If you feel like you’ve watched everything on Netflix and seen every meme on the Internet, it might be time to pick up a new hobby.

We’re not saying you have to learn a new language or write a novel – we (now) know it’s better to cut ourselves some slack in times like these. But hobbies can be a fun and therapeutic way to pass the time, particularly when the weather is grim outside and Covid-related restrictions loom large. If you’re looking for a new pastime, why not take inspiration from celebrities?

1. Marmalade making

If you have some spare oranges to hand, take a leaf out of Elizabeth Hurley’s book and start making your own marmalade. Hurley recently wrote on Twitter: “Lockdown has turned me into a demented housewife: 47 jars of marmalade are nestling in my larder and another sack of Seville oranges await me” – to which Hugh Grant replied ‘Paddington 3,’ as a nod to the marmalade-loving bear.

2. Pottery

Seth Rogen is an avid potter, and posts pictures of his vases and ashtrays on Instagram. Working with your hands can be soothing, and it’s easy to do at home, even if you don’t have access to a full workshop.

All you need to do is buy some clay; you can start small by creating pinch pots. Unfortunately, you can’t fire pots at home if you don’t have access to a kiln, but sometimes the process of creating with clay is enough.

3. Beekeeping

Last year, Beyoncé told British Vogue she has two beehives. “I have around 80,000 bees and we make hundreds of jars of honey a year,” she said. “I started the beehives because my daughters, Blue and Rumi, both have terrible allergies, and honey has countless healing properties.”

Of course, not everyone has the funds or space to keep bees, but if you do, you’ll be reaping the rewards of fresh honey for years to come.

4. Knitting

For a more affordable hobby, look to Julia Roberts. The Pretty Woman actor is an avid knitter, and often takes her needles with her on-set. John Wells, the director of August: Osage County (which stars Roberts) told People: “Julia would be sitting with other people on these fold-out chairs in the front yard, knitting sweaters,” whenever she wasn’t shooting.

Roberts isn’t the only famous knitter – Demi Lovato, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Cara Delevingne have also been seen with needles in hand.

5. Ping pong

If you’re looking for a more active hobby, you could take up one of Susan Sarandon’s favourite pastimes: ping pong. Sarandon is an investor in SPiN, a franchise of ping pong clubs in America, and she’s a big fan of the game herself.

Back in 2010, Sarandon said: “I think ping pong is the most fun way to stay in shape. You really work up a sweat and it’s fun. It’s good for your mind as well as your body.”

If you don’t have a full table at home, you can set up on your kitchen table with paddles, a ball and a makeshift net.

6. Pasta making

Cooking in lockdown can feel monotonous – the constant parade of meal planning and dirty dishes makes it feel more like you’re cooking to survive, rather than taking any real enjoyment out of it.

So, why not copy Florence Pugh and inject a bit of excitement into your dinnertime by learning to make pasta? The kneading and rolling out of the dough can be therapeutic, and it feels much more like a treat than heating up leftovers.