Tom Daley has been learning to knit during the coronavirus lockdown.
The 25-year-old Olympic diver is unable to get to his training pool amid the pandemic – which has also seen the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo cancelled – and so has turned his attention to a new hobby whilst self-isolating at his home in south London with his husband Dustin Lance Black, their 23-month-old son Robbie, and his mother Debbie.
Tom began learning to knit as a "mindfulness thing" when the UK first went into lockdown at the end of March, and has helped him to "completely switch off".
Having previously talked about suffering with his mental health, the sports star "loves" having the chance to channel his energy into creating jumpers, scarves and hats with the help of YouTube tutorials.
He said: "My next project is a vest with massive armholes and a hood, to wear in the evenings when the sun goes down!
"Some people are struggling and it’s OK to struggle a little bit. I’ve been trying to be productive but I know that’s not for everyone – it’s just about getting through this."
And life at home has been harmonious for Tom, Dustin, Robbie, and Debbie, as the family never fight, and share the household chores evenly.
Tom explained: "The only time it ever gets heated is when someone’s cooking and there’s too many chefs in the kitchen. Lance likes to cook at least once a day, usually lunch, then I always cook dinner, and we all split the washing up duties – though to be honest my mum has been a massive help."
Lockdown has also tempted Tom and Dustin to have more children after welcoming Robbie via surrogate in 2018, but Tom insists there won’t be a second baby on the way until after he’s competed in the Olympics.
Speaking to The Times newspaper, he said: "Well, we’ve always said we wanted to have a big family, and right now Robbie is more than enough, but maybe after the Olympics, who knows? Definitely not before."