Category: Features

When a baby or child achieves something fantastic – from taking their first steps to coming top in an exam – it’s hard for many parents not to jump straight on social media to share it with the world. But have you ever thought about how your post may be perceived by others?

Many of us will attend a wedding this summer – but you could find yourself saying, “I do” to a big bill. The cost of the big day can soon add up. Guests can expect to pay nearly €652, while bridesmaids and ushers can find themselves spending more than €1,300, according to research amongst 2,000… Continue reading Attending a wedding? Budget for the big day

There’s only a handful of TV series so popular they warrant a red carpet premiere. Orange Is The New Black is one of them. The comedy-drama series, set in the fictional Litchfield prison and inspired by Piper Kerman’s 2010 memoir Orange Is The New Black: My Year In A Women’s Prison, started in 2013 –… Continue reading 'It's real, it's honest, it's stripped down'

It’s one of the most popular forms of exercise – and for good reason. For starters, swimming’s the best all-round workout, ticking the cardio box and full-body strengthening (which makes it a great cross-training addition, whether you’re a runner, cyclist, dancer etc); it’s a life skill; and widely accessible. “Swimming is the one activity you… Continue reading Dive In! Why swimming should be part of your weekly routine

Guest writer and expert film critic Damon Smith gives his verdicts on the biggest film releases this week. The Secret Life of Pets (U, 91 mins) Animation/Comedy/Drama/Action/Romance. Featuring the voices of Louis CK, Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Albert Brooks, Steve Coogan. Directors: Chris Renaud, Yarrow Cheney.

They’re forever dishing out advice, but when it comes to taking the nutritionists’ healthy-eating messages home, surely the proof is in the pudding. (Or should that be, ‘lack of pudding’?!) ‘Everything in moderation’ may be the go-to guideline for a good, balanced diet, but there are certain foods public health nutritionist and lifestyle consultant Yvonne… Continue reading 'Six foods I ban from the menu'

As a mum of three young children, Holly Willoughby has experienced all the joys, frustrations and tears that come with being a busy working mother. And while the TV presenter doesn’t claim to be a trained childcare expert, after having successfully battled through the early years with her children, she wants to share her hands-on… Continue reading Holly Willoughby's maternal wiles

Salma Hayek makes no secret of the fact she felt great empathy for her latest incarnation, a woman pining to become pregnant in new fantasy-horror Tale Of Tales. “My character is obsessed with being a mother. She’s having trouble having children and she’s deeply sad and lonely because of this, and I could empathise with… Continue reading Salma Hayek: 'My life's turned out better than I thought'

Russell Crowe has a reputation for being tricky in interviews, but the actor appears in good spirits today. He’s just arrived from Cannes, where he’s been busy promoting his latest movie, The Nice Guys.