My Splendid Isolation: Elaine Paige – 'I've been having parties on Zoom'

What I’m watching

I’m darting all over the place, but I’ve watched the whole of Last Tango in Halifax, written by Sally Wainwright. I think there’s something like 24 episodes, and I loved every minute of it all over again – it’s brilliant comedy-drama. Also, years ago there was a wonderful American actress called Valerie Harper who starred in a classic sitcom called Rhoda, and I loved it, so I’ve managed to find some of those again online. I’m also watching Succession. They’re horrible characters, horrible people. There’s nothing to like about any of them, but you just laugh at them, they’re so abysmal.

What I’m listening to

I fall down a bit short on this. I’m listening to Radio 2 in the morning when I get up, because my fellow presenters are doing such as sterling job at the moment with their up-beat commentary, and up-beat music that I can jump around to before my shower. Musically speaking, I’m not listening to too much. Sting is a great favourite of mine. There was a ballet recently – Message in a Bottle – at the Peacock Theatre based on his music, and with this wonderful athletic, balletic movement and his music combined, I was just in heaven. It was sadly one of the last things I saw before this terrible time that we’re now going through.

What am I reading?

I’m reading Barry Humphries’s brilliantly funny autobiography My Life as Me, as well as Hugo Vickers’s The Sphinx, his life of Gladys Deacon, Duchess of Marlborough. And a strange thing happened to me the other day. I was dusting the tops of my books – because you have to keep the place clean! – and this book fell towards me, by an Indian poet called Tagore. So, I put down the duster and found myself reading these wonderful poems for an hour. One went: “Now it is time to sit quite, face to face with thee, and to sing/ dedication of life in this silent and overflowing leisure.” I thought, My God, that’s so apt.

The hobby I’ve taken up

I’ve discovered Zoom, and have even managed to do exercise classes on it and have some cocktail parties with some friends on it. So, I’m taking some satisfaction from the fact that I’m beginning to master this young-person’s world of IT! And I’ve also got all my painting equipment out too. I’m not very good, but I do find it terribly relaxing.

The thing that made me laugh recently

Online, I was watching Pam Ann, who’s played by Australian character comedian Caroline Reid. She plays different airline hostesses, and her BA air hostesses are “horses” and very posh – it’s a bit naughty, and wickedly funny. Not much makes me laugh out loud, but she does. Also, somebody recently sent me a link to a film of Djokovic playing ‘tennis’ with a pal of his, in his sitting-room, with a frying-pan.

The thing I can’t wait do once all this is over

I’m looking forward to our freedom. We are staying at home, and we must stay at home, but to know what freedom is again will be a good thing.

‘Elaine Paige on Sunday’ is on BBC Radio 2 from 1-3pm