Mollie's Feel-Good Feed: Let's have fun in Lockdown 2.0

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published 13 November 2020

Ways to be cheery

Welcome back to Mollie’s Feel-Good Feed, a place where each week Mollie King shares her round-up of the things bringing her joy in these strange and uncertain times. Check back each week for uplifting music, self care tips and, hopefully, a smile being put on your face.

With lockdown upon us, I wanted to say how lovely it is to be able to write this column and how much it means to hear from you guys on Instagram. Sharing recommendations with you is a real honour and pleasure. I immediately jot ideas down when I think of them throughout the week, so thank you for trusting me on this. But let's crack on, before I drag this out and start thanking my parents (à la Oscar speech).

I’m determined to keep us all happy and uplifted over the next few weeks, whether you’re in lockdown or just looking for new things to get stuck into. I’ve got a real variety of activities here that I think offer some great escapism.

During the first lockdown, so many people turned their hand to new things and picked up new skills. This inspired me to do the same this time. With Christmas fast approaching and being someone who is obsessed with all things festive, I've decided to take on the challenge of wreath-making. It feels like a skill worth acquiring. I can’t say I’m the most artistic person, but there’s no greater feeling of satisfaction than creating something from start to finish. There are so many how-to videos on YouTube, it’s just a matter of finding the one with the personality you like the most and how much detail you want.

Lockdown 2.0 most certainly gave us superheroes in the form of Captain Sir Thomas Moore, Marcus Rashford and the incredible key workers who we will forever be grateful to. There's also the wonderful Joe Wicks who did PE lessons with the nation every weekday.Well guess what? Wicks is back, this time he'll be getting our bodies moving for 15 minutes, three times a week. Having spent so much time with him last time, Joe now feels like that friend who is determined to lift your spirits, keep motivation high. Plus, I think we can all agree, he's ultimate hair goals.

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Now, I know a Zoom call is quite possibly the last thing anyone wants to be doing after a day of virtual meetings and staring at a laptop non-stop, but how would you feel if I told you of a game to suit all the family and one that would instantly bring everyone together wherever they are in the world? Jackbox Party Pack has a selection of games, my favourite being Drawful which is the perfect mix of Pictionary and Psych. I promise you it is worth it. If you’re competitive or just fancy a good laugh, this is just the thing to lift spirits.

Does the word Oculus mean anything to you? If not, stop everything you’re doing and keep reading. Oculus, or should I say Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift, are virtual reality headsets which instantly transport you to a virtual world. With Oculus that world is one of endless games. Whether you're into dancing, combat or exercises classes, there are so many different ones to choose from. Without a doubt Beat Saber is my go-to, it combines a galaxy (far, far away - pun totally intended), a light saber and music from Panic at the Disco! and The Greatest Showman. I'll just leave that mash up there.

As someone who is dyslexic, I’ve found that audiobooks have become a great friend of mine. I love putting on my headphones after a long day of emails and sitting back and just listening to a good story. I've also been known to have one blasting out of the speakers whilst I’m pottering around the house. My favourite this year has been Michelle Obama’s Becoming. What makes the whole thing more special is the fact that it's Michelle herself is reading it. It’s an incredibly detailed description of her life both in the White House and everything before that. With the 2020 US election being on everyone’s lips right now, when better to start it?

My next recommendation is going to sound biased (which if I'm honest it most certainly is), but the thing that has kept my spirits up during these uncertain times has been the radio. As a Radio 1 presenter, I of course start my day with Greg James's "Unpopular Opinions" and wind down after work with Nick Grimshaw and his amusing tales. They make for great company.

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And it would be remiss of me not to mention the Matt and Mollie show on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays .

I hear they're a hoot...

Mollie King rose to fame as one-fifth of the multi-platinum selling girl band, The Saturdays. The last few years have seen her become a Radio 1 DJ, present across flagship TV shows and a campaign in Parliament.

During her time in The Saturdays, the group sold over five million records worldwide, achieving 13 Top 10 singles and five Top 10 albums. The band also embarked on four nationwide tours and had three primetime TV series, including Chasing the Saturdays for E! which aired in over 40 countries.

In 2018, Mollie turned her hand to presenting and after guest presenting for several weeks on Matt Edmondson’s Radio 1 show, she was offered a permanent role at the station. The duo began hosting the Matt & Mollie Weekend Breakfast show and 2021 moved their new afternoon slot. Mollie also presents her own Friday morning show Best New Pop, sharing music from her most loved genre. After only six months into her role at Radio 1, Mollie won the silver award for ‘Best New Presenter’ at the 2018 ARIA Radio Academy Awards.

In addition to Radio, Mollie has also guest presented This Morning several times, including a month-long stint in the summer of 2018. She’s covered the entertainment slot on Lorraine, and guest presented on Blue Peter. In 2019, Mollie hosted The Greatest Dancer podcast for the BBC. She also presented the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards, alongside Greg James and Maya Jama, which aired on BBC2. Mollie also took part in the 15th series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, making it all the way to the semi-finals.

Away from her TV and Radio work Mollie writes a weekly column for Marie Claire magazine, ‘Mollie’s Feel Good Feed’ and has worked with numerous brands including Estée Lauder, L’Oreal, Amazon, GHD and Aspinal of London.

Mollie is a proud ambassador for the Dyslexia Association, a learning disorder she was diagnosed with as a child. Mollie is very passionate about campaigning for early diagnostic tests in schools, as well as funding to support children through education with Dyslexia and spoke about this in Parliament in 2019.

Mollie is also a Born Free anti-captivity ambassador, has worked closely with the charity Mothers2Mothers and traveled to Ghana in 2014 with REDD charity to help raise awareness and funds for HIV.

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