News | Entertainment
14 Feb 2026 7:18
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Hugh Grant has taken up cooking in lockdown

    The 'Love Actually' star has enjoyed getting into the kitchen now he is home more because of the coronavirus pandemic, but has recalled how it once went "badly wrong" when he tried to cook a chicken


    He said: "I like being in the kitchen now. I like to put on an apron, I like the glass of wine. I don't mind tossing, frying the onions a bit, that's fine. I did have a go at a chicken and it came out very badly wrong."

    And the 60-year-old actor didn't even realise he had lost his sense of taste because of coronavirus, because he had just thought his food had no taste.

    He added: "It was a mild flu and then this weird thing where you lose your taste, but it was lockdown and I was doing the cooking for the first time in 30 years - and none of my food tastes of anything anyway, so we didn't notice that we didn't have any taste for days and days."

    However, there's one thing that frustrates him about plating up.

    Speaking on Live! With Kelly and Ryan, he shared: "I don't like touching food. It's disgusting."

    Meanwhile, Hugh previously revealed he had coronavirus in February.

    He said: "It started as just a very strange syndrome where I kept breaking into a terrible sweat. It was like a poncho of sweat, embarrassing really. Then my eyeballs felt about three sizes too big and this ... a feeling as though an enormous man was sitting on my chest, Harvey Weinstein or someone. By then people were just starting to talk about this as a symptom. And I started sniffing flowers, nothing. And you get more and more desperate. I started sniffing in garbage cans. You know, you want to sniff strangers' armpits because you just can't smell anything. I eventually went home and I sprayed my wife's Chanel No. 5 directly into my face. Couldn't smell a thing, but I did go blind."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     14 Feb: Nick Jonas has been cast in the action-thriller Bodyman
     14 Feb: Police have detained someone for questioning in connection with Nancy Guthrie's disappearance
     13 Feb: Angelina Jolie loves her double mastectomy "scars" because they show she has "lived a full life"
     13 Feb: Ariana Grande wants "a tiny mouse" to play her in a potential biopic
     13 Feb: Stranger Things: The First Shadow is being filmed on Broadway for Netflix
     13 Feb: Britney Spears has sold her music catalogue
     13 Feb: Bad Bunny paid tribute to his late uncle during his Super Bowl half time show
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Crusaders captain David Havili admits his side were second best on the field as their Super Rugby Pacific title defence got off to a rocky start More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    No changes to the Golden Visa scheme's capital rules - as the Minister says it's had a roaring start More...



     Today's News

    Environment:
    A state of emergency has been declared for the Otorohanga District in the Waikato - which has been inundated with widespread flooding and slips overnight 7:16

    Skiing:
    Winter Olympics 2026: Josie Baff claims Australia's second gold with stunning snowboard cross triumph 7:06

    Motoring:
    Liam Lawson has finished 12th fastest on the final day of the first of two tests in Bahrain ahead of the Formula One season 7:06

    Entertainment:
    Nick Jonas has been cast in the action-thriller Bodyman 6:51

    Cricket:
    The first upset of cricket's T20 World Cup is in the books.. 6:26

    Entertainment:
    Police have detained someone for questioning in connection with Nancy Guthrie's disappearance 6:21

    Motoring:
    Police are advising motorists in the Waikato area, including Te Awamutu, Otorohanga, and Waipa Districts, to stay off the roads this evening due to heavy rainfall and flooding 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Angelina Jolie loves her double mastectomy "scars" because they show she has "lived a full life" 21:51

    Entertainment:
    Ariana Grande wants "a tiny mouse" to play her in a potential biopic 21:21

    Rugby:
    Crusaders captain David Havili admits his side were second best on the field as their Super Rugby Pacific title defence got off to a rocky start 21:17


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd