with a contestant on the 500th episode of The Chase
By Alison James f there was ever a person born to host TV game shows, it’s Bradley Walsh. He’s smart, sharp-witted, gets on with everyone and is very funny – especially when he can’t stop himself from getting the giggles. Wonderfully unselfconscious, Bradley is clearly a man at ease with himself. “Yeah, well, I’m very content with the hand I’ve been dealt,” he says. “I love the variety of what I do. I get to do serious acting, like playing DS Ronnie Brooks in ITV crime drama Law and Order, and guest starring in comedies like The Spa, as well as presenting game shows such as The Chase and Keep It In The Family. “I’m very lucky as I like having a go at everything – although that’s not to say I don’t know my limitations. I doubt I could play Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company, for instance.” He may not be a potential Hamlet, but Bradley (55) is a YouTube sensation. His hysterical laughter on an episode of The Chase when he mispronounced the name Fanny Chmelar has reached legendary status on the internet channel. “I’ll never, ever be allowed to forget it,” he says. “That clip has been viewed more than five million times. Incredible! It’s what most people stop and talk to me about. They say ‘You should watch that on YouTube’, as if I’d never seen it. “I can’t help myself when I lose it over words I have to say. The question setters know I have a very juvenile sense of humour and they Bradley on the red also know I’ll read out anything carpet with his wife, Donna Derby that’s on the autocue.”
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‘I’m a very LUCKY man’ Actor, presenter and host of Keep It In The Family and The Chase, Bradley Walsh says he’s more than happy with his lot 16
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❙ star chat ❙
‘The question setters know I have a very juvenile sense of humour’ “The beloved ‘Nanas’ are back and in this series we have five new additions,” Bradley says, referring to the group of grannies who appear in every episode, challenging the contestants to make guesses based on their descriptions of things. “They’re so lovely and we get on great – it’s like having a harem! They are so genuinely funny and what you hear them say is completely off the cuff – that’s the beautiful part of it. It’s thrilling to work with them because you point them in the right direction and the words come out and before you know where you are, they innocently say stuff. It’s hilarious! “Keep It In The Family is a great game for a family to take part in. The appealing thing about this show is that you can watch it with your four-year-old and a 104-year-old. This series
has stepped up a level, no doubt about that. It is extraordinary. We’ve got more global acts on the show. The families are sensational. “We’ve included another round called Keep It In The Family, Family Entertainment or FAME. This round is specifically geared to kids. Each week we invite a school or a small theatre group from around Britain on to the show. They put on a performance from a popular musical, such as Annie or Oliver, for example, and the families will be asked questions about the performance. We’ve got some lovely costumes for the contestants. There are some new family selectionbox costumes as we include TV and game shows like The X Factor or Only Fools and Horses. “Where else would you see a show that gives away a prize all the way through the show for kids, as well as being packed with entertainment and topped off by dropping celebrities through a trapdoor!” Ah yes – the infamous trapdoor! “I had to try it once, but I won’t be going through it again!” Bradley laughs. “I had to show willing because a lot of the production team had been through the trapdoor so the exec producers and I agreed that we had to give it a go. It’s not the drop so much, but the anticipation that is awful! “I would love some politicians to come
The Chase is on ITV1, from Monday, August 31
PICS: GETTY IMAGES, REX FEATURES, ITV
Does he find it hard to stop laughing on screen once he starts? “I can stop but it takes me a while to control it,” he admits. “I find that kind of stuff hilarious. I spend a lot of time laughing when I should be getting on with the job!” There are certainly plenty of laughs in the second series of Keep It In The Family, the game show where two families compete to win a selection of incredible prizes, ranging from a brand new car to an exotic holiday.
and do it for the heck of it. We’ve got The Beast from The Chase coming on – that will be cool, getting to see what he’s like on the trapdoor! If you listen carefully on the show (and this is not a sound effect we put on) you can hear what we hear, the gate underneath – it’s like the gallows! “Sometimes you’ll hear me say, ‘Celebrities are you ready?’ and they’ll say ‘No! No! No!’. Then there’s silence and you hear the gate opening underneath like a bolt! They stand rigid as they realise one of them is going down. The tension is palpable, but the relief on the face of the person who is left there is extraordinary.” The word extraordinary could equally well be applied to Bradley’s career path. “I started out as a jet engineer before becoming a professional footballer – I played for Brentford,” he reveals. “After that, I got into showbusiness. If you want to do something like that, you have to be very determined. “My advice to anyone with the same ambition would be, don’t sit still, never reach a point in life when you look back and think, if only… And don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough. Don’t be afraid to try anything, don’t take no for an answer but also remember that the word ‘no’ is as important as ‘yes’. “It’s called showbusiness for a reason – it is a business so you need to surround ✢ Keep It In yourself with the best people you can The Family is on possibly find.” ITV1 on Saturdays;
Bradley in his Corrie days as Danny Baldwin with co-stars Jane Danson on his right and Vicky Entwistle, and left, in Law and Order as DS Ronnie Brooks YOURS
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Style notes
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Take your wardrobe through from cool summer evenings to crisp autumn days By Jo Winch
lightweightknits GREAT UNDER SHIRTS
✢ Zip detail, £35, s-xl, Star by Julien McDonald at Debenhams
✢ Grey roll neck, £10, 10-20, F&F at Tesco
✢ Lime green cardigan, £10, s-xl, George at Asda
✢ Cream with black trim, £18, 10-20, M&Co
✢ Bold stripe, £20, 10-20, M&Co
✢ Red cardigan, £22, 10-20, M&Co
✢ Red tunic style, £29, 10-20, M&Co
✢ Lime green, £22.50, 10-20, M&S
✢ Pink layeredeffect, £69, s-xl, Phase Eight
✢ Animal print, £14, s-xl, Very
✢ Lilac cardigan, £24, 12-24, Bonmarché
✢ Yellow cardigan, £20, 12-24, Bonmarché
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✢ Pink cardigan, £20, 12-24, Bonmarché
CLASSIC MUSTHAVE
✢ Rust short-sleeve linen knit, £69, s-xl, East
✢ Blue stripe, £30, s-xl, JD Williams
✢ Colour block, £30, s-xl, JD Williams
YOURS BEST BUY
✢ Grey cardigan, £14, s-xl, Primark
✢ Black and white, £18, s-xl, Tu at Sainsburys
Joan wears: Yellow knit, £29.50, 10-20, M&S; skirt, £18, 10-18, George at Asda; earrings £8, Next. Carol Ann wears: Pink cardigan, £30, 6-22, Next; t-shirt, £22.50, jeans, £29.50, both 10-20, M&S; necklace, £18, Mood by Jon Richard
STOCKISTS: Bonmarché 0330 026 2728 www.bonmarche.co.uk; Debenhams 0844 561 6161 www.debenhams.com; East 0208 877 6543 www.east.co.uk; F&F at Tesco 0800 323 4070 www.clothingatteesco.com; George at Asda 0800 952 0101 www.asda.com; JD Williams 0871 231 2000 www.jdwilliams.co.uk; Jon Richard 0161 9464371 www.jon richard. com; M&Co 0800 031 7200 www.mand co.com; Marks & Spencer 0845 609 0200 www. marksandspencer.com; Phase Eight 0207 471 4422 www.phase-eight.com; Primark 0207 495 0420 www.primark.com; Tu at Sainsburys 0800 636 262 www.sainsburyslive-well-for-less.co.uk; Very 08448 222 321 www.very.co.uk Details correct at time of going to press
✢ NEXT ISSUE As the seasons change, we bring you the best of autumn style YOURS
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PHOTOGRAPHY: RUTH JENKINSON. STYLIST: JO WINCH. HAIR & MAKE-UP SARAH JANE GREEN.
✢ Two-in-one knit, £22, s-xl, Tu at Sainsburys
health &
vitality Meet our expert s Dr Fayyaz Ahmed is a consultant neurologist at Hull Royal Infirmary and spokesperson for The Migraine Trust (www.migrainetrust.org) Dr Nick Silver is a consultant neurologist at The Walton Centre in Liverpool
f you regularly experience headaches, you’re not alone. More than ten million of us suffer from them. For most of us they’re not serious and taking a painkiller and having an early night is enough to clear them. But more severe or persistent headaches can be highly debilitating. Our guide will help you work out what might be causing yours – and how you can help yourself.
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Ever wondered what’s
causing your headache? Pinpoint the problem with our simple guide – and find easy, natural ways to solve it
By Charlotte haigh MacNeil 42
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You’re not drinking enough
You’re having too much caffeine
according to american research, if you drink less than 1.5 litres of fluid a day, you could suffer from mild dehydration – and that may lead to headaches. The general advice is to aim for 1.5 litres (3pt) of fluid daily, including tea, coffee, juice and other drinks. But to headache-proof yourself, it may be better to aim for 1.5 litres of plain water. Scientists at the University of Maastricht, Netherlands, found that when women drank this amount each day, they experienced less frequent and less intense headaches. Solve it: Set an alarm to remind you to drink a glass of water on the hour, or download the free Waterlogged app, which logs your water intake and prompts you to drink.
If you take painkillers for your headaches more than twice a week, your body can get used to them and this can actually trigger headaches as the effects wear off. “Between five and ten per cent of people have headaches for this reason,” says neurologist Dr Fayyaz ahmed, consultant neurologist at Hull Royal Infirmary. Solve it: Stop taking the headache tablets. “You’ll feel worse for about a week to ten days, but much better once the painkillers are out of your system,” says Fayyaz. after that, you should try to limit painkillers to once or twice a week and don’t take them on consecutive days. The exception to this is if you’ve been taking codeine-based painkillers regularly for a year or more. It can be dangerous to suddenly stop taking these, so have a word with your doctor about reducing them gradually.
have more energy, too. “avoid tea, coffee, green tea and chocolate,” says Nick. “White chocolate is fine as it doesn’t contain caffeine, and you can have some decaffeinated tea and coffee, although these still contain very small amounts of caffeine,
White chocolate is fine as it doesn’t contain caffeine
the general advice is to aim for1.5 litres of fluid daily, including tea, coffee, juice and other drinks You’re taking too many painkillers
If you are experiencing frequent headaches, crave caffeine and feel perked up when you drink it, you may be over-doing it. Other signs to watch out for include insomnia and restless legs. “Caffeine is known to have pain-relieving qualities, hence the old wives’ tale about having a strong black coffee to relieve migraine,” says Dr Nick Silver. “This is also the reason caffeine is added to many over-the-counter painkillers. It helps for a while but, just as with painkillers, once it wears off it can trigger rebound headaches.” Solve it: You need to detox from caffeine, and stay off it. Be aware you’re likely to get headaches and may even feel sick for the first week, but after that you should start to feel much better – and
so try to limit them.” Switch to herbal teas instead. Struggling to cut out caffeine entirely? It may only be worthwhile for you if you suffer from really severe headaches or migraines. “But try to drink it in moderation,” says Fayyaz. limit yourself to two or three cups of tea or coffee daily.
You have seesawing blood sugar
If you often skip meals, or you eat a lot of meals high in refined carbs such as white bread, pasta and white rice, then low blood sugar could be the common cause of your headaches and migraines, although doctors don’t fully understand the connection. Solve it: “You need to eat regularly so you have a constant flow of energy,” says Fayyaz. Eat little and often rather than having two or three big meals. You should also avoid high-carb meals as this can lead to a big surge in energy, followed by a slump that may trigger headaches. avoid too many refined carbs and instead, aim for combinations of protein with unrefined carbs – such as an apple with a handful of nuts, an oatcake with cottage cheese, or chicken and veg with turn brown rice. the page for migraineB See your gP before taking vitamin supplements or busting herbal remedies, particularly if you take prescribed myths medicines. always speak to your gP before stopping any medication or before starting any diet or exercise regime.
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Good to KNOW...
Let go of Meet our experts
Rachel Cofey is a life coach specialising in personal change, visit www.rachel cofeycoaching.com
e’re all familiar with that niggle in the pit of our stomach that means we’ve done something we feel is wrong. Whether it’s failing to give a helping a hand to a neighbour, not finding the time to help out with your grandchildren, telling a white lie to a friend, or a more serious wrongdoing, there are few things worse than feeling guilty. Every day 96 per cent of us feel guilty about something, according to UK research. And women are far more prone to guilt than men. “Women tend to be emotionally sensitive to those around them, making us more likely to feel guilty if we hurt someone or make life difficult for them,” says Rachel Coffey. “You were probably bought up to be sensitive and caring rather than cutthroat and ambitious. And while this stands you in good stead for looking after your family and friends, it does mean that if you let a commitment slip or you can’t help out as much as you would like, you’ll feel guilty.”
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Why do we feel guilty?
Most of our guilt stems from our relationships, whether we are unable to support our children financially as much as we would like, are anxious about a loved one needing to go into a care home, or just feel pulled in different directions between friends, grandchildren and other commitments.
Barbara Bloomfield is a counselling supervisor with Relate and author of several books on relationships.
guilt Letting go of guilt could really lift your spirits – here’s how
By Lizzy Dening
When is guilt a problem?
“Guilt becomes unhealthy when it stops us from acting, when we become frozen and unable to forgive ourselves,” says counselling supervisor Barbara Bloomfield. “Guilt can be destructive because nobody wins,” says Rachel. “You feel regretful and inadequate and the person you feel guilty about doesn’t benefit either.
Feelings of guilt release stress chemicals which can cause headaches 54
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“It might even affect your behaviour in a negative way, leading you to avoid the friends about whom you feel guilty, which in turn might make them feel bad, too.” Long-lasting feelings of guilt release stress chemicals which can cause headaches and back pain, but more seriously they can also contribute to cardiovascular disease, tummy problems and a lowered immune system – and that is all in addition to the emotional upset, which can in some cases contribute to depression.
5 STEPS TO TACKLE GUILT “Drive unhelpful guilty thoughts out of your mind by answering them back,” suggests Barbara. “Say out loud (if you’re on your own!) ‘I’m not listening to you’.” Once that little voice in your head has been firmly put in its place, immediately distract yourself by calling a friend, going on a brisk walk or even just watching a lighthearted TV programme with a cuppa.
2Moving on
If you did something wrong and hurt someone’s feelings, no good can come from dwelling on the past. Apologise quickly and sincerely, acknowledge your mistake, and move on. The purpose of guilt is to help you learn from your behaviour, so try to take a lesson from it. For example, if you cancelled meeting a friend by inventing an excuse and felt awful about it for days afterwards, you’ve learned that being honest about not wanting to meet would be easier and more rewarding. After all, there’s no point in obtaining two hours of ‘metime’ if you spend it fretting about the lie you told to achieve it.
3Write it down
Keeping a diary can be a useful tool for examining your feelings. Sometimes seeing something written down (for example ‘I ate a cupcake and failed on my diet’) can help you see that you’re making a big issue out of a small problem. Express your feelings honestly, take time to read them back and finish by writing down a new, practical goal to ease your guilt the following day – whether that’s apologising to someone, doing something for charity or just resolving not to dwell on the problem any more.
The purpose of guilt is to help you learn from your behaviour
4 Tackle your stress
Being stressed and busy can increase your tendency to over-analyse situations and feel guilty about them. Take some time to unwind, treat yourself to a spa break or just have a long, relaxing bath. If feeling stressed is affecting your sleep, try this breathing exercise to help you nod off. As you breathe in deeply, imagine you are moving your breath to the top of your head, as you breathe out, imagine you are moving your breath to the base of your spine. Repeat this sequence for ten cycles.
problem 5Ashared…
Keeping something you feel guilty about a secret will only make things worse. Share your thoughts with a friend to help you get a wider perspective on the problem. By discussing things openly you will discover that nobody is perfect which will make it easier to stop blaming yourself for real or imagined failings. Instead of allowing feelings of guilt to become a crippling burden, keep them in proportion and remember that we all fail to meet our own high standards from time to time.
✢ NEXT ISSUE How to save on pet care YOURS
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PICS: GETTY IMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK; ISTOCKPHOTO
Talk back to your voice’ 1‘little
Valery in1971
Every issue, our Editor at Large, Valery relives the best bits of our lives. This fortnight, the joy of first spending our hard-saved cash…
All my own money here’s nothing as wonderful as a gift you’ve earned yourself. Out of the savings from my Littlewoods Saturday job I bought a pair of bright acid-green wedge sandals – well, it was the Seventies. But how lucky I was, able to indulge in fashionable fripperies – there were more basic clothes needs for Maureen Pearce-Webb... “When I started work I earned £2 a week as a milk-round girl (boys got £2.50 – that’s why I was chosen!). After paying my keep it left me with £1 for bus fares and life insurance, plus pocket money. I saved two shillings a week and my first buy was a bra costing 2s 11d from Woolworth’s. Before that I wore a liberty bodice – which I hated.” Twelve-year-old Daphne Hulme longed for a racing bicycle, “I managed to pay a little each week by babysitting, pea-pulling and bulb cleaning. It took ages but at last I got my new cycle. I had it for more than 12 years and never had an accident.” Don’t mention accidents... “The first thing I saved up for was a 78 record of Lonnie Donegan’s Rock Island Line,” writes Doris Dalton. “I put it on a chair while I hung my coat up. I returned to find my dad sitting on it, so I had to start saving again.” Doris isn’t
T
alone. “It took a lot of saving, aged 16, for my first moped – brand new at £69,” remembers Chris Waltham. “But it was stolen by our paper boy from outside our house. (In 1964 you didn’t lock things up.) He crashed it and although it was repaired, it never went very well. I sold it at a loss and went back to walking.” Rosemary Martin still has vivid recall of her disaster. “It was 1961 and I’d saved my pocket money to buy my mum some crockery as a birthday present. It was my first time to the shops on my own on the bus... I bought a four-piece tea service with milk jug and sugar bowl and the shopkeeper wrapped it in brown paper, tied up
with string. It was raining and while waiting for the bus, the parcel got heavier. By the time the bus arrived, I was soaked and so was my parcel. When I got off, my parcel ripped open and the pots cascaded onto the road. I can’t remember how much I managed to take home undamaged – not very much, sadly.” Mrs Oliver’s dad didn’t sound as though he deserved a present... “As a small child I was given coppers to spend by visitors who came to our house. As sweets were on ration at this time, my father suggested I saved up the money to buy a bicycle. He showed me how he would put my pennies in a great big money box under the stairs. It was quite some time before I realised I was feeding the gas meter!” YOURS
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PICS: GETTY IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK
Work paid off for Daphne!
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