logo
‘I'm working hard at not being a negative person'

‘I'm working hard at not being a negative person'

Telegraph17-07-2025
Anita Rani is finding out the best ways to find the positives and elevate everyday life on her new podcast, Bright Ideas with Anita Rani, in partnership with EE, with this week's guest Nadiya Hussain admitting she wrestles with being a glass-half-empty person. 'I have teenagers now and need to show them there's light and goodness in everything, so I'm working hard at not being that person.'
The hugely popular TV presenter, baker and author opens up about her anxiety and PTSD, and highlights how she strives to challenge herself. 'I love driving, yet suddenly I was too anxious to drive,' she says. 'I made myself believe I couldn't do it, but when my husband needed a lift I did it – I was so proud of myself.'
Faith and her family play a huge part in her life, and her latest book Rooza focuses on cuisine inspired by Ramadan. The 2015 The Great British Bake Off winner also explains how the whole family uses a calendar app to coordinate five busy lives, and why baking is an excellent antidote to her anxiety. She also reveals a more unexpected way to unwind: 'My husband and I practise archery, and there's a perfect moment of stillness when you pull back the arrow.'
For all of Nadiya's tips, life hacks, insights and stories, catch the latest episode of Bright Ideas with Anita Rani on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sacha Baron Cohen, 53, admits to using Ozempic to help him achieve his revenge body for new Marvel role
Sacha Baron Cohen, 53, admits to using Ozempic to help him achieve his revenge body for new Marvel role

Daily Mail​

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mail​

Sacha Baron Cohen, 53, admits to using Ozempic to help him achieve his revenge body for new Marvel role

Sacha Baron Cohen claimed he used Ozempic to help him achieve his ripped physique. The actor, 53, who is starring as Marvel's newest supervillain Mephisto, underwent an incredible body transformation for his role, which he revealed this week. As he showed off his chiselled abs in the new issue of Men's Fitness UK, Sacha, who split with Isla Fisher in 2023, after more than two decades together, re-shared the photoshoot to his Instagram Story and got candid about how he achieved his results. He wrote: 'Some celebs use Ozempic, some use private chefs, some use personal trainers. I did all three.' Sacha's representatives later insisted to MailOnline that the Borat star was 'only joking' and his new buff physique 'all down to hard work'. In a second post, Sacha added: 'This is not AI. I really am egotistical enough to do this. Debuting my new character. Middle aged man who replaced beer with protein shakes.' Sacha then thanked his personal trainer, writing: 'Thanks @theangrytrainer for doing the unthinkable - putting up with me for 25 minutes a day.' He revealed he had just three weeks to get into superhero shape, putting in the 'hard work' ready to portray Mephisto, a devil-like figure who makes Faustian bargains. Speaking to Men's Fitness UK, the actor revealed he turned to Matthew McConaughey to get the phone number of celebrity trainer Alfonso Moretti, who has well-established reputation for transforming physiques on impossible deadlines. Sacha went on to have a FaceTime meeting with Alfonso, who got him to strip down to his underwear during their first chat. Due to the short time frame and Alfonso workout methods, Sacha was tasked with being 'consistent' by doing '100 push ups a day'. Sacha's incredible transformation was far from marathon workouts and extreme dieting, as they concentrated on short workouts and a diet high in fibre and protein as well as low in sugar. He said: '25-minute workouts that were sustainable. Even while filming, the workouts happened. In the past, I would've thought you needed hour-long sessions'. He admitted at the beginning of the regime he 'had the core strength of an arthritic jellyfish... but the short sessions made it so much easier to stay consistent - even with the demands of being on set.' By the two-week mark, Sacha's wardrobe team had to spend $5,000 (£3,600) altering costumes because his body had changed so significantly. He was leaner, stronger, and fitter than ever before. His trainer also shared the magazine's photos to Instagram and wrote that he 'could not be more proud' of Sacha after working out with him. In a recent press conference, Marvel chief Kevin Feige confirmed that Sacha will be portraying MCU character. Sacha first rose to fame in the 1990s with his Ali G character, the infamous spoof wannabe gangster who became a comedy star. He also starred as Borat, a journalist from Kazakhstan, and played the role of flamboyant Austrian fashionista Bruno. The actor made his Mephisto debut in the finale of miniseries Ironheart earlier this month, marking the first appearance of the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after years of speculation. One of Marvel's key villains, Mephisto is a demonic entity who acquires souls by making pacts with mortals and has battled the likes of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange.

Fantastic low and no-alcohol fizz
Fantastic low and no-alcohol fizz

Times

timean hour ago

  • Times

Fantastic low and no-alcohol fizz

In April I took my 16-year-old stepdaughter south to see the cherry trees bloom. Not so far south — just to Mei Ume, the Japanese restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel in London. Handcrafted paper cherry blossoms sprouted from the light fixtures in the elegant, high-ceilinged room, with its Chinese and Japanese art on the walls to match the blend of those two countries' cuisines on the menu. For Cherry Blossom Season, the head chef Peter Ho had concocted a series of delicious small plates, matched to cocktails based on Saicho Sparkling Tea. Mine contained Saicho Hojicha (a green tea made smoky by roasting over charcoal), as well as Hennessy XO and Grand Marnier. Nora, being slightly younger, had a mocktail with Saicho Jasmine, green apple puree and vanilla. Mine was good but hers, with the bite of that apple and the perfumed NoLo fizz, was better — and I don't even much like vanilla. • This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue This was a revelation. I already knew I liked the Saicho drinks (£17.99, — adding bubbles to the delicate aromas and structured tannins of good tea is a brilliant idea. A recent dinner with the teens involved us all sharing a magnum of Fortnum & Mason's Sparkling Tea (£45, Its lemon-peel and thyme flavours were a great complement to one-pot Basque chicken and, especially, an orange, fennel and radish salad. And pouring a magnum for four is a lot more fun than sharing a bottle between two while the young people dissolve their teeth in sugar-loaded soda pop. I am not giving up alcohol any time soon. But there is, as Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger points out, a pleasure balance. She is the co-creator of French Bloom, one of the best non-alcoholic sparkling wines on the market. She has made canny use of fine chardonnay grapes from Limoux in the Languedoc and of the Champagne expertise available via her husband, Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger, who heads Champagne Frerejean Frères. There is even, now, a vintage French Bloom, La Cuvée 2022 (£95, Frerejean-Taittinger has made it her mission to create a sparkling no-alcohol drink from grape juice that is as pleasurable as a champagne. She doesn't think they are quite there yet. 'We hope, in five to seven years, to be able to share a bottle with as much complexity as a wine,' she said at Women in the World of Wine, a conference on the future of wine (alcoholic and otherwise), held last autumn at the sumptuous Royal Champagne & Spa hotel. I'm sure she will get there. But my assumption has always been that for real complexity, alcohol helps. That Saicho experience made me think again. I experimented with a mocktail of my own: a version of one of my favourite cocktails, the kir royale, champagne and crème de cassis. A slug of Jukes 6 — The Dark Red (£43 for 9x30ml bottles, a savoury black-fruit cordial that is part of the Jukes Cordialities range, topped up with French Bloom's Le Rosé. It was lovely, softly floral with just a touch of blackberry acidity. After all, the only necessary beverage is water. Everything else is a luxury, intended to elicit the same sensations of delight as gazing at the ephemeral loveliness of cherry blossom. Pleasure is meant to be temporary. It's the memory that lasts — or at least, it does when the drink is alcohol-free.

How to get two theme park visits for the price of one this summer
How to get two theme park visits for the price of one this summer

The Independent

time2 hours ago

  • The Independent

How to get two theme park visits for the price of one this summer

The cost of summer holiday activities can quickly add up, which is why we're always on the hunt for cost-effective ways to have fun. Case in point: if you're looking for a cheap family day out this summer, we've found a deal that will save on theme park visits. Until Sunday 17 August, when you book a ticket for Alton Towers, Chessington, Legoland Windsor or Thorpe Park, you'll get a ticket for a second visit for free. This doesn't mean visiting the same theme park twice, as it can be used at any of the four parks. In order to qualify, you'll need to pre-book a 'twice the fun' ticket to get your hands on the freebie. You'll then receive a confirmation email with a barcode, which you can use to make your second booking, so keep this handy. The second ticket is valid until Tuesday, 30 September, so there is plenty of time to squeeze in a second visit. It is rare for a free ticket offer to come along, particularly during peak season. Advanced tickets to the theme parks typically start from around £34, so if you're visiting as a family, that's a chunky saving for your second visit. You can book your visit using the links below, or keep reading if you want more inspiration on which of the theme parks to visit this summer. Alton Towers If you've got little thrill-seekers to entertain this summer, Alton Towers is worth a visit. There are nine roller coasters to enjoy, including the Toxicator, which is new for 2025, while younger kids can head to the rides and attractions in CBeebies Land. Alton Towers is located outside of Stoke-on-Trent, so if you're based in the north of England, this is likely to be your nearest major theme park. Chessington World of Adventures There are plenty of adventures for kids of all ages to enjoy at Chessington, with rides inspired by the fantasy board game Jumanji, the tales of the Gruffalo and more. Your ticket also includes a visit to the park's zoo and aquarium, with the chance to see penguins, giraffes, monkeys and zebras. The park is based just outside of London, and there are regular train services running from the capital to Chessington South, which is around a 10-minute walk away. Legoland Windsor There are more than 50 rides and attractions to enjoy at Legoland Windsor. Kids can cool off on a hot day in the splash safari water play park, hop aboard the Lego submarine as part of the deep-sea adventure, get behind the wheel at the Lego driving school and lots more. The theme park is two miles outside of Windsor town centre, with shuttle services available from nearby train stations. Thorpe Park If you or your youngsters can't get enough of roller coasters, a visit to Thorpe Park is a must. The theme park is home to Hyperia, the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster, plus five other rides for those that want an adrenaline-filled day out. There are also plenty of rides and play areas for little ones, so the whole family can enjoy the day. The theme park is located in Chertsey, which is about 30 minutes outside of London, with shuttle buses running to the park from nearby train stations.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store