Steven Smith was born in Coatbridge in Scotland. He was brought up in Whitley Bay, before briefly moving to London. He then moved to the seaside town of Brighton, where he was first receiver recognition for his hairdressing skills. Steven moved to America for eight years, working in Beverly Hills, and on his return to London in the late 90s, rose to fame working in fashionable Knightsbridge. He has styled model Katie Price, actress Denise Welch, David Hasselhoff and the cast of Baywatch. Steven had his own column in The Sun newspaper advising on hair and beauty, and was a regular on the Lorraine Kelly show, transforming GMTV viewers into their favourite stars. He made over Lorraine herself, transforming her into movie legend, Elizabeth Taylor.
Steven has been a freelance writer for the last ten years, combining showbiz interviews and travel with his eye for styling. He has written two books: Powder Boy, looking at the dark side of showbiz, and an autobiography: It shouldn't happen to a hairdresser, offering a witty and sad look at his life. He is currently penning a third book to be titled Happy in Chennai.
He has a monthly column, Tales of a single middle-aged gay man that looks at not only the light side of gay life, but also darker aspects such as rape, addiction, and chem-sex. Steven also runs his own beauty/aesthetic blog and is a patron of Anna Kennedy online; a charity that not only supports the autism community but educates the public about those that live with autism.
Flux opens with a bang international artists Lisa Izquirado shows her work to moving art celebrity drag queens Liquorice Black , Anna Phylactic .
Steven meets one of the leading lights of THE FLUX exhibition Lisa Izquirado .
“The true strength of a woman is our ability to allow ourselves to be vulnerable.”
Lilli – artist
Even without meeting an artist, a great artist’s work talks to you. For me, I walk in and am almost immediately hypnotised by the story or emotion they are transferring to canvas. Sometimes I can even feel their pain or trauma running through my veins for a moment, as well as the joy and happiness.
A devotee of S and M, Francis Bacon´s brilliant work can never be copied. Not just because of the magnitude of skill, but also due to the parts of Bacon´s often tortured soul that he liberally poured into his work. I remember his sold out exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A news anchor interviewed various attendees about Bacon’s work, among them a psychologist who commented, “I would love to have had a chance to counsel him!” I could not have laughed harder and wanted to retort “Really my dear, he would have wiped the floor with you”.
It is what makes Frida Kahlo so unique too, not just the skill, but you can feel her energy and fight for life through her work; you just cannot tear your eyes away. It is almost a shame she has become a fashionable artist associated with style. Her story is so much more powerful than anything linked to fashion. But in the same breath it has to be said (thanks to Madonna and others) it has brought Kahlo´s work to the masses and encouraged many who may not have sat at the art table before to explore what it has to offer.
I am always on the lookout for exciting new artists . There is no better place than to take yourself to one of The FLUX Exhibitions https://www.fluxexhibition.com/flux-exhibitions/ created by Lisa Gray her presence commands great art to surround her there is something for everyone’s taste and these events are well worth looking out for
With Lisa Gray creator of FLUX magazine and Exhibition.
My personal favourite that stood out was by an artist called Lilli. Full name Lisa Lilli Izquierdo. Knowing my art, I was not surprised that the Cheshire born former model
was also showing in New York and Madrid. There is something about her work that is almost haunting. To be frank, on first impressions I almost felt it was a little too commercial for my tastes and saw it as an inferior designer´s dream, with pieces sought in Dubai, Cyprus and USA for its stylish quality. But first impressions can be wrong and the more I delved into Lilli´s work, the more it spoke to me. There is however a story that makes her work so much more valuable and sitting down with her confirmed just that.
Do you remember the very first thing you ever drew as a child?
I have always been creative. My sister was the academic, so my mum encouraged my artistic side. My earliest memory of creating art was when I was three years old. I drew a picture of two flowers. I coloured them with different colour crayons. The teacher told me off as I had used the same colour in each flower. Looking back, I use a lot of monochrome in my work.
It makes me giggle that I got scolded for.
What other artists have inspired you?
Oh, without a doubt Monet. I can see his use of texture has a huge influence on me as a grown artist. I draw a lot of energy from other artists, and I can appreciate those that depict suffering or hurt. But when it comes to my personal taste, Monet´s calmness and beauty
fill me with a beautiful energy,
What demographic does your art appeal to?
A lot of women buy my art. From an early age I have been fascinated by the female form.
I used to draw a lot of elfin kind of women. There is something I think women see – the beauty of the female form in my art – and relate to it. Being pushed to look a certain way as model was not healthy and I am careful to depict woman as real now, not nymph like.
Music seems to play a part in art. Who are your favourite musicians? What does sound bring to your art?
Honestly a huge influence and my tastes are so diverse. As soon as I am in the studio
I pop the headphones on, and I am blasting Mozart or Snoop Dog. Vivaldi’s four seasons
is one of my favourites.
How do you feel about the growing trend of crypto art, and is it something you would consider?
Steven I am so badly informed about the trend it is hard for me to comment; I am not sure how it would transfer with the high amount of texturing in my art. I realise that the world moves on and I will keep an eye on it, but I took bitcoins for a print and that did not work out too well for me.
Your art is almost haunting in its affect. How much does it mirror your own life?
Very much so. My piece “The Kiss” may seem very abstract, but it is about the unity
of two people in love. It could be any two people. For me I have found love perhaps later in life, but I plan to marry next year.
I found great solace in my art; it has helped me heal from the modelling industry I entered at the age of 15. Eager to become a success I took off to Madrid on my own. However, it was not long until the dream became somewhat traumatic, as pressures to look a certain way and the sheer competitiveness at a young age began to take its toll on my mental health.
Eventually I had enough and turned to my family business of hairdressing. My father is from Valencia in Spain, He worked with the likes of Vidal Sassoon and Teasy Weasy. I found
using my skills as an artist, plus having lived a little more than most at an early age, gave me an empathetic ear for clients. I still do hairdressing now and combine my time between my art studio and the salon.
If you could buy one piece of Art, what would it be?
Irises in Monet´s Garden. It personifies calmness with an almost heavenly feel. Those little purple flowers hit you with an amazing feel.
If you could invite four people to dinner, dead or alive, who would they be, and why?
Ricky Gervais. I just love him he is hysterical, and life should be about love and laugher.
My financé as he and Ricky would get on. Michelle Obama. I love a strong woman in any event and she is captivating. Someone like Elvis would shake things up!
What is your favourite city to spend a day in looking at art?
Madrid or Barcelona. When I was modelling, we used maps to get around then and the architecture just blew me away as does Barcelona.
What is the one common misconception about you?
That I am a bitch! I was working in a salon and some of the female hairdressers seemed off- hand. When I got chatting to one, she suddenly went, “You know you’re really nice. We all thought you were a bitch.” God, talk about putting people in boxes. There is also the idea that I am super confident. If people knew the real me, I am quite shy. Do not get me wrong, I am a strong woman when I need to be.
What is the one thing you would like to change about the UK if you were prime minster for a day?
The homeless problem. It has become truly shocking in the UK, not just London, but all over.
We are a civilised country, yet we have way too many people sleeping on the streets.
What is the next project we can expect from you?
It takes around 80 hours to create each piece. I am going to be spending more time in the studio over the coming year, working on a new collection.
The idea has left me not just stirred, but shaken.
It is time to put the brakes on the more extreme woke and cancel culture, otherwise I predict that we will soon see an enormous backlash against some of the minority groups in our country.
Some more extreme activists undo the hard work, sacrifices, and tireless fighting of the many heroes of the LGBTQ+ community which gave us the rights we have now.
When I first heard the news that there could be a gender-neutral James Bond, all I could think was “NO!”. James Bond was created by the writer Ian Fleming. The character studied at Cambridge University, where he achieved a first in Oriental Languages. In Fleming’s novels, Bond alluded to briefly attending the University of Geneva (as did Fleming) before being taught to ski in Kitzbühel.
His character is rumoured to be based on Sir William Stephenson. In fact, Fleming’s first choice actor to play James Bond was David Niven. It is documented that Fleming was less than impressed by Sean Connery playing what he called a glorified stunt man who used to drive a lorry. What the character was certainly not was trans, gender-neutral or a woman.
We do not need to rewrite the classics to force inclusion. Instead, we need to positively and proactively introduce strong gay characters into new films, television series and cartoons.
Boarding school
True, in “Skyfall,” Daniel Craig’s Bond hints that he may have tried sleeping with a man (it was almost cut). Let’s face it, while the character may be fictional, he did go to boarding school, so it is a plausible possibility. Craig is considered the closest actor to Fleming’s original description of Bond in the first novel. Casino Royale was published in 1953, with a further 11 novels making up the series.
According to the book, Bond was a womaniser, a man’s man. Rather the antithesis of a gay or gender-neutral person. He embodied, for the most part, what heterosexual men aspire to be, next to being a footballer or sports star. If the woke mob were sensible, they would leave well alone and leave this classic macho character to be just that.
There is, for sure, room for LGBTQ+ superheroes or villains on mainstream television or in films. It is important that everyone is given roles to give exposure to all communities. But this needs to be positive exposure, done with tact and not at the expense of “the other side”.
Lesbian Snow White
I do not want a lesbian Snow White. Nor do I want a socially challenged Queen with narcissism issues carrying a fair-trade organic apple. Or Cinderella, who obviously lost the shoe because she was drunk, being transformed into Buttons, who lost his shoe while getting ready for Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Or Indiana Jones and the Last Top on Old Compton Street. Leave them alone!
Sure, many of us in the LGBTQ+ community did not have role models growing up and those of us who grew up in the 70s and 80s can thank God for Bowie and T-Rex, Boy George and Quentin Crisp!
We do not need to rewrite the classics to force inclusion. Instead, we need to positively and proactively introduce strong gay characters into new films, television series and cartoons. Netflix recently released “Single All The Way,” which was a brave attempt at exposing general audiences to gay characters with a sense of normality – just a typical rom-com where the main characters just happened to be gay (it’s a shame though that Jennifer Coolidge could not save that turkey!). But, as my sister says, heterosexuals have to endure Hallmark. It is only fair we have a bad movie too.
Joan Collins
The last thing we need is to start to attack something that is seen as masculine or feminine and try to turn what is seen as a heterosexual character into an LGBTQ+ character. If the heterosexual community thinks we are attacking them, we are in trouble as fear has caused more wars in history – that is what will happen if we attack their foundation.
Why do we need to do this when so many of our community are such heroes?
Joan Collins has so eloquently expressed that cancel culture is a problem, but so are extremists in the LGBTQ+ community. Trust me: we have a huge backlash approaching as extremism in any group is not a good thing. All the incredible work so many in the community have dedicated themselves to accomplishing to fight for our community rights can quickly be undone. We are already seeing this unravelling – homophobic hate crimes have trebled in the UK this year…and that’s just crime that is reported.
Mermaids
Talking, not arguing, is the way forward. Recently, I had the pleasure of having drinks with two friends. The topic of trans children came up. I know many trans activists who think children should wait until they are 18 years old to start treatment but are frightened to say so in case they are cancelled or abused on social media. I was wondering what the author’s perspectives were, and the conversation quickly went quiet.
So, we moved on. Later in a very entertaining hour or so, the subject of Mermaids, the charity for trans children and their parents. It turned out that one of the groups had been involved with the charity. I asked if they had gone quiet before as the subject had offended them. They said no: they just said they didn’t want an argument. The statement “I do not argue, I merely correct” sprung to mind as they said this, and it made me realise that different perspectives within the LGBTQ+ community may not be heard.
We need to calmly listen to one another, as we still have a lot to learn. Thanks to the conversations I have had, I have learned a different point of view and, that night, I started to look into Mermaids and find out about how they help trans kids who need support through what, for many, is a difficult and often traumatic experience.
The LGBTQ+ community is still under attack every day. Like all wars, a good strategy is a key factor in survival. Education in schools is essential – using positive role models and making kids feel safe who do not fit the masculine or feminine stereotypes. This is still going to take time, understanding, and some amazing people to give a strong voice to this community. This is NOT going to be achieved by trying to rewrite classic characters, as this will only antagonise those not affiliated with the community.
If we do not box clever, one day, we could wake up to someone ruling the world that will make Trump look like a fairytale character. Just think back to 1933 when a failed artist persuaded an entire nation to turn against minorities. Let’s not be naive and think it could not happen again.
Hero or villain? Steven Smith looks at what it takes to be the man who has everyone talking, the heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Tyson Fury.
A hero to the poor with his charitable donations to the homeless, a champion for mental health and the self-proclaimed ‘King of the Gypsies’.
Tyson standing at 6’9” embodies all that can be labelled as masculine, yet unlike many hard men, this giant breaks the mould. He has started to wear his heart on his sleeve and has opened up, talking frankly of his demons, depression, and personal battles with addiction.
Tyson also adds to the list that he is bipolar and suffers from anxiety. But is it possible that the man of the moment, who is so desperate for the world to perceive him as super masculine is still, as his father John Fury described him, a shy and sensitive overweight boy inside? Was it this shy boy that begged for the acceptance of his boxing coach father?
Was it his unconventional gypsy upbringing that pushed him into a mould of boxing and masculinity, which subsequently became the root of Tyson’s demons and depression? Is it the often toxic masculinity that is piled on to so many young men during their upbringing, the cause of his trauma and mental health issues later in life?
Now, I like Tyson Fury. He is fascinating, and from the minute he burst on to our screens, I was aware of him. There was something that made me want to stop and listen; he appeared to be a model hero on paper. His smile lights up the screen, and his enthusiasm for life makes me want to know more. Then there is the unconditional love that he has for his family, which simply melts your heart.
“The best part of my life is taking my kids to school. I could live in a cardboard box and eat cheese sandwiches, as long as my family is with me“.
Tyson tells us though it is doubtful that his gorgeous wife Paris, who he has been with since they were teenagers, would ever let it come to that. She is one shrewd cookie and lives like a footballer’s wife rather than a gypsy though you can’t imagine Victoria Beckham arriving in Vegas and going straight in to do David’s dirty dishes.
But of course, once it was pointed out that this man, who I would want on my team in any battles, did not just have traditional values but what some might consider downright prehistoric values, I was speechless.
Unbelievably, in 2015, in an interview on TheJeremy Vine show, with gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, he compared gays to paedophiles, claiming that homosexuality is “One of the three things that will lead to the apocalypse; the other two being abortion and paedophilia”.
Even his younger brother Love Island star Tommy seems to have taken the anti-gay stance On a now disabled Twitter account, Tommy tweeted his older brother, Tyson, allegedly stating “Come on bro, let’s get dis win good luck brother and Chisora is a f***** and he’s gettin it proper @TysonFury”.
In 2018 he was nominated for Sports Personality of the Year, yet his homophobic comments and derogatory sex views came back to haunt him, with calls to remove him and comments made including:
“So, when Tyson Fury is called the people’s champion, it begs the question: which people?”
Challenged about his views by one reporter, he sat in his van replying “Jesus loves you”.
Tyson has since apologised for his outburst and controversial views.
Were these Tyson’s views or were they opinions that had been drummed into him from an early age by someone else? Or was it a culture of growing up in the gypsy community, not known to embrace and welcome gay people among their tribe?
Fellow gypsy fighter, Billy Joe Saunders says, “Where we come from, if you show weakness, you might as well give up on life as a fighter”. It’s a world where men fought, and women, as quoted by Tyson himself, were ‘best flat on their back or in the kitchen’.
Tyson comes from a world where LGBTQ is stamped on with ferocity. Anyone who has read ‘Gypsy Boy’ by Mikey Walsh will find it not only a harrowing experience but a moving and humorous one too. Brilliantly written, it tells the story of a gay boy brought as a Romanian and unable to conform to his expectations of masculinity. The description of the brutality he suffered, at the hand of his father, as the reader, stained the pages with my tears.
Yet, at the end of the book, his father unexpectedly turned up to see Walsh, now a teacher, despite the violence
Could growing up in a tightly knit community with some values and beliefs that are from a by-gone age, be like other, almost closed communities or cults and brainwash their young?
Tyson appears to be an intelligent man, embracing all that life has to offer, in a way an old soul that could see that the bright lights of Hollywood or Vegas could not compare to his roots in Morecambe, or make him any happier for that matter.
“From the age of six, all I ever dreamed of was being a boxer, now I have it all; I am the greatest boxer in the world yes, I have sinned, suffered from depression and anxiety, and I am bipolar”, he tells viewers.
Tyson does not have it all; regrettably, he does not have good mental health, something money or fame can’t replace.
His dad, John Fury, is not a likeable character; there is something a little sad about him, almost broken, floored and in denial. He tells us that Tyson’s mental health has been impacted due to being so successful and mixing with millionaires and celebrities.
There is something that screams ‘pushy show biz mum’ about him. That statement about his son confirmed my suspicions; that he would like very much to have been Tyson.
“I am sure that I have depression but, in my day, we had to worry about keeping a roof over my family’s head and food on the table, there was no time to think of any of that”.
I am sure at heart he loves his son, but he displays little understanding or empathy for mental health issues. To be fair to John, however, he did come from an age where issues such as mental health were rarely discussed.
In the first of the series John who is banned from America for a criminal conviction, after being released from prison in 2015 following a four-year completion of an 11-year sentence, for gouging another man’s eye out during a brawl at a car auction, tells us that Tyson was a shy, sensitive, fat kid. “I brought all my boys up the same; to fight; I trained them myself”.
John, a bare-knuckle boxer must have had the same training from his father as a boy and probably would not think that any of his boys could be different. Young men or boys who have toxic masculinity forced upon them can have extreme consequences to their mental wellbeing, particularly on the sensitive child or those that do not fit the macho mould.
Violence as an indicator of power (think: “tough-guy” behaviour)
In other words, toxic masculinity is what can come of teaching boys that they can’t express their emotions openly; that they have to be “tough all the time”; that anything other than that makes them feminine or weak. (No, it doesn’t mean that all men are inherently toxic.) The harmful side effects can, however, develop into homophobia, or misogyny.
Toxic masculinity, according to Psycom and several surveys, can lead to suicide, depression, anxiety, addiction, and drug use.
A 2017 survey by the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that gypsies, travellers and Roma were found to suffer “poorer mental health than the rest of the population in Britain” and were “more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression”.
Only last year Billy and Joe Smith, stars of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding were found dead in a suicide pact. They had both been struggling with mental health issues.
Now, looking back, I was a sensitive kid too. My dad introduced me to football by heading the ball at my head in the front room. It made me cry, and I hated football from then on. As an adult, I am quite sporty, but Dad could never really teach me anything. The last thing I needed was tough love.
Is it not possible that locked in this huge massive man is the shy, sensitive kid at loggerheads with who he has become? Desperate to please his father, who needed his shy son to “Man up”. The poor man can find a cloud in every silver lining; it must have been hard for the young Fury.
To be honest, the penny drops on what it was that that I saw in Tyson. He had the traits of another beautiful man who had the same personal scenario. He too could be charming, but many said he was bad news; he lived with depression, anxiety and had addiction issues, yet there was something I adored about him.
He had a troubled childhood and was abandoned as a kid by his father. He told me about the days his dad left, with such vivid description, despite being only 8 years old at the time. It was at that moment I saw that very child looking at me through man’s eyes. Taking a shot, I told him “that frightened child is with you every day, you protect him with your front”. There was a silence and the relief that someone had seen the real him, and because he did not feel judged, he could be himself. That’s what I saw in Tyson.
My money is on the fact that Tyson is at loggerheads with himself.
Everyone around him seems to be at loggerheads with Tyson’s new direction. Whilst embracing wealth and lifestyle, some of them claim to want to stay with the traditions of the travelling community.
Tyson wants to set precedents and make changes within the gypsy community. He hates “dream crushers”, whatever his kids want to be, he will be fully supportive.
Yet in a U-turn, wife Paris, who earlier in the show, ‘Tyson Fury Gypsy King’, says she lived her earlier years as a traveller in a caravan now says that she could not bear to leave her beautiful home with hot water and mod cons and her beloved trips to Marbella.
Paris wants the kids raised as travellers. The kids will leave school at 11, and when they marry, they can then leave home, (No room for any of the kids to be gay in that plan then). Daughter Venezuela, who wants to be a dancer or gymnast, calls her mum ‘dream crusher’. Paris comments that Venezuela is already too tall to become either; Venezuela does have a point.
You like Paris in the show, but it’s hard not to, but you want to give her a reality check. When she is not cooking for the massive family, Paris seems to spend the rest of her time in the hairdressers.
Tyson clashes with her; he is keen as ‘King’ to make changes; the kids should stay in school; they can embrace both lifestyles. Here is where I thought he could bring about change, as he moves among the likes of the ‘queens’ dream’ gay ally, Robbie Williams, along with other showbiz pals.
It is possible to educate a homophobe, misogynist, or even a bigot, especially if you take them out of an environment that is steeped in it.
My bet is if Tyson’s demons do not cause him to self-destruct, let’s hope he fights them as hard as any opponent. Tyson could be the king that brings a kinder, more tolerant era to the gypsy community.
After all, a man who pays €200 for two lobsters and sets them free can’t be all that bad!
Great to be back and this month I would like to address a question people keep asking me: how do people get diagnosed when they are sure they are on the spectrum or are living with autism?
Be prepared for a long wait depending on where you live. You can also go for a private diagnosis which can cost between 1k to 2k.
“It’s becoming trendy to say you’re on the spectrum.”
Is it becoming trendy? I think it is more a case that autism awareness is now much more widespread, especially with celebrities now sharing their diagnosis to the public. People are recognising that they may be on the autism spectrum due to past struggles in their day-to-day life.
Dear Anna,
My daughter is nearly 24 and living with autism. I raised her by myself with help from my parents who passed on over the last year. The Government stops helping with her at 25 and my health is not great. What can I do to secure her a future?
Penny, Edinburgh.
Hello Penny,
Thank you for sharing your story. Once autistic adults reach 25 it can be difficult to find suitable services for our loved ones. I am in the process of looking for a day service my son Angelo since his college is closing July 19th and we were only given 28 days’ notice.
A good organisation to ask for help – and it’s a free service – is Living Autism. They can help you search for a suitable provision for your daughter. Their website link is www.livingautism.com
They have supported our charity in the past and also share useful resources that may help you. Wishing you lots of luck!
Anna and husband Sean at number 10 .
Anna, How can people help sponsor Autism’s Got Talent?
We are in our 13th year of Autism’s got Talent and it’s the highlight of our charity year!
Our small charity with devoted volunteers relies on support from the community, companies and the public. To find out more about sponsoring Autism’s got Talent please contact Steven Smith our Charity Patron or my PA Lisa.robins@annakennedyonline.com
Part Sponsorship is £500 where you receive 2 VIP tickets, your logo appears on our red-carpet brand board, programme, and shared across my social media made up of over a 100k followers.
A show not to be missed on October 12th at Mermaid Theatre Blackfriars. Door opens at 6pm and show starts at 7pm.
Dear Anna,
My son is very talented and was diagnosed with a Autism several years ago. He is 14 and wants to go to theatre school.
My worry is he is deeply sensitive and has a lot of issues. Is it really wise to guide him into a world that may hurt him?
Dorothy, Southend.
Hello Dorothy,
Thank you for your message about your talented son. There are many amazing performing arts schools across the country. Only yesterday I attended such a fantastic show in Leighton Buzzard. So many wonderful performances and happy families.
A good idea if you’re on social media is to share a post asking for recommendations of performing arts schools in your area. Facebook can be a useful place for recommendations by other parents.
Dear Anna,
I am convinced my son is being bullied at school. He is autistic but goes to a mainstream school.
He has become more introverted and does not want to do other school activities. He says I should not talk to the school
David, Brighton.
Hello David,
Sorry to hear about your son being bullied as I know this is both stressful for your son and the family. Yes, do speak to the school It is best to nip it in the bud asap for your son’s own wellbeing. Speak to his teacher or the headteacher. Schools take bullying extremely seriously.
Sending you best wishes and hope this is dealt with quickly.
Anna, thank you for everything you do. When is The Autism Hero Awards?
The Autism Hero Awards will take place in March 2025 at The Holiday Inn Regents Park. You can still nominate your Hero at www.autismheroawards.com . It’s such a wonderful event where 36 finalists travel to London for a 3 course meal. There is dance and entertainment from a few of our Autism’s got Talent performers. Winners are announced on the night.
For the last five years I have been feeling tired, sluggish and just not myself.
Often in the afternoon, despite a hectic schedule, the need to lie down would be almost overwhelming. Flu-like symptoms with abdominal pains are a regular occurrence in my life.
My G.P. put it all down to having had glandular fever in my early thirties, and told me it was something I just had to live with.
Whilst in India, I met Doctor Prakash, who suggested a visit to his Harley Street clinic to undertake his anti ageing treatment would help. Both of us having such busy schedules, however, it was almost a year before I found myself sitting in stylish office.
The first thing he suggested was that I had some blood work done to check my hormone levels and look at various other health areas. Having had more blood tests than I care to remember – all of which pointed to my glandular fever – I was a little sceptical and the prospect of yet another test did not thrill me. But there was nothing to it and it only took a few minutes.
A week later I was back for the first of my results. Mr Prakash has a kindly air about him but I could see he seemed a little concerned. ” My goodness,” he said, “you are so stressed out. I have never seen a result like it.” I immediately came out in a cold sweat, fearing I had only weeks to live!
But to my relief – and on only my second visit Mr Prakash – he had got to the root of my problem. I had Adrenal Fatigue, brought on by not coping with stress. My cortisone level, which drives the stress gland and protects the body against its ill-effects, was one of the lowest he had ever seen. Despite my sunny disposition, and determinedly looking on the bright side, I was slowly collapsing under the weight of stress inside.
Mr Prakash prescribed Adrenplus – 300, a mix of vitamins and Adrenal supplement, and said I should take one a day. He also advised me on a new diet and suggested I do more resistance exercise. But his Meditation and yoga would help with this, and help me learn to relax. “You have been too busy looking after everyone else, Steven, it’s time to look after your body,” he told me.
He went on to explain that my body was like a kettle, but there was no putting vitamin supplements or medication in if the sides of the kettle were not well and truly sealed, as everything would just fall out. The sides on my kettle were wide open because of stress and only relaxation and breathing would help me seal it.
Five days later, I’ve been doing meditation tapes, taking my supplements and following my diet (BELOW ) . I am a long way from feeling like I did in my twenties but, just three days into Dr Prakash’s regime, I’ve found that, for the first time in years, I’ve not felt the need to take an afternoon nap.
Breakfast
Tea – green tea or ginger and lemon tea. Make your own with fresh lemon and peeled ginger
Omelette made with the whites of four eggs. Add vegetables of choice. Cook in a small amount of olive oil (no butter)
Fruit – a cup of fruit such as blueberry, pomegranate, coconut, grapefruit. Avoid high-sugar oranges, tangerines and strawberries.
Alternate with organic full fat yoghurt. Avoid low or zero fat yoghurt.
Snack
An hour or so later, have a snack, such as a handful of almonds, macadamia or cashew nuts, pomegranate, coconut shavings or blueberries.
Lunch
Tuna salad or chicken breast salad. If the tuna is tinned, make sure it is in spring water rather than oil. For the salad, spinach, watercress, spring onions, beetroot and celery. Use lemon as dressing or a tablespoon of Udo’s oil.
Snack
The afternoon snack can be the same as the morning. If you have worked out, have a protein drink with added water rather than milk, unless it is almond milk, or blueberry blended in almond milk.
Dinner
Chicken or turkey breast with a small portion of brown rice; steamed broccoli with added ginger if desired, or lightly stir fried vegetables.
It is important not to eat after seven in the evening but if you want you can have some cherries before sleep with a small cup of warm almond milk.
Steven Smith and Adishri Chengappa from 2Shades Magazine strike a pose in their first professional photoshoot with celebrity photographer Anne-Marie Bickerton at The Camera Club in Kennington
Yes, two crowns met as Celebrity Photographer Anne-Marie Bickerton takes 2Shades Magazine’s first photoshoot.
Anne-Marie Bickerton known for her many glossy magazine covers raised her camera and snapped iconic Adishri Chengappa.
Of course, we just had to have someone known for help lift a crown or two involved Steven Smith the other half of 2 shades jumped in . The results are amazing
Adishri said, “This was the most fun experience I’ve ever had! Anne-Marie is such a lovely soul and we got on so well. I could talk to her for ages but more importantly, she made the whole photoshoot such enjoyable experience for us. It’s been a dream of mine to be in a photoshoot and I am so glad I got to have my first experience with my gorgeous partner in crime and love, Steven Smith.”
If you’re lucky enough to be travelling to sunnier climes this summer, you need to find room in your Louis Vuitton luggage for these great holiday beauty products.
Everyone has gone barking mad about one product this year: Dr. PAWPAW. Every top make-up artist I know has this little beauty in their make-up bag, including ‘make-up artist to royalty’ Ginna Bogle. Celebrities are begging for this latest must-have.
It is not only cruelty-free and vegan, it has the most amazing products from a lip-balm to moisturiser to shampoo; never is this not in my daily bag let alone my holiday bag.
Dryness frequently raises it head when the sun beats down, so these products are powered by a trio of ingredients: pawpaw (papaya) to nourish, aloe vera to soothe and olive oil to moisturise.
These iconic products make you look and feel good, AND benefit your skin. It honestly does what some expensive brands do. Try Dr.PAWPAW and it will have you wagging your tail!
The award-winning shampoo is a must for anyone’s summer bag. And if your hair is starting to thin, this should be your first port of call. My agent used it after a course of chemo and her hair is bouncing back. This powerful formula is infused with the ultimate
blend of biotin, rosemary, caffeine, niacinamide, argan oil, allantoin, and lupin protein, specifically designed to promote healthy hair growth and maximize your hair’s full potential.
Say goodbye to lifeless, thin hair and hello to a head full of volume and shine. Experience the ultimate nourishment for your locks with each wash and feel confident with every strand.
My goodness! This is a game changer for those of us with fair skin. I first noticed what a lovely tan a red headed friend of mine had, “Use P20”, she said. It was hard to believe, but you apply it an hour before you take off to the beach and it shields you for the day.
P20 gives you a range of sunscreens that offer you the highest and best in sun protection.
The main difference is their ingredients. Mineral sun protection contains titanium dioxide and zinc oxide whilst chemical sun protection includes organic and more active ingredients.
Okay. It’s not a beauty product but it’s a lifesaver!
I do not know about you, but as my luggage goes off, I always get that sinking feeling. Will it be there when I arrive? Or worse, will someone take my suitcase as indeed once happened to me.
It can make for bad start your holiday. With an “Apple Air Tag”, this problem ceases to be as you can keep track of your luggage.
In addition, this versatile item can keep track of those items that matter most from keys to your wallet. It is always a disaster when you lose one of those on holiday. If your Air Tag is nearby, your iPhone can lead you straight to it using Precision Finding.
You’ll see the distance to your Air Tag and which direction to head in, all thanks to Ultra-Wideb and technology (compatible with select iPhone models).
With allegations of sexual abuse against pop stars, actors and high-profile business people at an all-time high, Steven Smith looks back at his own experiences as a 16-year-old on the celebrity party circuit in the late 70s.
He asks whether society at the time was just as much to blame for the exploitation of teenagers as those that are having the finger pointed at them.
Wanna buy it? Link at the bottom of this article.
It’s a Monday morning. I’m working out. My book It Shouldn’t Happen to a Hairdresserhas been out for a month now. It’s my autobiography and follows my journey from coming out at 16 to tending to the hair of the rich and famous around the world. Though now I work mainly in the media, I still keep my scissors handy.
The book has caused quite a stir and there’s been a lot of press. Many are asking who the pop star was that seduced me when I was 16.
I decline to answer. It was not something I wanted to talk about further, plus, having worked for the tabloids for over a decade, I knew exactly where that conversation would lead. Having been harmlessly misquoted in some of the papers (one claimed that I hung out with Madonna), I still knew that interviews were a road that needed to be trodden carefully.
My phone goes. It’s a lady agent friend of mine who has been quite supportive in promoting the book.
“Hello darling. I simply couldn’t put the book down, it’s marvellous.”
She goes on to ask how the book is doing and who could imagine how difficult Katie Price could be. We both laugh, but then we get to the reason for the call.
“Darling, who was that awful pop star that seduced an innocent 16-year-old you?”
Back in the late 70s, 16 was more like 20. Now, it’s not something that I felt was integral to my life and I won’t be naming him. But it was important to my story in the book. The gist of the call is she thinks that I should chat with one of her clients, a gorgeous police officer called Dan Neal. It could be beneficial to us both – he had read the book and was branching into showbiz.
My agent friend had always been good to me, so I agreed. Almost immediately, Dan called. He was involved with the Jimmy Saville inquiry and was making quite a name for himself (he later went on to marry Rylan Clark). Charming and full of life. He said how much he had enjoyed the book. But then came the cough!
“The pop star who seduced you when you were sixteen, would you name him?”
“No”, I replied quickly.
Dan asked if he could hazard a guess. Judging by the tennis courts in my description, was it —– ? I had heard that they were after this particular person, and funnily enough, I had met him. And a more asexual but charming person you could not want to meet. (Although rumours of his early years hold that he was rampant – but not with young men.)
“No, it was not.”
He went on about his duty to uncover these people.
Cutting Dan off, I pointed out that I was not about to be induced to join a witch hunt. There was a big difference between boys and girls who had been groomed (or been downright taken advantage of) and the youths who attended parties and venues dressed like they were in their twenties, who were desperate to bag a pop star or anyone in the limelight. Back in the 70s, 16-years-olds were very independent, with some passing themselves off as 20-something.
Many of them only seem to have decided they were taken advantage of after the star has died or when they’re in their late 50’s, when many (I’ve found, having done research) have money problems.
In the late 70s no-one asked for ID or carried it. We grew up in an era when, as soon as you could carry a bag of newspapers, you had a job as a paperboy. I was working at ten.
Benny Hill chasing a woman dressed as a schoolgirl around the garden and Barbara Windsor being sexually harassed dressed as a nurse in the “Carry On” films was acceptable in comedy, and for many in the UK (and the US) it still is.
Your correspondent 40 years ago.
When I was 16 the club to go to was BANGS! On Tottenham Court Road on Monday nights, Donna Summer blasted from the speakers and we dressed to impress. We danced on the stage as the beautiful, gay, stylish and soon-to-be famous mingled in an electric atmosphere.
There was a whole group of lads and lasses aged 15-16 who lived for Monday night. It was not unusual to be approached, asked to come to other parties or asked out.
A young air steward invited me to a party one night. It was being held the following Sunday and he said that a car would be sent for me. He wouldn’t tell me whose home it was but said it would be great fun. He was very cute, and Sundays were boring.
I slipped out on the Sunday from my parents’ home and picked up the car at the end of the road, where the steward was waiting with the driver. As we reached the destination, I was stunned by what I saw – it was the most magnificent house, more of a mansion really, with fake butler and maid statues to greet you in the huge entrance hall. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.
Not such a rocket man and for sure should not be a reference to anyones morals .
We parked the car around the back of the house and went to meet our host on the tennis court. I was shocked when I saw who he was – he had played with one of my favourite bands when I was growing up and here he was, greeting me on his tennis court! He was down to earth and seemed genuinely interested in me. Before long we ended up in his disco, where the cocktails flowed. And so did some other things. Some of the other guests offered me cocaine and laughed when I refused.
Not changed a bit
“Hey, have you brought a good kid to the party?” they asked.
Nevertheless, one too many gin and tonics and as Dorothy Parker said, I ended up under the host. Still, it was a great day, and I went home with my host’s autograph. That was enough excitement for me.
As he brought me home, the steward suggested I might like to meet other friends of his and intimated that it could be quite profitable for me. But I was streetwise beyond my 16 years and said no, thanks.
So, I was somewhat surprised when I received a call from the star’s right-hand man asking me to come down again, which I did. I found myself liking the guy, who even played a song for me on his piano, across from his statues of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Really, I preferred T-Rex. He sent cars for me several times and we even watched a movie in his cinema room.
He only stopped sending for me after I told him that I’d mentioned the visits to my family. He almost passed out! After all, I was still only 16. This, despite me pointing out that I’d been in the theatre and it wouldn’t seem unusual that I was hanging out with the likes of him.
Still, much as his interest in me waned once he discovered that, he still invited me to the parties. They were great fun and he always got me home safely.
All these years later, though, whenever I smell Opium perfume, I think of him. The fragrance filled the bathrooms in his fabulous house and I even bought some for my mother that Christmas.
One of the most wonderful moments was when a famous pop manager held a boat party along the Thames for his birthday and Freddie Mercury and Kenny Everett were among the many celebrity guests. It was a dream come true and all I did was dance the afternoon away.
I was even hired briefly at the Embassy Club (in shorts).
With no age check.
Other parties were not so innocent. (Let’s not get started on the famous journalist with the three-way mirror whose parties hosted many a squaddie, some of whom went on to appear in the work of Mike Arlen (a gay photographer).
But I was lucky there was always an out. So, I never felt trapped or taken advantage of.
Of course, if I felt like playing victim I could rewrite this story in a different colour.
Many of the boys at the parties have passed on with HIV or disappeared. One or two I still bump into, and they talk of the good old times.
I’m sure that some may have regretted the follies of youth and even feel like they had been taken advantage of. But we can’t just blame the celebrities. The ’70s was a time that allowed freedom for the young and sexually promiscuous behaviour was rife.
Luckily, we have ID now and people check. I feel great empathy with those that have been hurt. But regarding those who, in their teens, labelled themselves groupies, only to say many decades later they were victims, responsibility must lie with more than one party.
There is a difference between the casting couch, grooming – and dressing up, passing yourself off as older and consenting to things.
Otherwise, it does turn into a witch hunt. It only really sunk in to what had been done to me all those years later , When I looked at my 16 year old Nephew . The thought I would kill anyone who touched him.
Tales of looks and asks “Is love the worst drug of all ?”
Tales of a Single, Middle-Aged Gay Man, Steven Smith looks at the drug we call “love” and asks, is it the worst addiction of all?
Love has been known to bring down empires. Men and women have even died for love. Some commit murder or take their own lives. What happens when we wake up from love and realise it has been a horrible trip?
Or is love the anchor for security, a safety blanket that makes so many feel validated and wanted? Some might say one of the best feelings in the world is love—and what is life without it?
This has been one of those weeks when I find myself asking “Why am I single?” I don’t exactly need to wear a paper bag over my head and, socially, my name is on most friends’ and acquaintances’ party lists.
Sure, I’m in my sixties , an age that can be the kiss of death on the gay scene, but things have progressed since a gay man would have to hang up his ruby slippers after 30.
In fact, the golden years of the bears, daddies and silver foxes are very fashionable; as one friend in his 70s recently told me, “I am getting more honey than I did in my twenties.” For me, sadly, it was hard to relate; my dance card is frighteningly empty when it comes to dating.
Parting with gorgeous Danielle Mason actress and model
Yes, I have tried several apps, from the ones that a friend introduces you to (so you join, only to be besieged by guys from the US military who seem to all live in Leeds and call you “Dear”) to Tinder and Match. Both came up blank, and the likes of Grindr and Gaydar just aren’t for me.
Watching a friend on an app called Scruff was like watching the doors at Selfridges on the first morning of the sale: it was hard to keep up with who was going in and out, so maybe not the recipe for true romance that I’m (maybe naively) looking for.
Most of my peers seem to be either married or seriously dating, and to be honest, I was for the first time feeling sorry for myself and a little lonely—much as it might seem to the world that I was Mr Popularity, surrounded by company (as one magazine put it, I had “a social calendar busier than Princess Margaret’s”—she’s dead, but I get the point).
But I’m sure that most singles get the lonely feeling on occasion, no matter what they say.Your correspondence or Princess Margaret – it’s hard to tell the difference. Interrupting my self-indulgent self-pity is the ringing of a phone. It’s my soon-to-be-married friend Angela. She’s around my age and super successful and bright. The woman does a degree as a hobby, as well as playing sport and having so many side gigs it’s hard to keep up. Angela has been married once before and has two amazing grown-up children; she supports their various ventures and is the best mum you can imagine. But Angela falls short when it comes to love. She has not only got rose-tinted spectacles on, when it comes to the man she is about to marry, she is completely blindsided.
There is no resemblance Princess Margaret
Since she met this real-life equivalent of Netflix’s Dirty John, the phone has not stopped going with people asking me to have a word with her. With maturity comes experience, and I have learnt that it is the message that usually gets shot. In fact, one of her friends has already pointed out that she was making a mistake, only to be quickly ostracised, though in a drunken moment Angela asked me if I thought the friend was right. It was clear from the start that John was dominating and controlling.
However, he was fun for a drink and he and I got on well. One by one, he started to alienate Angela’s friends who he felt were a threat—somehow Angela would tell me that it was her idea and she had seen the true light.
Then there was the pressure for her to stop supporting her kids and focus more on his ventures. Not too long after the engagement, he had a sports injury and the market dropped out of his field. He had to give up work altogether and lived off her while exploring his options. Much as he enjoyed a lavish lifestyle – flying first class, dining in the world’s best restaurants, and all that came with having a very successful partner, his clear resentment of her financial success over his was clear.
The man was self-medicating enough to feed Peru, but Angela would excuse it and say, “He only does it on occasion, you know what the banking boys are like.” (He did not work in the City.) It seemed obvious to me that the whole situation was a car crash waiting to happen.
The only thing that might be of help was that he liked me, and I could still gently advise her and be a sounding board. Today’s phone call is a humdinger. John wants her to sell her beautiful city home, move her son out, and buy something in the country nearer his aged parents and his friends.
Angela thinks the country air might do her good, as John says she’s looking tired, and that it could be a nice change. My God, this whole thing is turning into a television show where you’re screaming at the screen, “RUN!” I take a deep breath and tell Angela it’s not a good time to sell. Why not try renting in the country and see how she likes it? But maybe not mention to John that I hinted that . I suggest we have lunch and chat about it tomorrow.
It may have been easier if she’d had a chemical drug dependency and hit rock bottom; then I could get her help or at least stage an intervention, rather than trying to save her from this man.
Anyway, hanging up, it’s a worry, but I’m late for lunch. I’m off to see two bright stars, Simone and Juliet. Simone is single and works in marketing for a record label, and Juliet is a later-life lesbian: “I’m LLL,” as she puts it in her deep Tallulah Bankhead voice. She’s camp, and a fabulous PR manager. In fact, the restaurant we’re dining at belongs to one of her clients.
I knew Juliet’s first husband, and I always wondered what she ever saw in him. But if I thought her taste in men was bad, she’s outdone herself when it comes to her current fiancée, singer Coral Jones. Juliet is obsessed with Coral, and it seems to be all that she can talk about.
Simone and I have started placing bets on how long it will take Juliet to bring up her fiancée. Juliet has turned into a type of woman she would have been truly appalled by a few years ago, the ones whose opinions and views are those of their partner.. Every other word out of her mouth is, “Coral says…” as if God created the Earth and on the seventh day, Coral took over as she probably knew better.
To make matters worse, Juliet is just back from the USA and the prestigious Coachella music festival in Los Angeles, where of course Coral was headlining and received rave reviews, or so Juliet is boasting. This is hard to swallow, as both Simone (who knows everyone in the music world) and I know that Coral was in fact performing at a downtown L.A. venue. Juliet had paid for her to appear to make it look like she was at Coachella, and Coral had nothing to do with the festival, although it was running at the same time.
It’s all smoke and mirrors with that one, as Simone says. Ironically, that’s also the name of Coral’s first E.P., which, according to Juliet, is driving record companies across the globe to enter a frenzied bidding war. However, it took Simone three and a half minutes to discover that Juliet had helped to self-produce and release the record. “Oh, she’s so good that record labels just take advantage of the artist,” to quote Juliet. “So Coral set up her own record label.” Simone almost choked on her espresso martini the night that was said. Of course, Juliet does not disappoint.
We’ve hardly sat down when she declares that Coral is just such a good judge of character—“It’s almost like she’s psychic!” Simone’s eyes go up to heaven and she lifts the menu up over her face. Juliet goes on to say that 98% of the time, Coral can work people out in seconds, but we aren’t to worry as she likes us.
Juliet seems to be oblivious to the fact that no one is that keen on Coral, but we do all tolerate her, because Juliet seems more stable and happier than she has for a long time. Who are we to charge in where angels fear to tread?
As long as a friend is happy, it’s none of our business. The only thing you can do for friends is be there if it goes wrong, to pick them back up and not tell them “I told you so” or “I wanted to say something.” Just listen and be kind. Many relationships, no matter how dysfunctional they may seem to us, work.
B
Even in a friendship that isn’t sexual, it’s possible to have the same feeling. Who can forget their first friend in life—that moment when they leave you to play with someone else, that first feeling of jealousy, and the relief when they come back? Could love be the biggest addiction of them all, making sensible, smart people do things out of character? Especially in the hands of those already living with addiction issues—and I use the word issues, because we all have addictions in us; it’s those that can’t control them who may fall at the first hurdle. Or on the upside, I have seen two beautiful people who are my long-term friends, who have both battled with addiction, find love together and become each other’s anchors, and they’ve been sober and happy for ten years now.
I can’t tell you how many people rang me to say, “Give that a month” when they first met, and yet they are still happy.
When I chat to my great pal, self-help and relationship expert Dr Pam Spurr of drpam.co.uk and @drpamspurr, she tells me: “It’s said that love is a drug, and for some people it is. Falling in love stimulates feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin and endorphins that can be addictive for someone with an addictive nature.
The addict craves that exciting ‘hit’, but once the excitement in the initial phase of a new relationship wears off, they may well look elsewhere for that excitement again. “Where someone with a non-addictive nature adjusts to the next phase in a relationship—after the exciting, sexual chemistry phase—someone with addictive tendencies might feel disappointed and even bored. They may not have the emotional capability to develop a more mature way of relating. “One sure sign that someone who’s had problems with addiction in the past is developing an emotionally healthy way of living is that they accept that relationships change with time.
They accept that they move from the exciting first phase into a calmer, yet hopefully more substantive, second phase and further phases. “Anyone living with addiction needs to enter any new relationship with caution.
The rule of thumb is that an addict should not enter a new relationship within a year of going sober, going clean, or, for example, giving up gambling. Research tends to show that a year of sobriety or being clean of any addiction, is a ‘good enough’ amount of time to be clear-headed when wanting to begin a new relationship. “With existing relationships, they and their partner and/or loved ones need to identify any dysfunctional patterns in the relationship. For instance, if when the addict feels unhappy, angry or stressed with their partner they learn to express their feelings and their needs calmly and without drama.
Because learning to express how they feel and discovering solutions to any problems within the relationship means they are less likely to self-medicate in the way they have previously.”Your correspondent with Dr Pam Spurr Such great advice, but in my experience, so many very intelligent, worldly people would rather jump under a bus than talk about emotions with their loved ones including counsellors and therapists I’ve known who in real life can’t do it. It’s a little like “Those who can do, those who can’t teach.”
Walis Simpson and the Duke of Windsor.
The next day I’m watching GMB and they’re attacking the couple of the moment, the royals Harry and Meghan. In between the name calling and all that’s going on, something hits me. Is Harry living with addiction? Apart from the fact I think he’s cute, you can’t help but really like him; he’s the fun royal. One evening I was in the night club Bujios in London’s exclusive South Kensington.
It was getting late, and there seemed to be some commotion, even excitement. “It’s a royal,” said the footballer next to me (who I won’t name). I asked which one, and he said, “The ginger one, Harry.” The woman next to me whispered, “I hear he likes to party.” It was a similar story when I was in Abu Dhabi. My good friend who runs a track there told me the exact same—“Lovely fella, Harry.
He likes to party.”—and gave me a wink. Judging by the photos coming from Las Vegas, Harry is the party wherever he goes. Yes, your average lad likes to party, and God knows I do. I just forget I’m not a lad anymore and refuse to be put in a box.
Having interviewed so many people who have battled addiction, especially gay men, they all seem to have some trauma during their early years through abuse, loss, or abandonment.
Surely Harry, who lost his mother Diana at such an early age, must have had a huge amount of trauma surrounding it, but was still expected to keep that stiff British upper lip for all to see. As we watched the young Princes Harry and William walk behind their mother’s coffin, a nation’s heart broke. It’s certainly a vision that will haunt me for life.
Mental health issues and addiction have been rife amongst the royals, from Henry VIII’s problems with commitment to Edward VII being known as a sex-crazed party animal, to the divine Princess Margaret, who never seemed to have a cigarette out of her mouth, and whose erratic behaviour could certainly be put down to addiction.
And how did Diana’s battle with mental health and eating disorders affect her boys? You can of course understand how Harry might crave normality, and when he met his fairytale princess it all looked like a dream come true. It was a chance to escape.
Is it possible that when he met Meghan, who comes from a dysfunctional family background too, and who clearly craves fame, that unhealthy pastime fraught with addiction, they became each other’s anchors—each other’s lovers and healers? If Harry ever wakes from love, will he be okay with the choices they’ve made?
Those shouting at the couple clearly haven’t seen what love can do when it becomes the person’s drug of choice. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, aka Edward and Mrs Simpson. Harry’s great great uncle Edward VIII gave up the throne for love of the American divorcée Wallis Simpson, a woman rumoured to be gifted in the sexual department. No matter what is said, you have to draw similarities between Harry and Edward.
Yes, they are free to live their lives the way they want to—just because Harry was born into a family and a title does not mean he has to stay there. in this day and age you can choose to walk away—but the issue I see is that they walked away saying they wanted privacy, yet Meghan has never stopped the publicity machine since moving, first to Canada and then Santa Barbara. I personally don’t believe that, with a Netflix deal and many more vehicles in the pipeline, a nice private life away from public scrutiny was what Meghan ever wanted.
She certainly is having her cake and eating it too. My general feeling is that most in the acting profession are like Tinkerbell: they die if they’re not getting enough attention. My fear, if Harry ever falls out of love, would be for his already fragile mental health.
Let’s hope it’s love forever for them and that they have their fairytale ending, but remember, not all love stories are Mills and Boon, and fairy tales have dark, evil queens and fire-breathing dragons in them too, not just princesses and princes ending up in Utopia. If you lose a shoe at midnight, you’re drunk.
P.S. Angela escaped Dirty John and lives happily in Singapore. Paulo is well and runs a garden centre. . Juliet is still happy with Coral and telling us Coral is going to be the next Carol King.
When it comes to our feet, many of us take them for granted and are rather neglectful. From my personal experience, thirty years of standing on my tippy toes to style people’s hair caused my toes to rebel, and suddenly one problem after another began to emerge.
It started with an unpleasant ingrowing toenail, and moved on to developing Plantar Fasciitis. I am no stranger to pedicures. Still, if I were not being treated at the hands of an expert, treatment could become a torture rather than an enjoyable experience. I realised that just having my toenails cut and filed was not doing the trick, and in fact, was leading to health issues.
Many of my pals and those in the know raved about a woman they called “The Foot Queen”, Fiona Patterson, who was based at Beauchamp Foot Care.
Fiona trained under the renowned Dr Scholl in Islington, obtaining her degree in Podiatry at Durham University in 2010. Additionally. she also undertook her degree in anaesthesia at Dublin University. Fiona has worked at Beauchamp Foot Care for 24 years, along with her three partners.
Fiona is a fantastically camp but no-nonsense lady who really fills you with confidence. I personally hate anything to do with my feet and so I spent the first two minutes apologising for how neglected they were. Fiona just nodded, however, reassuring me that they were just fine, and she would get them back to their original glory. I quickly felt relaxed and at ease, and as she expertly worked on my feet, I felt like I was being lifted into the air. I got chatting to the Foot Queen and tried to prize out some gossip about which famous people have wiggled their toes at her.
Let’s find out more from the women herself.
What inspired you to start treating people’s feet?
I decided to do podiatry as I knew I liked treating people and I’m not squeamish.
Results fell into place. It all kind of came naturally to me, to be really honest.
How did you train?
I trained at the London School of Chiropody (as it was then) and then obtained my BSc degree from Durham.
What are the most common foot problems?
I would put them in this order:
Callouses
Nail problems – there are a plethora of those!
Corns
Verrucae, athlete’s foot, and other conditions.
How can we best care for our feet between visits to the clinic?
I would advise that before washing them, you file them, and after washing them, thoroughly dry them, not forgetting in between the toes. Hardly anyone does this. Keep nails straight and short (ish). Cream them every day too. Any problems should be seen by a podiatrist.
Some of Fiona’s awards and qualifications .
What would you suggest athletes, who are more prone to sweating, use to look after their feet?
For athletes, see above re drying, especially between toes. If you have any signs of a fungal infection (itching, maceration of the skin, little blisters), see a podiatrist. Do not spend all day in your trainers. Take them off when you can.
How do you treat ingrowing toenails?
Ingrown toenails are usually self-inflicted. Be careful how you cut them. I treat them in two ways. If it’s a one-off event, a conservative treatment is required – carefully cutting the offending spike out.
If they’re recurrent, nail surgery is required under local anaesthetic. Sounds traumatic but isn’t, and well worth it for pain-free toes.
Who are your average clients at the clinic?
I’d say the average age are people in their fifties. We have tended the feet of pop royalty, actors, and the odd client you might want to curtsy for (shall we say).
How do you care for your shoes to make sure your feet are healthy?
You must make sure your shoes fit. Take into consideration the length, width and also the depth of the toe box. Loose shoes are nearly as bad as tight ones, so don’t keep your favourite ones if you are slipping in them.
Are my feet ready for only fans like lily’s?
Steven!!!! I am not even justifying that with a reply .
You also perform pedicures at the clinic. What is the most popular nail-polish colour?
We use Essie products in the clinic, and I’d say two colours. Wicked, a deep plum colour. It’s been around for years. Also, Ballet Slippers.
Quick-fire round
Favourite place in London?
Favourite place in London is Greenwich. Really nice vibe.
The one thing you would change in London.
I’d get rid of the bike lanes that seem to have popped up everywhere.
The one thing that would turn you off a person.
Can I say two things? Noisy eaters and ill-mannered people are a put off for me.
Your favourite film?
My favourite film is Phantom Thread with Daniel Day-Lewis.
What do you most love about your job?
The sense of satisfaction when a patient leaves me pain free
2Shades Magazine 