Dame Esther Rantzen has compiled the life lessons she’s learnt since being diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer in a new book. Rantzen, 82, first announced her diagnosis in January, before revealing it had progressed to stage four in May this year. The veteran TV presenter told the Daily Mirror she’s on “new medications” but that “nobody knows if it’s working or not”. However, reflecting on her life, she added that the diagnosis “made me realise how very lucky I am”. In an excerpt from her new book Older & Bolder: My A - Z of Surviving Almost Anything, published by The Times, Rantzen shares the lessons she’s learned – about health, family, growing older, sex, nudity, grief, and naps – since being diagnosed with cancer. “Sex drives people mad. Probably that’s what it’s for, because if you think about it, if you were sane, would you do such an inelegant, unhygienic thing?” the former host of That’s Life! writes. “Here is the good news. When you’re too old for sex, sanity returns. Here is the bad news. Then, nobody listens to you.” Rantzen explains she’s in “favour of nudity” because if we all did it more often “everyone would accept body hair and lumps”. She notes there are “several antidotes to grumpiness” including sunshine and chocolate, but “money, sadly, doesn’t work”. Other important lessons she’s learned over the years include prioritising spending time with your loved ones, health is the only thing that truly matters, and that naps are one of the “happy discoveries of growing older”. She also offers advice on motherhood, grandchildren, and the temporariness of beauty. In the excerpt, Rantzen recalls the moment she first noticed a lump in my armpit, a few days after Christmas last year. “An evangelical non-smoker”, Rantzen was shocked to discover she had lung cancer and later learned it was an extremely rare kind that most commonly attacks young Asian women. When she slowly began telling her friends and family, asking them to share their most fun memories together, Rantzen writes she was “overwhelmed” by their responses. “Another lesson cancer has taught me: the one thing worth hoarding is friendship. Never let it go. Stay in touch,” she adds. Rantzen is best known for being the presenter of the BBC’s That’s Life, a topical entertainment show, from 1973 to 1994. She also founded the charities Childline and Silver Line in 1986 and 2012 respectively. In 2015, Rantzen was made a DBE for services to children and older people through her charitable organisations. Read More Emily Eavis appreciation and not-so-secret sets: 8 of the biggest Friday highlights at Glastonbury 2023 Princess of Wales wows Royal Ascot crowds in striking red dress Kourtney Kardashian shows off baby bump as fans speculate about due date A woman stopped tidying up after her husband accused her of doing ‘nothing’. Then she filmed the results Mother shares heartbreak after inviting whole school class to daughter’s birthday party

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A woman who noticed her food and drink was being stolen by her flatmates has revealed the lengths she took to get her own back. TikToker Sarah (@saatj32) opened up about the drastic measures she was forced to take, explaining in a video: "I had to poison my food because my flatmates kept stealing it." She then shared a recording of herself carrying out the act: opening a carton of organic British skimmed milk and pouring in the contents of a salt container. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "People want to drink my milk and want to put it back," and added how she's going to see "whose who." After pouring in the salt, she can then be seen closing the carton and shaking it to mix the salt, before giving it a whiff and adding even more salt to the mixture. In the caption she wrote: "And I have absolutely no regrets and yes someone drank it." @saatje32 And I have absolutely no regrets and yes someone drank it #university #flatmates #freshers Since then, the video has been viewed more than 277,000 times and racked up hundreds of comments from people sharing similar experiences of sticky-fingered flatmates. One person wrote: "I like this, because when they go low, I go LOWER." "I literally told my one flatmate that I'm gonna put stuff in my food 'cause it keeps being taken. She ended up consuming it as if I didn’t warn her," said another. A third added: "This video is hilarious to me cause I basically have a video of me doing the exact same thing." Meanwhile, others shared what they would have done in the same situation. One said: "Add lemon juice and it will immediately curdle. Instantly ruins everything they’re making and you can deny doing anything." "Just salt? Should have put chicken grease and dyed it blue or sum for evidence," wrote another. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Formula 1 is donating €1million (£868,000) to the relief operations in Emilia Romagna following the cancellation of the race at Imola this weekend. F1 was forced to cancel round six of the 2023 season due to the adverse weather and flooding which has affected the region in the past few weeks. While missing out on the hosting fee of approximately £20m as a result of the Emilia Romagna GP not taking place, F1 has now announced a donation to the relief effort. A press release also confirmed that food and water from the circuit, teams and hospitality on-site has been donated to a group organising food banks and distribution for those who have been affected by the floods. The death toll from this week’s floods has risen to 13, with rescue crews attempting to reach towns and villages in northern Italy, with local mayor Monica Rossi warning the situation will be “tragic” if rainfall continues. F1 president Stefano Domenicali, who is from the region, said upon the race’s cancellation on Wednesday: “It is such a tragedy to see what has happened to Imola and Emilia Romagna, the town and region that I grew up in, and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the flooding and the families and communities affected. “I want to express my gratitude and admiration for the incredible emergency services who are working tirelessly to help those who need help and alleviate the situation – they are heroes and the whole of Italy is proud of them. “The decision that has been taken is the right one for everyone in the local communities and the F1 family as we need to ensure safety and not create extra burden for the authorities while they deal with this very awful situation.” The Independent understands the race is unlikely to be rescheduled this year due to the already congested 2023 calendar. Read More F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix cancelled after heavy flooding in region Will Imola Grand Prix be rescheduled? Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are the biggest losers from Imola Grand Prix cancellation

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