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Nigella Lawson offers life advice ahead of Bake Off stint

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The TV cook and food writer was named as the replacement for outgoing judge and Cotswolds resident Dame Prue Leith in January.

Ms Lawson read Modern Languages at Oxford University’s Lady Margaret Hall, edited the student magazine Isis, later saving it from financial trouble, and graduated in 1979.

A portrait of the food writer was then hung in the very same Oxford college, installed in 2018, to inspire students.

READ MORE: Mary Berry talks turning 91 after finding ‘joy’ at retirement home

Then it was announced in February that Ms Lawson would join the Financial Times as a columnist, leading food and drink coverage.

In her monthly column, she uses cooking as a lens onto all facets of life and joins a line-up of FT Weekend food and drink columnists that includes Jay Rayner and Marina O’Loughlin.

Now, in the latest edition released today (Thursday, June 4), Ms Lawson has given some life advice to her readers.

Speaking on the dangers of pessimism and how her outlook has changed on this, when speaking about the arrival of summer, the 66-year-old spoke of her mood shift on the matter.

Ms Lawson admits that she is allergic to the sun and hates the heat, but still allows herself to be caught up in the “collective rush” of summer each year.

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson in tears as he’s forced to say ‘hard goodbye’

“It’s like an incantation of optimism, and I want to be an optimist,” she wrote.

“I’ve trained myself to be one. When I was young, I felt that pessimism and dread were safeguards against disillusionment and disappointment, but as I got older, I began to see my ‘every silver lining has a cloud’ approach for what it was: an anxious mask of puny bravado to conceal, even from myself, an underlying cowardice.

“Also, it doesn’t work. Disappointment is an occupational hazard of being alive, as I often — like Mary Poppins’s sour alter ego — reminded my children when they were growing up.

“You can’t avoid disappointment any more than you can avoid making mistakes: it’s how you deal with them that equips you for life.”





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Oxford pensioner denies threatening to kill his wife

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Jacob Bally, of Ashmole Place, Oxford, appeared at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, June 4.

The 69-year-old is charged with three offences.

He pleaded not guilty to threats to kill and assault, occasioning actual bodily harm, on April 24 last year.

READ MORE: Tributes after aspiring pilot killed in Cotswolds crash

Bally pleaded guilty to one count of assault by beating on October 1 last year.

The court heard he denied punching the complainant, but accepted pushing her.

Oxford Crown Court (Image: NQ)

A trial was put on the warned list for the two-week period beginning on July 5 next year.

This means it can be called on at any time during that period.

The trial has a time estimate of two to three days.

Bally was released on bail, with the condition to not contact the alleged victim.





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Warning after Audi SUV car ‘stolen’ in Cotswolds village

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Thames Valley Police said the reported theft occurred at 1.30am today, Thursday, June 4, in Sinnels Field, Shipton Under Wychwood.

Wesley Smith, a PCSO in the TVP Cherwell and West Oxfordshire unit, said: “Unknown offenders gained entry into the victim’s home via the patio doors, specifically targeting vehicle keys.

READ MORE: Manhunt launched for bald man after ‘assault’ outside Oxford cafe

“The offenders subsequently stole the victim’s vehicle from the driveway. A grey Audi SQ5.”

He added that there had been another attempted break-in reported in the area at 1.20am, just 10 minutes before.

Shipton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire (Image: Google Maps)

“CCTV captures masked men with torches appeared to be interested in another high performance vehicle,” said Mr Smith, “however, it’s possible the Smart CCTV deterred them”.

Police are asking residents to check their CCTV for that time frame and if anyone has any further information to contact police on 101 and quote reference number 43260278334

 Following this, the force has also shared guidance on how to discourage burglary and vehicle theft.

READ MORE: Police statement after trans rights protesters march through Oxford

This includes to double-lock front and back doors, and windows, and to install a home alarm system.

Car keys and valuables should be kept out of sight and doorbell cameras or CCTV systems can be used to monitor activity outside the home.

They add that car owners should park in a garage if available, or under motion-sensor lighting and should consider fitting a tracking device or immobiliser to their vehicle.





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Taylor Swift ‘books £3.3m Cotswolds cottage’ in Oxfordshire

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The Cotswolds pad was used as a base during the UK stint on her Eras tour with the 36-year-old popstar enjoying a slice of the countryside.

Reports at the time stated that the stay was at a £3,250-a-night farmhouse just a stone’s throw away from celebrity-favourite hotspot Soho Farmhouse.

She’s believed to have rented the home for the entire duration of her UK and European leg of her mammoth Eras tour, which ended at Wembley Stadium in London on August 20, 2024.

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Her NFL player boyfriend Travis Kelce was said to be joining her during her stay, according to reports by The Sun at the time.

A source said: “Taylor has booked the cottage while she is over in the UK. She wants a place to unwind away from the tour, and the countryside is her happy place.

“Taylor loves dressing up in sequins on stage but is most at home in muddy boots in the fresh air.”

The idyllic countryside location has long been a favourite spot for celebrities including Kate Moss, the Beckhams, and Jeremy Clarkson.

This revelation came after claims she bought a North London home worth around £10m, according to further reports from The Sun.

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The reported new property allegedly once belonged to a politician and is understood to be undergoing “significant building works” to create a private estate for the US singer.

Ms Swift opened the UK leg of the Eras Tour in Edinburgh from Friday, June 7, to Sunday, June 9, last year and treated crowds at Murrayfield Stadium to hits from across her 11 studio albums for three hours.

Ellie Poulte, a 19-year-old from Oxford, was the first person to start queuing for the show, arriving at 6am on Thursday, June 6, with her tent, even though she had tickets for Saturday’s show.

Ms Swift took to the stage at Murrayfield Stadium, saying it was “the most highly attended stadium show in Scottish history”.

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The billionaire singer-songwriter made several costume changes each night with outfits including a blue and silver sequinned bodysuit, a long asymmetrical-hem orange dress and a lime-green flowing dress with cut-outs.

Ms Swift’s revamped setlist for the UK and European dates saw her cut several songs to showcase music from her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

This included But Daddy I Love Him, Down Bad, Fortnight, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, and I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.

US pop-punk band Paramore, consisting of Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Zac Farro, warmed up for Ms Swift at Edinburgh and supported her across all the UK dates.





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