'The Big Bang Theory' actor Jim Parsons says he, husband Todd Spiewak had COVID-19

LOS ANGELES: "The Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons has revealed that he and his husband, producer Todd Spiewak, had contracted the coronavirus in the middle of March.

During an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon", the actor said their experience "defied the descriptions" of the COVID-19 virus.

"Todd and I both had it early on. It was like. middle of March. We didn't know what it was. We thought we had colds.

"And then it seemed less likely, and then finally we lost our sense of smell and taste. It defied the descriptions for me. I didn't realise how completely taste and smell could be gone," Parsons told Fallon.

The Hollywood actor said losing two senses under lockdown when there is "nothing to do but eat" resulted in "a lot of wasted calories".

Parsons, 47, said he took up painting and writing to distract his mind in quarantine but was unable to commit to anything.

"I don't know if the truth is, 'Well, you're just an actor and that's what you do and that's what you should do,' or if it's just I really don't have the see-through stick-to-itness for anything.

It's sort of embarrassing but, you know, here I am," he said.

The actor will next be seen in the upcoming Netflix film "The Boys in the Band", which starts streaming from Wednesday.