‘i f inally feel free to be myself ’

PAM glanced up at the clock on the far wall of the classroom. Just half an hour to go until the summer holidays began. Six blissful pupil-free weeks, to be spent mostly gardening and binge watching pe

The TV presenter and novelist, who turns 68 this month, on weight loss, her unusual way with words, and why she has fallen in love with going to church

With its eye-popping parade of towering hats and fabulous dresses, Royal Ascot is one of the most glamorous events on the social calendar, with the royal family always coming out in force. But one mem

LOTS of people who meet Jean and me seem to be under the impression that we’ve been friends since we were girls, but this is not the case. I was in my seventies when I first met Jean. I’d felt rather

The limits of political friendship

It came out of nowhere, and I happened to be with Angela at the time. She’s my sister. Growing up I’d always been the plain one – gawky, angular, with a bump on my nose and wiry red hair it had taken