Daytime TV is forever turning out some of the most surreal things on the box, and 2018 was absolutely no different.

But with many of us at work when they are on, chances are you might have missed them, so here’s a comprehensive list on the ridiculous gems ‘This Morning’, ‘Loose Women’ et al served up this year...

1. When Alison Hammond accidentally pushed a man into the Albert Dock

2. When ‘This Morning’ not only debated this issue, but Lizzie Cundy claimed it was acceptable on national television

3. When Brendan Blethyn’s dog could not control his urges

4. When Big Narstie presented the most surreal weather forecast ever

5. When things turned sour between former ‘This Morning’ co-hosts Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton live on air

6. Although not quite as sour as the row between Coleen Nolan and Kim Woodburn on ‘Loose Women’

7. When Alison Hammond looked scared for her life as she rode the tiniest and least frightening rollercoaster ever

8. When Piers Morgan played kiss-chase with Janet Street Porter. Yuck.

9. When Piers Morgan got his just desserts courtesy of Harry Hill

10. When ‘This Morning’ welcomed Kim Jong-Um into the studio

11. When Piers Morgan tried to embarrass Hayley from ‘Love Island’ but ended up with egg on his face

12. When ‘This Morning’ dedicated a whole segment of the show to this

13. When Janet Street Porter’s bowel movements (or indeed lack of) became a topic of conversation for the ‘Loose Women’ panel

14. When Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield met Britain’s sexiest cow

15. When someone didn’t think about how Prince Harry’s face (or more specifically, beard) would look like on a swimsuit on TV

16. When ‘Loose Women’ debuted the Ruth Langsford sex doll

17. When this was spelt out on ‘Countdown’

18. And this...

19. And, um, this...

20. When this was a strap line on ‘The Jeremy Kyle Show’

21. When Tony the Pony made a cameo appearance on ‘Judge Rinder’ 

22. When someone came up with this genius title for Vanessa Feltz’s ‘This Morning’ phone-in

23. When this ‘This Morning’ caller reduced Holly and Phil to hysterics with her bag of ‘merchandise’

24. When no-one was quite sure what Schofe was stroking

25. When Coleen Nolan transformed into an actual pig in a blanket

26. When This Morning’s singing donkey refused to co-operate

27. When Mr Blobby spoke a lot of sense about Brexit

28. When a BBC Breakfast reporter came a cropper while interviewing a swimming team in a pool

29. When someone called into ‘The Wright Stuff’ to call Anne Diamond a ‘c***’ live on air

30. And of course, there was Ainsley Harriot scaring the living daylights out of a poor pensioner called Jill

Shoppers will have to pay 10p for a carrier bag at all stores across England under plans announced by Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

The current 5p charge will be doubled and will apply at all shops, not just large retailers, under the measures aimed at reducing plastic consumption.

The changes could come into effect from January 2020 and are contained in a government consultation aimed at further reducing the plastic used by consumers and businesses.

Mr Gove said: “The 5p single-use plastic carrier bag charge has been extremely successful in reducing the amount of plastic we use in our everyday lives.

“Between us, we have taken over 15 billion plastic bags out of circulation.

“But we want to do even more to protect our precious planet and today’s announcement will accelerate further behaviour change and build on the success of the existing charge.”

Around 3.6 billion single-use bags are supplied annually by smaller retailers which are exempt from the current 5p bag levy.

Trade bodies representing approximately 40,000 small retailers have already launched a voluntarily approach to a 5p charge, but this accounts for less than one-fifth of England’s estimated 253,000 small and medium-sized enterprises.

In August, Theresa May promised there would be a consultation on changes to the levy by the end of the year despite reported opposition from the Treasury and Chancellor Philip Hammond.

The 5p levy was introduced in England in 2015, with the money raised going to good causes rather than government coffers.

Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said: “We welcome the Government’s plans to extend carrier bag charging to all shops.

“This has been shown to be highly effective at reducing waste, whilst also raising money for local, national and environmental charities.

“Around half of small shops in England already charge for plastic bags voluntarily, with wider support for a mandatory charge.”

Oceanographer Dr Laura Foster, head of Clean Seas at the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), said she hoped there would be support for the move.

The MCS has been monitoring the impact of the 5p charge since it was introduced in October 2015 and regularly provides evidence for government consultations.

Schools are also being urged to end the consumption of single-use plastics by 2022.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds called on school leaders to stop using items such as plastic straws, bottles and food packaging in favour of sustainable alternatives.

“On my first school visit as Education Secretary almost a year ago, the very first question I was asked by a pupil was what we can do to limit the damage of plastic on the environment,” he said.

“Reducing our use of plastic clearly is an important and timely issue which has captured the interest and the imagination of everyone in society.”

Car parking prices have risen at more than four in 10 NHS hospitals in England in a year, an investigation has highlighted.

Some 124 NHS trusts responded to Freedom of Information requests by the Press Association.

It has been established that some trusts have doubled the cost of a stay for patients and visitors car parking.

Tom Sandford, director of the Royal College of Nursing in England, said: “Nursing staff work around the clock to keep patients safe – they should not be overcharged for doing their jobs.

“For staff working shifts public transport is often not an option, so nurses and support workers have no choice but to pay parking charges that rise year on year.

“Struggling hospitals should not try to make money from their staff. Their goodwill won’t last forever. Trusts should provide reasonable car parking with affordable charges.”

Data published by NHS Digital in October shows NHS trusts made more than £226m from parking fees, including penalty fines, in the last financial year.

Several hospitals defended the charges, saying some or all of it goes back into patient care or maintaining car parks.

Others claim their size and the fact that they serve busy areas means they take more revenue.

The PA investigation reflected that, of the 124 NHS trust responses, 53 (43%) said they had increased prices in the last year for visitors or staff, or both.

Meanwhile, 71 (57%) said they had not put up their prices this year.

Labour has pledged to abolish the costs while the Patients Association said people should not be “charged for being ill”.

The analysis also revealed that:

- At Airedale NHS Foundation Trust in West Yorkshire, a stay of four to 24 hours cost £8 in 2017/18, up from £3.50 the year before. The trust made £1,287,322 from parking in 2017/18.

- Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool has scrapped its £2 flat rate for a full day and introduced a raft of new charges - tripling the cost of a stay longer than eight hours.

-  At Shrewsbury and Telford, an investigation into of parking charges has seen the cost of a five-hour stay more than double since October last year to £8.

- Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has also doubled the price of a stay of four to six hours over the last year, from £3 to £6. A stay of two to four hours has also spiked from £3 to £5.50.

- Frimley Health in Surrey made £4,452,481 from charging staff, patients and visitors in 2017/18. This was up on the £4,126,587 it made the year before.

- University Hospitals of Leicester made £4,421,862 from parking in 2017/18, a 13% rise on the £3,880,587 the year before.

- North Bristol Trust, which made £2,565,595 from patients, visitors and staff in 2017/8 - up on the £2,521,741 the year before - also hiked rates in 2017/18.

While NHS trusts in England still enforce hospital parking charges, the fees have been abolished across Wales and most of Scotland.

Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman Judith Jolly said the charges are tantamount to “taxing the sick”, adding: “While it is clear to all that hospitals are struggling to cover their costs against a backdrop of financial pressures and overcrowding exacerbated by the Tories, that is not a green light to charge patients.

“Car park charges are not the answer to the pressures on our hospitals.”

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said parking charges generate revenue at a time when hospital finances are “under immense pressure”.

“Charges for car parking at hospitals are a charge on people who are unwell, levied on them because they are unwell,” she added.

“We believe that patients should not be effectively charged for being ill.”

Dr Moira Fraser-Pearce, director of policy and campaigns at Macmillan Cancer Support, urged people to check what discounts were available for cancer patients.

She said: “Cancer can have a significant impact on people’s finances and if they have to pay to park at hospital in England, these charges can add considerably to this – especially for those undergoing treatment on a daily basis.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “We have made it very clear that patients, their families and our hardworking staff should not be subjected to unfair parking charges.

“NHS trusts are responsible for these charges and ensuring revenue goes back into frontline services, and we want to see trusts coming up with options that put staff, patients and their families first.”

I try not to make big political predictions. I’ve done it before and, like most political predictions, they turned out to be quite wrong.

A lot of commentators have been predicting the downfall of Theresa May for some time. Each resignation from the Cabinet has fuelled speculation that the next one will be hers. Numerous polls taken within and without the Conservative Party suggest that other candidates would be more popular leaders. All of us, especially the DUP, remember what happened in June 2017. Yet she has remained a resident of Downing Street despite such terrible setbacks.

The finale to May’s premiership is this time expected to be the failure to secure an endorsement for her Brexit deal from Members of Parliament. The deal has frustrated just about everyone, from Remainers to Leavers, Labour members to Conservatives, capitalists to socialists, young to old.

May’s deal was expected to die a death in the Commons last Tuesday before it was delayed until January. Most people think that May was prolonging her inevitable political demise, but I remain sceptical of whether the deal will be so soundly rebuked by MPs. After all, Conservatives no doubt realise that making May resign will mean the country has to find a new Prime Minister post haste: that might backfire for the Conservatives if that’s Jeremy Corbyn. Perhaps more Conservatives will hold their noses and vote for May’s deal... but, here I go again, straying into prediction territory.

Repeated blunders, embarrassments and even defeats in parliament have led many commentators to brand Theresa May the weakest, most terrible prime minister in modern British political history. Granted, the tremendous impact of Brexit on the country, particularly how far it will influence the working lives of young people such as me, mean we have to subject the Brexit-makers’ actions to our utmost scrutiny.

But it is because Brexit is so defining a political moment in history that I hesitate to join in with the despairing descriptions of May as our “worst leader ever.” To be clear, I can’t - and won’t - defend the Government’s record of negotiating a deal with the European Union; and I cannot support the Government’s approach to austerity, social care, education and the National Health Service. But I also refuse to let myself forget that Theresa May and her team face the greatest political challenge of modern times.

Putting aside the internal party squabbles and national division, you can’t exaggerate the obstacles that May is expected to overcome while seeing Brexit through. To smoothly unravel forty years’ partnership, trade agreements, regulations and political treaties in the space of two years is, demonstrably, an impossible task. Every voter has his or her own conception of what Brexit should look like. Some Leave voters wanted be free of EU laws and legal systems but remain in receipt of generous EU grants and trade arrangements; some wanted a bonfire of red tape and tariffs but no change to UK-EU political friendship; some wanted border control or some way of greatly reducing levels of immigration; and some just wanted to get out of anything and everything remotely connected to the European Union. Theresa May is expected to satisfy all of them plus the people who didn’t want Brexit to happen in the first place... like, er, Theresa May.

Over those two years, though especially for the last six months, she has endured intense media speculation, hostility from the public, the disintegration of her party and public condemnation from her own MPs, all stemming from the difficult task she must complete within a strict deadline. As my mother wondered aloud not long ago: “how does she sleep at night?” How can Theresa May find a moment not to think about Brexit - that, and preventing the collapse of the nation’s economy, society and democracy? The job of the Prime Minister is naturally one of the hardest around, but few peacetime Prime Ministers have had to deal with such a powerful and potentially catastrophic political event.

Hence why, despite the awful Brexit deal and the state of the nation after the referendum, I have some sympathy for Theresa May. She might go down in history as a terrible prime minister whose decisions were to the detriment of Britain. But when we make judgments like this, we have to take into account the monumental task that awaited David Cameron’s successor. They certainly had their work cut out.

A man’s body has been found after an explosion in Hampshire caused a building to collapse. 

Emergency services were called to the scene in Andover following a blast at around 2.30am on Thursday, police said. 

A number of neighbouring properties were evacuated as a precaution following the explosion. 

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: “The body of a man has been found after an explosion in Andover at about 2.30am this morning (December 27).

“The explosion caused a building collapse in King Arthurs Way, Andover.”

Fire crews left the scene on Thursday afterrnoon after completing a search and rescue operation. 

A spokesperson for the service said: “We had the one fatality and other persons were soon accounted for. Fire crews have now left the scene and the search and rescue is now finished.

“It is being handed over to police and the gas board are continuing their investigations.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for gas company SGN said its engineers had joined emergency services at the site of the blast in the early hours of the morning. 

“We understand an occupant in the property at the time of the explosion has died and our thoughts are with them and their family,” Dan Brown said. 

“While it is too early to speculate as to what has happened, we’re working closely with the emergency services to help identify the cause. In conjunction with the authorities, we’re currently working to isolate gas supplies to property numbers one and two for safety.

“We’ll remain on site to support the emergency services to help discover the cause of the explosion.”

A man has been rushed to hospital after a suspected acid attack in a north London high street.

Police were called by London Ambulance Service at 02:34 on Thursday to initial reports of a stabbing in Stoke Newington High Street.

Officers attended and found a 21-year-old man who had been assaulted, with a corrosive substance thrown over his face and cuts to his hand believed to have been caused by a knife. 

A spokesperson for Scotland Yard told HuffPost UK: “The man has been taken to an east London hospital. His injuries are not being treated as life threatening or life-changing.“

The London Fire Brigade were also in attendance.

No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.

I was an obese child.

I was five stone by the time I was five years old. My mum was a feeder. My older brother was skinny and so was my dad. Mum was always ‘watching her weight’, and remained at a steady nine stone, achieved by practically starving herself. As both my brother and my dad were not that interested in food, she could feed me. I was interested in food. I just loved to eat, and I ate everything in sight.

My dad used to call me “seven bellies” when I was in the bath. I hated that – there’s nothing worse for a fat kid than being teased. And years later I realised that my dad and his three brothers, who teased me mercilessly, had no idea what they were doing. Now and again I would burst into tears, and I could see on their faces how surprised and sorry they were. Their intent was never to hurt me. My mum never teased me too, but she was in denial. She’s Italian, so you might say she was a cultural feeder. She would just say I was big-boned.

I have many memories of being fat. One particular memory was in infant school, when we used to wear red knickers for PE. In time, new blue shorts arrived in the school office, but I just knew there wouldn’t be a pair that would fit me. I was right but I can’t even remember being really embarrassed. I was fat and I knew it, so the fact that there wasn’t a pair of shorts that would fit me came as no surprise. I was upset though, that I can remember. I can remember feeling sorry for the office staff all flapping around ripping open the cellophane wrappers, saying ‘there must be a pair big enough to fit you, Susan’. There was not – as a consequence, my little fat body continued to run around in hideous red knickers while all the other average-sized kids got to wear brand new blue shorts.

As any other fat kid will appreciate, lunch time was the highlight of my school day. No bad memories of school dinner food for me! I do remember though one day when one of the kitchen assistants came out with a tray of chips to offer us seconds. I must have gobbled up the extra portion quite quickly and put my hand up for more. She refused, saying ‘Susan, you know you’re not supposed to have thirds of chips’. No, I didn’t know. I wanted them, and I remember feeling really embarrassed when she shouted at me. As a child I had overwhelming sensations that some adults didn’t like me. You could almost see the disgust on their faces. Like it was my fault. My best friend was skinny, very skinny, further highlighting my fatness. ‘Oi, fatty!’ was regularly shouted out to me as I walked around the estate where we lived.

At the age of nine, I went to the doctors and was given my first diet sheet – within a year I was a ‘normal’ weight. At the age of 16 I was a very healthy nine stone. Then I met a boy who told me I looked fat.

Within a month of going out with him, I barely ate and weighed 7st 12lbs. I realise now I was on a slippery slope toward a condition like anorexia or bulimia. I tried to vomit, but didn’t get on with that and somehow I emerged and began eating more sensibly, although I remained wracked with guilt when I ate something indulgent.

More needs to be done to help educate and support fat children and their parents so that the children have a chance of becoming a healthy weight before they reach adulthood, ideally before they hit secondary school.

I believe that parents don’t set out to have fat children, but the hard fact is over feeding a child is abusive behaviour and needs to stop.

Now at the age of 55, I am just on the fringe of normal and overweight on the BMI scale (10st 10lbs at 5ft 4in). I live a fairly healthy lifestyle and eat mindfully. I am a happy person, and enjoy life. I have a very positive outlook. But, this could so easily not be the case.

The festive period can be a challenging time for anyone, not least those struggling with mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression.

Christmas is viewed as a time for unadulterated happiness, partying and socialising with family and friends but for others, the diminishing daylight hours, the pressure to be upbeat at all times, and memories of family members who are absent can make the season a very difficult time.

In 2016 the charity Samaritans urged people to stop striving for a perfect Christmas, after a survey of 1,160 adults in the UK found that 50 per cent of people hide their feelings at Christmas to keep others happy. Another survey by Mind revealed that nearly 60 per cent of people with mental health problems have experienced panic attacks over the festive period.

Mental health issues are common, and not exclusive to the Christmas period, but they may be heightened during it. Here are my tips for managing your mental health at Christmas.

1. Avoid dwelling on the past year 

As Christmas is the end of the chronological year, people tend to look back on what they have achieved and what they haven’t. If you are suffering with depression or low self-esteem, there is a real risk that any negative feelings of under-achievement, or the past year not living up to your expectations, are exacerbated. Focus on the positives and set goals you want to achieve in the following year.

2. Get out the house during daylight hours 

Winter months can trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in those vulnerable to the condition. Shorter daylight hours combined with lack of sunshine can impact negatively on your mood. Many people find themselves staying in the house over the Christmas period, however, try and get out at least once a day, even if it is just for a short walk.

3. Everything in moderation 

Over the Christmas period it can be tempting to over-indulge in both food and drink and this can be a way of coping with difficult feelings. Drinking excessively over Christmas will impact on mood and anxiety. Significantly changing your eating, especially if you experience disordered eating, may introduce feelings of guilt and low self-esteem. Try to do some exercise which involves getting outside – running, walking - as this can help to improve your health and wellbeing.

4. Volunteer in the community

Christmas can be an isolating period. Many organisations and charities reach out to people to spend Christmas morning with the elderly or helping the homeless. Whether you wrap wanted gifts for local charities, or volunteer at your local hospital, or help cook lunch for the homeless then it can give you a real sense of purpose and make a difference to someone else’s day.

5. Don’t be afraid to say “no”

The festive season, or “party season”, can involve more social pressures than usual. A recent survey by Mind, found that one in four adults in UK feel anxious about social gatherings during the festive season. The pressure to fit in can become intense and whilst it is important to get out and about and mix with other people, don’t beat yourself up if you turn down an invite or make an excuse to leave early.

6. Have realistic expectations about family gatherings

Christmas is always hailed as ‘family time’ and this can place pressure on already strained family relationships, particularly amongst those who don’t see each other very often and aren’t used to spending a long period of time together. Managing your expectations can help reduce the effects these feelings can have on you.

7. Live in the moment

Try as best you can where possible to avoid dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Living in the moment is easier said than done but simple mindfulness exercises can help to focus your mind on the present. Find out more at www.bemindful.co.uk

8. Talk about your anxieties

Talking with a friend or relative about the things that are worrying you can help you to realise that some of them aren’t so important after all, and help you to focus on one or two things that are at the root of your worry. The Samaritans provide a free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week support on 116 123. They also have local branches in many areas where you can drop in to speak to someone face-to-face. For more information visit the Samaritans’ website. There is also a free confidential hotline for older people called Silverline.

9. Get enough sleep

Be mindful of technology use near bedtime. Avoid watching TV in bed – the same goes for streaming on a laptop or tablet. Try to charge your phone and devices outside your room. Avoid using your smartphone in bed, as its noise and light can interfere with sleeping. LCD screens on phones and tablets emit light that is blue enriched; this light influences the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) and delays the release of the ‘sleep hormone’ melatonin.”

10. Listen to music 

In my clinic at the Priory Hospital, I recommend that my patients listen to a relaxing playlist of, for example, light classical music that induces relaxation. I usually suggest a 30-minute playlist. 

Useful websites and helplines:

• Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
• Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)
• The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@themix.org.uk
• Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on www.rethink.org.

Miley Cyrus has shared a string of photos which appear to be from her wedding to new husband Liam Hemsworth.

Earlier this week, the pair found themselves at the centre of rumours that they’d tied the knot in private, after a string of loved-up photos were posted online by their friends, in which she was seen in a floor-length white dress.

They kept schtum on the wedding rumours, until Miley began posting her own pictures, seemingly confirming that she and the Australian ‘Hunger Games’ actor are now married.

In the first picture, she and Liam are seen kissing, with her in that same white Vivienne Westwood dress and him in a smart black suit.

Following this, she shared another snap where it looks like they’re dancing together in front of a fireplace, which she captioned with the date of their apparent nuptials, which took place the day before Christmas Eve.

Miley and Liam first met in 2009, while working together on the film ‘The Last Song’, and confirmed that they were an item a year later.

They briefly broke up around the time her infamous ‘Bangerz’ album was released, but Miley confirmed that the pair had reunited in 2016 and were engaged once again, with many of the songs on her most recent album ‘Younger Now’ appearing to reference the reconciliation.

The wedding appears to have taken place at the couple’s home, where her mum Tish and sister Noah were both in attendance.

HuffPost UK has contacted representatives for both Miley and Liam for further information.

One dad went to extreme (and adorable) lengths to make sure his daughter wasn’t spending Christmas alone – and he’s earned all of the brownie points for doing so.

Hal knew his flight attendant daughter Pierce would be working over the holiday period, so he bought seats on all her scheduled flights throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

Mike Levy, from Ohio, was travelling on the same flight as the father-daughter duo. After chatting to Hal, who he was seated next to, he shared their story on Facebook.

“Hal decided he would spend the holiday with her,” Levy wrote. “So, he is flying on each of her flights today and tomorrow around the country to spend time with his daughter for Christmas. What a fantastic father!” 

Levy later told USA Today Hal had booked six flights in total. His Facebook post went viral, with 28,000 people sharing it, including Pierce who said their joint Christmas itinerary had gone well. 

“A special thanks to all of the patient, wonderful gate agents around the country and my perfect crew,” she wrote. “He made it on every flight and even got first class ... Shoutout to Mike Levy for being a great first class passenger and helping us to understand how cool this actually is!”

Facebook user Julie Norton said the gesture brought tears to her eyes. “Sending festive wishes from England, UK (where I am working my second night shift tonight for the NHS),” she wrote.

Sonia Haro added it was “the sweetest thing a parent can do for his child”.

We’re now full swing in the thick of the December mayhem, and each year it only seems to intensify. For parents everywhere drowning in Christmas card lists, work, Amazon deliveries, half-finished paper chains and out-of-control diaries, here are ten tips for keeping steady during the festive season:

1. Don’t sweat the small stuff 

It’s guaranteed that in the December chaos you will do at least one of the following….double-book social engagements and have to cancel one of them, accidentally put your foot in your mouth at a work, family or social gathering, and/or forget something (usually a PTA donation or a Secret Santa gift). If and when it happens, apologise once with feeling, then put it behind you and move on. Anyone who doesn’t understand Xmas Mum-brain as a mitigating factor isn’t worth worrying about.

2. Be Merry!

’Tis the season to be jolly! Isn’t it? The complex logistics of managing present-buying, social engagements, school events and family visits while holding down an actual job can seem to obliterate all fun in December. This month will always be part-military operation but don’t forget to enjoy yourself. Surround yourself with people that make you feel joyful and relaxed, see old friends, be silly, have that extra drink and throw caution to the weeknight hangover. Post-November there are no judgements for anyone looking a little queasy in the playground at morning drop-off (or pick up....).

3. Say ‘no’

On the flip side, don’t feel you have to say yes to every Mums’ night out, last-minute festive nibbles and carol concert you get invited to. Your own family comes first and sometimes that means politely declining social engagements and spending precious time at home watching Christmas films, decorating the house and just relaxing. The kids need it at this time of year as much as we do.

4. Give

Remember what it’s all about and try to give something to those who have less if you can manage it. Giving small donations or a bit of your time to charity, or supporting elderly relatives who are struggling at this time of year also puts everything in perspective. Showing the kids what you’re doing and involving them teaches them that it’s not all about the presents…

5. Indulge, guilt-free

It’s now or never. Summer beach body concerns are a distant memory, January diets loom depressingly on the horizon so now is the time to throw caution to the wind, dig out the elasticated waistbands, stockpile the paracetamol and indulge if you so wish. Baileys, mince pies, prosecco, After Eights, cheese and biscuits….and that’s just before midday. All bets are off at Christmas and the kids will love watching you match them chocolate treat for chocolate treat.

6. Get your ‘hygge’ on

The famously happy Danes have got it right with their national obsession with all things cosy and contented. December is the time to embrace their style by hunkering down with the kids and shutting the door for snug days and nights in with sweatpants, blankets, games, books, roaring fires and mugs of steaming hot chocolate. Make your to-do list a distant memory, cherish lazy time with the kids and replenish depleted energy levels.

7. Exercise 

It sounds like the domain of the smug, but few things make me feel calmer than 30 minutes’ exercise in the fresh air. Happy endorphins will buzz for the rest of the day, your skin will look better, your body will feel less toxic and your mind more able to deal with the family and the kids. Plus it’s rare festive time-out from other humans. Total no brainer.

8. Take a Mum Break 

You’ve planned it, you’ve bought it, you’ve wrapped it, you’ve cleaned it, you’ve cooked it, and now its time for a rest. If you can get your partner or a friend to look after the kids, try to take one well-deserved day off after the big day and do something just for you. Could be an afternoon at the spa or something as simple as coffee and a walk with a friend. Rare leisure time without the kids does wonders for the soul.

9. Celebrate 2018

When you’re chugging along as usual trying to keep the balls of work and family life in the air, it’s easy to assume that you’ve not achieved anything particularly special over the past 12 months. But the chances are you’ve done much more than you think. Enjoy the feel-good factor of stopping to reflect back on the past year as a family and celebrating all of your 2018 highs and milestones, big and small. As well as laughing at some of the disastrous moments…

10. Feel excited about the New Year

Expectations run high during family Christmases and the reality doesn’t always match up, so don’t spend the whole break focusing on the festivities. Spare a little time to think about what’s coming up next year and what you’d like to achieve, be that a career change, home improvements, a holiday, studies, fitness or anything else, it’s nice to end the year with a flutter of excitement in your stomach about what’s on the horizon.

A red London Bus ploughed into the front garden of a property in south London on Boxing Day evening.

The bus driver lost control and drove into the garden in Brixton around 9pm.

Emergency services arrived at around 10pm and cordoned off the road. 

Photos from the scene appear to show damage to cars and the street. 

A Transport For London spokesperson said the cause of the crash is unknown at this time and an investigation is on-going.

Anyone who wears makeup will probably say that they feel better, perhaps more confident with a full face of makeup on but for people with acne, like myself, makeup takes on a whole new purpose.

When you suffer with skin problems such as acne that often leave you feeling so unhappy with your bare face, makeup is no longer about being creative or making yourself feel more glamorous or put together – its about covering up, its about making yourself feel acceptable.

I trained to be a makeup artist at 16, and that training in itself was a challenge for someone with acne. You spend a lot of time taking your makeup off and sitting in front of your peers with a completely bare face, which left me feeling hugely exposed – particularly at the beginning of the course when my classmates weren’t my friends, but strangers.

I left the beauty industry a couple of years later for a number of reasons but one of the main ones being the constant pressure to look good, a standard I felt I simply couldn’t withhold whilst suffering with acne.

It’s not that I think acne is anything to be ashamed of or cover up but for me personally, it’s something that makes me feel so embarrassed to show my face without makeup.

My skin is pretty much always covered in blemishes but even on days where the acne is a little more settled, my face, chest and back are all extremely scarred from past flare-ups, which means there never seems to be a day where I can get a break from the constant feeling that my natural, uncovered face is simply horrible.

I’m not ashamed to admit I wear a lot of makeup. Not just when I go out but on a day to day basis. I wear full coverage foundation, a lot of concealer and everything else that goes into putting together a heavy face of makeup but why?

Do I wear it because I enjoy putting it on? Do I wear it because I like the way that full coverage face looks? No. I wear it because I’m embarrassed by what’s underneath. I’m embarrassed to show off both the fresh blemishes and the old scars, and the general state of my natural skin.

I often feel I’ve set a standard for myself now with all of the makeup – a kind of precedent I now have to uphold. I’ve created an image for myself that is a face full of cosmetics and I now have anxiety around letting people see what lies underneath this.

As someone who doesn’t just suffer with the physical affects of acne but the mental and emotional impacts, makeup is something of a double-edged sword. It provides me with the confidence to go out and show my face, it gives me the confidence I need to smile in my own skin, take pictures and have fun but it’s also become a comfort blanket.

Although there are times where I will go out in public without makeup on, I don’t feel comfortable or happy in doing that. I feel exposed, I feel open for criticism, I feel judged and that’s all because of my acne. If I do go out without makeup on, I’m usually alone and going somewhere where I have no plans to see anyone I know.

It’s rare I will optionally and knowingly meet someone I know whilst not wearing makeup. I have close friends and family who I allow to see me with a bare face but the anxiety is still present within me that I don’t look good enough, that I look ugly because of my skin.

Even in front of people I feel comfortable with in general, when I sit in front of them with my bare skin on display, I find myself constantly touching my face, checking for new blemishes or covering spots I know are there. I can feel myself messing with my hair or biting the skin off my lip which are things I do when I feel anxious or uncomfortable and that’s because I’m so conscious that the person in front of me is looking at my skin.

Acne might be common – according to the NHS about 80% of people aged between 11 and 30 are affected by it – but the severity of acne varies between individuals. Some people will suffer with mild acne that can be treated with a good skincare routine but other acne can be severe and feel untreatable at times. But no matter how severe or minor your blemishes, they can take a massive toll on your confidence, and I know first hand that it can leave you feeling ashamed of your own skin.

I’ve started to make a conscious effort to try and show my bare skin on my social media, as well as the made up, glamorous pictures to breakdown the façade I’ve created myself in an attempt to retain some kind of self confidence whilst suffering with my acne.

I want to feel comfortable in my own skin, with and without the help of cosmetics and I want others to feel the same. When you see the statistics of how common acne is, it’s crazy to think so many of us are embarrassed to suffer with it, so next time you want to go out with a bare face but feel you can’t because of your blemishes, push yourself past that barrier and do it. Step outside and let your skin see the sunlight and hold your head high because acne isn’t something we need to be ashamed of.

It’s natural, it’s not your fault, and having acne does not make you ugly. For many of us, it’s just a part of being human.

Who could have ever imagined that a piece of cloth could uphold such significant power? We are used to connecting the headscarf with religious obligation, so it only seems logical to think of religion presiding over how Muslim women should dress. However, only some focus on the political, social and cultural influence it conveys.

The headscarf is worn by many women of faith, predominantly of the Islamic faith. It is commonly referred to as the ‘hijab’, though, notably, that is merely a connotative and indirect translation of the word ‘headscarf’ in Arabic (headscarf is khimar in Arabic).

Hijab quite literally means barrier or partition. However, the word was given a wider prominence that includes but is not limited to the covering of women’s hair. Of course, there are many reasons that hijab also means modesty in dressing and behaviour for both women and men (can we point out that it’s hardly ever directed at men?). The theme is not what people think or decide the hijab should be, it really is about this invisible weight placed on women. On the one hand, some want to liberate women from wearing the hijab, while others are inducing women into wearing it. Can you see both intentions are very much the same, despite being on two different sides of a spectrum? It’s autocratic behaviour to tell women what they can and cannot wear.

From a political standpoint, the headscarf has been implemented as an obligatory practice in certain countries including, but not limited to, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Women have little to no choice but to compel. If it’s not lawfully enforced, then it is culturally or psychologically encouraged. Somehow there seems to be an insinuation that not only politics but also Muslims and the clerics practicing it are the problem. Feminist Mona Eltahawy suggests in her book ‘Headscarves and hymens: why the Middle East needs a sexual revolution’ that these people are behind the hijab, the social, political and cultural oppression of it all. Additionally, some observe the psychological subjugation of the headscarf placed on girls and women by their families. Moreover, Slater Bakhtavar states “Hijab is a culturally cherished means for Muslim women to protect their modesty and avoid inciting the lust of men who are not their husband” in his Forbes article. There is no denying that these do contribute to a larger picture of the truth, but they are not sole factors of why women wear the headscarf. We have been obsessing and rebelling over the fact that certain women wear the headscarf out of their own free will. This is not a new phenomenon.

What is contemporary is the recent growing movement of Muslim women taking a personal decision to remove the headscarf. In most societies these may not lead to enforced prosecution, but they tend to impose emotional and psychological magnitude on such choices. This is not limited to public figures such as Dina Torkia recently removing the hijab, but also privately to friends and family I know. As for doing so publicly, it seems people of the Muslim community are far more occupied on a woman’s dress choice as much as the West is, instead of having a vigorous focal point of our current global state.

It is never an easy decision to remove something that has been an integral part of one’s life. Whether it may carry a symbolic gesture or define someone’s identity, it is part of an ongoing self-journey and evolution. Whoever came to the conclusion that the act of wearing the headscarf is permanent? Why has there been such a great importance placed on a piece of scarf to an extent where it dominates the existence of the women wearing it? Where in time has the fundamental spiritual and behavioural modesty been overtaken by appearance? I have been asking these same questions for years and have yet to find the right answers. But it does make me think that it is rather a lazy way to connect a woman’s headscarf to her spiritual intentions or even modesty. To give the false sense of belief that the headscarf is a choice but disgorge at women who take it off (or even wear it).

Nevertheless, the freedom of taking off the headscarf should be equally granted than to wearing it from the first place. This is a very important dialogue to have during a crucial point of feminism movements. Essentially, this comes down to the obsession with the female body. From all angles possible, whether to hide it away from the male-gaze or to overtly sexualise it yet again for the male-gaze. We as a society barely tend to have this form of fixation over the male body and how it’s expressed. Our pre-notion of what women express in their choice of dressing should be eliminated.

Train punctuality has fallen to a 13-year low after a number of major issues  disrupted Britain’s railway service in 2018.

One in seven trains (14.6%) missed the industry’s Public Performance Measure (PPM) of punctuality in the 12 months to December 8, according to Office of Rail and Road (ORR) figures.

An analysis of historical data by the Press Association has revealed that the annual rolling average has not been this bad since September 2005.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of passenger watchdog Transport Focus, said: “People using the railway need to be able the rely on the industry’s most basic promise – the timetable.

“If that is not delivered passengers must make their voice heard and claim compensation.

“The new Rail Ombudsman now provides free, binding arbitration on unsettled disputes.”

PPM measures whether a train arrives at its final destination within five minutes of the scheduled time, or 10 minutes for a long-distance service.

Punctuality has been affected by a number of problems over the past 12 months, including extreme weather, errors in the launch of new timetables, strikes and signalling failures.

Snow and ice crippled parts of the network when the Beast from the East hit Britain in February and March, while rails buckled due to a summer heatwave just three months later.

Passengers in the north and south-east of England faced weeks of chaos when new timetables were introduced on May 20.

Several operators have suffered disruption throughout the year due to a long-running industrial dispute over guards on trains.

Punctuality has also been affected by infrastructure failures, with London Waterloo services hit by a number of signalling faults.

The cost of many rail season tickets will increase by more than £100 next week as average fares go up 3.1%.

There have been calls for prices to be frozen due to the poor performance of the industry.

The Department for Transport has launched a review by former British Airways chief executive Keith Williams to consider all parts of the industry.

Robert Nisbet, regional director of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Every minute counts for our customers and we are sorry when trains don’t run on time.

“We have one of the most congested railways in Europe, which means incidents like the summer heatwave and disruption caused by new timetables have a bigger impact.

“Working together, the rail industry is learning the lessons from May while also delivering unprecedented investment to increase capacity and ease pressure on the busiest parts of the railway.”

Michael McIntyre has been revealed as the new king of Christmas telly, after topping the ratings over the festive period.

The Christmas Day special of the comedian’s BBC variety show was the most-watched show of the day, toppling ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’, which pulled in the most viewers in 2017.

‘Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show’ pulled in 6.1 million viewers on Christmas Day, ahead of the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and ‘Call The Midwife’ special, which were watched by 5.8 million and 5.5 million people respectively.

In fact, ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’ fell from 6.8 million to 4.7 million viewers in the space of a year, even falling behind the news in terms of how many tuned in, although ratings were down across the board compared to 2017.

Only the Queen’s speech brought in more viewers than Michael McIntyre, ranking as the most-watched event of Christmas Day on 6.4 million.

The top shows of Christmas Day are as follows…

1. The Queen’s speech (BBC One, Sky News, ITV, Sky One) – 6.4 million

2. ‘Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show’ (BBC One) – 6.1 million

3. ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (BBC One) – 5.8 million

4. ‘Call The Midwife’ (BBC One) – 5.5 million

5. ‘The Jungle Book’ (BBC One) – 5.2 million

6. ‘EastEnders’ (BBC One) – 5 million

7. BBC News (BBC One) – 4.7 million

8. ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’ (BBC One) – 4.7 million

9. ‘Coronation Street’ (ITV, ITV +1) – 4.6 million

10. ‘Zog’ (BBC One) – 4.5 million

‘Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show’ featured football pundit Chris Kamara playing the infamous ‘Send To All’ game, while Katherine Jenkins performed a cover of ‘Never Enough’ from ‘The Greatest Showman’.

A second ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’ special will air at 10pm on New Year’s Day.

What’s the most ridiculous gift you got for Christmas? That’s the question Twitter user Bri (@BPtheGasStation) put to the masses over the festive break and the responses were something else entirely.

For Bri, it was a sequinned cushion which revealed multiple pictures of actor Nicolas Cage’s face when brushed in a certain direction. *Insert Face/Off joke here*

Speaking of Nic Cage merchandise. This notebook is, um, interesting.

But it didn’t quite top this gift of a pooping pooches 2019 calendar. Not suitable for the kitchen (or anywhere else you plan on eating).

Some lucky so-and-so received a very biblical-looking portrait of Post Malone, the American rapper. The gold frame is truly exquisite.

And we simply can’t forget this Judge Judy prayer candle. 

Then there are the items we didn’t even know existed, like the toaster which burns moustachioed faces onto your bread. Turns out the bread face is meant to look like their mum... 

We don’t even know what this is – Kermit meets Venom?! – but it looks terrifying.

Novelty underwear covered in karate pirate cats is guaranteed to stop anyone in their tracks, but for all the wrong reasons. We’re not even going to comment on the use of “KAPOW” on the waistband.

Are those... pants with EARS?!

Someone decided to play the long game and wrapped up $1 bills. 

Speaking of weird monetary gifts...

Oh yum. A tin of expired green beans with a pass agg message.

There was plenty of merch from “The Office” knocking around too this Christmas, including this interesting blanket.

And some Dwight Schrute earrings.

Is that a cardboard cutout of Danny DeVito, you ask? Yes, yes it is.

But nothing could beat these crocs, which claim the crown for Most Hideous And Ridiculous Gift EVER.

P.S.

P.P.S.

The UK must “up its game” when it comes to combating criminal drones, the Met Police Commissioner has said after drone sightings caused 36 hours of chaos at Gatwick Airport.

Around 1,000 flights were cancelled or diverted across three days last week after drones were spotted near the airport’s runways, with as many as 140,000 people’s Christmas travel plans thought to have been disrupted. 

“The drone technology is always changing – we have to keep up with that,” Cressida Dick told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme, calling it a “difficult” situation.

“I think the whole country and certainly the government will have watched what’s gone on and say we need to up our game here – we need to work even more closely with the private companies, we need to work even more closely with the military,” she said.  

The UK must be able to prevent the criminal use of drones near our airports, Dick continued. 

“If somebody does do that we need to find them as quickly as possible, get the drone under control and also bring the people to justice.” 

Under laws introduced this summer, it is illegal to fly drones within a kilometre of airport boundaries. Those who break the rules face fines of up to £2,500 or up to give years in prison. 

The police have yet to charge anyone in connection with the Gatwick Airport incident. A couple from West Sussex were arrested on Friday, before being released without charge. 

According to the BBC, the airport has spent £5million in the past week on new equipment and technology to prevent copycat attacks.  

Jodie Comer has revealed that she has already been approached by ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ bosses about appearing on next year’s series.

Last month, ‘Strictly’ fans were pleasantly surprised to spot the ‘Killing Eve’ star in the audience to support her friend Stacey Dooley, with many even calling for her to take part in the show next year.

Well, it seems they weren’t the only ones who had the idea, with BBC bosses doing their best to get Jodie on board, though it doesn’t sound like she’ll be taking them up on their offer.

“I went with my mum and my nan because my nan is a Strictly superfan,” she told The Sun, before noting: “[Show bosses] were like, ‘Maybe next year, Jodie ... ?’ I was like, ‘Mmm, no, I don’t think so!’.

“I’d embarrass myself, definitely!” 

Despite the latest series of ‘Strictly’ wrapping up just weeks ago, a number of stars have already been tipped for next year’s run, including comedian Alan Carr, who confirmed that he’d had talks with producers, after appearing in the audience during the live finale.

Similarly, radio presenter Chris Evans has claimed he’s already accepted an offer, while also suggesting that former Radio 2 colleague Fearne Cotton had also held a meeting about appearing on ‘Strictly’ next year.

Documentary presenter Stacey Dooley was picked as the public’s most recent ‘Strictly’ winner earlier this month, beating Steps singer Faye Tozer, YouTube vlogger Joe Sugg and former Pussycat Dolls performer Ashley Roberts in the live final.

Her win was particularly notable as it marked her professional partner Kevin Clifton’s fifth time in the final, and first ‘Strictly’ victory.

Sir David Attenborough still has “hope” for the future of the planet, but the ‘Blue Planet’ and ‘Dynasties’ presenter said human beings have to turn their gaze away from themselves in order to thrive.

The naturalist and broadcaster, 92, was asked whether society would exist on Earth in just a few hundred years.

“I don’t think it will be uninhabitable,” he told ‘The Arts Hour’. “Almost certainly it won’t be as rich as it was. The question is: how poor will it be?”

Attenborough told the BBC World Service programme: “Human beings are the most adaptable organism that has ever appeared on the planet and [humankind] is extraordinarily resourceful, and very good at looking after itself.

“If it turns its attentions to looking after other things as well, which it is equally good at, if it bothers to do so, then there is hope.”

But he added it’s unlikely that his great grandchildren will ever see what he was able to see during his lifetime.

The much-loved broadcaster said that children’s innate curiosity was a “precious treasure”.

“There is not a child born that, if it sees a snail for the first time crawling up a window pane, doesn’t think, what on earth is that? How does it stick on? What does it feed on? Look at the underside... what is it doing?

“Of course every child born is born with a curiosity for the natural world. If you lose that thing that you started off with, you’ve lost really one of the most precious treasures you have. Your life is poorer.”

And he said: “The paradox is that we may be the most overcrowded people that have ever lived in history but in fact we get a wider view of the world than ever before.”

‘The Arts Hour’ with Sir David Attenborough airs on 5 January at 8pm on BBC World Service.