Joanna Lumley has revealed how she’s keeping her spirits up during lockdown – by making lists, cooking and “putting a face on in the morning”.
The 74-year-old actress said she’s been trying to stick to her “normal” life in lockdown - but admitted a lot of her schedule has been put on hold due to coronavirus.
The London-based Absolutely Fabulous star, who is married to conductor Stephen Barlow, told Saga Magazine: “It would be very easy to spend this period of lockdown thinking that you don’t have to do anything and that you can maybe let yourself go a bit.
"That’s not me. I’ve always found that the best way to start any day at home, especially now, is to put on your clothes, comb your hair and put on a face. You have to behave as if the day is completely normal.”
The double BAFTA-winning star said she has been completing small tasks to keep her spirits up.
She said: “My Filofax that I always fill in with pencil has become very empty as jobs and events are cancelled. It’s the same with Stephen and the operas he was due to conduct. All gone. It would be easy to become despondent.”
She added: “You have to have some structure to your day. I’m a great list maker. I find it very therapeutic to tick off all the tasks ahead of you so you can get to the end of the day and feel progress has been made.
In these days of incarceration, you have to remember we all have things to do. It might be mundane, like sorting out the spice rack or dusting down the books, but keep busy. Keep cheerful and live each day as if it’s your last. If you’re lucky you’ll get another one tomorrow.”
Lumley, who starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street, also revealed she had been spending more time in the kitchen. “Cooking relaxes me too, although my go-to supper is really very simple. I just boil some basmati rice, add some soy sauce, a sprinkle of salted peanuts and maybe some broad beans - I can’t think of anything nicer.”
The actress also said she had been spending more time reading and listening to classical music.
“Suddenly I have a lot of time to read and, like most of the country, I’m reading The Mirror and the Light. It’s just awe-inspiring and sits very heavy on my chest in bed. I also admire classical music and love Chopin. I also cheer myself up by listening to Elvis. He’s never let me down and never will.”
The June Issue of Saga Magazine is out on Monday.
