The Voice host Darren McMullen on how he’s kept sane during Australia’s lockdown

The Voice host Darren McMullen has been busy during lockdown – he’s become a bit of a bookworm, caught up on his favourite shows and discovered a passion he’s gone 38 years without.

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The Voice Australia host Darren McMullen has been loving his time alone as life slowed down in isolation.

He has become quite the accomplished cook, spending hours in the kitchen.

He is hoping as we venture back into normal life he will be whipping up fabulous food.

LIFE IN LOCKDOWN FOR DARREN MCMULLEN

COOKING

I’ve actually become an obsessed cook. I managed to make it to 38 years barely cooking baked beans and now cooking three times a day isn’t enough.

I’ve started baking as well. And on top of that making my dog two meals a day.

Darren McMullen says he has gone down the rabbit hole of watching videos of Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver (pictured) as he loves cooking at home.

I’m absolutely knackered today, I went down a rabbit hole of Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver videos last night until 2am.

While I don’t want to be a chef, if I can combine my two loves of hosting shows and cooking – that would be phenomenal.

READING

I tend to only read nonfiction, unless it’s a script.

I went to the book store yesterday and I bought the Snowden autobiography, Permanent Record, Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator Of Nike by Phil Knight and Red Notice: How I became Putin’s No. 1 Enemy by Bill Browder.

Red Notice: How I became Putin’s No. 1 Enemy by Bill Browder has been one of the books Darren McMullen has been reading.

I only give a book 30 to 40 pages and if it’s crap, I’ve learn not to push through.

Time’s too important now so I’ll ditch it and move on to something else.

WATCHING

Interestingly, I’m probably watching less TV than before COVID-19 happened, maybe because I’ve been in the kitchen from morning to night.

I have been watching The Voice, I’ve found it to be cathartic in this times.

I do really love sports docu-series. I loved The Last Dance about Michael Jordan and a beautiful two-season documentary Sunderland ‘til I Die – a story of Sunderland being relegated from the Premier League in the UK.

It’s about the characters that rely on that team for joy and happiness and a break from the monotony of their day-to-day life. And Westworld – it’s actually the reason I got Foxtel, I love HBO shows, it was one of my favourite channels in the US.

The Voice Australia, Sunday, 7pm, Monday 7.30pm, Nine

Evan Rachel Wood in a scene from season three of Westworld – a series McMullen has been watching.

Originally published as The Voice host Darren McMullen on how he’s kept sane during Australia’s lockdown