Nish Kumar Host, The Mash Report 1. Sullivan’s Travels (film) I have been using this as an opportunity to catch up on the enormous stack of Blu-rays that I’ve accumulated. This is a masterful film by Preston Sturges, a charming comedy that asks probing questions about the purposes of art and comedy in times of crisis. I also have rewatched Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding and the Coen brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis, two of my favourites – a status that has been consolidated by these latest viewings. 2. Feel Good (TV) I really enjoyed this from Mae Martin: a sitcom about codependency and addiction that’s much funnier than I’ve made it sound. 3. Big Thief (music) I’ve been listening to Big Thief, an American band who make emotionally charged, country-tinged indie music. They’ve released four albums in the past five years and they’re all worth your time. 4 & 5. Maria Bamford: Weakness Is the Brand; Roy Wood Jr: No One Loves You (comedy albums) This is also a great time to get into standup comedy albums (Is there ever a bad time? No) and Maria Bamford and Roy Wood Jr, two of the best in the world, have released albums in the last year. The Mash Report, Friday 1 May, 10pm, BBC Two Desiree Akhavan Comic, director and actor 1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (film) Under quarantine, I have discovered I no longer have any patience for male-driven narratives. I currently have the taste of a lesbian separatist. Why not? I’m living like one, so it makes sense. Speaking of which, maybe now is the time to make masturbating an event (see: The Eroscillator). Also watching: Towheads, Always Sometimes Rarely Never, Persepolis, Invisible Life (films). The Comeback, Call my Agent, Pulling, Work in Progress (TV). 2. Alison Roman’s recipes Uncomplicated, delicious meals that don’t require re-reading instructions, fancy equipment or peeling the skin off ginger, but do require full-fat coconut milk. They make me want to make a Nora Ephron-style Under the Tuscan Sun/ Baby Boom hybrid film: a woman walks away from the life she fought so hard to build, but is actually making her miserable, in favour of becoming a chef. 3. Jennifer Ehle reading Pride and Prejudice She is reading a chapter a day on her Instagram page – sometimes she’s in her car, sometimes it’s candlelit and dark, always she’s wearing impossibly cool octagonal glasses. Your proximity to the mole right above her lip keeps the videos warmly intimate. 4. Ryan Heffington’s Instagram Live dance classes Around lunching NY time, cocktail hour UK time, this spunky choreographer does a dance class that’s surprisingly life-affirming, joyous and sweaty, even though there’s a bit too much grapevining for my taste and I look exactly like Olive Oyl while doing it. 5. Reading A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories by Lucia Berlin; The Chronology of Water: A Memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch; Exciting Times: A Novel by Naoise Dolan Shura Electropop singer-songwriter 1. Ozark (TV) One of the best TV shows I have seen in a long time. I watched season three in two days and if you haven’t started it I’m incredibly envious. I’d love nothing more than to Men in Black-style erase my memory and watch it all again in one go. 2. Westworld (TV) I have been watching the new series every Sunday and I have no idea what’s going on, but it’s so good. What’s not to like about Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton and Tessa Thompson kicking ass every week? 3. Any Miyazaki film I have had such a craving for animations in isolation. I particularly love the food in Miyazaki’s films. You can’t not be hungry watching – so it’s good to prep snacks in advance. I watched My Neighbour Totoro for the first time and it was amazing, though I was definitely a bit disturbed by the cat bus. No cat should have that many legs. 4. NYT The Daily (podcast) I normally listen to true-crime podcasts but lately I’ve not been in the mood so other podcasts have been saving me. I like to save The Daily up and then listen when I’m cooking something that takes three hours, like my bolognese. I find it comforting, and a nice way to stay in touch with what’s going on outside without having to be glued to the news every minute of the day. 5. This American Life (podcast) My girlfriend introduced this podcast series to me and it’s one of our favourite morning rituals. There was a recent episode called The Test, which was extraordinary. 6. Animal crossing (video game) A game where you basically do nothing, and you’re massively in debt to a raccoon. It’s honestly so relaxing to just wander around picking weeds and catching tarantulas to sell to a lizard called Flick to help pay back your raccoon loan. You can also gamble on the turnip market, which is a risky little game but fun when it works out. 7. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (book) I am finally getting round to reading this, because it’s so long and I guess I have the time now. And, finally, for the days when all of the above fails and I need to cheer myself up, I have also bought an inflatable T rex costume. Tinie Rapper, now minus the Tempah I have been using this unprecedented period at home to spend time with the family, to reset and to recalibrate. I’ve been reading loads in the day (I recently read Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark C Winters) and DJing and writing music in the evening. When it’s time to take my mind off of music I’ve been watching Ozark, which, funnily enough, has a really good soundtrack as well. It’s also been very important for me to stay spiritually in tune, so I’m praying, meditating all the time and I’ve been doing loads of workout sessions on Instagram Live, too. Lauren Mayberry Chvrches vocalist I have been trying to find a balance between jogging bottoms on the couch and more practical things. When we’re writing, I find it helpful to shove other people’s creativity in my face – film, TV, art, books – so I’m hoping to use this as an extended research break … 1. Face It by Debbie Harry (book) I am a huge Blondie fan and this is a great look into the life of an amazing woman. She is an honest and brave performer and that comes across in her writing, too. 2. Billy Connolly: Made in Scotland (TV) I am really missing home, but this made me feel much more connected when I put it on. Billy is so thoughtful and obviously funny, and it is lovely to see a bit of Scotland through his eyes. 3. Never Rarely Sometimes Always (film) This was beautiful and broke my heart. 4. Glow from Within by Joanna Vargas (book) I have started getting wild hormonal acne and kept looking for advice on how to conquer it. This breaks down common skin issues, focusing on health, diet and affordable remedies. I’m wearing an acne-treatment mask as I answer this! 5. Duolingo (app) I started learning Spanish on tour a few years ago but have been terrible at following through with it. A friend recommended this app and it makes me want to check in every day to learn a few words and phrases. Phil Wang Standup comedian I don’t know about you, but I am very busy these days. I’m baffled by the supposed ‘boredom’ of the online masses, with their family musicals and Rube Goldberg machines. How have they got the time? I get to the end of each evening with movies I was supposed to watch, video games I had meant to play, books I’d planned on pretending to read. Below is my current to-do list … Please stop baking and have a look. 1. Inside Aaron (YouTube series) Australian comedian Aaron Chen has accomplished the gold standard of lockdown comedy with this hilarious and surreal sketch show/sitcom/mockumentary about his 14-day lockdown. 2. Difficult Women by Helen Lewis (book) A history of feminism as 11 separate fights for equality: the vote, divorce, education, etc. I’m learning a lot. And the subtext – that the heroes of progress needn’t be morally perfect for their work to matter – is a lesson modern progressives would be remiss to ignore. 3. Death Stranding (PS4 game) A flat-out insane game from Hideo Kojima, with a star-studded cast that somehow includes Guillermo del Toro. The player carts cargo around in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where delivery people have been lifted to the status of life-saving demigods. Sound familiar? 4. Gossipmongers (podcast) This gruesome/puerile/tear-inducingly funny podcast is back and, boy, am I happy about it. David Earl, Joe Wilkinson and Poppy Hillstead return with sacks of listener-submitted rumours. Are they true? Who cares. A ton of fun to listen to. BudPod, Phil Wang’s podcast with Pierre Novellie, is available now George the Poet Poet, rapper and podcast host 1. TLDR (YouTube) My favourite online news channel. It specialises in UK (and recently, US) politics, having amassed 45m views in three years of primarily Brexit-related coverage. Their infographic videos are helpful in distilling the facts of today’s increasingly unbelievable headlines. Also listening to: Start-Up (podcast) 2. Ozark (TV) For the third time, I have binge-watched an entire season of Ozark, getting through about 3kg of popcorn. It follows one American family’s transition from a normal suburban life into a fight for survival against a Mexican drug cartel and the FBI. For me, the standout performance comes from Jason Bateman’s character’s on-screen wife, played by Laura Linney. 3. The Value of Everything (book) A timely book by economist Mariana Mazzucato. It explains how economic storytelling often downplays the contribution of everyday working people. As our world slows to an economic standstill, this provides a fascinating reflection on where value actually comes from. Iain Stirling Comic and voice of Love Island This old lockdown business is tricky isn’t it. Some days you’re sat at home in your joggies, eating cold pizza, just working from home like you’re Bill bloody Gates. Then suddenly the thought of returning to your living room for the seventh time that morning fills you with an existential angst in no way helped by your Apple Watch constantly reminding you that your steps are drastically down this week. Imagine if it knew about the pizza! So this is how I’ve been coping with lockdown blues. 1. twitch.tv/limmy (web) The Scottish comedian Limmy streams most mornings. Watch a man drive a virtual truck and have a chit-chat. You’ll be pleasantly surprised! 2. The Blindboy (podcast) Varies from funny stories to discussions about quantum mechanics. 3. Fifa 20 (game) Obviously. 4. The Morning Show (TV) A masterpiece that has gone slightly under the radar. 5. Retro WWE (sport) WWE [used to release] their old PPVs for free on their website. Go watch the Rock win the Royal Rumble and pretend you’re 12 again. Twelve again and drunk: perfect. Follow Iain on Twitter @iaindoesjokes and Twitch twitch.tv/iainstirling Clara Amfo Radio host and podcaster 1. Sister Act 2 (film) An instant pick-me-up: it makes me regress to being a kid and being obsessed with Lauryn Hill and Whoopi Goldberg. 2. Who? Weekly (podcast) Silly but so very smart at discussing the nature of celebrity, with the focus being on the Whos (random actor from a sitcom) to the Thems (bona fide A-listers). 3. Sex and the City (board game) Ten years ago, my mate Annie got me this board game. When lockdown started I had the idea to play it on livestream on Saturday nights. My highlight was Romesh Ranganathan guesting as a quizmaster. 4. Wendy Williams (YouTube) My problematic fave; she is the talkshow host who gave Dua Lipa her infamous “Dula Peep” nickname. Sometimes she isn’t factually correct, but the magic is in the delivery. 5. Marawa (exercise) I’m falling in love with hula hooping. Marawa does brilliant workouts – she allows us all to feed our inner showgirl. This City With Clara Amfo is available on all podcast providers now Natasia Demetriou Comic, actor and screenwriter 1. YouTube clothes-folding videos All my knickers are about 15 years old, rock solid and incredibly spiteful, but if you fold them like little parcels and put them in colour order they turn into newborn, threadbare babies. 2. 90s thrillers When I want to slip into an entertained coma there is nothing better than 90s thrillers: Pacific Heights, The River Wild, Double Jeopardy – basically any film where Ashley Judd is scared for her life but then does a montage of martial arts to become stronger than the killer. 3. Orgasms for Two by Betty Dodson (book) A very good book I just read. What’s better than both participants having an orgasm while taking sex? 4. Alistair Green and Daisy May Cooper (Instagram) They give me a reason to wake up. Now is the time to mute, unfollow or block any thick piss on social media that makes you feel anxious or not good enough. Treat your eyeballs to people who are truly joyful, escapist or interesting for you. We all have enough ego; you don’t need to be staring into the eye of someone else’s narcissism at a time like this. 5. Masturbation Masturbate so much and so fast that you knock yourself unconscious for the next six months. Stath Lets Flats (All4) and What We Do in the Shadows (iPlayer) are available now