How does Sunday start? With 90 minutes on my new multi-gym. When you’ve put on as much lockdown weight as I have it’s a necessary evil. My playlist starts off slow for my stretches and speeds up for weights and cardio: Mary J Blige, Christina Milian… I’ll sing them all to you now.
What does Sunday feel like? Growing up, my family were the heads of a Pentecostal church in Luton. I no longer go to a place of worship, but for me it’s still a day for reverence. During an eight-performance week, Sundays are sacred for resting. But at the moment I’d do anything to spend the day up on stage.
Sunday lunch? Brown stew chicken, rice and peas, mac and cheese, and coleslaw. I make it all myself. The secret to the meat is marination: leave the bird in the sauce and spices for at least 24 hours before cooking, then in a pot in the oven until it breaks down off the bones.
Are you venturing out? During lockdown I barely left the house, but for the last few Sundays I’ve been heading to Archer Street in Clapham. I’ve been going to a bar my friend runs. I wouldn’t normally go out drinking on a Sunday, and at first I was a little nervous, but it’s been fabulous to feel normal again with some rum.
A Sunday buy? DIY material and presents for my cats, Tiny and Tempa. During lockdown I’ve been going wild with home improvements: putting up trellises, growing vegetables, painting the house. I haven’t got the money, but I’m doing it anyway. I also took things too far and bought a little house for the cats.
Is Sunday a working day? Aside from my one day a week on Loose Women I’ve had very little to do; theatre will be the last industry to go back. I’m taking any opportunity to keep my vocal cords active, recording bits for social media and singing my workout playlist down the phone.
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV
• The headline of this article was amended on 2 August 2020 to correct a chords/cords homophone.
