Oprah Winfrey says she has banished her long-time partner to the guest house as she practises social distancing at home.

The 66-year-old entertainment star says Stedman Graham, 69, has been quarantined after he became a higher risk from taking a number of flights.

She said: “I have now-grown girls from South Africa here (but) Stedman’s on lockdown at the guest house. He’s still there, asking ‘when can I come? When can I come to the main house?’ He’s still got, hmm, till Monday.”

Earlier this week Winfrey posted a video of her talking to Graham as he poked his head outside of the guest house window. She said he must stay in the guest house because he had been flying recently and they are trying to be safe.

She said: “I’m getting ready to take him some food down there now for lunch. But I’m playing it as safe as I possibly can. Nobody goes out and nobody comes in.”

Winfrey has been busy working despite being stuck at home. She interviewed actor Idris Elba, who tested positive for coronavirus, through FaceTime for an episode of Oprah Talks: Covid-19 on Apple TV.

When asked about how she is continuing to do work from her home, she said: “What did we do before Zoom is what I’d like to know? How could we do it without Zoom? I don’t even know.”

She also said she is enjoying the downtime: “Don’t be hating because I’m having a really good time. I’m really OK in retreat from everyone. I’m really OK with it.”