Here are some more Magic Moments stories, which have appeared in Take a Break magazine throughout December 2008 and January 2009

A Birthday Surprise

My mum, Gwen, leads a tough life, but she never grumbles. She's spent the past 49 years caring for my severely mentally-handicapped sister, and more recently, my disabled dad as well.
Earlier this year, her 80th birthday was coming up, but she wasn't planning to celebrate because she had to stay at home to look after my sister.
"Let's organise something for gran's birthday," my daughter said to me one day - and we started planning mum's surprise.
We arranged for my sister to go into care for the day, so that mum could spend her birthday with us. We told her to keep the date free, but didn't tell her what we had planned.
She loves gardening, and as a birthday present, we clubbed together with the rest of our family to buy her a greenhouse.
On her birthday, we gave her a few clues - a pair of flowery wellies and a packet of tomato seeds - and then led her outside. She was so shocked to see the greenhouse that she started crying.
"Thanks for being the best mum and grandmother we could have ever asked for," I said as I hugged her.
But there was more to come. We took mum to a local pub for dinner, and surprised her with balloons and a cake that my daughter had made.
'Oh my god,' she exclaimed, when she saw our whole family gathered round the table. It was the first time we'd all been together : me, my husband, my daughter and her husband, my son and his girlfriend.
We'll all remember that night forever, it was such a special birthday. Now my daughter is expecting a baby girl, and we can't wait for the new arrival to meet her wonderful great-grandma. My mum is an inspiration to all of us.

Love of a Lifetime

I first met Gwen when I was in the Army at Kings Lynn.
It was the middle of the Second World War. I was working as a chef in a hot kitchen.
One day, I stepped outside to get some fresh air. At that moment, Gwen walked past.
Shes beautiful, I thought. She was with friends, but I hardly even noticed the other girls. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.
Gwen smiled at me and we started chatting. She worked in the laundry, a few blocks down from the kitchen.
I asked her out immediately, and she said yes.
After that, we saw each other every day. We went to dances together whenever we could.
I want to spend the rest of my life with her, I thought.
Shortly afterwards, I got down on one knee.
"Will you marry me?" I asked.
When she said yes, I was over the moon. We set a wedding date for November 4th 1943.
We were both very emotional when we made our vows. For better or worse, until death do us part, we repeated.
We were very young: I was 21 and Gwen was 17. We never thought we'd be celebrating our vows decades later.
But in 2003, we reached our 60-year wedding anniversary.
"I love you just as much as the day we got married," I told Gwen. We were still madly in love.
Now we've just celebrated our 65th wedding anniversary. Like our 60th, it's classed as a Diamond wedding. We got a card in the post, signed by the Queen. Our friend Sheila also organised a lunch for us at our local pub in Armley.
I still feel the same for Gwen as I did all those years ago. Marrying her was a truly magic moment.

My Shrinking Baby

My boyfriend, Rory, and I were expecting our first baby - a little girl. I'd had an easy pregnancy, and we were counting down to the birth.
At 8 months pregnant I went for a routine check-up with my midwife, June. As usual, she measured my stomach. Suddenly, she went quiet.
"Your baby is too small," she said. "It's smaller than it was 4 weeks ago."
I blinked back the tears as she explained I'd have to have another scan. She didn't know why our baby was getting smaller.
I was terrified, and rang Rory who rushed home from work. That night in bed, neither of us could sleep.
"What if there's something wrong with her?" he kept asking me.
The next day, the doctor gave us bad news. Our baby wasn't putting on enough weight and was upside down in my womb. There also wasn't enough fluid around her.
I was booked in for a caesarean section the following week.
"She'll be fine," the doctor reassured me. But I couldn't help worrying.
A week ago I thought I'd have another month before the birth. Now I only had a few days. I crossed my fingers that she would be OK.
At 37 weeks, the surgeons delivered my baby, Molly. It was such a relief to hear her cry for the first time.
"She's absolutely fine," the surgeons announced. It was the happiest moment of my life.
In the end, she was 5lbs3oz - bigger than they'd expected.
Later, the surgeons told me my womb has a dip in the top, so it's almost heart-shaped. That's why Molly didn't have room to grow or turn around. If I get pregnant again, they can help the baby to move into the right position before the birth.
Luckily for us, Molly was delivered safe and sound. She's 6 months old now, and a real bundle of joy.

Mad About Birds

I love birds, and once had 15 living in my house at once!
Now I've got four: a parrot, a budgie and two cockatiels.
I always let them fly around the living room to stretch their wings. But one day, one of my cocktiels, Jesseika, decided she was bored of staying indoors.
I was sitting on the sofa when she whooshed past my head - and straight out the back door.
'I'm never going to be able to catch her!' I thought, as I hurried into the garden. I was too lat, and by the time I got outside she'd disappeared.
I was devastated, and put an announcement on Facebook to ask if anyone had seen her. I also made posters and handed them out.
Three weeks went by, and no-one had seen Jesseika. I thought I'd never see her again.
Then the phone rang.
"Hello, we think we've found your cockatiel," a police officer said.
I rushed to the police station in Spondon, 18 miles from where I live.
They took me into a room with a bird cage on the desk.
"Jesseika!" I cried as I caught my first glimpse of my missing bird. "I've found you at last!"
It turns out she was found on a farm. When I rang the farm owner to offer her a reward, she told me how they'd found Jesseika.
"My daughter said she saw a wild bird amongst the chickens, but I thought she was telling fibs!" she said. "But then I saw Jesseika and recognised her from a poster I'd seen. So I caught her and took her to the police station!"
I was delighted to take Jesseika back home to Nottingham. She used to have a boyfriend - my other cockatiel, Joey - but he's gone off her now. Instead she sits with my African parrot, Sammi. I don't think I'll be letting her out again anytime soon!

The Secret Party

Last December my sister-in-law, Maureen, had heart surgery. She was only 57 but kept getting breathless.
It was her second heart by-pass in 10 years.
It was supposed to be a routine operation. But it didn't go to plan. The six-hour operation took 12 hours.
Then the doctors couldn't bring her round. She'd had too much anaesthetic.
Finally, four days later, Maureen regained consciousness.
Soon after, we noticed something was wrong.
"What are we doing for Christmas?" she asked.
She'd lost all her memories from the past three weeks. She couldn't even remember Christmas or New Year.
We tried to hide how upset we felt. We just wanted her to get better.
Months later, it was Maureen's 58th birthday. She was making a speedy recovery.
So her daughter, Alison, hatched a plan.
"Let's throw Mum a surprise party," she suggested. "It will make up for the celebrations she can't remember."
Alison arranged for her mum to go to the cinema with her granddaughters.
While she was out, Maureen's son's girlfriend Katie decorated the house with balloons.
Maureen's two best friends, Beryl and Jenny, cooked food for the party.
Then the guests arrived. My husband and I made the long journey from Portsmouth to be there.
Half an hour later, Maureen came home.
"SURPRISE!" everyone shouted, letting off party-poppers.
A massive grin spread across Maureen's face.
"What are you all doing here!" she laughed.
My husband and I stayed hidden in the garden. We would be the final surprise of the day.
When she saw my husband Harry - her brother - she was delighted.
"We told you we were coming down, but I bet you didn't expect it to be today!" Harry joked.
It was a celebration she will never forget.

A Special Photo

It broke my mum's heart when I told her I was joining the Royal Navy. I was 18 and it was the middle of the Second World War.
As the youngest of 7 children, I'd always been a bit spoilt. My mum had already lost one son during the First World War, so she didn't want anything to happen to me.
As I was leaving for the Navy, my mum handed me a photo. It was a snap of her standing under a rose arbour in the garden. I'd taken the photo myself, using a box camera I got for my 16th birthday.
"I've written a message on it, to remind you of home," she told me.
On the right side of the picture it read 'Don't forget your mother's love too soon'.
It brought tears to my eyes, and I took it with me wherever I went.
In 1944, I was serving in Anzio, Italy, when the unthinkable happened. Our vessel was hit by a radio controlled bomb, and we were forced to abandon ship.
All I could think about was my family, and my girlfriend, Betty, who is now my wife. I wasn't sure if I would live or die.
Fortunately I was saved by an American ship, and transferred to a hospital in Naples. But I never thought I'd see the photo of my mother again.
Whilst I was recovering, the military chaplain from our Navy ship came to see me.
"I think this is yours," he said, handing me a photograph.
It was the photo of my mum standing under the rose arbour. I couldn't believe my eyes.
'It's survived!" I thought happily.
The photo was badly salt stained, but I was just so pleased to have it back.
Luckily, with today's technology I've managed to have it restored. Now I'm making copies for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. What a wonderful world!

A Meaningful Christmas

This year I'm looking forward to another Christmas with family, good food and presents. But I won't be spending it in front of the TV - instead I'll be helping at St Petrocks homeless shelter in Exeter.
With the help of my daughter and grandaughter, I'll be cooking the homeless visitors a turkey lunch with all the trimmings. We'll also hand out presents and help them to call family or friends if they want to.
"It's the least I can do to give something back," I tell people who ask why I do it.
There will also be other volunteers helping out, to make it a truly magical day for everyone and keep the festive spirit going.
It's especially important for the homeless people to see familiar faces, because Christmas can be a lonely time for them if they've got no-one to spend it with.
I didn't always spend Christmas Day the shelter, but this is my 13th year of helping out.
I used to work at a rehab centre as a counsellor, and volunteer at the shelter part-time, but I realised I was spending most of my time at St Petrocks.
'I'll apply to be a project worker at the shelter,' I thought, and was delighted to get the job.
I've spent every Christmas there since!
Helping other people is the best gift you can give - and it's more rewarding than any present you can receive. I hope this year we'll have a wonderful Christmas, with a mixture of traditional food and presents, and good company!

Magic Moments

Here are a few stories which have appeared in the Magic Moments section of Take a Break magazine throughout December.

1. A special meeting

I'll never forget the warm welcome I got when I met my sponsored child, Luc Van Ha, in Vietnam.
As I stepped out of the car, I felt a pair of small arms wrap themselves around me. It was Ha's younger brother, Nam, who could hardly contain his excitment.
Then all of his family came out to meet me: his uncles, aunts, cousins and grandma.
'I love you, I love you', his grandma kept saying, kissing me repeatedly.
Finally, I met the twelve-year-old boy I'd travelled miles to see.
'Thank you so much', he kept saying, speaking so fast that the translator struggled to keep up.
Ever since Ha was born, I'd sent money to his family to help feed, clothe and school him, through a charity called Plan.
In return Ha's family sent me letters and photos - but I knew that one day I wanted to meet the little boy I'd heard so much about.
I raised money for my trip by doing sponsored walks, and asking friends for donations instead of birthday presents.
When I finally met Ha, it was a wonderful feeling. 'It's amazing that my sponsorship has made such a difference' I thought, as he showed me round his new school.
The school was built using donations, so I knew my money had been put to good use.
The most touching moment was when Ha said: 'I'm so happy you're here, you must come back soon!"
I felt a surge of affection for him, and wished I could stay for longer. But I knew I'd still keep in contact with Ha - we have such a special relationship.
Now I'm dreaming of my next trip to Vietnam. I'll have to start saving up again, but it's worth every penny.

2. A welcome arrival

When my best friend and brother announced they were having a baby, I burst into tears. I was so happy for them, but kept thinking 'What if I never have one of my own?'
My husband Derek and I had spent the past 5 years trying for a baby.
Doctors told me I had a cyst on my ovary, but there wasn't any reason why I couldn't have children.
When I missed a period in 2006, I rushed out and bought a pregnancy test. "We're pregnant!" I told my husband excitedly.
But a week later I started bleeding, and doctors told me I'd had a miscarriage.
'My little baby has died', I kept thinking to myself. Our dreams of having a baby were shattered.
A year later, we discovered I was pregnant again. At 7 weeks we saw our baby's tiny heartbeat on a scan - and a surge of joy rushed through me.
But three weeks later, I got devastating news.
"I'm sorry to say we cannot find a heartbeat," the doctor said. I was plunged into a deep depression.
Derek was the only person who could comfort me, telling me 'I love you. We can try again.'
In 2007 I had the cyst removed, and a few months later I had a funny feeling in my tummy.
"I feel pregnant!" I told Derek. My instincts were right, and I felt a sudden glimmer of hope.
We decided to keep the pregnancy to ourselves for the first 12 weeks, and as each week went by we got more confident. We couldn't wait to tell our family and friends the good news.
At 5am on June 22nd, I gave birth to our daughter, Dokota - a happy, healthy baby. We'll never forget the two babies we lost together, but we've come through it together.

3. A Christmas surprise

One day I found my friend Irene sobbing in the kitchen. "I can't afford Christmas this year," she confessed, "I can't even afford presents for the girls."
She'd recently split-up with her husband, and moved into a bungalow with her daughters Michelle, 10, and Nicky, 8. She was struggling to make ends meet, especially in the run-up to Christmas.
I hated to see her so upset, and promised I would do everything I could to help. I bought little presents for the girls including drawing books and a new pair of gloves for each of them.
A few days before Christmas, I wrapped up the gifts and took them over to Irene's house.
The girls faces lit up when they saw the presents - but their smiles were short-lived.
"We don't have a tree to put them under," they explained quietly.
"We can't afford one" Irene snapped, before running into the kitchen and bursting into tears.
The next evening I was walking through the village when I spotted something laying on the ground in the snow. It was a Christmas tree.
'Who would have left this here?' I thought. It was a Christmas miracle!
I couldn't lift the tree myself, but I got a friend to help me drag it through the snow to Irene's house.
"Where on earth did you get that!" she exclaimed as she opened the door. "It's huge!"
The girls were very excited and dug out a box of Christmas decorations. We stood the tree against the wall, and it almost took up the whole room.
"We live in a forest!" Michelle laughed, and placed the presents I'd given her under the tree.
As I left, Irene hugged me and whispered "Thank you so much."
It was a magical Christmas that we'll never forget!

Halloween Hauntings...

Published in Bella magazine, 28th October 2008 (released 21st October)

It's not just at Halloween when the ghouls come out to play. Last month the Rashid family fled their home when a ghost took residence in their mansion – and threatened their baby.

After a hectic day moving into their new home, Nadia Rashid and her husband Anwar were settling down for a relaxing evening. They had just got comfy when they heard a knocking noise, and a man's voice asking 'Hello, is anyone there?'

But it wasn't a friendly neighbour paying a visit – when Anwar went to check who was there, he couldn't find anyone.
"I got up to have a look but the doors were locked and the windows were closed," he said. With his four children safely tucked up in bed, he was puzzled as to where the voice had come from.
As the months went by, the couple became more nervous about the spooky goings-on in their 17-bedroom Notthinghamshire mansion, Clifton Hall.
"On another occasion my wife went downstairs to make milk for the baby at 5am and she saw our eldest daughter watching television," he said. "She said her name but she wouldn't respond. My wife realised something was up so she went back upstairs to check on her and found her fast asleep in her bed."
The couple had got more than they bargained for when they bought the £3.6 million house in August: it was haunted.
Security guards at the house reported sightings of a monk walking through the grounds, a woman in the graveyard falling over, and chairs moving around the room. Meanwhile the couple heard bloodcurdling screams in the corridors.
Frightened for their safety, Nadia and Anwar reached breaking point when they found unexplained blood spots on their baby's quilt.
"That was the day my wife said she'd had enough," said Anwar. "We didn't even stay that night. It was the last straw, we felt that they had come to attack us, it was really emotional."
The family fled their dream home less than a year after moving in, and Anwar called in the Ashfield Paranormal Investigation Network. Even the ghostbusters were scared by the creaks and groans at Clifton Hall.
Lee Roberts, team leader of the Investigation Network, said: "It is the only place I've ever really been scared, even in the light. It's just got a really eerie feeling about it."
According to legend, a woman dressed in white jumped from one of the mansion's windows to her death, and tunnels in the grounds were used by Satanists. But ghosts may have been haunting the house since it was built during the Norman Conquest.
Unable to get rid of the spooky squatters, Anwar tried to sell the house, but couldn't find anyone willing to buy it. In a drastic measure he stopped paying the mortgage, and the mansion was repossessed by the bank.
"I just had to let it go because it was becoming such a burden," he said. "I don't think I will ever buy an old building again because of what has happened."

Other haunted houses:

The spooks are not just living in Nottinghamshire. At a pub near Dundonald Castle, Ayrshire, landlord Terry Quinn had a similar experience, and called in a team of ghostbusters after staff complained of a phantom pervert.
"Waitresses and barmaids have felt themselves being touched up and when they look round no-one is there," he said.
'It's as if you're being stalked. You feel him brushing past you and touching you. It's really quite scary. You can hear footsteps but there is nobody there."
He was even more startled when twelve giant water jugs flew off a shelf, and the machine that powered the beer lines turned itself off.
Terry asked the Dunfermline Paranormal Research Fellowship team to investigate, and learned that the the ghost is probably a previous owner who doesn't like the new changes made to the pub.

And no-one is safe from the bogeyman, as Belinda Worrral found out when she was pinned to her bed by a ghost last year.
"It held me down and grabbed me so hard I was left with bruises on my arm," she said. "Now I'm too scared to be in the house of my own."
Belinda was sharing a terraced house with her boyfriend Neil, and had become increasingly nervous since she saw cutlery flying across the kitchen, air fresheners moving across the room and pictures changing position on the walls.
Belinda put holy water and crucifixes around the house in Haslingden, Lancashire, and even called in mediums and a pagan witch who held a séance.
"I've had enough. I want to live somewhere without uninvited guests that scare me half to death," she said. "And it's definitely the last place I want to spend another Halloween!".

CELEBRITY SPOOKS

Kelly Brook was spooked by a headless horseman roaming around her £1m farmhouse in Kent. The ghost is rumoured to be a 27-year-old man who died after smashing his horse and carriage into a tree just a mile from Kelly's home.

Kerry Katona was startled by a ghost flicking lights on and off and blowing up lightbulbs at her dream home in Cheshire in 2006. She described the phantom as "well scary".

(Printed in Now magazine) Amy Winehouse checked into a hotel in May, claiming that her Camden home was haunted by a boy called Henry. The singer is too terrified to decorate the spare room of her house because she believes a child once died in there.

TV Presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan proved they aren't a pair of scaredy cats, when they bought a 18th century house in the West County said to be haunted by a headless horseman.

Sweet As Honey

It's been a busy few weeks, but the Jewish New Year is finally dawning and that can only mean one thing...
Apple and honey!
How appropriate, then, that last week I went to a talk about honey at the popular journalist's watering hole, Soho House.
But it wasn't about the regular sticky stuff you pick up in the supermarket (the one in the bear-shaped squeezy bottle is always fun). Rather, a specialist 'Manuka' honey with apparently miraculous healing properties.
It's made from the nectar of the Manuka plant which grows in New Zealand, and only flowers for four weeks of the year. According to the Manuka manufacturers, the honey can cure colds, coughs, sore throats, and speed up healing.
However, a few minutes into the talk, my scepticism got the better of me. Perhaps it was the dramatic story ("This person had to have their legs amputated, but we put honey on the wounds and they got better in no time"), the price tag (the weakest honey starts at £5.95/jar, going up to £19.95 for a strong one), or just the lack of any scientific evidence.
We were told that there is a long history of honey having health benefits; we were shown examples of miraculous recoveries, thanks to magic of Manuka. We were told how scientists at a food chemistry university faculty in Germany have found anti-bacterial molecules in the honey (known as MGO). But somewhere along the line, the men in white coats have forgotten to do any controlled experiments.
So why didn't I challenge the scientist/manufacturers giving the talk? The words were taken out of my mouth by a fellow listener, none other than Dr Stuttaford from the Times. He asked whether there had been any controlled experiments, and there haven't. What's more, depending on the brand of Manuka honey you buy, the concentration of MGO can vary by up to 50% - so the strength you think you're buying in one brand may be completely different in another. It's a labelling grey area, apparently.
Before leaving Soho House, I got a chance to taste the different Manuka honeys, ranging from MGO 30 to 500. Admittedly, the lower strength ones are pretty yummy, and I'd have no problem dipping my apple in them. As you get stronger, though, the honey begins to taste like tea tree oil, and has a bitter taste - perhaps not everyone's cup of tea.
My verdict? I'm happy to scoff the freebie jar of Manuka honey I got in my going-home bag, but I doubt it will stave off my coughs and colds this winter, so I might just stick to orange juice. And seeing as I'll be getting through a lot of honey in the next couple of days, I'm going to stock up on my favourite type - Acacia. Mild, runny, sweet and perfect with everything.

L'Shana Tova - Happy New Year :)

Cilla's Black

She may not have the longest legs in the world, but there were plenty of envious glares when 60s pop icon Cilla Black sashayed down the catwalk during London Fashion week, showing a lorra lorra legs.

Now 65, the celeb didn't look a day past 30 in her Yves St Laurent top hat, shirt and tails, and lapped up attention from a crowd including the Prime Minister's wife Sarah Brown, actress Mischa Barton and wonderWAG, Nancy Dell'Olio.

Joining a host of celebrity models, including Monica Cruz, Jamelia and glamourpuss Cheryl Cole – this time with her wedding ring on show - Cilla closed the third annual charity fund-raising show, Fashion for Relief, at the Natural History Museum.

She strutted her stuff to the sounds of one of her own top hits, Anyone Who Had a Heart, stopping at the end of the runway to wiggle her hips and show off her perfect pins.

Cilla's risquee outfit was put up for auction, as well as a collection of stunning dresses donated by Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana and Donna Karan – with profits going to the White Ribbon Alliane, a campaign group to help women women in childbirth in the Third World.

Published on the Reveal magazine blog, 18th September 2008, see it here

Interview: Guy Burnet

As a massive Hollyoaks fan, it was extremely exciting to get in touch with Guy Burnet (a.k.a. on-screen character Craig Dean) to give him a mini-grilling. See my interview below, which is published in this month's Jewish News 'Pulse' magazine. For those of you who are interested, the picture is one of many he sent me - part of my personal collection!

Guy Burnet kept Hollyoaks viewers glued to the screen as his character Craig Dean two-timed fiancée Sarah with boyfriend John Paul. Now in an interview for the Jewish News, he tells Tessa Roberts about his mum’s reaction to his on-screen romps, as well as his love for football, boxing and Israel...

What were you like as a kid?
I was a shy kid. I was also very close to my mum, seeing as I’m an only child.

Was it always your dream to become an actor?
I always dreamt of becoming a pilot or a footballer. I idolised lots of football players, especially Gazza and Totti. Acting just seemed too surreal to contemplate, but I was a huge fan of French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, and still am.

How did you land your role in Hollyoaks?
Hollyoaks was one of my first auditions. I didn’t really expect to get the part, which took a lot of the pressure off. I actually think I got the role because I slightly resemble Jodi Albert, who played my on-screen sister, Debbie Dean, and because of the chemistry I had with Kevin Sacre, my on-screen brother, Jake Dean, at the audition. I admit that it was probably not based on my ability at the time! But once I was through the door it was up to me to build on my own abilities.

What did your mum/friends say when they saw close-ups of you in bed with a bloke, when you were playing Craig Dean?
Well, it was hard (no pun intended). My mum found it difficult to watch, as did I. In fact it was harder for me to watch myself on TV than to actually do it. At first my mates took the mickey, but after that I think they, above everyone else, appreciated the commitment I had made to acting.

Did you enjoy playing out the storyline?
I enjoyed it because of how intensely focused I became. I wanted it to be great and to have a huge response. There are certain aspects of playing a sexually confused character which are not always easy to act - for example it is hard to portray the character’s emotional and social angst.

What did you miss most when you were working away from home?
I missed my mum, dad, friends, London and freedom.

How did it feel to be nominated in three categories at the Best British Soap Awards 2008 (for best single episode, storyline and exit)?
I wasn’t aware that I was nominated until the very last minute. To be honest, it’s the old cliché of 'yes, it’s so nice to be recognised for the effort we put into the story'. Whilst there is an element of that - and for some people it’s the be all and end all - in reality I didn’t care that much. The main reason I went was so I could take my mum! I find it very rare that the Soap Awards ever make a decision I agree with.

What have you done since leaving Hollyoaks? Have you got anything coming up we can look out for?
Since leaving I have kept my head down and been in a number of short films. I have also finished directing a documentary feature on boxer Derry Matthews. There are a couple of things coming up, but it’s all top secret at the moment. I’ve been asked to do reality shows, but as tempting as it is having the money waved at you, I feel I have to persevere with doing work I can be proud of - to get where I want to be.

Do you get fan mail?
I do. Mostly from an fan club called McDean - they have an online campaign running to get me back into Hollyoaks for a sunset ending! The weirdest thing I’ve ever received was a guy’s pubes stuck to tape on paper.

Tell us more about your football career...is it true you went for trials in Tel Aviv when you were 16?
Football was a large part of my life and still is. I’m a massive A.S. Roma and Newcastle fan. I spent some time training at Queens Park Rangers soccer schools and played briefly for Maccabi Herzliya in Israel.

Did you dream of being the next Beckham?
No, I never wanted be someone whom sought fame. If it finds you through talent alone, then fine. I always wanted to be a genuinely great player, like Gazza, Totti, Maradona, Romario, Baggio or Marco van Basten. True football fans will know what I’m talking about.

Rumour has it you did your A-levels at JFS (Jewish Free School)? Have you kept in touch with any of your friends from there?
That rumour isn’t true. My mum’s side of the family is Jewish - they are Libyans, Italians and Israelis. I was at JFS from 12-14, then moved to Holland Park School in my local area. I found it hard to settle into JFS and wanted to leave most of the time I was there! I have seen a couple of the people I went to school with and they seem to be doing well.

How did you become interested in boxing?
I have always been a huge boxing fan. Whilst living in Liverpool filming Hollyoaks, I trained at my friend’s boxing gym in Bootle. I befriended a guy who was my age called Derry Matthews, and decided to spread my wings by documenting his training and lifestyle. For four years I travelled to all his fights and documented his journey to becoming a featherweight world champion – it was a Cinderella story. Sadly he lost his title, but the process made me fall in love with the sport and I have travelled to different venues around the world to watch great fights.

How often do you train?
I train about 3-4 times a week in a boxing gym in London, but have become a little lazy recently.

What else do you do in your free time?
I spend most of my free time with family or friends. I have a group of six people who I’m very close to and we go out together. I write too, and I love watching films.

Do you ever go to synagogue or eat chicken soup?
My mum makes the best chicken soup – it’s worth being ill for! I don’t go to synagogue as often as I should, or would like to. If I visit Israel then I go to a Libyan descendent synagogue which my granddad always attended. I love it out there.

If you had to describe yourself in five words, what would you say?
It seems so self-indulgent to describe yourself! But if pushed I would say...loyal, passionate, loving, incognito and curvy – only joking! And raw, I guess.

Do you have a girlfriend? What do you look for in a lady?
I have a great love for women but I don’t have a girlfriend right now. I look for a woman who is funny and sexy, demure but confident. Someone who couldn’t care less about what I do for a living. Am I too picky?

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
In 10 years I’d love to see myself in some really good independent film projects, some theatre and good TV. Or working at a beach bar, living a simple life in Costa Rica or somewhere similar! In reality as long as I’m happy and with my family and friends, then it’s all good..

New Year, New You

This is especially for those of you who are preparing for the Jewish New Year but if you're generally tired/stressed, it's also got some useful tips! It's semi-advertorial, hence the large plug for Champneys health spas - but it's a great place to go (and that's a real recommendation!)

If you'd like to see a glossy version of this, complete with pretty pictures, pick up a copy of this month's Jewish News 'Pulse' magazine, which is where it's published.

Rosh Hashanah is the perfect time to turn over a new leaf, and if, like me, your New Year’s resolution is to get fit and healthy, you may need a kick-start after weeks of gorging on honeycake and Teiglach.
Whether you plan to do more exercise, eat healthily or de-stress, the first few weeks are always the hardest – so I went in search of some top survival tips at a world-famous health spa, Champneys Tring in Hertfordshire.
Set in beautiful grounds less than an hour from north London, the spa offers exercise classes, super-healthy food, a gym and a pool, as well beauty treatments, massages, and a sauna and steam room.

Free your mind

To get into the right frame of mind for a New Year’s regime, you’ll need to de-clutter your thoughts, resolve any outstanding worries and start the year with a focused mind.
At Champneys, I met Laurie Elliot, who teaches meditation techniques to individuals and groups, and offers private lessons in London and Hertfordshire.
In a 90-minute session with Laurie, I completed two meditations, in an attempt to relax and unwind.
The process involves sitting or lying somewhere comfortable and focusing on breathing. If distracted by a thought, you let it play out in your mind, before concentrating on breathing once again.
Apparently if meditation is performed correctly, you will be able to slow down your heart rate, leaving you calmer and more able to cope with stress.

Be kind to your body

If you’re hoping to get fit but are unenthused by the gym, then exercise classes are a great way to try something different and meet new people.
Champneys offer more than 15 exercise sessions a day, from relaxing Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates classes, to more energetic fitness hula hooping lessons and aerobics.
In London most gyms offer a similar variety of classes, or you could always go for a bike ride or walk.
Of course, no Rosh Hashanah rejuvenation would be complete without some pampering, and whether it’s a new haircut, manicure, or a massage to leave your skin glowing, a beauty treatment will provide a quick pick-me-up.
If you’re visiting Champneys, both the day and overnight packages include treatments such as a facial or massage. I tried a hot-stone back massage, which miraculously de-knotted the muscles in my upper back and neck, and left me feeling calm and refreshed.
For something more exciting, try a body scrub or wrap. Nicola Doe, Spa Development Manager at Champneys Tring, said: “A treatment that people love a lot is the Chocolate Wrapper – it’s a 55 minute treatment including a body exfoliation, then a shower, then a chocolate body mask applied to the skin. That helps to hydrate and nourish the skin. Once you’re in the chocolate wrap you have a hand, foot and scalp massage so it’s really pampering.”
“It’s not actually chocolate, but the smell is like chocolate orange!” she added. “A skin-comforting body butter is then applied to your skin to complete the treatment.”

Eat like a king/queen

A brand new car needs the right type of petrol – and the same is true with your diet. This year I’m planning to ditch my unhealthy chocolate habits and eat more salads.
If, like me, you need some inspiration, here are a few options that appeared on the Champneys menu, to try at home. For lunchtime salads, mix radishes, baby gem lettuce and dried pineapple, or how about chick peas, Chinese leaf and sundried tomatoes? For something hot, try mushroom and courgette casserole, or a leek and pepper frittata.
Even a cooked breakfast can be healthy – the Champneys option included grilled flat mushrooms, new potatoes and tomatoes, with baked beans and scrambled or poached eggs.
If you’re super-keen, you could replace your butter or margarine with a vegetable puree spread, with flavours such as chickpea, herb and spring onion, or beetroot and cumin seeds.

Do nothing for a while

Even health and exercise fanatics need time out, and Rosh Hashanah provides a prime opportunity to relax and reflect.
During my stay at the health spa, I walked through the grounds of the Champneys estate, lazed in the Drawing Room and Music Room, and borrowed a bike to escape into the countryside for a while.
Even simple activities such as doing a jigsaw, relaxing in the steam room, reading a magazine, or sitting and snoozing, helped me to feel calm and gather my thoughts.
Whilst Rosh Hashanah is a time for celebration, the remnants of the year gone by, or the pressure of entertaining may leave you feeling burnt out – which isn’t a great start to the year. Taking time out to relax will help you to pace yourself and make the most of the joyous festival.

So for a new you in the New Year, why not re-vamp your old routine, and try a fresh combination of exercise, relaxing and healthy eating? It’s time to make the next year the best one yet.