‘I’ve spent lockdown sitting in a cupboard’ Gaby Roslin looks at the lighter side of recent months
TV and radio presenter Gaby Roslin looks at the lighter side of the past months
Spring! Now we’re here in the March issue, it’s just around the corner. I already have that feeling of having made it through the shorter days and chilly weather, and that certainly lifts the spirits. And of course, now more than ever, we can use the expression ‘made it through’. I know so many people have had a truly tough, heartbreaking and difficult time, so to all of you reading this I send my love.
While many, including teachers (thank you) and medical staff (thank you) and front-line workers (thank you), haven’t been able to work from home, for those of us who have, it can be a lonely time. My exercising has helped and, as a person who likes to be around people, I try to speak to someone from outside every single day. I’ve also enjoyed recording my podcast. I will now let you into the secret of how we put it together. I sit in my husband’s cupboard. Yes, I truly do. I open the two doors and sit between them with an old bed cover hanging over one open door and my faux-fur coat hanging over the other (they make the recording have less of an echo). I balance the laptop and mic on the box I keep my LED facial mask in (it’s just the right height) and close the curtains to block the noise from the street. My fabulous producers, Hayley and Kate, link me up with my guests via the magic of online, and we’re off! My husband laughs if he happens to come in and I say, ‘Shhh! Michael Palin is in the bedroom,’ or ‘Robbie (Williams) is in the bedroom later.’
Now I’ve told you all how it’s done, you may feel differently about the chats I have with my guests, but I wanted to share the funny side of working from home for me.
When it comes to live TV and my Instagram #shoppinginyourwardrobe, I stand in front of my wardrobes to film. I’ve even made a pilot for a new TV show via Zoom from there, too. Recently, I was interviewing Ralf Little about the BBC One show Death In Paradise just after my 14-year-old had borrowed my laptop for her Zoom school lessons. I found myself on a backdrop of the Northern Lights that she’d been using. It certainly made Ralf smile. I’ve decided to keep it as a lovely reminder of where I’d like to visit when we’re travelling again.
I’m super proud of how my girls have managed during lockdown. As I write this, I am sitting in my younger daughter’s bedroom while she’s downstairs home-schooling. She’s 14 and misses school and her friends but it’s been amazing how well she’s coped. My older daughter was in lockdown at uni, and I am a very proud mum, as she’s coped remarkably well, too. One thing I did get to enjoy in lockdown was listening to the birds singing. I love birdsong, and the brilliant naturalist Steve Backshall mentioned an app that identifies all the birds you can hear. Now I’m able to tell you if it’s a goldfinch or song thrush in the trees. I forwarded the app to friends, who all said they couldn’t believe how lovely it is to know the different songs! There we go, that is something I really didn’t think I’d be talking about this time last year.
I would love to hear your stories from your time spent at home. You can always get in touch with me via my email address at Prima. Till next month, please take good care, keep safe and remember to try to keep smiling, because it truly does help.
‘I try to speak to someone from outside every day’