Published: 10 August 2013

Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington:

"People think that I’m intimidating and unapproachable. You have to be focused to swim well but I’m friendly and open out of the pool"

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington…

The prized possession you value above all others...My health. As an athlete you’re used to looking after yourself. I retired in February, but I’m only 24 and I’m determined to stay fit.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I honestly don’t have any. Everything happens for a reason.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I love Italy so I’d wake up somewhere really romantic like the Villa Cimbrone in Ravello with my fiancé, the swimmer Harry Needs. We’d have breakfast looking over the Amalfi coast, then head to a beach in Puglia. At lunchtime, we’d meet up with our families for pasta and salad in Rome. In the afternoon, I’d relax at my parents’ holiday home in southern Spain, then zoom over to Beijing for a dip in the Olympic pool in the Water Cube where I won my golds – just to have that amazing experience once again. In the evening, I’d throw a big barbecue for all my mates at my house in Manchester, then I’d end the day with Harry at a spa hotel in the Maldives, having a massage. I don’t drink much alcohol, so afterwards I’d have a fruit cocktail on the beach while looking at the beautiful night sky.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Vanilla cupcakes. I can’t go past a cake shop without wanting one.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...I like soppy, girly beach reads, like Jill Mansell’s A Walk In The Park. Her books are full of romance and have strong female characters, which I like.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d go for a swim way out in the sea, which I’ve never done before because I’m terrified of what’s underneath me. If I’m invisible nothing will see me – not even a great white shark!

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...People who make me late. Good timekeeping is ingrained in me.

The film you can watch time and time again...Dirty Dancing is the best film ever! My sisters [Chloe, 29, and Laura, 26] got me into it. I know it off by heart. It’s a perfect cast and story and I was in love with Patrick Swayze for years.

The person who has influenced you most...My mum Kay. She gave up so much of her life, even her job at an accountancy firm, so she could drive me to training and competitions. I couldn’t have succeeded without her.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Princess Diana. She was the fairytale princess – so beautiful and kind. I’d love to talk to her about her life and what she went through.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Care for your loved ones.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I love illusionists like Derren Brown and Dynamo. The child in me likes to believe that magic is real.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My mum’s engagement ring. Mum said she’d give it to me, but when my dad Steve gave her a new ring two years ago for their 30th anniversary she had the old one made into earrings. It was her decision but I was so sad – and she regrets it now.

The unending quest that drives you on...To help the Amateur Swimming Association’s campaign to train every child in this country to swim 25m.

The poem that touches your soul... Poetry hasn’t really come into my life but my coach, Bill Furniss, had a saying that’s become my poetic mantra, ‘Pain is just weakness leaving the body’.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m intimidating and unapproachable. You have to be focused to swim well but I’m friendly and open out of the pool.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Seeing my sister Laura fall seriously ill in 2005 with encephalitis – a brain virus. Doctors told my parents to prepare for her to die but she pulled through. Nearly losing her made me appreciate life.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal a wardrobe of Jimmy Choo shoes. 

The song that means most to you...Saturday Night At The Movies by The Drifters. Whenever I hear it, I smile and it makes me dance.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Swimming the 800 metres freestyle in the 2008 Olympics in a world-record time of 8 minutes 14.10 seconds to win the gold.

The saddest time that shook your world...Seeing my grandfather Ron die from lung cancer in 2007. He was in his mid-70s, but he had a very aggressive form of cancer and died quickly. Seeing my dad so upset was really hard.  

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you... I’d love to be a mum one day with three or four kids.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Live each day as if it’s your last.

The order of service at your funeral... I’m not religious, but I hope people can tell a few funny stories about me and play (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life from Dirty Dancing.

The way you want to be remembered...As a caring daughter, sister, wife and mother, who helped and inspired others and had a good laugh!

The Plug...Rebecca is encouraging people to take the Quorn Make One Change Challenge. Visit www.quorn.co.uk.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 3 August 2013

Chick lit author Kathy Lette:

Kathy Lette: "My biggest regret was turning down George Clooney. He asked me out and I said ‘No. I’m a writer. I don’t go out with actors’…I sob when I recall that moment."

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s novelist Kathy Lette’s turn… 

The prized possession you value above all others...My honorary doctorate from Southampton Solent University, which I received in 2010. No one is more surprised to have a degree than me! I left school at 16 and the only test I ever passed was my Driving Test!

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not dating George Clooney. I worked with him on a sitcom in America called The Facts Of Life in the late 80s. He asked me out and I said, ‘No. I’m a writer. I don’t go out with actors.’ I sob when I recall that moment.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up at The Island Hideaway in the Maldives with my husband Geoffrey [lawyer Geoffrey Robertson] and our son Jules, 22, and daughter Georgina, 20. I’d spend the morning scuba diving over a coral reef then have lunch with Ruby Wax, Sandi Toksvig and other girlfriends at Kaspar’s Seafood Bar and Grill restaurant at the Savoy Hotel in London. We’d have white wine, Dover sole, and plenty of gossip.

In the afternoon, I’d write a Nobel Prize-winning novel then I’d meet up with my three sisters and our families at Kioloa beach south of Sydney. We’d surf then have a lobster BBQ on the beach at dusk with red kangaroos hopping around. I’d see The Book Of Mormon on Broadway in the evening with my family, then slip into bed at a hotel overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice with a big, strapping... hardback!

The temptation you wish you could resist... Pol Roger Champagne.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance... Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. The social satire is so sharp it could shave your legs.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d hang out in the male locker rooms at Wimbledon.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Misogyny.  

The film you can watch time and time again...The Women from 1939 staring Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer and Rosalind Russell. It’s about the lives of bored rich women in Manhattan and it has the wittiest one-liners.

The person who has influenced you most...My mother Val. She was a school principal, who raised four daughters with no help. She’s 81 now but it wasn’t until I had my own kids that I appreciated how inspirational she is.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Mae West. She was an actress, playwright, sex siren and libertarian who went to jail in defence of freedom of expression. And all this in an era when women were meant to just be decorative.  

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...To Georgina, I’d say, stand on your own two stilettos. To Jules, I’d say the way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach, so learn to cook! 

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Opera. I love the combination of drama and ravishing music.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My dad Mervyn, who died last year aged 83. He was a hero to us girls. He could hotwire the car if we lost the keys and rescue us from spiders – and bad boyfriends.

The unending quest that drives you on...To keep writing novels that are empowering to women and entertaining.   

The poem that touches your soul...Spike Milligan’s A Silly Poem. When I was 16 I ran away and hitchhiked round Australia following his tour.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m a ‘man-hater’. I’m allergic to misogynists, but I absolutely adore men. 

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Being told when Jules was three that he was autistic. There are endless obstacles – like school bullying and social Siberia. But my boy has made me a better person.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal George Clooney’s heart, of course!  

The song that means most to you...Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, as sung by Eric Idle in Life Of Brian. Optimism is not an eye disease.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The day I wore a corgi-themed suit to a reception at Buckingham Palace in 2012 and made the Queen laugh out loud. 

The saddest time that shook your world...Jules’s diagnosis was shattering, but I no longer think there’s such a thing as ‘normal’, just ‘ordinary’ and ‘extraordinary’. My son is extraordinary.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To surf the rip curl of a huge roller wave in Hawaii. 

The philosophy that underpins your life...Life’s too short to be subtle.  

The order of service at your funeral...I’d like a Christian service at St Pancras Old Church and to be buried next to the memorial to my heroine Mary Wollstonecraft, the 18th-century women’s rights campaigner. My headstone would read, ‘Finally – a good plot!’

The way you want to be remembered...As a funny feminist who proved women are each other’s human Wonder Bras – uplifting, supportive and making each other look bigger and better.

The Plug...The Boy Who Fell To Earth is published by Black Swan, £7.99. Follow me on Twitter at @kathylette and visit www.kathylette.com.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 27 July 2013

Actor and singer Jason Donovan:

Jason Donovan: ‘As much as I love doing musical theatre, I long to be cast in a serious TV drama or thriller movie. I spent too long in a loincloth to be taken seriously!’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: actor and singer Jason Donovan…

The prized possession you value above all others...My Georgian home in west London, which my wife, Angela, and I bought five years ago. It represents my life’s work.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not spending time with my gran Joan during her last months in Australia before she died from cancer in 1995.  I was living in England and drugs had taken over my life, so I never went back to see her. She played a huge part in bringing me up after my parents divorced when I was a kid.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up with Ange and the kids – Jemma, 13, Zac, 12, and Molly, two – in a private villa in Bali. I’d have a platter of exotic fruits for breakfast, then hang out on the beach with the kids. I’d then have a massage, followed by a glass of champagne at around 11.30am, just to help me ease into the day! We’d have a Balinese lunch with spicy chicken and rice, then we’d board a private jet to take us to Bronte beach in Sydney where I’d go surfing. We’d chill there all day, then have a big fish paella dinner by the beach. I’d end the day back home in London watching a film with Ange and a bottle of Pomerol red wine.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Spending too much money on holidays. I don’t do economy well.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The play Equus by Peter Shaffer [about a young man’s obsession with horses] which I studied at school. It’s full of sex and violence and opened my eyes to a lot of stuff.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d listen to what Ange says about me to her friends.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Petrol pumps that keep stopping as you fill up your car drive me nuts.

The film you can watch time and time again...Being There with Peter Sellers because of its message that fame does not equal success.

The person who has influenced you most... My dad [actor Terence Donovan]. He got custody of me when mum left. I wouldn’t have a career if it weren’t for him. I admire his work ethic.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...I’d hang out with Andy Warhol at Studio 54 in New York in the 80s. He’s responsible for so much popular culture.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Fail to prepare, then prepare to fail.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Mowing the lawn at our house in Oxfordshire. I have a sit-on mower and I can get pretty fastidious about the lines and edges.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...The carefree spirit of youth that gave me the freedom to do anything I wanted. 

The unending quest that drives you on...For my children to grow into well-balanced human beings.

The poem that touches your soul...I don’t really do poetry. 

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I speak to Kylie Minogue every day and that we’re still an item! I’m constantly asked how she is. We’ll always be friends, but we have different lives and I might speak to her once a year – if that!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The birth of Jemma in 2000. At the time, I was still dabbling in cocaine and Ange and I weren’t together because I was reluctant to commit. Jemma was the trigger that made me change my life.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d hunt down all the terrorists and ensure they die slow, miserable deaths.

The song that means most to you...It’s My Life by the British pop group Talk Talk. It reminds me of the innocent days of my late teens in Australia when anything seemed possible.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Marrying Ange in Bali in 2008. We’d been together for ten years and finally committing formally to my best friend was a special moment. The saddest time that shook your world...Getting asthma. It came on two years ago and, although I have it relatively mildly, it’s incurable. As a singer, it’s disorientating and upsetting to have to deal with it.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...As much as I love doing musical theatre, I long to be cast in a serious TV drama or thriller movie. I’m confident I could do a great job, but I’m not on the radar for casting directors.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.

The order of service at your funeral...I haven’t given it any thought. I’m not religious, so I definitely don’t want any religious stuff at all. All I hope is that it can happen at a nice venue by the sea with a big party and some decent red wine for everyone. After all, that’s what my life has been about.

The way you want to be remembered...As a good husband, a great dad, a hard-working, honest and passionate bloke who lived life to the full.

The Plug...Jason Donovan stars as Tick in the national tour of the musical Priscilla Queen Of The Desert. www.priscillathemusical.com.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 18 July 2013

BBC Sport presenter Hazel Irvine:

"Tunnock’s caramel wafers are too tempting. They go perfectly with a cup of tea, but I daren’t have them around me."

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week BBC Sport presenter Hazel Irvine…

The prized possession you value above all others...My collection of mugs and posters and press accreditation cards from every sporting event I’ve covered since the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not having the innate natural golfing talent of the great Nancy Lopez. It was my dream to be a professional golfer. I had the work ethic and got down to a 12 handicap but I didn’t have the natural talent.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...The perfect day would begin with a luxurious lie-in with my husband, something that has eluded us since our daughter Gina, now four, arrived. We’d spend the whole day as a family and begin with a hike in Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, followed by a boat trip on Milford Sound fjord on New Zealand’s South Island. We’d have lunch on the boat, then spend the afternoon on the beach at Mount Maunganui in the North Island. We’d tour the red sand dunes of the Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia, and I’d end the day there with a Planter’s rum punch and a barbecue under the stars.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Tunnock’s caramel wafers. They go perfectly with a cup of tea, but I daren’t have them around me.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Story Of Art by EH Gombrich. I got an honours degree in history of art at St Andrews University, Scotland, and flicking through the pages brings back so many memories. 

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d wander around the Royal College of Music in London and watch brilliant musicians practising. I played violin in the school orchestra from the age of ten and it remains a big love.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...People who brazenly drop litter. I often challenge them to pick it up.

The film you can watch time and time again...All The President’s Men is a gripping drama, which I’ve seen at least 12 times. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman are exceptional together.

The person who has influenced you most...My dad Bill. He gave me a passion for the outdoors and for sport. In his younger days he was an all-round sportsman and he introduced me to hill walking, golf and cycling as a child.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Astronaut Neil Armstrong, who died last year. I’d love to hear how he felt physically and emotionally the moment he stepped on the moon.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Always be yourself.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Sea fishing. I love cutting the bait and gutting the fish, then cooking the day’s catch at home.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My eight iron golf club. I threw it away in disgust when I was playing the Eden Course at St Andrews terribly when I was about 18.

The unending quest that drives you on... To do my best for my family.

The poem that touches your soul...Oh, I Wish I’d Looked After Me Teeth by Pam Ayres. I knew it in my younger years and I now recite it to Gina to encourage her to clean her teeth.  

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I know everything that happens in sport! I have people ask me what happened in some obscure event, and they look crestfallen when I don’t know.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The birth of my daughter. I’m 48 now so having her quite late was truly fantastic. The greatest gift has been rediscovering the world through her eyes. 

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal all the profits from the major banks of the world and redistribute it to schools, hospitals and sports clubs.

The song that means most to you...Agua de Beber by the Brazilian singer Astrud Gilberto. You can put it on during a cold February day and it will brighten up your world. 

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Swimming with turtles in a remote part of the Galapagos Islands about seven years ago. They were so cool about you being in the water and would just barge past on their way.

The saddest time that shook your world...The death of my great friend Mitsou from breast cancer four and a half years ago. I miss her sparkle.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To play the drums. I can play piano and violin but I’ve never had a real go at the drums. My dream would be to play like Ringo Starr on The Beatles’ Abbey Road album.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Never knowingly under-prepared.

The order of service at your funeral...I’d like Somebody Up There Likes You by Simple Minds played. It might put me in the good books of someone up above!

The way you want to be remembered...As a good mother and wife and a decent person. And, professionally, as someone who seldom shirked a challenge.

The Plug...Hazel hosts the BBC’s TV coverage of The Open at Muirfield today and tomorrow and the Women’s Open at St Andrews from 1-4 August.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 13 July 2013

Actor David Haig:

‘My younger sister’s death from a brain haemorrhage at 22 when I was 26 made me realise that nothing is certain’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s the turn of actor David Haig…

The prized possession you value above all others...Our semi-detached Victorian house in south-east London. My wife Julia and I bought it in 1987. It’s  full of character and is part of me.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That I haven’t conquered my fear of flying.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions... I’d have a slap-up breakfast of scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and maple syrup with Julia in a New York deli. Then we’d travel by train to the South of France, admiring the views, then settle on a beach just outside Saint-Tropez and have a seafood lunch. I’d have some The Ned Pinot Grigio wine then take a dip in the sea. In the afternoon I’d go to Twickenham with some mates and Julia to watch England thrash the French at rugby, then I’d arrive at Augusta to watch the final nine holes of The Masters. I’d end the day at home with Julia and our five children – Alice, 27, Caroline, 24, Fred, 21, Harry, 19, and Connie, 13. I’m the fire god in our family, so I would light a huge barbecue, but Julia is a great cook, so I’d then hand over to her. I’d end the day with a nip or two of fine Talisker whisky.

The temptation you wish you could resist...The third, fourth – even the fifth – helping of Julia’s slow-cooked belly of pork in Thai spices.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader by CS Lewis. I read it in my late teens when I was a hippie. I had long hair and wore an Afghan coat and beads and bracelets and it takes me back to those days.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d stand in complete safety next to Kevin Pietersen as he absolutely destroys the Australian attack in The Ashes at Lord’s. He is an astounding batsman and to witness his power and concentration at close quarters would be thrilling. 

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Smug parents who brag about their kids drive me mad.

The film you can watch time and time again...Bizarrely it’s Notting Hill. I have a soft spot for romcoms.

The person who has influenced you most...The theatre director Max Stafford-Clarke, who I worked with at London’s Royal Court in the 1980s. He taught me how to focus on the truth, accuracy and reality in every stage performance.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The 19th-century French painter Edouard Manet. The women he painted were so enigmatic, I’d love to know about his relationship with them.   

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Think outwards, think generously and avoid self-absorption. You find greater contentment when you think of other people rather than yourself. I certainly do.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Cleaning swimming pools. Whenever I go on holiday and there’s a pool, I take great pleasure in cleaning it. It’s such a satisfying task.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A painting by the Indian artist Francis Newton Souza which my father, an art dealer, gave to me in the 80s. I’ve no idea what became of it, but now Souza has become collectable and it’d be worth £200,000!

The unending quest that drives you on...To succeed in what I do, whether it’s acting, writing or playing online Scrabble with my son Fred. My competitive spirit is not something I can control!

The poem that touches your soul...So Many Different Lengths Of Time by Brian Patten. It’s a very accurate summary of what it means to lose someone.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m very controlled. As all control freaks know, we’re on the cusp of imploding.

 The event that altered the course of your life and character...My younger sister Karen’s death from a brain haemorrhage at 22, in 1982. I was 26 and it made me realise that nothing is certain. 

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d water my garden during a hosepipe ban.

The song that means most to you...In The Garden by Van Morrison. I love our garden and that song has such a beautiful sentiment.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Our wedding at Burgh Island Hotel in Devon on 27 December 2010. We’d been together since 1979, but never married. We felt it was best not to change anything. Getting married so much later was like we were celebrating a great achievement.

The saddest time that shook your world...The death of our daughter Grace, who was stillborn at full term in 1996. It was horrendous because it is so unnatural to give birth to death. She arrived on my birthday on 20th September, so that day always carries a shadow, but we generally have an all-embracing awareness of that loss. From a positive point of view, Julia and I have worked for Sands charity [Stillbirth and Neonatal Death] ever since and it has grown immeasurably over the years and is now a very powerful and worthwhile charity.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To be solvent. With five children, that is harder than it sounds!

The philosophy that underpins your life...To live each precious moment.

The order of service at your funeral... I don’t believe there’s anything after you die, so I’ll leave it to others to decide.

The way you want to be remembered...More good than bad. 

The Plug...David appears in King Lear at the Theatre Royal Bath, 25 July-10 August. www.theatreroyal.org.uk.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 6 July 2013

Cooking legend Ken Hom:

‘The day in 1962 when President Kennedy allowed Chinese families to bring relatives to the US was the happiest day of my life’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s cooking legend Ken Hom…

The prized possession you value above all others...A black Chinese robe I had made four years ago in Hong Kong. The silk feels like the finest leather. When I was younger I went crazy for designer clothes, but I’m 64 now and I’ve started dressing like an old Chinese monk!

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That I didn’t learn Chinese as a child. I was educated in Chicago and went to a Chinese school three hours a day, but I just made trouble. I visit China these days and I can only write about 50 characters, so I’m essentially illiterate, which is a shame.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions... I’d have a healthy breakfast of rice porridge with 1,000-year-old-egg [an egg preserved for months until it turns black and pungent] at a cafe beside Hong Kong harbour, then meet some friends for lunch at La Coupole in Paris, where I’d have a seafood platter and a glass of dry white wine. Later I’d check into a beachfront room at the Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, swim in its pool, have a massage and, at sunset, take a walk on the beach and have some feijoada [Brazilian black bean stew] with caipirinha cocktails. Afterwards I’d fly to my flat in Bangkok and dine outside at the Baan Klang Nam seafood restaurant, before watching a DVD at home. These days I prefer quiet nights!

The temptation you wish you could resist...Books. When I travel I go crazy buying them and have to take two extra suitcases with me. I have around 6,000!

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The General by Jonathan Fenby, about Charles de Gaulle and how he saved France. I live in Paris much of the time and that book helped me understand and love the French.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d listen in at a meeting of the Chinese politburo to hear what the seven men in charge of 1.4 billion people actually discuss.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Loud, rude people who use the F-word. I liked a time when etiquette and manners were important.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Godfather Part II – it reminds me of growing up in Chicago, where the Italian community ran everything. I worked in my uncle’s restaurant and when the Italians came in you never dared give them a bill. The person who has influenced you most...My mother Ying Fong. She always demanded I do better, so it’s because of her that I’ve succeeded and have a passion for all the things I do.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Chairman Mao. I want to know why he screwed up! He freed China after the war but let 30 million die through famine. China was held back by around 50 years through his incompetence.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Giving is better than receiving. 

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...History. I’ll happily take a 700-page history book to the beach! 

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again... I’m very philosophical about possessions. Even when I started losing my hair in my 40s I wasn’t bothered. Instead, I shaved it all off and people started saying I looked better and younger!  

The unending quest that drives you on...To be honest and true to myself.

The poem that touches your soul...One Today, which the US poet Richard Blanco wrote for President Obama’s inauguration. It was so moving when he read it that I cried.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m the restaurateur Ken Lo. People come up to me to say how much they love his restaurants, but he died in 1995!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Meeting my partner in 1971. It’s protected me from the pitfalls that accompany fame and success.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d empty the bank accounts of all the world’s dictators and give the money to charity.

The song that means most to you... John Lennon’s Imagine, because in my heart I’m an old hippie.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The day in 1962 when President Kennedy allowed Chinese families to bring relatives to the US. It brought my mother so much joy when my aunt and her family joined us.

The saddest time that shook your world...When my mum died in 2010 from colon cancer. She was 89. I was in Japan at the time and couldn’t be with her because I was being treated for prostate cancer – an impossible situation. 

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To be a singer. But on a cruise in 1996 I did a karaoke version of Roy Orbison’s Crying and people said to me, ‘Ken, stick to the cooking!’

The philosophy that underpins your life...Treat people how you want to be treated.

The order of service at your funeral...I  want Imagine to be played as I’m cremated, then for everyone to feast on caviar, Peking duck and lots of champagne.

The way you want to be remembered...As someone who shared his philosophy, possessions, love – and food.

The Plug...Please support two charities that are close to my heart – Action Against Hunger and Prostate Cancer UK – by visiting www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk and www.prostatecanceruk.org. Thank you

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 29 June 2013

Popstar Brian McFadden:

‘My whole life has been one giant Chinese whisper of untrue stories. But the only lie that really hurts is that I’m a bad father’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: former Westlife star Brian McFadden…

The prized possession you value above all others... A ticket to see Nirvana at The Point Depot in Dublin in 1994. Two weeks before the gig Kurt Cobain shot himself. Most people returned their tickets and got their money back but I kept mine and framed it.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Wasting so much of the money I earned from Westlife. I went through millions of pounds on cars, private jets and lots of rubbish. I have a lot less money now, but I’m far happier.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d start with a full Irish fry-up at my parents’ home in Ireland. I’d play the front nine holes at Valderrama golf course in Spain with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, then we’d fly to The Belfry near Birmingham to play the back nine. I’d have lunch at a pub with mates to watch Manchester United beat Man City 5-1, then fly to Star City casino in Sydney with my wife Vogue [Irish club DJ and model Vogue Williams] to play roulette. My daughters Molly, 11, and Lilly-Sue, ten [with ex-wife Kerry Katona], would join us in Singapore for the night Grand Prix. For dinner, I’d go to a Benihana Japanese restaurant and then I’d hit Las Vegas with Vogue and friends and we’d party the night away.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Smoking. I’m 33 now and I’ve been smoking since I was 16.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Roy Keane’s autobiography. He wasn’t the most naturally talented footballer, but he proved that through sheer hard work he could be the best.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d sneak into the changing rooms at a top fashion show in Hollywood, where you’re likely to find the hottest women. 

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Having to carry Vogue’s hand luggage when we’re travelling. I hate hand luggage but Vogue has so many bags I end up having to carry hers!

The film you can watch time and time again...Home Alone. It always brings back happy childhood memories.

The person who has influenced you most...Bryan Adams – a great songwriter, a great singer and a great bloke.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Kurt Cobain. I’d love to understand what made him tick.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Enjoy life and don’t waste your time stressing.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I’m a movie buff and a master of Oscar winners trivia.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A rubbish old Nokia mobile I had with me for my seven years in Westlife. I left it on a plane to Sydney a few years back. It had the most unbelievable list of contacts.

The unending quest that drives you on...To have a consistently successful music career.

The poem that touches your soul...I’m not one for poetry but I love song lyrics, especially those from Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks. Like all country songs, it has a great story, with a powerful message. It’s about how people pray for things in life, but sometimes God does the right thing by not answering their prayers.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...My whole life has been one giant Chinese whisper of untrue stories. But the only lie that really hurts is that I’m a bad father.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Quitting my job as a security guard at McDonald’s in Dublin in 1998 after a drunk threw a bottle at me. I went to a friend’s party straight after and stayed the night. The next day he was going to audition for a new boy band and I decided to tag along. I met Louis Walsh and ended up getting into Westlife.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal Fernando Alonso’s Formula 1 Ferrari and drive it like crazy around London.

The song that means most to you...Sorry, Love Daddy. I wrote it for my girls after I broke up with Kerry in 2004. I realised they wouldn’t have the stable life I’d hoped for, and it broke my heart.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The day I met Vogue at a charity function in Dublin in 2011. We clicked instantly and chatted for six hours. She’s been amazing for me.

The saddest time that shook your world...Whenever I’ve been away from my girls.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To have a golf handicap in single figures. I can’t improve on 18.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Live life for today because you don’t know if tomorrow will come.

The order of service at your funeral...I’m an atheist, so I don’t want anything religious. I’d prefer people to dress for a party. I want the Belgian choir Scala & Kolacny Brothers’ version of Radiohead’s Creep played as I get cremated, and my ashes split into capsules and given to the people who loved me.

The way you want to be remembered...As a fighter who kept bouncing back, no matter what was thrown at him.

The Plug...For information about Brian’s tour dates and new song releases visit www.brianmcfadden.com.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 22 June 2013

Actor Steven Berkoff:

‘People thing that I’m a self-centred, egotistical maniac! I’m actually a thoughtful, caring soul’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s theatre legend Steven Berkoff… 

The prized possession you value above all others...A painting of Victorian actor Henry Irving – a giant of theatre who was the first actor to be knighted – by the portraitist Edwin Long.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That I never played Othello. I’m 75 and probably too old now. The part has always fascinated me because it stretches you to your limits.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d have breakfast at Les Deux Magots brasserie in Paris, then do a tour of famous graves: Oscar Wilde’s in the French capital, then Franz Kafka’s in Prague and war poet Rupert Brooke’s on the Greek island of Skyros. After lunch watching the street entertainment at Jamaa el Fna market in Marrakech, I’d pray at Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall for reconciliation between Israel and Palestine, and finally return to my home in London’s East End to be with my partner Clara Fischer and our beloved Bengal cat Apu (right). I’d mix margaritas while Clara prepared sushi for supper. We’d spend the evening reading and listening to music and I’d finish by typing up my journal, which I keep most days.

The temptation you wish you could resist...I love exotic jewellery, probably because such baubles were denied to me when I was a child because we were poor. But as Oscar Wilde said, ‘The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.’

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Last Of The Just – a novel by French writer André Schwarz-Bart, about the journey of 36 men, from biblical times to Auschwitz, who suffer for the sins of the world. It presents the belief that God is there, even in the most horrific situations.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d visit a woman called Shirley, my long-lost love from when I was ten. I’ve always wondered what became of her.
The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...The brutal murder of rhinos and elephants to make silly ivory things.

The film you can watch time and time again...Cyrano De Bergerac from 1950 starring José Ferrer – his acting technique is absolutely dazzling. 

The person who has influenced you most...Franz Kafka. I read his novella The Metamorphosis – about a man who turns into a huge beetle – when I was 19 and it opened my imagination.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The great 19th-century Shakespearean actor Edmund Kean. He was only 5ft 5in, but he almost terrified audiences with his trailblazing style, which once apparently reduced Lord Byron to tears.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Learn how to play a musical instrument – because then you’ll have a language that the whole world can understand. The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I adore over-elaborate tracksuits pimped up with velvet. I have about ten from designer shops in Hollywood.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My love letters to Shirley. We kept in touch for three years. I’d love to read those letters now.

The unending quest that drives you on...To continue to challenge myself. I feel it’s everyone’s duty to fulfil the extraordinary potential God’s given us. 

The poem that touches your soul...Walt Whitman’s I Sing The Body Electric is a deeply moving declaration of the efforts of the common working man.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m a self-centred, egotistical maniac! I’m actually a thoughtful, caring soul.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Putting on my first play that I’d adapted and directed, Kafka’s In The Penal Colony, in 1968. From that moment I knew I was capable of creating my own work.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d round up a bunch of big-game hunters – and then hunt them with an AK-47.

The song that means most to you...The Little White Cloud That Cried by Johnnie Ray from 1951. It spoke to all heartbroken romantic teenage boys.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...When my first book was published in 1977. It was a collection of short stories called Gross Intrusion and to hold that book was fantastic.

The saddest time that shook your world...My mother Polly’s death in 1980 from stomach cancer. She was a typically over-caring, worrying Yiddish mama, but I always felt safe with her.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To own a theatre, so I’d never again have to go around with the begging bowl to put on a play.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Pay attention to every action, no matter how small, because it will always have a big effect on someone.

The order of service at your funeral...I’ll leave the details to Clara, but I wouldn’t mind being buried in the graveyard of St Wulfran’s, the beautiful Norman church in Ovingdean, Sussex, but being Jewish I would have to be a ‘special guest’!

The way you want to be remembered...As a man who swam against the tide.

The Plug...My new play, An Actor’s Lament, is on at Edinburgh’s Assembly Hall from 1-20 August. Tickets: www.assemblyfestival.com; 0131 623 3030.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 15 June 2013

Cookery guru Prue Leith:

‘People think I’m brusque and imperious, but I’m not like that at all’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s cookery legend Prue Leith’s turn…

The prized possession you value above all others...A picture my son Danny, who’s 39 now, painted when he was nine. He drew me surrounded by hundreds of people clapping and a list of the amazing things I’d done, like ‘cooked a thousand roast chickens’.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That I didn’t achieve anything while my father, Sam, was alive. I was 20 when he died of cancer and I hadn’t found a direction in life.  

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions... I’d begin with a barbecue breakfast in the Andes in Peru looking down on the condors. Then I’d go horse riding through a bluebell field in the English countryside with my daughter Li-Da, who’s also 39. I’d then board the Orient Express from London to Venice and head to the terrace of the Cipriani Hotel for a Bellini cocktail and gamberetti prawns for lunch. I’d have a siesta in a hammock in a wood in the South of France, then return to my house in Oxfordshire to cook a roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings for the whole family, including Danny and his children Malachi, three, Scarlett, one, and his new baby Winston. We’d have some nice Rioja red wine and a trifle.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Talking too much. 

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Warden by Anthony Trollope. I love his work, he’s the most wonderful observer of life.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d sit in  the cockpit of a jumbo jet during a long-haul flight to see what the crew do.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Chewing gum. It’s so disgusting.

The film you can watch time and time again...Some Like It Hot. The scene when Marilyn Monroe has a party on the train always makes me giggle.

The person who has influenced you most...Sir Peter Parker, who was chairman of British Rail [from 1976-83]. He invited me onto the board in my mid-30s and encouraged me to tackle equality issues. He was a dear friend who gave great advice. 

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The Victorian cookery writer Mrs Beeton. She wrote Mrs Beeton’s Book Of Household Management and is the godmother of recipes.  

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Never be bored.  

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Salmon fishing. I was introduced to it 30 years ago in Scotland. I thought nothing could be more boring, but I caught a fish on my first morning and I was hooked for life!

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My knees! I’m 73 now and I had both kneecaps and the ends of my femurs replaced last July.

The unending quest that drives you on...To master technology. As soon as I crack something, another thing is invented that I’m told I must have.

The poem that touches your soul...Alice Oswald’s Dart. It’s about the River Dart in Devon and you can feel the rhythm of the river in her verse.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m scary! People think I’m brusque and imperious, but I’m not like that at all. 

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Buying my house in Oxfordshire in 1976. Until then I was living in London and working day and night. Buying it forced me to be more organised, which helped me in my career.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d remove Robert Mugabe from power and incarcerate him. He’s as mad as a hatter.

The song that means most to you...The old folk song Foggy, Foggy Dew, which my mother Margaret used to sing to me as a child in South Africa, where I grew up. These days I sing it to my grandchildren. Mum died two years ago – she was 97.    

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The day as Chair of the Royal Society of Arts when we succeeded in getting new sculptures on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. It took five years to get permission.

The saddest time that shook your world...My husband Rayne’s death in 2002 when he was 80. He was 20 years older than me and had emphysema. He was a marvellous man and my mentor. 

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you... To write a seriously good trilogy of novels that are adapted into a wonderful costume drama.

The philosophy that underpins your life...JFDI – Just F****** Do It! 

The order of service at your funeral...To be honest, I’m not bothered. I’m not a believer in God but I’d like Mozart’s Requiem and the song Jabulani by the South African male choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo to remind me of Africa. I want my ashes scattered in the pond in our garden, which is where we put Rayne’s. 

The way you want to be remembered...As friendly, straightforward and loving. And as someone who got a lot done – despite having no qualifications!

The Plug...My autobiography, Relish – My Life On A Plate, is out now in paperback published by Quercus, priced £8.99. Visit www.prue-leith.com.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 8 June 2013

TV presenter Eamonn Holmes:

"Getting a job at Primark was the making of me. I hated it so much, it drove me on to quit and become a journalist."

Every week we ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s the turn of Sky TV’s Sunrise presenter, Eamonn Holmes.

 The prized possession you value above all others...A No 7 Manchester United shirt worn by Eric Cantona. I bought it at auction for £1,500 – you could still smell his aftershave on it! Years later I met him and he signed it. He’s a big hero of mine.  

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not learning to swim. I have four brothers and none of us learnt because our mum Josie, who’s now 85, couldn’t swim and she was very protective of her boys. 

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d have a relaxing start at a spa with a lovely massage, followed by a breakfast of fresh fruit and yoghurt. After that I’d head off on my own to enjoy some horse riding as a cowboy at Purgatory ranch in Colorado. I’ve been there before and I can even lasso pretty well. I love the whole idea of the cowboy life, enjoying nature and being out in the open. From there, I’d have lunch with my brothers on Bloubergstrand beach in Cape Town, looking back at Table Mountain. In the afternoon, I’d play golf at Gleneagles with an old mate called Bill. After that I’d go to Belfast to meet my wife Ruth and our son Jack, 11, and my three other children – Declan, 24, Rebecca, 22, and Niall, 19. We’d have dinner at Long’s fish and chip restaurant. I’d end the day with Ruth at a cinema watching the latest blockbuster. 

The temptation you wish you could resist...Pleasing my wife! She knows I can’t resist her and takes advantage. 

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. A teacher read it to my class when I was eight and I was totally gripped by the adventure.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I get annoyed with angry, rude people, so I’d do things to make them angrier, like let their tyres down or tie their shoe laces together.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Long queues at airports.  

The film you can watch time and time again...The Quiet Man with John Wayne from 1952. The landscape always makes me nostalgic for Ireland.

The person who has influenced you most...The Irish TV sports presenter Jackie Fullerton. He was my mentor when I started at Ulster Television. He taught me the tricks of the trade.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The actor James Stewart, but I’d talk to him about his experiences as a bomber pilot in World War II. He was a decorated war hero, but he never, ever discussed it.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Always use sunscreen! If I could turn back the clock, I wouldn’t sunbathe like I used to in the 80s when I wanted to look like Don Johnson from Miami Vice. 

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I’m intrigued by the restoration of classic cars. I don’t do it myself, but if I had the money and the space I’d have a whole fleet of them. 

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...The toys of my childhood, especially my Action Men. At one time I had eight of them, but everything’s gone now.  

The unending quest that drives you on...A hunger for knowledge.  

The poem that touches your soul...He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven by WB Yeats. I find its message about love and dreams very moving.  

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I have a private box at Old Trafford. I have two season tickets that cost me a fortune. 

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Becoming a trainee manager at Primark when I was 18. It was the hardest experience of my life but it re-doubled my conviction that I wanted to be a broadcast journalist. I got a place at journalism college at 19 and I never looked back.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d break into the best art museums at night and stare at works of art without the crowds. 

The song that means most to you...Danny Boy. My family threw a party for me when I got a job with the BBC in Manchester when I was 26 and my dad, Leonard, sang Danny Boy. I can’t hear it without getting emotional.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...My 50th birthday party at Old Trafford on 3 December 2010. I had all my dearest pals and family there and Alex Ferguson stayed late chatting to everyone and dancing. 

The saddest time that shook your world...The death of my father from a heart attack when he was only 64 in 1991. I think about him every day.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I’d love a part in a film.  

The philosophy that underpins your life...The harder you work, the luckier you get. 

The order of service at your funeral...I’ll have a service at St Patrick’s Catholic church in Donegall Street where I was baptised. I’d want Elvis’s Bridge Over Troubled Water and I’d be buried in the churchyard near my dad.  

The way you want to be remembered...As a matinee idol!  

The Plug...Eamonn presents Sunrise, Monday to Thursday from 6am-9am on Sky News. Visit skynews.com.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 1 June 2013

Former England cricketer David Gower:

‘Life has ups and downs, but I’m learning how to get through crises calmly’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s former England cricket captain David Gower… 

The prized possession you value above all others...A David Shepherd oil painting called Rhino In The Kaokoveld. I bought it about 20 years ago for £20,000. It marries my two loves – David’s work and wildlife, which stems from my childhood in East Africa.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Selling Mum’s house and contents too quickly after she died in 1986 of heart failure. She was in her mid-60s and I was so sad I just cleared the decks. I wish I’d kept a few things.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d have breakfast in the crater at the Ngorongoro conservation area in Tanzania with my wife Thorunn and our daughters Alex, 19, and Sammi, 17. We’d go on safari then switch to the Maldives for scuba diving. After that, we’d wander around  the market in St Tropez, then arrive at my cousin Richard’s Vondeling winery in South Africa and drink some of his best wines. The afternoon would be spent bodysurfing at Crane beach in Barbados, then I’d pop back to London for afternoon tea at The Dorchester. Thorunn and I would have dinner at an old cafe on the Left Bank in Paris before heading to Broadway for a musical like Phantom Of The Opera. We’d end the day in a suite at the Taj Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur, India.

The temptation you wish you could resist...The second bottle of Dow’s port after dinner.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...I love The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy. Douglas Adams’s imagination is brilliant.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d kill some time at a branch of designer lingerie store Agent Provocateur! 

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Lateness.

The film you can watch time and time again...Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid. Paul Newman and Robert Redford are the coolest film stars ever.

The person who has influenced you most...Ray Illingworth, who was my captain at Leicestershire. In just three years, he turned me from a gifted 18-year-old who had never played first-class cricket into an England player.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Leonardo da Vinci. I’d ask how on earth he envisaged the helicopter 500 years ago.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Smile – because it confuses people! My kids introduced me to this phrase recently and I love it.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Bats. Not cricket bats – real bats! I’ve been on bat walks in the country and they’re wonderful creatures. They’re clever and adorable, but they get a bad press, which largely stems from Count Dracula. I would like this to change.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A maroon Opel Vectra I hired in 1991. I was driving on the frozen lake in St Moritz and ended up on thinner, grey ice. Everyone in the car escaped before it went to the depths, but I ended up being fined around £15,000.

The unending quest that drives you on...To achieve Zen-like serenity. Life has ups and downs, but I’m learning how to get through crises calmly.

The poem that touches your soul...Casabazonka by Spike Milligan, which goes: ‘The boy stood on the burning deck, Whence all but he had fled – The twit!’ It’s so Spike and  never ceases to amuse me.  

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m always laid back. It was a self-defence mechanism I developed in my playing days as a way of calming nerves. But, like anyone, I have a temper.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The summer of 1985 when we won the Ashes. It was also the year I met my wife.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal the contents of the cellars at Bollinger and Chateau Lynch-Bages. 

The song that means most to you...Peter Gabriel’s Biko [about Steve Biko, the anti-apartheid activist who died after interrogation by South African police in 1977]. It has such deep feeling and was so important politically.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Lifting the Ashes in ’85. It was when my dreams came true.

The saddest time that shook your world...My father Richard’s death when I was 16. He had motor neurone disease and cancer. He’d been a superb all-round sportsman – to see him reduced to a shell was awful.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To ride a horse at full speed on a beach – without falling off.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Always look on the bright side.

The order of service at your funeral...I’ll have a service in our local church in Hampshire with some great hymns, like I Vow To Thee My Country. Then everyone can go to the pub.

The way you want to be remembered...Just one word: fondly. 

The Plug...In his role as ambassador for Laithwaite’s Wine, David has created The Gower Selection, a case of 12 wines chosen to complement the cricket. www.laithwaites.co.uk.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 25 May 2013

BBC newsreader Kate Silverton:

"The biggest misapprehension about me? People think I’m Natasha Kaplinsky – I have even signed autographs as her!"

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: BBC newsreader Kate Silverton…

The prized possession you value above all others...A soapstone sculpture of a head I got in Zimbabwe during an Operation Raleigh expedition when I was 19. It transports me back to the incredible experiences I had on that trip that made me fall in love with Africa.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...If it doesn’t happen again then I’ll wish I’d had more children. [Kate is 42 and had 18-month-old Clemency after years of failed IVF.]

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya with my husband [security expert Mike Heron] and our little girl. We’d cook breakfast on an open fire, then go on safari. We’d fly to the Como Shambhala spa in Bali for a spot of Tai Chi in the rainforest, then to the Maldives to scuba dive and carry out conservation work protecting sharks. I’d go cross-country skiing in Gstaad in the afternoon, then I’d take over the Pennsylvania Castle hotel in Dorset for my parents, my two sisters and the whole extended family. We’d walk along the coast, then have roast lamb with crispy roast potatoes, followed by sticky toffee pudding and a Paxton & Whitfield cheese board – including stinking bishop! I’d end the day with a book in front of a fire.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Chocolate from Hotel Chocolat or Lindt, especially pralines.

The book that holds an everlasting  resonance...Daughter Of The Desert by Georgina Howell, which is about my heroine, Gertrude Bell. She was born in 1868 and was a linguist, cartographer, photographer and archaeologist. She travelled across Arabia and helped form the modern state of Iraq.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d team up with Prince William [a patron of conservation group Tusk Trust] to track rhinoceroses in East Africa and protect them from the poachers.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Drivers not checking for cyclists.

The film you can watch time and time again...Watching It’s A Wonderful Life has become a Christmas Eve tradition in our house. I cry every time.

The person who has influenced you most...My parents, Terry and Patricia. Dad encourages me to follow my dreams, and Mum gives sensible advice. They’ve given me the right balance.

The figure from history for whom  you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint... Gertrude Bell. I’d love to get her thoughts on what’s happened in Iraq. 

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...There is nothing to fear but fear itself.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Child psychotherapy. I have a degree in psychology with a focus on child cognitive development. Having Clemency has reignited my interest.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...Time to travel. Work and family constraints mean I can’t be spontaneous.

The unending quest that drives you on... To be a great mum. No parent can be perfect, so it’s important for us to continually evolve.

The poem that touches your soul... Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost, which reminds me that nothing is forever and nor should it be. 

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The death of my friend Jamie Rumble from cancer when he was 26. I was working in the City then and before he died he asked me why I was still there as I’d always dreamed of being a journalist. He died in 1996. Through my tears, I arranged to visit the BBC and a week later I was volunteering in its Newcastle newsroom.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m Natasha Kaplinsky! People ask, ‘Can I have your autograph, Natasha?’ but often I won’t correct them. I haven’t told Natasha – I hope she’ll forgive me!

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...It’s difficult to find size 9 designer shoes, so I’d break into the storerooms of  Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik and steal every size 43 pair they have.

The song that means most to you...Catch The Wind by Donovan was played for the first dance at my wedding, so it will always be special.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Holding Clemency for the first time and kissing her. After years of trying, she felt like a miracle. 

The saddest time that shook your world...Jamie’s death. He would have contributed so much to life.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To write a novel.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Commit and providence will follow you.

The order of service at your funeral...I’d have a traditional service at St Bride’s, the journalists’ church on Fleet Street where I was married. I’d want Rod Stewart’s Sailing sung by the Welsh Fron Male Voice Choir. I’d be taken out to Born Free and have my ashes scattered in Kenya.

The way you want to be remembered...Simply as someone who cared.

The Plug...Kate is presenting News At One on BBC1 and the BBC News channel all this week and can be followed on Twitter at @katesilverton1.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 18 May 2013

Cookery writer Madhur Jaffrey:

"I went to one of Ghandi’s prayer meetings when I was 15. He sang hymns and talked of equality and of one-ness and was so charismatic. A few days after, he was shot dead. It was so shocking and sad."

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer.  This week it’s cookery writer and actress Madhur Jaffrey.

The prized possession you value above all others...A gold locket necklace from the early 1900s that my mother [Kashmiran Rani] wore for most of her life. It became mine as my share of her spoils when she died in her 60s and I was in my late 30s. I have always worn it to remind me of her. She was the most gentle and wonderful woman.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I wish I had started acting in films earlier. I was 31 by the time I made Shakespeare Wallah [made in 1964, released in ’65], but until then I’d not had the opportunity. I feel as though I lost so many years.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I would have my entire family with me all day – my husband, my three daughters and three grandchildren. We’d wake up on Coco Island in the Maldives in a series of hotel cottages on stilts in the Indian Ocean and spend a few hours swimming and snorkelling. We would stop off in Kerala later in the morning for a walk before arriving in Florence in Italy for a gorgeous lunch of artichoke hearts, pasta and some osso bucco [bone marrow] and a big gelato for each of the kids. We’d go on a safari in Kenya in the evening to watch lions hunting antelope, or wildebeests thundering across the plains. We would end the day in Barcelona having the best tapas, including a platter of thin meat slices, grilled sardines and octopus with deep-fried pimientos de padron. 

The temptation you wish you could resist...I love potatoes in all forms, but it is not good for you to eat too much, especially French Fries. I am 79 now, but I still like to keep trim.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I first read it when I was 14 and have probably read it once a year ever since. It is so beautifully written, with such comedy, drama and romance. It is so familiar to me that reading it is like meeting up with a dear old friend. 

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I would systematically destroy all nuclear weapons around the world.

The pet-hate that makes your hackles rise... Dishonesty. There is no reason to lie. The world would be a much better place if everyone were honest. It makes me so sad because lies are the route to unhappiness.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Rose Tattoo from 1955 with Burt Lancaster and the Italian actress Anna Magnani. I saw it the night before an exam at RADA in the late 1950s and her performance was so inspiring that it lifted me to the skies. It was because of her that I acted well the next day.

The person who has influenced you most...Mahatma Gandhi. I went to one of his prayer meetings in Delhi in January 1948, when I was 15. Thousands of people were there and he sang hymns and talked of equality and of one-ness. His was so charismatic and his teachings had a big impact on me, especially his beliefs in non-violence. A few days after that meeting, he was shot dead. It was like a bolt of lightening had destroyed half the world. It was so utterly tragic and sad.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Henry VIII and I’d say, How dare you be so horrible to your wives! I am not sure how the meeting would go.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Be true to yourself, do not hurt people, and find what you love to do in life – then never stop doing it.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...All aspects of design. I am endlessly fascinated with how beautiful things are made, from a simple chair or table, to the great architecture of a building or a garden.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A rather large pottery pot-bellied elephant, which I bought in Mexico in the 1960s. I loved that piece but it broke and fell apart one day and I have missed it ever since.

The unending quest that drives you on...I am a perfectionist, so I am constantly in pursuit of doing everything to the best of my ability. I want my work to be sheer excellence and I am endlessly curious about the world.

The poem that touches your soul...John Milton’s On His Blindness. He was a helpless man who had gone blind, yet he was so sensitive that he saw things in the world that most sighted people could not. It is a powerful and moving poem from an incredible man.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I am a cook, who never acted. So many people do not know that I am an actress, who became a cook.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Meeting the film producer Ismail Merchant in 1959 was a total life-changer. I was in a bunch of young, ambitious actors with big dreams of making films and he was the man who made it all happen. Ismail was a powerhouse who had this incredible energy to get things done. At times he was a complicated and difficult man, but he was also great fun and he enthused us all. After meeting him, I was suddenly on the fast track to making important films. But it did not change my character, though!

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I am a goody two-shoes, so crime is not for me, but perhaps I might sneak a basketful of Alphonso mangoes from India into America [she lives in New York]. Importing all fresh produce is banned here, but they are the best mangoes in the world – fibrous and sweet with a hint of sour-  that melt in your mouth.

The song that means most to you...I love Frank Sinatra’s Strangers in the Night simply because it reminds me of the 1960s and my youth. A time of great excitement and so much dreaming.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The birth of my first grandson, Robi, who is 20 now. It was so special because my daughter Meera allowed me to watch the entire birth. It was completely different to having your own children because you do not have the pain to contend with. To witness the creation of a life – a gift from God – was truly magical.

The saddest time that shook your world...When India was partitioned in 1947. There was mayhem all over the country and it was the most shocking time. There were killings and rapes and armed gangs everywhere. I was largely shielded from it, but my father had to arm himself and go out on patrol in our neighbourhood. It was also the brutal hacking apart of the country that made me so sad. I wanted it to remain whole.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I am not haunted by it, but I would like a truly defining role in a great film. Maybe one that would bring me the Best Actress Oscar. You never know…

The philosophy that underpins your life...Look for the positive in everything you do. Too many people concentrate on the negative and it drags them down. I do everything with passion, then look at what has gone right, not what went wrong.

The order of service at your funeral...My husband says I should be burnt by the banks of the Ganges, but I say, Why bother with all that expense of going there!? I want whatever funeral is most convenient and the cheapest. I hate gaudy caskets, so just put me in a simple pine box and cremate me, then scatter my ashes in our garden in New York. Just get the process over with quickly, so you can have the laughter and joy of living. Afterwards, my friends and family can gather, have some good food and fun and simply drink a large Scotch for me.

The way you want to be remembered...I honestly do not care. I firmly believe that dead is dead and nothing will matter to me. But it will matter to my family that I am remembered kindly.

The Plug...My new cookery book, Madhur Jaffrey’s Curry Nation, is published by Ebury, priced £20. Please visit www.eburypublishing.co.uk.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 11 May 2013

England cricketer Kevin Pietersen:

"Leaving South Africa for England when I was 19 changed my life. I was in pursuit of my boyhood dream to play international cricket. It was worth it!"

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: England cricketer Kevin Pietersen.

The prized possession you value above all others...My home in west London. It’s where I can just be me and relax with my family and friends.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...The way England captain Andrew Strauss was brought into the headlines last year [when the press got hold of negative text messages Pietersen had written about Strauss to friends on the South African team]. He didn’t deserve that. He’s a top man. 

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d head out at dawn on a safari drive with my wife Jess [former Liberty X singer Jess Taylor] across the plains of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. We’d watch the sun come up, then look on in awe at the animals. We’d arrive at Bronte beach in Sydney with our three-year-old son Dylan. I’d have a full English breakfast at a cool cafe, then play with Dylan in the surf. In the afternoon we’d sail down the west coast of Barbados on a beautiful yacht and eat the freshest sushi for lunch. Then I’d sit in the stands at Kings Park stadium in Durban with some mates to watch the Sharks rugby team win the Super 15 league. I’d have some mojito cocktails with Jess at sundown in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, then end the day with an amazing meat feast barbecue with all my family under the African skies at Kruger National Park in South Africa with plenty of decent New Zealand sauvignon blanc wine.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Opening up the naughty cupboard in our house that’s always full of lollies, crisps and chocolate. 

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Secret Race by Tyler Hamilton [disgraced American cyclist who was stripped of his 2004 Olympic gold for drugs cheating]. The way Hamilton justifies the use of drugs is fascinating yet truly appalling.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d attach myself to a dolphin and explore the oceans. I love nature and the seas.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Bad manners, particularly when people are rude to waiters. 

The film you can watch time and time again...Top Gun has it all – a great storyline, cool characters, brilliant actors and I love aeroplanes. If I wasn’t a cricketer I’d be a fighter pilot!

The person who has influenced you most...Cricket coach Graham Ford. He saw my talent when I was five at school in my home town of Pietermaritzburg in eastern South Africa. When I need anything in my career, I consult Fordy.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin [who was killed by a stingray barb in 2006]. I’d ask how he plucked up the courage to tackle crocs.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...There’s absolutely no substitute for hard work.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I’m totally fascinated by aeroplanes. You’ll see me gazing into the sky at The Oval because it’s under the flight path. It baffles me how such big things manage to stay up in the air.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...Losing my wicket always hurts!

The unending quest that drives you on...To be the best I can be.

The poem that touches your soul... If by Rudyard Kipling. It’s inspirational.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m selfish. My friends and family know how far away from the truth that is.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Leaving South Africa for England when I was 19. I was all by myself, but I was in pursuit of my boyhood dream to play international cricket. It was worth it!

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal a vehicle and go on a game drive into the wilderness of an African safari park after dark, which is forbidden. Most of the exciting activity happens at night.

The song that means most to you...We Weren’t Born To Follow by Bon Jovi. I’ll never be a sheep.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Aside from the birth of Dylan and my wedding day in 2007, it was winning The Ashes in Australia in 2011. It was a historic win by a great team. I only wish we could have celebrated at home for the fans with an open top bus as we did in 2005.

The saddest time that shook your world...My best friend Jon is battling eye cancer. He’s the same age as me – 32 – and it still shakes me every day.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To score 10,000 Test runs. I’m on 7,499 at the moment.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Family always comes first.

The order of service at your funeral...It’s not something I think about. I don’t even know if I want my ashes scattered in England or South Africa.

The way you want to be remembered...As a great husband, father and son.

The Plug...Kevin is co-owner of the clothing label Nena & Pasadena, available in Harrods or online at www.nenaandpasadena.co.uk. He also supports the Magic Bus children’s charity, www.magicbus.org.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 4 May 2013

The Apprentice’s Nick Hewer:

‘Working for Alan Sugar influenced me the most. He lives life like a battle and I’ve grown to like the smell of cordite’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: The Apprentice wise man Nick Hewer.

The prized possession you value above all others...My father John’s gold Omega watch. It was given to him in 1936 for his 21st birthday. He left it to me when he died, aged 96, three years ago and it connects me with him.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not taking up my place to study law at Trinity College, Dublin. My parents couldn’t afford to pay. It would’ve been incredible, but in many ways not going was the making of me.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions... I’d wake up on a fine spring day at my home in the Bordeaux region of France, brew some coffee then eat fresh figs from my garden. I’d spend the morning tinkering with my WWII Willys Jeep, before driving it, with the windscreen down, to the village to buy fresh bread. At lunchtime, I’d meet my partner Catherine, my two children, James and Kate and five grandchildren [aged eight months to seven] and we’d have an afternoon skiing at Val d’Isère. Then I’d catch a Learjet to Tahiti and recover on the beach from all that exercise! In the evening, Catherine and I would meet at a villa in Martinique and enjoy a fine Pauillac wine as the sun goes down. We’d return to France to listen to the crickets sing the rest of the night. 

The temptation you wish you could resist...Staying at a good party too long and having that final extra glass of wine. At 69 I should be more dignified and leave early – but I’m a fool!

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...If This Is A Man by Primo Levi. A Jewish-Italian chemist, he survived Auschwitz and wrote about the horror with moving forgiveness.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d ensconce myself in Kim Jong-un’s palace in North Korea to find out what planet he and his team are on. The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Those who litter the countryside. Go to the tip, like decent people.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Leopard from 1963 with Burt Lancaster and Claudia Cardinale. There’s never been a more beautiful woman than Claudia, and Burt is great.

The person who has influenced you most...Alan Sugar. I went to work as his PR in 1983 and it was like a rollercoaster. He lives life like a battle and I’ve grown to like the smell of cordite.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Julius Caesar when Rome was at its pinnacle. I’d love to know how he masterminded all those victories in his empire.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Judge as you find.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Mowing the lawn. I have seven types of lawn mower and three tractors. I get it from my father, who was obsessed with keeping the lawn neat.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A Victorian music box left to me by my grandmother when she died aged 99 in the early 60s. I sold it for £80 to pay for a flight to America. It was a wicked thing to do.

The unending quest that drives you on...To travel to far-off places. I’ve done the outer reaches of the Andes, Russia, Eastern Europe and Mongolia. Top of my list is to island-hop from Fiji to Japan.

The poem that touches your soul...The Song Of Wandering Aengus by WB Yeats. It has such beautiful language.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I have an inside track on finance. People ask what’s going to happen with the stock market and I say, ‘I haven’t a clue!’

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Taking The Apprentice job. For me – a non-entity – to be acknowledged like I am by the public has made me more confident.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal a small Cézanne self-portrait from The National Gallery in London. I admired it when I visited there often in my 20s – to chat up American girls!

The song that means most to you...Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs sung by the American soprano Renée Fleming. Her voice is simply fantastic.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...That’s tricky. I’m more pre-disposed to depression. That said, the arrival of my first grandson, Freddie, was pretty special.

The saddest time that shook your world...The end of my marriage. We were together from 1973 until 1985. Divorce is a failure and it was my fault.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To have an unexpected and painless death!

The philosophy that underpins your life...To find the humanity in people.

The order of service at your funeral...  I’m a traditionalist and want a church service with all of Strauss’s Four Last Songs and to be buried in a quiet English country churchyard – the thought of ending my days in a great big municipal cemetery fills me with horror.

The way you want to be remembered...Just as a decent bloke.

The Plug...The Apprentice premieres on Tuesday 7 May at 9pm on BBC1, then switches to Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC1 from 8 May onwards. The Apprentice: You’re Fired! follows the main show on BBC2. 

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 27 April 2013

Disgraced minister Jonathan Aitken:

‘I know I’ll be remembered as the Cabinet minister who went to jail, but I would like a ‘PS’: Later in life, he did a lot of good and helped the lives of ex-offenders’

Every week, we ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s former politician, Jonathan Aitken…

The prized possession you value above all others...My copy of the 18-volume Complete Oxford English Dictionary. Winston Churchill’s son Randolph gave it to me on my 21st birthday.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend... Telling a lie on oath in court [during his libel trial against The Guardian in 1997], which was a catastrophe for my life and career.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions... ‘I’d take the sleeper train from Euston to Rannoch in the Scottish Highlands, then hike to the top of Tom’s Hill with my best friend Malcolm [Baron Pearson of Rannoch], where we’d enjoy a picnic of venison sausage sandwiches and Chablis. In the afternoon I’d relax on Sorrento Beach in Perth, Australia, with my wife Elizabeth and children Alexandra, Victoria, William and Petrina. I’d go surfing, then we’d all have a beach barbecue. I’d stop off at the Ritz in Paris for a glass of Dom Pérignon before returning to Rannoch for Scottish mussels, then bed.

The temptation you wish you could resist...A second helping of comfort food, like steak and kidney pudding.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Other Men’s Flowers, an anthology of poems selected by Lord Wavell [a field marshal during World War II].

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d visit Heaven with an angel to see what it’s like.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...People playing loud music from cars or music systems on the beach.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Magnificent Seven. It’s a morality tale and a brilliant Western.

The person who has influenced you most...My great-uncle Max Aitken, the 1st Lord Beaverbrook – the only person other than Churchill to be in the Cabinet during both world wars. He opened my eyes to politics, English and journalism.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Henry VII, to talk about how he brought up his son Henry VIII. I’d like to know if he thought he’d failed.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...If you’re kind, people will be kind to you, but if you’re ruthless it will rebound.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I love steam trains. I’m envious of Michael Portillo for becoming the TV face of trainspotting!

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A large collection of family letters and ones written by myself throughout my school days, including my first love letters. They were stolen from my home in London.

The unending quest that drives you on...To find peace with God. I don’t think you can find perfect peace anywhere on this side of the grave, but stumbling along the road of life itself is a good journey.

The poem that touches your soul... Tennyson’s Ulysses. It’s about a man who is getting older, yet still feels he has the energy for great new voyages. It resonates so much because, although I’m 70 now, I still feel the desire to do more.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That because I went to prison I am a "bad" person. I’ve had people shout at me on the escalator in the Tube, "You ******* crook". It can be deeply wounding.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Being sent to prison [he was sentenced to 18 months and served seven in 1999 for perjury and perverting the course of justice]. I’m now more fulfilled because of it.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I couldn’t be tempted. One crime was enough!

The song that means most to you...The Garden Where The Praties Grow, sung by the Irish tenor John McCormack. I caught TB when I was four and I was sent to a special hospital in Dublin for three and a half years. I couldn’t walk and was kept in a thing called a "frame" which was like an iron lung. At Christmas McCormack would come and sing for us children – a great joy.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The moment, aged eight, when I knew I could run and dance like other children after so long in hospital.

The saddest time that shook your world...The death of my father William in 1964 from a heart attack. He was 58 and I was 21. He was a wonderful father and a rock in my life. I was devastated.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To help reduce the re-offending rate of ex-prisoners. Seven out of ten go back within two years.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.

The order of service at your funeral...I’ll have a service at St Matthew’s Westminster with the hymns Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken, Amazing Grace and Psalm 90, then I want to be buried alongside my parents in the churchyard in Playford, Suffolk.

The way you want to be remembered...I know I’ll be remembered as the Cabinet minister who went to jail, but if possible I would like a "PS" – afterwards he helped the lives of ex-offenders.

The Plug...My new book Margaret Thatcher: Power And Personality will be published by Bloomsbury this autumn. Visit bloomsbury.com.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 20 April 2013

Scientist Dame Mary Archer:

‘I was diagnosed with high-risk bladder cancer in 2010, so I had it removed and reconstructed from my intestine. The new one works much better’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s scientist Dame Mary Archer’s turn… 

The prized possession you value above all others...A ruby necklace, earrings and bracelet my husband Jeffrey gave me for our ruby [40th] wedding anniversary in 2006. They’re very special.   

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not getting to see my son William sing solo in a choral concert at his prep school when he was 11. I was working. He’s never forgotten it!

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I would begin with a 3km jog near our home in Cambridge. I’m 68 now and a run sets me up for the day. Then I’d attend a seminar about converting sunlight into fuel at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. I’d join Jeffrey and the boys [sons James, 38, and William, 40, and his four-month-old baby Alexander] at our favourite restaurant, Lucio in Chelsea. I’d have sea bass followed by affogato – their homemade ice cream – which is wicked. I’d go to the RSC theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in the afternoon to see Much Ado About Nothing, then visit our home, called Writers’ Block, in Majorca for a swim. I’d have dinner at Tempo in Mayfair, making sure I have some Pouilly Fumé wine and lemon tart, then I’d sing in the choir at a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the Royal Albert Hall. 

The temptation you wish you could resist...Playing with my Bengal cat Sunita when I should be working.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu by Marcel Proust. It’s full of so many truths about life.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d visit pubs and stub out the cigarettes being smoked by young women. It’s so tragic to see girls ruining their health.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Bad spelling or punctuation. I like to take out my editorial red pen to make corrections when I see errors.

The film you can watch time and time again...A Man For All Seasons from 1966. I particularly loved Susannah York as Thomas More’s daughter Margaret. She was so beautiful.

The person who has influenced you most...Sir George Porter, who was director of the Royal Institution when I was researching chemistry there in the 70s. He kindled my interest in solar energy. He sadly died in 2002.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The great 19th-century scientist Michael Faraday. He created the dynamo and electric motor. I’d like to show him what happened thanks to his work.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...The same piece of advice my father Harold gave me when I was young: never let anything you don’t understand pass you by. In other words, ask questions.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Tap dancing. I can’t do it, but I have wild moments when I think it’d be fun to go on Strictly Come Dancing. This is not to be encouraged! Jeffrey’s been asked many times.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My bladder! I was diagnosed with high-risk bladder cancer in 2010, so I had it removed and reconstructed from my intestine. The new one works much better.

The unending quest that drives you on...To be an expert in whatever I do.

The poem that touches your soul... BC:AD by UA Fanthorpe. She was my English teacher at Cheltenham Ladies’ College and a poet. This poem is so subtle and not a word is wasted.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I wrote Jeffrey’s early books. I used to read them and correct his punctuation, but I never changed a syllable.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Being accepted to read chemistry at Oxford University in 1962. It was transformative.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...To push anyone I see dropping litter headfirst into the nearest dustbin.

The song that means most to you...The Victorian religious ballad The Holy City from 1892. My father used to play it on the organ and taught me the words. It reminds me of him.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...When Cambridge University Hospital won Trust Of The Year in 2008. I was chairman at the time.

The saddest time that shook your world...The death of my father from lung cancer in 1971 when he was 60. I was 26 and he died before I could tell him I was pregnant with William.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To play the organ.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Be a force for good.

The order of service at your funeral... I’d like a service at Great St Mary’s church at Cambridge University beginning with Bach’s Fugue in E flat. Jeffrey would read from John Donne’s Meditations XVII – if he’s up to it! There’d be a wake at our house in Cambridge.

The way you want to be remembered...As a giver, not a taker.

The Plug...My book The Story Of The Old Vicarage, Grantchester can be ordered from www.jeffreyarcher.com, £10 plus p&p. All profits go to the Rupert Brooke Society.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 13 April 2013

Homeland star David Harewood:

‘If there’s alcohol, music and friends I want to be at the centre of it all. But the older I get, the harder it is to recover’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s Homeland star David Harewood…

The prized possession you value above all others...A good luck card from the author Philip Pullman on the first night of the His Dark Materials adaptation at the National Theatre in 2004 when I played Lord Asriel. He used the term ‘when the whole world knows your name’. I still read it for inspiration.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I wish I’d been more attentive at school.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up in the Empire State penthouse suite at the Setai Fifth Avenue hotel in New York with my wife Kirsty and our daughters Maize, ten, and Raven, seven. We’d have a huge room service breakfast, then fly to Barbados where I’d work out on Gibbs beach on the west coast and play in the sea with the kids. Then we’d go to Rome – checking out the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. I’d have veal in mushroom sauce for lunch there with red wine, then relax on a cruise down the Nile. We’d watch the sun dip behind the Pyramids, then see the neon lights come on across Tokyo and have some sake. We’d all party on through the night in New Orleans with plenty of music and dancing. I’d end the day with a big cigar and a glass of rum in Havana, Cuba. Then I’d pass out!

The temptation you wish you could resist...Partying! If there’s alcohol, music and friends I want to be at the centre of it all. But the older I get, the harder it is to recover.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. I read it when I was 13 and it changed my understanding of the creature from the films I’d seen. It had intelligence and compassion.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d sit in the ladies’ loos at the Oscars and listen to the women talking about the men. Men’s loos tend to be quiet places, but it all goes down in the Ladies!

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Rudeness in all its forms.

The film you can watch time and time again...12 Angry Men has a truly great collection of actors giving fantastic performances. It’s an acting masterclass.

The person who has influenced you most...Stephen Dartnell, who directed me in King Lear at RADA in the 90s. It was the first time I really believed in myself. He died in 1995.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...I’d love to talk with Martin Luther King, just to hear his voice up close and be with someone who had such faith. He had such power. 

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. That’s how we learn.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...River fishing. It’s totally absorbing and a real challenge.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...The Chopper bike I got for Christmas when I was 12. I felt so cool riding it, but a month later someone stole it. I was devastated.

The unending quest that drives you on...To do a brilliant piece of work on film that looks effortless. Not easy!

The poem that touches your soul...Rudyard Kipling’s If, especially the line that tells you to ‘hold on’ when you have nothing left.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m always confident and assured. We all have insecurities, but some of us are better at covering them up.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Becoming a father. Before my children came along I was out partying and getting drunk too much. My two beautiful girls gave my life real purpose. I’m so proud of them.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal millions from some corrupt country and give piles of cash to the people I love and to those who really need it. And I’d keep a decent chunk myself!

The song that means most to you...A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke. It’s an astonishingly beautiful song with haunting lyrics.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Being in the school choir one Christmas when I was 15. Our music teacher created a bass section out of all the naughty lads. It was the most successful concert they’d ever had. We all felt like pop stars.

The saddest time that shook your world...The death of my best friend Luigi Belcuore in 2009. We’d been like brothers since school. He died suddenly during a routine knee operation and it destroyed me.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To speak Italian.

The philosophy that underpins your life... Don’t try and be something you’re not and always be true to yourself. 

The order of service at your funeral...I’d like Mark Rylance to read Cleopatra’s death speech from Shakespeare’s Antony And Cleopatra. Then put me in the ground so you can drink yourselves under the table!

The way you want to be remembered...With a smile and as someone who brought a bit of joy to people’s lives.

The Plug...Catch me in Playhouse Presents… Hey Diddly Dee on Thursday at 9pm on Sky Arts 1. Visit www.skyarts.sky.com.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 6 April 2013

Olympic sailor Ben Ainslie:

"My five Olympic medals represent a lifetime of effort and now I want to win the America’s Cup"

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s Olympic sailing hero Ben Ainslie

The prized possession you value above all others...My five Olympic medals [four golds and one silver]. They represent a lifetime of effort.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I wish I’d spent more time with loved ones. The dedication it takes to be a professional sailor has meant I’ve missed weddings, christenings and birthdays, which has been so frustrating and upsetting for people.
The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up on a Sunday and watch Chelsea thrash Spurs on Match Of The Day. After that I’d put on The Andrew Marr Show and read the newspapers, then play golf at Pebble Beach, California, with my mates. My girlfriend Marit and I would have great seafood for lunch at Catalina restaurant by Sydney Harbour. I’d spend the afternoon sailing around the harbour, then head to Las Vegas for a major night out with friends: we’d have Japanese for dinner at Nobu, then party at the Wynn hotel.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Coffee. I drink at least three cups a day. Being careful with my diet is a way of life and it’s never easy.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. It’s about never knowing what to expect from life.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d sit in the Tory Chief Whip’s office and see some discipline being dished out to MPs. I’m hoping it would be reminiscent of Francis Urquhart in House Of Cards.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Lack of manners and arrogance.

The film you can watch time and time again... The Godfather Part II. I love the scene when Al Pacino’s in the boathouse looking slightly psychotic after he’s ordered his brother Fredo to be killed. The acting is so intense.

The person who has influenced you most...My father Roddy. He sailed as a captain in the first Whitbread Round the World race in 1973. His passion for sailing gave me the bug. He also instilled it in me to always give 100 per cent. 

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Lord Nelson. In his day, sailors were really tough and it must have taken huge skill to sail those big ships. I’d love to hear him talk about the battles of Trafalgar and Copenhagen.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Make sure you find something you love to do in life. 

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I’ve recently started taking flying lessons. I’ve only been up a few times, but it’s amazing.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My grandfather was a Spitfire pilot in World War II and he gave me all his medals before he died, but I was only six and I lost them! 

The unending quest that drives you on...To win the America’s Cup finals in San Francisco in September and bring it back to Britain where it all began in 1851. We came up with the concept, but since that first race around the Isle of Wight we’ve never won it.

The poem that touches your soul...Invictus by William Ernest Henley. It’s a powerful reminder to be strong in the face of adversity. As a sportsman you need to be good at that.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...Maybe people mistake my competitive character with my normal character. I’m very focused when I’m competing, but out of the boat I’m much more relaxed.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The first time I went sailing on my own. I was eight and my parents had bought me an Optimist – a single-handed dinghy – for Christmas. On Boxing Day, they pushed me off the beach in Cornwall and I sailed to meet them at a pub. The sense of freedom was incredible.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d love to try and steal the Mona Lisa. Now that would be a blast!

The song that means most to you...Midnight City by French electronic band M83. It’s the theme song we use for our America’s Cup Team. It fires us up.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Winning my fourth gold medal on home waters at Weymouth. Hearing thousands of people cheering as I crossed the line was overwhelming.

The saddest time that shook your world...The London bombings in 2005. Many people were on a high because London had just won the bid to host the Olympics, then that horrific act caused so much suffering.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I’m 36 now and I’d love to have children one day. Sailing isn’t ideal for family life.

The philosophy that underpins your life...If you want to succeed, you have to give everything and commit fully.

The order of service at your funeral...I’ll probably leave my family to work everything out, but I’m sure Jerusalem will be on the hymn sheet.

The way you want to be remembered...As a great sailor and a good man. 

The Plug...Ben and his JP Morgan BAR team will compete in the America’s Cup World Series event in Naples from 17-21 April. Visit www.jpmorganbarblog.com or www.benainslie.com.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 30 March 2013

Actress Phyllida Law:

‘I lost my virginity when I was 24, so it would be fun to go back and start all over again!’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s the turn of actress Phyllida Law…

The prized possession you value above all others...My bed. It’s incredibly comfortable. It’s only a single with an old brass bedstead that was given to my daughter Sophie [actress Sophie Thompson] when she was 18, but the mattress is Tempur foam, which was developed by NASA and moulds to your body.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Giving up the piano when I was 16. I’d had lessons and loved playing, but I began devoting all my time to studying to become a doctor.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d take my best friend Mildew on a tour of the islands of Scotland – by kayak! We’d paddle to Eigg, Rum, Muck and Jura and tow a dinghy behind us full of Puligny-Montrachet wine and catch lobster, langoustines and crab. Then I’d magically arrive in Quito in Ecuador for a sundowner drink and end the day at home in West Hampstead with my four grandchildren having a roast beef dinner with Yorkshire pudding made by my other daughter Emma [actress Emma Thompson] and Sophie. We’d have all the trimmings and drink some nice Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Chocolate raisins. I don’t have to worry about my weight – I’m 80 so it’s too late to care about things like that – but once I start I eat rather too many.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. I first read it in one sitting when I was 19 and stayed up until 3am sobbing. It was so devastating and really took me to the horrors of the First World War.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d have a good snoop inside the Vatican and look through all those secret archives.
The pet hate that always gets your back up... The sound of people typing non-stop on their laptops on the train.

The film you can watch time and time again...The beginning of Ice Age 3 with the squirrel who has to find the acorn. I’ve watched it with my grandchildren many times and love it because it’s so witty and enchanting.

The person who has influenced you most...A lady called Jenny McAra, who was my first proper teacher, for two years from when I was nine. I admired and respected her – she taught me so much about listening and learning.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin. I’d love to know what he was up to with the Tsar’s family and how he really died.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Don’t waste time trying to be perfect. It’s fine to have faults.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Dry stone walling. I marvel at the intricate beauty of them, especially across Scotland.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...I lost my virginity when I was 24, so it would be fun to go back and start all over again!

The unending quest that drives you on...To find peace in each day.

The poem that touches your soul...Carcassonne by the 19th-century French songwriter Gustave Nadaud. It’s about a man who dies before he realises his dream to see the town of Carcassonne, which is a metaphor for heaven.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m Phyllida Lloyd, the director of Mamma Mia!. People tell me they loved that show and the film. They’re crestfallen when I say I had nothing to do with it!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Discovering at 17 that I didn’t have a life-threatening disease! From the age of 11 I was convinced I was ill. That made me devote what I thought remained of my life to becoming a doctor. Then I found out I was only anaemic. I threw in medicine and became a theatrical designer.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal a painting by the Dutch artist Vilhelm Hammershoi and look at it in awe.

The song that means most to you...Miss Otis Regrets by Cole Porter. It moves me whenever I hear it.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...When I bought my cottage in Ardentinny, Scotland, 50 years ago. It’s the most stunning place in the world.

The saddest time that shook your world...When my husband [narrator of The Magic Roundabout Eric Thompson] and my brother, James, were ill in 1982. Both were 53 and they died within months of each other. 

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To speak French. I have lessons but I can’t imagine I’ll ever manage it without living there.

The philosophy that underpins your life...You have to keep laughing.

The order of service at your funeral... I’d be taken to the crematorium by dustcart with a jazz band playing. I want my ashes scattered in a glen near my home in Scotland and I’d like an unsuitable reading to make everyone smile.

The way you want to be remembered...With a glass of wine and laughter.

The Plug...How Many Camels Are There In Holland? Dementia, Ma And Me by Phyllida Law is published by Fourth Estate, £12.99.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 23 March 2013

Actor Robson Green:

"I was devastated by my father’s death and I lost a sense of self for a while. He was my role model. His death really made me grow up"

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept the definitive answer. Here, it is actor Robson Green’s turn.

The prized possession you value above all others...A family tree of my ancestors going back to a David Robson in 1851. He was a putter – the guy who pushed the carts of coal from a pit – in Rothbury, Northumberland.It hangs in my home in Northumberland and gives me a sense of place and value.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...In 2007 I was filming in South Shields and paid a security guard £10 to keep an eye on my black Range Rover Vogue. I came back and it was smashed up. I went into a rage and said, ‘You’d have to work ten years to afford a car like that!’ He said, ‘That’s not your car!’ Mine was round the corner. 

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d spend all morning circling Earth in the space shuttle with the American astronaut Jim Lovell telling me stories about the Apollo 13 mission. We’d ditch in the North Sea and I’d meet my 12-year-old son Taylor [Robson separated from Taylor’s mum Vanya two years ago] for haddock and chips at Robinson Crusoe’s restaurant in Tynemouth. We’d find a pub and watch Newcastle beat Manchester United in the FA Cup Final, while discussing the meaning of life with Professor Brian Cox. Then Taylor and I would hang out at home watching Family Guy DVDs and looking at the stars through my telescope.

The temptation you wish you could resist...I’m addicted to Rowntree’s Randoms and can eat five bags a day.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Skippy Dies by Paul Murray. It’s about unrequited love and takes me back to when I was nine and gave a girl a box of Milk Tray. She ate the lot then went off with the hardest lad in school.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d watch Daniel Day-Lewis preparing for a role.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Reality TV shows like Big Brother. Those people have an attention-seeking disease.

The film you can watch time and time again...It’s A Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart. I watch it every Christmas Eve and it always makes me cry.

The person who has influenced you most...Max Roberts, who was the artistic director of my youth theatre when I was 15. He gave me the encouragement to stick with acting and I’ve never forgotten it. We’re still in touch.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...George Stephenson, creator of the Rocket steam train. I’d like to know how you go from being a cobbler and miner to an expert in steam locomotion. How does that happen!?

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...The most ordinary life can be extraordinary, not because of what you are given, but because of what you are able to achieve.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Fireworks. For my 40th birthday [he’s now 48] I was given a course in pyrotechnics. I even spent £25,000 on a display for New Year’s Eve 2005. Boys love a bang!

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...Muhammad Ali’s autograph, which my mum got for me when I was 12. She was a cleaner at the Holiday Inn in Newcastle and he came to stay. It was lost during a move.

The unending quest that drives you on...To go into space. I tried to sell a TV series following me on Richard Branson’s spaceship, but it was turned down – because Branson’s doing one!

The poem that touches your soul...Wilfred Owen’s Dulce Et Decorum Est because it sums up the horror of war.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People often say to me, ‘You’re one lucky Geordie!’ I say, ‘The harder I work, the luckier I get.’ It’s no fluke to survive in this business for 30 years.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...My dad’s death from an aneurism in 2009. He was also called Robson. I lost a sense of self for a while. Dad worked down the pit and taught me what real work is.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...Well, I’ve already got away with serious crimes against music – my three number ones with Jerome Flynn!

The song that means most to you... Bill Withers’ Lovely Day lifts my spirits.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...In December 1973 when Malcolm MacDonald, the legend of Newcastle United, came to our school.

The saddest time that shook your world...When HMS Sheffield was sunk during the Falklands War in 1982. I remember sobbing at the footage.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To play Hotspur in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Henry IV Part One.  

The philosophy that underpins your life...There are wonderful folk in the world, meet as many as you can.

The order of service at your funeral...Just bury me in the Northumbrian hills while Kathryn Tickell plays The Cliffs Of Old Tynemouth on the pipes. Then I’d like a knees-up at Crusoe’s with re-runs of Soldier Soldier on the TV.

The way you want to be remembered...He was alright, him.

The Plug...Robson’s Extreme Fishing Challenge, Monday, 9pm, Channel 5

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 16 March 2013

Cold Feet actress Fay Ripley:

‘Suffering two miscarriages at three months in between my two children was a really nasty shock’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: actress and food author Fay Ripley…

The prized possession you value above all others...The basement kitchen at my home in north London. I designed it when my husband Dan [Australian actor Daniel Lapaine] and I gutted the house in 2006. It’s where I’m happiest.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not spending more on my wedding in 2001! My dad, Bev, always said he’d pay for a big wedding, but when it came to it I was really frugal and it came in at £10,000. I could easily have nailed Dad for £100,000.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d have a bagel with salt beef for breakfast with Dan outside Tiffany on 5th Avenue in New York, where we got engaged. Then we’d fly with the kids – Parker, ten, and Sonny, six – to Balmoral beach in Sydney. We’d have grilled fish for lunch at the Bathers’ Pavilion restaurant there and then head to the South of France where my first stop would be at a supermarket. They’re incredible – each one is like Harrods Food Hall. We’d have an early supper at Club 55 in St Tropez with a huge plate of frites and a bottle of Côtes de Provence rosé wine. We’d end the day at Babington House hotel in Somerset.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Handbags. I buy five to ten a year and currently have about 50. I’m particularly into Angel Jackson bags.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Delia Smith’s Complete Illustrated Cookery Course. It was given to me in my 20s and I still use it.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d be a fly on the wall at my kids’ school.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Drivers not obeying the ‘two chevrons spacing’ rule on motorways. I feel like I’m the only person in the country who bothers.

The film you can watch time and time again...American Graffiti from 1973, which is a classic coming-of-age movie about a group of teenagers in 1960s America. I watched it as an incredibly uncool 13-year-old and fell in love with one of the stars, Paul Le Mat.

The person who has influenced you most...My late grandmother, Ivy Winepress Forster. My parents divorced when I was two and I was brought up in two families. My grandmother was a bridge between both worlds – and she made amazing pastry.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Prince Albert. He did so much for our country in terms of its buildings, parks and culture. He was only 42 when he died. I’d like to know what his ambitions would have been if he’d lived longer.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Be a citizen of the world and care as much for a neighbour who lives 1,000 miles away as one who lives down the street.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I’m a compulsive room painter. I can decide to change a colour at 9pm and start rollering right away.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A jewellery box containing all the gifts for my christening, including gold sovereign coins, a watch and a gold bracelet. When I was 18 and moving into my first flat I left the door open and someone nipped in and stole it.

The unending quest that drives you on...To bake, to eat, to share.  

The poem that touches your soul...She Is Gone by David Harkins. It tells you that you can smile and live on by remembering the people you lose. 

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m a Northerner! Everyone always expects me to speak in a Mancunian accent because of Jenny from Cold Feet, but I was brought up in Surrey.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Getting the job on Cold Feet in 1996. Until then my TV career had been limited to playing unnamed prostitutes.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d stay at the finest hotels and never pay the bill.

The song that means most to you...One Big Family by Templecloud. I put it on loudly while I’m cooking and insist the kids dance with me.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Beating Gordon Ramsay in a blind tasting of our chocolate brownies in the F Word TV show in 2009.

The saddest time that shook your world...Suffering two miscarriages at three months in between my two children. It was a really nasty shock.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To run a food business like a restaurant or a shop.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Give a damn about someone else and they will give a damn about you.

The order of service at your funeral...I want to be cremated on a bonfire in the country with a service that makes everybody cry. I want some Samuel Barber classical music, but then Get Happy by Judy Garland. There will be a huge cake with a figure of me on top, and a goodie bag for everyone.

The way you want to be remembered...For my Bakewell tart! 

The Plug...Fay is the ambassador for Bacon Connoisseurs Week, starting Monday, celebrating great Red Tractor Bacon. Visit www.lovepork.co.uk.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 9 March 2013

Actor Brian Cox:

‘I was left on my own at an age when a child shouldn’t be expected to deal with things’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s the turn of stage and screen actor Brian Cox.

The prized possession you value above all others...A little statue of Ganesh, the Hindu elephant god. I’ve had it for about ten years and it travels everywhere with me. It’s a talisman that helps knock down obstacles in life.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...About 15 years ago I was disparaging about another actor to a woman and told her he was no good for a certain role. She then told me that they were engaged! It was a very uncomfortable moment and I apologised, but the damage was done.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I would need a day of calmness. I’d watch the sun come up on the east coast of Scotland, then have a massage on a beach in Hawaii. My wife Nicole and our children, Orson, 11, and Torin, eight, would join me for a play in the surf. We’d have lunch in the Tarn region of the South of France with Alan and Margaret, my grown-up children from my first marriage, then walk it off with a stroll along the Silver Sands of Morar in Scotland. I’d end the day watching the sunset in Tahiti while sharing a bottle of champagne with Nicole.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Sweets and desserts, especially big puddings like baked Alaska. I’m 66 and diabetic, so I have to be very careful about my sugar intake.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...In Search Of The Miraculous by Russian writer Peter Ouspensky. It teaches you how to live in the moment.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d go inside a totally private Tibetan monastery to observe how the monks live and worship. Hopefully, I’d come away with some special knowledge about life.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...People who presume things really irritate me because their damn presumptions are usually wrong.

The film you can watch time and time again...On The Waterfront with Marlon Brando from 1954. It’s about one man’s struggle against the odds and his courage to stand up to the bad guys. 

The person who has influenced you most...Fulton Mackay. Most people knew him as Mr Mackay from Porridge, but I met him in my teens and he became my mentor. He was a man of great compassion. In 1987 I pressed the button at his cremation to send him on his way. 

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...I’d get Jesus, Mohammed and Buddha together and tell them to sort out all the confusion they’ve caused!

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Always say your prayers – but not necessarily to a god. Vocalising your wishes helps them come true.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Sudoku puzzles. I love the logic and some days I’ll do five.   

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A pile of letters to me from John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson. I gave them to my agent to photocopy in the 80s but a cleaner threw them away. I was gutted.

The unending quest that drives you on...Trying to make sense of it all.

The poem that touches your soul...I Am by the 19th-century English poet John Clare. He went mad and wrote it in an asylum. It’s incredibly moving.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m Professor Brian Cox! It happens all the time and last year I even got a letter from Sebastian Coe asking me to carry the Olympic torch through Manchester because of my ‘connections to the city’. They soon apologised for getting the wrong Brian Cox.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...My father, Charles, dying from pancreatic cancer when I was eight. He was only 51 and my mother subsequently had several nervous breakdowns. I was left on my own at an age when a child shouldn’t be expected to deal with things.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I would impersonate that other Brian Cox and steal all his royalties! 

The song that means most to you...You Are My Sunshine by Ricky Nelson. It conjures up moments from my childhood of my parents singing it to me, and I’ve sung it to my own children.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...It brings me great happiness when the word ‘Wrap!’ is shouted out on a film or TV production.

The saddest time that shook your world...My father’s death. It was thought right that I was spared the pain of his funeral because I was so young, but I regret not going.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I’d love to fly a small plane. Just me, up in the clouds. 

The philosophy that underpins your life...Don’t become attached to things because they’ll drag you down. 

The order of service at your funeral...I’d like something theatrical with songs and readings that reflect my life.

The way you want to be remembered...He always gave everything his best.

The Plug...Brian Cox appears in The Weir at London’s Donmar Warehouse from 18 April. Barclay’s Front Row £10 tickets are available from 8 April. Visit www.donmarwarehouse.com.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 2 March 2013

Actress Diana Quick:

"I love to dance flamenco and salsa – if I’m in a shop and hear music I have to stop myself moving to it" 

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s the turn of actress Diana Quick

 The prized possession you value above all others...My three-year-old dog Maude. She’s half lurcher, half Parson Jack Russell and travels with me a lot when I’m on a theatre tour.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Saying mean and catty things. It makes me feel queasy.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d start the day with a platter of tropical fruit by the volcanic Boiling Lake in Dominica with my daughter Mary [28, whose father is actor Bill Nighy] and all my nearest and dearest. We’d have a dip in the Emerald Pool, then fly by helicopter to the Sierra mountains in Ecuador to go skiing. I’d go for lunch in Rome and have fish with champagne risotto and a chocolate desert. After, I’d walk around the Hermitage museum in St Petersburg, then head back to my cottage in Suffolk and cook dinner for my family with a few bottles of Dom Perignon champagne.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Procrastination. It would save me a lot of hassle if I could stop saying, ‘Oh I’ll do that tomorrow’.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...French Provincial Cooking by Elizabeth David, which a boyfriend gave me when I was 19. It gave me the cooking skills that I still use.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day... I’d eavesdrop on the homeless and see what I could do to help them.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Bad driving. I succumb to road rage myself when I see people in cars behaving obnoxiously. I’m filled with a spontaneous, implacable fury.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Spirit Of The Beehive, a Spanish film from 1973. It’s about a girl who befriends a fugitive after the Spanish Civil war. It conjures up images of how I felt as a little girl.

The person who has influenced you most...Mary Davies, who was my English and drama teacher from when I was 13 to 17. She inspired my love for acting. Sadly, she died a few years ago.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Catherine the Great. I’d ask her about her favourite possessions in the Hermitage and why she was such a despot!

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...I would keep it simple: Believe in yourself. If you have confidence in yourself, at least you will take the first step up the mountain, even if the task ahead seems impossible.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity... Dancing – I’ve learnt flamenco and salsa. Even in a shop I’ll hear music and I have to stop myself moving to it.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A Tiffany diamond necklace I was given 35 years ago by my then boyfriend Albert Finney. He took me to the store in New York and there in a cabinet was a single necklace waiting for me. He’d set it all up. I was devastated when it was stolen in a burglary in 2011.

The unending quest that drives you on...To feel at peace with myself in understanding why we’re here and that I’d done the best I could if life were to suddenly stop.

The poem that touches your soul...So Many Different Lengths Of Time by Brian Patten, one of the great Liverpool poets of the 60s. It’s about death and it particularly resonates with me now because I’ve reached that age, 66, when people close to me have started to die.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m scary. I’m not sure if it’s down to the perception from interviews or the roles I’ve played, such as judges. I’m actually kind and generous-spirited. 

The event that altered the course of your life and character...I contracted Hepatitis A when I was 19. I was in a coma for ten days and it was touch and go. My idea of the world changed afterwards. I suddenly knew I was mortal and I became more measured.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d take money from every major corporation and redistribute it to those in need.  The song that means most to you...Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye. Hearing it always makes me happy and want to dance.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The moment Mary opened her eyes after three days of being unconscious in hospital following a car accident when she was two-and-a-half.  

The saddest time that shook your world...That accident. We were in a major pile-up in fog on the A12 north of Ipswich. At first she was conscious and was only complaining of stomachache, but when we got to hospital we realised she had severe internal injuries and needed emergency surgery.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To play fading actress Arkadina in Chekhov’s The Seagull.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Try to live each day as if it is the only one. Be here now. 

The order of service at your funeral...I’m not religious and all I definitely want is for them to play Listen To The Lion by Van Morrison and scatter my ashes somewhere in Suffolk.

The way you want to be remembered...As someone who could be trusted.

The Plug...Diana appears in The American Plan – first play in the 2013 Ustinov Studio season – at Bath’s Theatre Royal, from Thursday until 6 April.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 23 February 2013

Simply Red star Mick Hucknall:

‘I suffer from Dyscalculia – number blindness – I was made to feel stupid but art school opened up the world of creativity for me and I loved it’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s the turn of Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall.

The prized possession you value above all others...My health. A few months ago I was diagnosed with a thyroid condition that’s led to side effects like bloating and mood swings. They say I’m going to make a full recovery and I’m determined to stay healthy.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I’ve always enjoyed that Frank Sinatra line, ‘Regrets, I’ve had a few. But, then again, too few to mention’. I’m having such an amazing life, what could I possibly regret?

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d spend the day having a glass of wine in each of the top vineyards in the world starting in Bordeaux to taste a Châteaux Latour 1982, then Burgundy, followed by the Rhine and Northern Italy. By this point I’d be pretty drunk, but I’d stagger on to South America and end the day in South Australia for a glass of Penfolds Grange 1962.  

The temptation you wish you could resist...Drinking too much good wine! It’s been my only vice – along with 90 per cent of the British population!

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. I was a working-class kid in Manchester when I first read that. It made me daydream of going on adventures like him.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d spend a day on the beach with my family, knowing that no one would take pictures of me. It always happens and I find it embarrassing, hurtful and unkind.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...People speeding in built-up areas. It’s tragic and scary that they don’t appreciate the potential consequences.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Quiet Man with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara from 1952. I was brought up without a mum [his mother, also named Maureen, walked out when Mick was three and he has never known her] and seeing O’Hara with her striking red hair made me fantasise that my mum looked like that.

The person who has influenced you most...My dad Reg, who died in 2009, was a big influence because he brought me up. My wife Gabriella has also been a great influence, and my five-year-old daughter Romy influences the way I behave – because I have to go to bed early to get up with her!

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The 17th-century Dutch painter Jan Vermeer. He could make ordinary things, like a milk jug, look extraordinary. I got a degree in fine art and I love painting. Maybe I could get a few tips from him.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Avoid making enemies. I was brought up to always tell the truth, but the truth can hurt people. Now I think it’s wiser to be conciliatory.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Medical research. I’m fascinated to see how our understanding of DNA and stem cells will change how we think we fit into the universe.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...The Sex Pistols were a huge influence on me and I  had two copies of the original 1976  Anarchy In The UK on vinyl. But they were stolen in burglaries when I lived  in Moss Side, Manchester, in 1982.

The unending quest that drives you on...Composing something great that will last forever. The poem that touches your soul... Roads To France about the First World War by the English poet Tony Walton. That first line, ‘And finally I realised that all roads led to France’, encompasses the futility of war.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...I often read interviews describing me as short. It’s bewildering because I’m 5ft 11in.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Going to art school when I was 16. I’d been at a grammar school from 11 to 15 and because I suffer from Dyscalculia – number blindness – I was made to feel stupid. Art school opened up the world of creativity for me and I loved it.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d do a major gold heist like a real life Lavender Hill Mob, but with better planning!

The song that means most to you...Holding Back The Years. I wrote that when I was 17 and first released it with a group called Frantic Elevators, but it only sold 25 copies. It came out again with Simply Red in 1985 and changed the trajectory of my life. 

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The birth of my daughter in 2007. It was incredible and joyful.

The saddest time that shook your world...The shooting of John Lennon. It just seemed such a tragic waste.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...My next song. It’s always to write my next song.

The philosophy that underpins your life...To keep the freedom to work.

The order of service at your funeral...A proper knees-up with plenty of great music and humour.

The way you want to be remembered...As a singer and songwriter.

The Plug...A deluxe double CD version of Mick’s album American Soul is out now. Visit, www.mickhucknall.com and follow @SimplyRedHQ on Twitter.   

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 16 February 2013

BBC Breakfast presenter Susanna Reid:

‘My parents’ divorce made me a commitment-phobe but my partner accepts why I don’t want to marry’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: BBC Breakfast’s Susanna Reid

The prized possession you value above all others...A copy of the Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake, which the actress Harriet Walter gave to me after I played her daughter in Channel 4’s The Price when I was 13. It reminds me of a life-changing experience. I loved acting but I didn’t pursue it because so few actors succeed.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That I’ve not written a novel. I’m terrified of committing to the page, but I’ll be sorry if I come to the end of my life and haven’t written one.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up with my partner Dominic and our threes sons – Sam, ten, Finn, nine, and Jack, seven – at the Cipriani hotel in Venice, then we’d head to the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel in LA for breakfast. I’d have scrambled eggs with asparagus, spinach and avocado, followed by pancakes with fruit and whipped butter. Then we’d hang out by the pool. Later we’d have a picnic lunch in the dunes at Camber Sands in East Sussex and play on the beach. In the evening, Dom and I would have margaritas and burritos at the Puerto Alegre Mexican restaurant in San Francisco with a mariachi band playing.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Checking Twitter. It’s endlessly fascinating, but it’s also a black hole for your time and energy. 

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. It spoke to me as a  teenager and I marvelled at its complexity in my 20s and 30s, but now I’m 42 and a mother it feels unbearably cruel. 

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d see what my children do at school because when I ask them, they all say, ‘Nothing!’

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...People describing their dreams. Is there anything more pointless?

The film you can watch time and time again...Bugsy Malone from 1976. I always cry during You Give A Little Love, the song at the end.   

The person who has influenced you most...My partner, Dominic. I was a commitment phobe until we met, but since then I’ve learnt a lot. He’s very supportive and accepts why I don’t want to get married. I had a choppy childhood after my parents divorced when I was nine. I want us to do it our way.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The American writer Dorothy Parker. She was a clever, glamorous, witty and acerbic poet.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...The same Goethe quote my mum passed on to me, ‘Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.’ It’s basically saying you can do anything, just get started.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Hip-hop music. I’m not sure why the sound from the American ghettos speaks to a middle class white girl from Croydon, but I love it. There is something primal about the beat and the defiance of the lyrics. It is so powerful. In my alternative universe, I am a DJ in a hip-hop nightclub!

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...Silence. I’ve had tinnitus since Finn’s birth, which probably resulted from a difficult labour.

The unending quest that drives you on...To ensure that my children have happy and fulfilled childhoods.

The poem that touches your soul...Still I Rise by American poet Maya Angelou, which is about her fighting oppression to make a success of her life.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I hate my commute to Salford. I spend 21 hours a week travelling from London, but I relish that time and get lots done. And I’d be doing housework otherwise!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Becoming editor of my student newspaper Epigram at Bristol University when I was 19. It gave me a mission for my life.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it... I’d nobble the results in the Championship so Crystal Palace would get automatic promotion to the Premier League.

The song that means most to you...Coldplay’s Paradise. It’s cheesy, but it fills me with love and optimism. 

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Seeing my family as I reached the 18th mile in last year’s London Marathon. To know how proud they were of me carried me to the end.

The saddest time that shook your world...When my mum told me she and Dad were getting divorced. I cried and cried. I don’t blame them and I know it was the right thing, but it was so sad. 

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To finish this year’s Marathon in under five hours. I did five hours, 12 minutes last time. 

The philosophy that underpins your life...Everything seems impossible – until it’s done.  

The order of service at your funeral...I’m not religious so I’ll leave it up to my family to decide if they want a spiritual service. I’d like my ashes to be buried next to my grandparents in Croydon.

The way you want to be remembered...By family and friends, as someone who loved unconditionally. By viewers, as someone who brightened the mornings. And as an award-winning novelist!

The Plug...Susanna presents BBC Breakfast, daily, from 6am, BBC1.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 9 February 2013

Actor and novelist Simon Williams:

 ‘I love the ritual of cleaning shoes. I used to do it for prefects at Harrow and if friends come round with grubby shoes I’ll go off and clean them’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: Upstairs, Downstairs actor Simon Williams.

The prized possession you value above all others...The address book on my iPhone. I have over 1,000 contacts in there. If I lost it I’d become a recluse.  

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not going to drama school. My father [playwright and actor Hugh Williams] was opposed to the idea. He wanted me to be a hotelier. I’ve never felt part of the elite circle of actors who did go. 

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d begin the day with a walk along the cliffs in Polzeath, Cornwall, with my wife Lucy and my Collie-cross Flute. We’d join our family on the beach for a game of rounders, then I’d bodysurf. In the afternoon I’d doze in the garden hammock at our home near Henley, Oxfordshire, while listening to a Test match on the radio. At sundown, Lucy and I would have a fruit punch cocktail to some Bob Marley at Goldeneye, Ian Fleming’s house in Jamaica. In the evening we’d go to the latest big musical in the West End, then have a dinner full of laughter at The Ivy with friends.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Interrupting. I do it because I fear that a brilliant thought I’ve had will be lost forever, but it’s very rude.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Goodbye To All That by Robert Graves. It evokes the England that was lost after the Great War. It was the mainspring of my research for James Bellamy in Upstairs, Downstairs.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d rewrite the Autocue scripts just before the party leaders make their political broadcasts, forcing them to tell the truth.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...The voice on the telephone that says, ‘The person you are calling knows you are waiting.’ What’s wrong with just having the engaged tone?

The film you can watch time and time again...Some Like It Hot with Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe. It’s the most immaculate film, with amazing performances. 

The person who has influenced you most...Richard Attenborough. I’ve known him for 40 years and his energy and compassion always inspire me.   

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Pontius Pilate. I’d love to know if he regrets washing his hands of Jesus.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Don’t ask permission, ask for forgiveness. Act now, say sorry later.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Cleaning shoes. I used to do it for prefects at Harrow and I love the ritual. If friends come round with grubby shoes I’ll go off and clean them.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My father’s make-up box, which I inherited in 1969. It was stolen in 1970 and I still miss it. 

The unending quest that drives you on...To be more patient, especially with inanimate objects like the car.
The poem that touches your soul...Cynarae by the 19th-century English poet Ernest Dowson. It’s a haunting poem to lost love. 

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People still expect me to be like James Bellamy. He was a humourless, rude, chauvinistic, upper-class cad. I’m quite cuddly!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...I went to see a clairvoyant when I was 18 who said I was one of twins. I told my mother and she revealed she’d miscarried my twin brother at four months. I was quite shocked and it made me realise I could have been the one who perished and fuelled my desire to live life for him as well as for me.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal banker Fred Goodwin’s ill-gotten gains and give them to Comic Relief.  

The song that means most to you...Sad Sweet Dreamer by the Stylistics. It reminds me of my wife. It’s our song.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Leaving Harrow School in 1962 when I was 16. I hated it. Many of the teachers were ex-military bullies.

The saddest time that shook your world...Learning about the Holocaust when I was 12. It shook me to know that such evil was possible.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To be original as an actor and as a writer.

The philosophy that underpins your life... As George Bernard Shaw wrote for Professor Higgins in Pygmalion: ‘The great secret is not having bad manners or good manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls.’

The order of service at your funeral... A Book Of Common Prayer service at my local church, St Bartholomew’s in Nettlebed, beginning with Psalm 121, which is my favourite, followed by the hymns The Battle Hymn Of The Republic and There Is A Green Hill Far Away. I would like a eulogy with plenty of jokes and, of course, lots of flattery.

The way you want to be remembered...With a smile and as someone who didn’t take himself too seriously.

The Plug...As a Vice President of Denville Hall, the retirement home for actors and actresses, we are forever in need of funds. Please visit denville hall.org.uk.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 2 February 2013

BBC News titan John Simpson:

 ‘I wish people would stop thinking I’m David Attenborough. I’m half-flattered, but half-irritated because he’s nearly 20 years older than me!’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: BBC World Affairs editor John SImpson

The prized possession you value above all others...A 12th-century Chinese bowl I bought in Beijing in 2000. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...When a young man called Kamran was killed in a bombing by an American F-15 in Iraq in 2003. He was 24 and working for me as an interpreter. It was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me professionally.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up with my wife Dee and our six-year-old son Rafe in our flat near the Eiffel Tower in Paris and go for coffee and a croissant. We’d rent a pedal car by the Tower for Rafe, then maybe see some art before heading to Johannesburg, where Dee is from. We’d go for a long lazy lunch and I’d have Mozambique prawns and a bottle of white South African wine. We’d then go back to our home in Chelsea where we’d meet my daughters, Julia, 43, and Eleanor, 41, from my first marriage and my six grandchildren. We’d all go for noodles at New Culture Revolution restaurant on the King’s Road. I’d have a quiet night in after that watching a DVD with a glass of Laphroaig whisky.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Books. I have about 4,000 and I love the smell and feel of them.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne. It’s very funny, and quite rude, and I take it everywhere.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d hang out with Rafe to see how he interacts with his friends when I’m not around.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...People speaking loudly on mobile phones – unless, of course, it’s me!

The film you can watch time and time again...Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, with Jacques Tati. I’ve loved it since I was a boy and now my son loves it.

The person who has influenced you most...My uncle, Brian Brooks, who helped bring me up when my parents separated when I was seven. He’s in his 80s now. He’s very cultured and taught me about books and music.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...I’m interested in dictators, the crazier the better. I’d love to interview Joseph Stalin and ask him about the death and destruction he caused.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...It’s from the poem Santa Teresa’s Bookmark by Henry Wads-worth Longfellow: ‘Patient endurance attaineth to all things.’ If you hang in there, everything comes right.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...The video game Angry Birds! You wouldn’t expect a bloke of 68 to be interested in that, but Rafe introduced me to it. I do my best to win, but he’ll often get double my score.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A gold Roman ring I bought in Damascus in 1997, which was stolen two years later at a hotel in Algiers. Amazingly, it came up for sale on eBay in 2002 and I bought it for £50, but when it arrived it had been altered and flattened, so much of its charm was lost.

The unending quest that drives you on...Taking the next breath! I’m determined to have a long life and see my son and grandchildren grow up.

The poem that touches your soul...Tennyson’s Ulysses, which is about an old king striking out with a bunch of elderly followers. It’s a blueprint for my life. 

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m David Attenborough! I’m half-flattered, but half-irritated because he’s nearly 20 years older than me!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Choosing to stay with my father when my mother, Joy, said she was leaving him. I was seven years old and didn’t really know what I was doing. But she was a war widow and had two children from her first marriage, whereas dad had no one else, so I felt I should stick with him. My mother was devastated and never recovered from it. Although we were loving, our relationship was always completely awkward and strained because I felt so terribly guilty for rejecting her. She died in 1983.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d bankrupt the property companies building awful glass towers across London.

The song that means most to you...Always by Deanna Durbin from the 1940s. My father sang it to me and I have sung it to my kids.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Watching Nelson Mandela become president of South Africa in 1994. I’d just interviewed him and as he was swearing the oath he caught my eye and gave me a little wink.

The saddest time that shook your world...The death of my father in 1980. He was 65 and died from a massive heart attack. He was a difficult bloke but full of invention and wit.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To be reporting when the next country becomes free.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Acceptance, forgiveness and love. Woody Allen says it in the film Broadway Danny Rose.

The order of service at your funeral...A fairly solemn service at Chelsea Old Church with some readings and hymns people can belt out. After that I want everyone to go to the local pub – The Pig’s Ear – for drinks and some stories.

The way you want to be remembered...As someone who was light-hearted, jolly and adventurous. 

The Plug...John Simpson’s new series, BBC News: The Editors, will be on BBC1 in the spring.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 26 January 2013

Birds of a Feather actress Linda Robson:

 ‘People think I’m a bit dopey because Tracey in Birds Of A Feather was like that. But I’m actually streetwise and sharp and have never bottled out of anything’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: Birds of a Feather actress Linda Robson

The prized possession you value above all others...My family photo albums. My daughter Lauren, 29, has put together about 100 albums, in date order from when I was a child. They’re an amazing record of my life, career and family. 

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Never learning to play the piano – except for Chopsticks.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d spend the morning in Cyprus with Lauren, my other daughter Bobbie, 16, son Louis, 20, and husband Mark. We’ve been going to the same place for 25 years and love it because it’s so relaxed. Then Mark and I would have a cocktail and lunch at Venice’s Hotel Danieli, followed by a gondola ride. After that I’d go to the Vatican to hear the Pope give a Mass in St Peter’s Square, then have dinner with all the family at my favourite restaurant, Oslo Court in London’s St John’s Wood. Mark and I would end the night at Jimmy’z club in Monte Carlo.  

The temptation you wish you could resist...Mature cheese – the smellier the better. But it packs on the pounds. 

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Bette And Joan: The Divine Feud by Shaun Considine. It brings the glamour of old Hollywood to life and reveals the nasty jealousy behind Bette Davis and Joan Crawford’s rivalry. 

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d go into schools and destroy all the lice in children’s hair. I’m appalled at how lax schools are.  

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Coming in from work and finding my kids have left the house like a tip.

] The film you can watch time and time again...Miracle On 34th Street from 1994 with Richard Attenborough. The whole family watches it every Christmas Eve. It makes me cry every time.
The person who has influenced you most...The drama teacher Anna Scher. She was my English teacher when I was eight at school in Islington and opened a drama school for 10p a class. She changed my life. We’re still in touch. 

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The women’s rights activist Emmeline Pankhurst. Us women owe her a hell of a lot. I’d love to know how she overcame her fear to do what she did. 

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Respect others and you’ll get respect in return.    

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Computers. I resisted for years, then 18 months ago I did a free two-hour course in my local library and I’ve been hooked ever since.     
The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A KitKat wrapper I saw Donny Osmond step on 40 years ago! I was such a mad fan. Someone threw it away when we last moved house. I met Donny in 2002 and told him about it. He must have thought I was a nutter. 

The unending quest that drives you on...To maintain the freedom to choose what work I do. Mark and I aren’t rich, but we’re comfortably off – enough for me not to have to take any acting job. That’s a lovely privilege.

The poem that touches your soul...Poetry and me don’t really click because most of it goes over my head, but I love The Black Cat Piddled In The White Cat’s Eye – when it’s said by a very drunk Pauline Quirke!  

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People think I’m a bit dopey because Tracey in Birds Of A Feather was like that. But I’m actually streetwise and sharp and have never bottled out of anything. 

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Getting the job on Birds Of A Feather in 1989. Until then I was struggling to pay the bills, but that changed everything. Now new scripts are being written and the plan is to bring it back, which is very exciting. 

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...To pull an emergency stop lever on a fast intercity train just to see what it would be like.  

The song that means most to you...Reet Petite (The Sweetest Girl In Town) by Jackie Wilson. My mum’s name was Rita and that was her song. It was played at her funeral last August and I’ll always smile – and cry – when I hear it. 

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Seeing my granddaughter Lila born last March. To witness that miracle of life was truly amazing.  

The saddest time that shook your world...Losing my mum broke my heart. She was 75 and had dementia and cancer. I miss her so much. 

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To do a parachute jump. I’m determined to do one this year for Marie Curie Cancer Care. 

The philosophy that underpins your life...Do I want it? Do I need it? Will I use it? I spend too much so that’s my mantra before I buy anything. 

The order of service at your funeral...I’ll go out to I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor and I’ll leave enough money for a party. I’ve already bought the plot for my ashes next to my mum and dad in a cemetery in Finchley, north London.  

The way you want to be remembered...As a loving and funny wife, friend, mother and grandmother. 

The Plug...The Birds Of A Feather theatre tour continues from 26 February in Coventry. Visit www.birdsontour.com.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 19 January 2013

Comedian Alan Davies:

 ‘I’ve had to live with the absence of my mother since she died when I was six, I still think of her every single day’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: comic and QI star Alan DAvies

The prized possession you value above all others...My family photos. I’ve got 1,200 of my kids – Susie, three, and my son Bobby, 18 months – on my iPhone. I only have two pictures of my mum Shirley, who died when I was six. They’re irreplaceable.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Dumping a girlfriend when I was at university so I could go out with one of her best friends. I went out with the new girl for five years but found out she’d been having an affair with my best mate for three of them!

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d start the day with a walk around an empty and foggy St Mark’s Square in Venice with my wife Katie. We’d go skiing in Cervinia in Italy, then shopping in Manhattan, stopping at a New York deli for a sandwich. The kids would join us on a beach in Thailand, then I’d go scuba diving. We’d watch the sunset over Ayers Rock in Australia, then Katie and I would go back to New York for a Broadway show. I’d end the day with the family on a boat on the Doubtful Sound fjord in the South Island of New Zealand, drinking a local bottle of Villa Maria sauvignon blanc.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Cheese and pickle sandwiches with crusty bread. They’re so fattening.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving. It’s about the absence of a mother, so I really connect with it. 

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d wander around MI6 headquarters in London listening to all the secret meetings.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Wilful stupidity. I can’t stand people who take pride in ignorance.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Blues Brothers from 1980. John Belushi was a big hero in my teens and I love him in that film.

The person who has influenced you most...The comedian Dave Allen [who died in 2005]. He came to see me at the Edinburgh Festival 20 years ago. We had dinner afterwards and he complimented my act. That spurred me on.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. He died just before the Russian Revolution, so it would be fascinating to know what he thought of Russia today.  

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...

Always listen to people, you might learn something – even if it’s where to find a good chip shop!

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Motorbikes. I go to MotoGP races and love watching these courageous guys ride lethal machines. 

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My Suzuki DR650 motorbike, which was stolen when I was 29. It was my pride and joy.  

The unending quest that drives you on...To perform the perfect gig where you ad-lib a lot with a great audience.  

The poem that touches your soul...A friend, John Hegley, is a poet and he wrote a poem about Katie and me for our wedding. It was very special.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People think I’m an idiot because of all the things I get wrong on QI. But it may not be a misapprehension!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Going to Loughton College of Further Education in Essex at 16. I did media studies A-level, which introduced me to drama.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d bury an architect who once worked for me in a concrete pylon on a flyover. His plans for a house I used to own ended up costing four times the estimate.

The song that means most to you...St Swithin’s Day by Billy Bragg. His album Brewing Up spoke to me when I was 18. He seemed to know what it’s like for a boy to become a man. 

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Michael Thomas scoring the second goal against Liverpool which meant Arsenal won the League in 1989.

The saddest time that shook your world...Losing my mum in 1972. She was 38 when she died from leukaemia. It was like a massive emotional depth charge had been detonated which would bubble up throughout my life. I still think of her every single day.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I’d love to make a film with Steve Martin.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Look for the good in the world. Don’t focus on the bad things. 

The order of service at your funeral...I’m not religious, so I don’t want a church service. I carry a donor card, which I think is important, and I’m hoping there won’t be much left of me before cremation. I’d like the coffin to disappear to Everybody Needs Somebody To Love by the Blues Brothers and I’ll leave enough money for people to have a drink and a few laughs.

The way you want to be remembered...Fondly by my wife and children. And as someone who spent ages trying to correct all the wrong things about himself on Wikipedia!

The Plug...Alan Davies’ stand-up show Life Is Pain is at London’s Hammersmith Apollo on 16 and 17 February. Visit www.mickperrin.com.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 12 January 2013

Choreographer & TV judge Arlene Phillips:

 ‘People think I am tough and nasty, but they meet me and say, ‘I never thought you’d be so nice!’ 

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: dance judge Arelene Phillips

The prized possession you value above all others...A bottle of 1950s perfume that belonged to my mother, Rita. She died from leukaemia when she was only 43 and I was 15. It was devastating – I doubt I’ll ever truly get over it.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Being so strict with my daughter Alana [now 33]. I was too demanding about homework, extra lessons – everything. Children need freedom to grow and not have such a firm hand restricting their development.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...Breakfast with my husband Angus at the Hotel Cipriani in Venice, then off to New York for a shopping spree at Bloomingdale’s – with no spending limit! After lunch at a fish restaurant at Double Bay in Sydney with Alana and my other daughter Abi, 22. I’d begin the evening with a fabulous fruit cocktail at the Savoy hotel in Moscow, then have sushi before watching the Bolshoi Ballet do Swan Lake. I’d end the day with Angus at the George V hotel in Paris.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Ice cream from the Marble Slab Creamery in Toronto. They have the most amazing varieties – I like birthday cake flavour with rainbow sprinkles.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I’ve read it 100 times and it’s taught me so much about families and relationships.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d visit hospitals to check the elderly are being cared for properly. I get so upset when old people are mistreated.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Rudeness in all its forms.

The film you can watch time and time again...West Side Story has everything – laughter, love, passion, sorrow, tragedy. It makes me cry every time.

The person who has influenced you most...My mother, who was so generous, kind and gentle. I’ve always wanted to be like her, but I think I fall short.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Fred Astaire. I’d ask him where the inspiration for his dancing came from. No one has ever come close to his brilliance. Maybe we could have a dance.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Only behave the way you expect others to behave towards you.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I’ve been collecting children’s antique sewing machines for 25 years and I have about 70 now.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A Tiffany pen given to me by the Australian film director Russell Mulcahy in the 1980s as a thank-you for all the videos we worked on together, including Duran Duran’s Wild Boys. It reminded me of those wonderful, crazy days.

The unending quest that drives you on... To leave a financial legacy to my kids and my extended family. I had a tough childhood and came from nothing, so I know how hard it is to work your way up. I’d be so proud if I could leave them a little something to help.

The poem that touches your soul...Daffodils by William Wordsworth has resonated with me ever since I was very young. These days it always gives me a sense of peace.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m the super tough Queen of Mean. It began from the Hot Gossip days in the 1970s because I was such a hard taskmaster and it carried on with Strictly. People meet me and say, ‘I never thought you’d be so nice.’

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Watching a jazz dance class by a teacher called Molly Molloy in Covent Garden in 1966 when I was 23. I was down from Manchester for a week of lessons but I phoned my father to say I wasn’t coming back. My life was changed forever.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d break into Selfridges at night and raid the clothes, shoes and bags departments.

The song that means most to you...I’m Still Standing by Elton John from 1983. I choreographed the video in Cannes and we had the most magical four days of fun filming. But the lyrics also strike a chord with me. Despite all the knocks I’ve had, I’m still standing.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...My 40th birthday party. It was a wild night that ended with Andrew Lloyd Webber playing The Everly Brothers on the piano.

The saddest time that shook your world...Losing my mum so young was awful, but my world was shaken when my manager Michael Summerton died from cancer in 2009. He was lovely.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To play the piano.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Wake up and get on with it.

The order of service at your funeral...There won’t be much of me left, as I’m leaving my body to science. The rest will be cremated. I want a fast ceremony with as little fuss as possible.

The way you want to be remembered...As a loving mum.

The Plug...For tickets for the new production of Starlight Express visit starlightexpressthemusical.com. Follow me on Twitter at @arlenephillips.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 5 January 2013

BBC News presenter Nicholas Owen:

‘When I lost my mother I cried until my insides hurt and my tears ran out’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: BBC newsreader Nick Owen

The prized possession you value above all others...A Longines watch my wife Brenda bought me for Christmas 25 years ago. It’s a timeless classic that’s become part of me.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I regret not being the best of husbands during the first year or two after Brenda and I got married in 1982. I’d been divorced from my first wife in 1979 and I was quite gloomy, but we got through it and have been happily married ever since.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I would begin with a hearty bowl of porridge for breakfast at our home in Surrey, then travel with Brenda on a high-speed TGV train through France for coffee in Cannes. We’d have a pre-lunch glass of rosé wine in Madrid, then have the catch of the day for lunch at a restaurant in Stanley on the Falkland Islands. From there I’d fly to Antarctica to stand on a glacier and marvel at the landscape. For dinner we’d go to Buenos Aires for a huge steak and maybe one more glass of rosé and spend the rest of the evening wandering around and joining in the spontaneous dancing in the streets.

The temptation you wish you could resist... Ginger biscuits. I can eat an entire packet in one sitting, although I’m lucky because I don’t put on weight.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby. I read it when I was ten and I was gripped by the cliffhangers.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I would travel all over the country by train sitting next to the drivers in their cabs. I have loved trains since I was about four.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Cyclists! I can’t abide how they break the rules, riding on the pavement and going through red lights.

The film you can watch time and time again... Citizen Kane. Orson Welles’ performance is so great that the film never diminishes.

The person who has influenced you most...My father Tom. I was eight when my mother, Edna, died of rheumatic fever and he was in his mid-30s, so he had to deal with the most ghastly situation, yet he maintained such incredible stoicism. He always encouraged me to be my own man. He died from pancreatic cancer when he was 61 in 1981.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Horatio Nelson. I’d love him to explain the qualities needed to be a great leader. 

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...If a door is open, go through it. There’s nothing worse than regret.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Playing bridge. It’s all about memory and concentration, both of which I’m bad at, but it draws me in every time.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My right kidney! A cancerous tumour was found on it in 2002 and it had to be removed. I was incredibly fortunate it was discovered early and I’ve made a full recovery.

The unending quest that drives you on...To keep working in news. 

The poem that touches your soul...Ozymandias by Percy Shelley. It’s all about the frailty of humanity and that all things must pass.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m the TV presenter Nick Owen! Nick has the same problem and is always introduced as me at events, but we’ve decided not to bother correcting people any more.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The death of my mother when she was just 34. My world was blown away and because I never had a normal family set-up, I felt an outsider. But it made me never take anything for granted.  

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I would steal £100,000 – no more, or less -from one of the big insurance firms and distribute it to family and friends.  

The song that means most to you...The Great Pretender by Freddie Mercury. You have to be a performer to be on television, so it chimes with me.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...My wedding to Brenda at Gateshead Register Office. There were only us and three others, but it was very romantic.

The saddest time that shook your world...Losing my mother. An aunt told me she’d died and I cried until my insides hurt and my tears ran out.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To visit China and Japan. I’ve travelled a lot, but that part of the world has always eluded me.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Carpe diem – seize the day. I’ve taken this approach since my brush with cancer. I say ‘yes’ and get on with it.

The order of service at your funeral...I’d want a quiet, private cremation with a reading of John Keats’ poem To Autumn with the Lacrimosa from Mozart’s Requiem and the beautiful hymn Morning Has Broken. I’d want my ashes scattered in my garden in Surrey, in view of the North Downs.

The way you want to be remembered...He got on with it. 

The Plug...My memoir Days Like This is out now (Blenheim Press, £9.95). www.blenheimpressltd.co.uk.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 29 December 2012

TV comic Alexander Armstong:

 ‘I regret spending too much money on wine. I can’t resist bidding in auctions and now have about 1,400 bottles’

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week: TV actor Alexander Armstrong

The prized possession you value above all others...An antique comic from the 1750s that was once owned by my great-great grandmother. It was given to my two-year-old son Edward by an aunt for his christening, but I panic if I don’t know exactly where it is.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not having known my grandfathers Rex and Lucius well. They were both dead by the time I was 13 and there’s so much I’d love to have asked them about their lives. 

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up on a sunny day with my wife Hannah and our three sons – Rex, five, Patrick, three, and Edward – in our house in Oxfordshire. We’d have breakfast in the garden then I’d take a long horse ride around the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, then have an ice-cold beer at the Mena House Oberoi hotel in Cairo. I’d have lunch with the family by Lake Como in Italy followed by windsurfing on the lake. The weather would then turn wintry and we’d go to Cliveden House in Berkshire for a cream tea by an open fire. I’d then go for a brisk walk on Simonside Hills in Rothbury, Northumberland, to watch the sunset. The day would end with a dinner party for close friends at our house in London.  The temptation you wish you could resist...Spending too much money on wine. I can’t resist bidding in auctions and now have about 1,400 bottles.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. I’ve read it at least ten times and I’m still thrilled by its sophistication.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day... I’d attend a top secret briefing for the Prime Minister in the Cabinet Office on a matter of national security. It would be fascinating to hear what’s really said,

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Tutting. It’s the peculiarly British noise of a whinger saying, ‘Life is awful, everything’s loaded against me.’

The film you can watch time and time again...Quiet Wedding from 1941, a funny and touching romance written by my great-aunt Esther McCracken. Sadly, my only copy was chewed by my video machine and it’s impossible to find another one without paying a fortune for your own print from the National Film Archive.

The person who has influenced you most...The TV producer Jimmy Mulville has been an incredible mentor.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...My ancestor Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester. He had a terrible military career under Charles I, but later invented a prototype steam engine.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Make friends and do all you can to keep them. And try to be useful.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Choral music. I’m a trained baritone and sang in choirs from the age of 11 until I was 22. I still get asked to sing at events occasionally.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...The years I wasted having fun instead of learning English at Trinity College, Cambridge.

The unending quest that drives you on... To have a dream country house with a walled garden and a vegetable patch.

The poem that touches your soul...The Irish hymn Be Thou My Vision has been sung at every family wedding and funeral since I was a child. It always moves me.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase... Some people may think I’m a toff because of the parts I’ve acted, but I’m not.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Meeting my wife Hannah when I was 32. I started growing up and focusing on family life.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d pull off a sophisticated diamond heist that baffles the world’s finest detectives.

The song that means most to you... Jesu, Meine Freude by Johann Sebastian Bach is beautiful and has a real sense of life’s cycle and of renewal.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The birth of my first son Rex in 2007 was amazing. I still get a surge of joy every time I drive past the hospital in Paddington where he was born.

The saddest time that shook your world...When my cousin Alistair was killed in a car crash in 1987. He was 12 and I was 17. It was the first time I’d ever received truly shocking news.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To do more films. I’ve made a few but for some reason I haven’t been asked to do any lately. 

The philosophy that underpins your life...Be happy and enthusiastic.

The order of service at your funeral...I’d have a traditional service at our parish church in Oxfordshire, where I want to be buried. I’d have Nunc Dimittis in G, followed by Gute Nacht and Be Thou My Vision. I’d then lay on a massive wake with plenty of whisky as a nod to my Irish and Scottish roots.

The way you want to be remembered...As a good father and a decent person who was good company – not a bore!

The Plug...The 100 Most Pointless Things In The World by Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman is out now in hardback (Coronet, £14.99).

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 15 December 2012

Fashion icon Mary Quant:

The prized possession you value above all others...My home in Surrey. It was left to my husband [Alexander Plunket Greene who died in 1990] by his great aunt. We moved here after we got married in 1957. It’s where I’m happiest.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I’ve always loved painting and drawing. I wish I’d developed it more and exhibited.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d have breakfast in the garden at home with my partner Antony Rouse, then we’d go to the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales for a bracing swim. We’d have an alfresco lunch at Il Pomodorino by Lake Como, Italy, with my son Orlando, his wife and my three grandchildren – Lucas, ten, Allegra, eight, and Massimo, seven. I’d have risotto and chilled white wine, then we’d all relax in the afternoon by the lake. I’d end the day staying at La Colombe d’Or hotel in Saint-Paul de Vence, in the South of France.  

The temptation you wish you could resist...Wine, especially Pouilly Fumé. I’ve always enjoyed not resisting temptation, but I’m 78 now and you have to be careful. 

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. It reminds you of the potent effect animals have on our lives.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...It’s not in my nature to want to spy on people. I can tell everything I need to know about a person from what they’re wearing. 

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...That funerals have to be celebrations! I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a bit of wailing.

The film you can watch time and time again...Gone With The Wind. I love its grand scope and it’s kind of sexy, but in a romantic way.

The person who has influenced you most...Alexander. He encouraged my designs and launched the business. Without his drive and fearlessness I honestly don’t think I would have achieved half the things I did. 

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli. She was one of the truly great designers of the 20th century. I’d love to know how she was inspired when she was at her peak in the 20s and 30s.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Smile. It brings warmth and love into your life. 

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I absolutely adore cows. They’re the most fascinating, gentle and beautiful animals. Their eyes are so amazing. I have ten that live on the land around my house. I love to talk to them. There are few things better than falling asleep in a field and being woken up by an inquisitive cow.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My wedding ring. It was handmade for me by the jewellery designer Gerda Flockinger. It was always a bit loose and three years ago it fell off in a car park. It was night-time and I couldn’t find it. I went back the next day, but it was gone and I was heartbroken.

The unending quest that drives you on...Curiosity. I hope to never lose that sense of needing to know.

The poem that touches your soul...The Lord’s Prayer is the most perfect piece of poetry. I always feel at peace and moved when I recite it. 

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m a confident extrovert. People associate me with those glamorous photos from the 60s, but I’m actually incredibly shy.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Visiting Japan in the early 70s. It changed the way I designed, and my entire perspective on life. I also discovered sushi, which I love to this day!  

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I would embezzle money from a bad bank and distribute it to family and friends – keeping a healthy slice of it for myself!

The song that means most to you...Bring Me Sunshine by Morecambe & Wise. Alexander used to sing it to me whenever things were going wrong and it always cheered me up.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Getting my OBE in 1966. As the Queen pinned it on me, she said simply, ‘More exports please!’ It was typical of her to get right to the point.    

The saddest time that shook your world...Alexander’s death. He was only 57 and it was ghastly losing him.  

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I long for my garden to be complete. Working in it is one of my joys but it will never be finished because it’s forever changing with the seasons.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Ensure you enjoy it!  

The order of service at your funeral...I’ll be happy with a small, private funeral at a church near my home. I’d like my ashes scattered in my garden.

The way you want to be remembered...As the girl who made clothes and make-up that brought a touch of fun and colour into people’s lives.    

The Plug...Mary features in Living The Life, Tuesday, 8pm, Sky Arts 1. Visit livingthelife.co.uk.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 8 December 2012

The One Show presenter Alex Jones:

The prized possession you value above all others...A Rolex watch my parents gave me on my 18th birthday. It was way more expensive than they could afford. I only take it off to have a bath.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not keeping up with writing my diaries. I have 12 of them – I wrote several pages every day from when I was ten until my 20s.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d have fresh fruit for breakfast on the beach in the Maldives with my boy- friend Charlie [Thomson, an insurance broker from New Zealand], then explore Paris’s antique shops. After lunch with all my family on a huge yacht cruising near Cannes, I’d go horse riding through the mountains of Arizona, then head to New York at night with a group of friends. I’d drink Espresso Martinis and we’d have a sophisticated dinner before going clubbing all night.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Being the last to leave a party for fear of missing out!

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Twits by Roald Dahl inspired my love of reading when I was eight. It reminded me of our neighbours, who also lacked a bit of care in the personal hygiene department!

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d definitely spend the day with the Queen to get a sense of what she’s really like. I bet she’s a right character.

The pet-hate that makes your hackles rise...Having to give directions to minicab drivers. I’ve only lived in London for two years but I’m always having to tell them which way to go.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Poseidon Adventure. I love the drama and the people all pull- ing together to survive. The scene where Shelley Winters dies a heroine always has me welling up.

The person who has influenced you most...I learnt my values from my mum Mary and father Alun, but partic- ularly from my mum. She had a tough childhood and couldn’t achieve all the things she wanted to in life, so she taught me to strive to do a job I love.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Coco Chanel. She came up with beautiful designs that women will probably still be wearing in 100 years’ time.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...You are never fully dressed without a smile.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Photography. I won a national Kodak competition when I was 12 for a picture of the Acropolis in Athens.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A tape record- ing of my sister Jennie and I singing a musical we put together when I was 12 and she was nine. I lost it at university.

The unending quest that drives you on...To be better at everything – as a friend, as a daughter, and in my job. I’m hard on myself: each day I look back on what I did the day before and criticise it.

The poem that touches your soul...An anonymous Welsh poem called Dal Fy Llaw, which means Hold My Hand. It’s about a couple supporting one another through all the hardships of life. I read it at a friend’s wedding a few months ago and sobbed all the way through.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People think of me as fun and flighty but underneath there’s a deep-thinking, hard-working and very sensible girl.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The call from Sandy Smith, editor of The One Show, on 8 July 2010 telling me I’d got the job. I was on Brighton beach and I screamed with excitement. He had to tell me to shut up because it was still a secret!

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d love to be able to park anywhere I fancy because I’m forever getting tickets.

The song that means most to you...California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas. It reminds me of great family holidays travelling through France in our camper van in my teens.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Seeing Jennie holding her baby son, Dash, when he was born last year. It was like she’d grown up from a girl to a mother overnight.

The saddest time that shook your world...My maternal grandad Trevor dying after a stroke in 1998 when he was 74. My mum let out the most awful noise, a real guttural howl of pain.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I’d love to star in a fabulous West End musical like Cabaret but it might be best if I mime as I can’t carry a tune too well!

The philosophy that underpins your life...When the going gets tough, keep going. You have to have determination.

The order of service at your funeral...I’ll have a few ashes scattered in Lon- don and the rest over the Black Moun- tains in Wales to reflect my split life. I’ll have either Moon River or The Dying Swan played. I want my funeral to be a joyous occasion, but I’d also quite like people to be a bit sad.

The way you want to be remembered...As a trustworthy friend who could be relied upon in any situation.

The Plug...Alex presents The One Show weekdays on BBC1 at 7pm.  

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Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 1 December 2012

Sports broadcaster Des Lynam:

The prized possession you value above all others...A Muhammad Ali autograph he gave me after I interviewed him for radio in 1971. He was outrageous and funny, the most fascinating sportsman of all time.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I wish I’d taken up flying lessons when I was given three as a present 20 years ago. What an amazing thing to try, but I was too busy. It’s too late now – I’m 70 and too old!

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up with the lady of my life, Rose, at the Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa and go on a dawn safari. To hear a lion roar at 5am sends a tingle down your spine. We’d have breakfast at the lodge – the mushrooms there are the best I’ve tasted. We’d spend the rest of the morning on the canals of Venice in a gondola, then go to the Cipriani Hotel for a glass of champagne. Lunch would be fresh fish and lobster at a beach bar we love in Phuket. I’d have a swim in the Andaman Sea after lunch, followed by a massage on the beach. We’d pop back to London for tea at The Ritz, then straight back to Thailand for dinner at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok. I’d have Pad Thai with grilled river prawns and a nice chilled bottle of Sancerre, then I’d close the day with an Irish whiskey or two in the Bamboo Bar at the hotel.

The temptation you wish you could resist... Rum and raisin ice cream! 

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...A Tale Of Two Cities by Dickens. It’s the story of ultimate sacrifice and reminds me there are greater things in life than money and a career.
The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d spend a day alongside North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un to assess just how dangerous his country is to the world.

The pet hate that always gets your back up...Waiting at the traffic lights when some dope pulls up with music blaring.

The film you can watch time and time again...Reach For The Sky from 1956 with Kenneth Moore as war hero Douglas Bader. I went to see it with my dad when I was 14 and it never fails to make me cry.

The person who has influenced you most...My grandfather Packo Malone. He taught me manners and how to stand up for myself and for what I believe in.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Adolf Hitler. I’d like to find out how he influenced so many intelligent people.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Have the courage of your own convictions.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...The Only Way Is Essex! I love the way the people in it get so intense about such trivial nonsense. And the girls are nice to look at!

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...Our West Highland Terrier, Daisy (above). She died two years ago and we still miss her.

The unending quest that drives you on...To be at peace with getting old. 

The poem that touches your soul...My dad told me to read Kipling’s If when I was 14 and it has influenced me ever since. That poem teaches you to be to true to yourself and always hold your head up high. 

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People assume I’m a middle-class Englishman, but I’m really an Irishman from a working-class background. Both my parents were nurses who came over from Ireland just before the war. 

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Getting a job covering sport on BBC local radio in Brighton when I was 25. Until then, I’d been at Cornhill Insurance for six years and I hated it. I gave up my career for my hobby and eventually my hobby became my career.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d raid Tony Blair’s bank accounts and spread the cash among families and soldiers who have suffered in the Iraq war.

The song that means most to you...Make Someone Happy by Jimmy Durante. It reminds me of meeting Rose in 1982.   

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Christmas 1952. I was ten and my parents gave me my first bike, a Raleigh. That moment was ecstasy.

The saddest time that shook your world...The death of my mother, Trudie, following a brain haemorrhage when she was 53. I was 24 and until then I’d never seen my dad cry.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To finish the novel I started writing five years ago.

The philosophy that underpins your life...If you’re going through hell, keep going – but I nicked it from Churchill!

The order of service at your funeral...I’d like some bright music like That’s Life by Frank Sinatra. I live by the sea on the South Coast, so I want my ashes scattered on the water. I hope there’ll be a big wake with an abundance of drink.

The way you want to be remembered...As not a bad lad with a good sense of humour, and as a decent broadcaster.

The Plug...Touchline Tales, a selection from my Radio 4 series with Christopher Matthew, is available on CD and to download from www.audiogo.com.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 24 November 2012

Film and theatre director Sir Richard Eyre:

The prized possession you value above all others...An upright piano from Discovery, the ship Captain Scott sailed to the Antarctic for his 1901-04 expedition. It’s a legacy from my grandfather Charles Royds, Scott’s First Lieutenant and the ship’s main piano player.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That I can’t play piano! I had a few lessons as a boy, but in a futile act of defiance I refused to carry on.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions... I’d have boiled egg and toasted soldiers at Balthazar in New York, then head to a country villa near Saignon in Provence with my wife Sue, our daughter Lucy and her two children [Evie, three, and Beatrix, four months]. I’d go for a long walk, then swim in the pool. Sue and I would have fantastic fish for lunch at Corte Sconta in Venice, then I’d visit the Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia. I’d enjoy the sunset over the Avening Valley from the garden of our country home in Gloucestershire, then have dinner with lots of friends at London’s River Café, before flopping into bed with the latest Ian McEwan novel.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Smoking a Cohiba Panetela cigar accompanied by a large vodka and tonic. I’m 69, so neither is wise.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Faber Book Of Modern Verse. I came across it when I was 15 and it gave me a lasting love of poetry.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d tickle every officiating religious minister so they looked ridiculous and couldn’t scare people. I resent all organised religions.

The pet hate that always gets your back up... I find the Today programme’s Thought For The Day sanctimonious.

The film you can watch time and time again...Singin’ In The Rain with Gene Kelly. It never ceases to make me happy.

The person who has influenced you most...The theatre director Peter Brook. He gave me lots of encouragement when I started directing, and at 87 he’s still a dear friend and inspiration.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint... Shakespeare. Many of his great characters are soldiers, so I’d love to know how he got his military insight.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Don’t ever be afraid to ask any question.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity... Steeplechasing. My father was an amateur jockey, and to watch beautiful animals ridden by brilliant and brave men is magical.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again... A journal I’d kept for four years. It was like a second brain but I left it on a plane in 2009.

The unending quest that drives you on... To do a piece of work that I’m entirely satisfied with.

The poem that touches your soul... Vacillation by WB Yeats. It expresses exactly what I believe is right in life – that you should always act in good faith and do things for the right reasons.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That, because I am a director, I am socially confident. I was a chronically shy child. That kernel of my younger self is still there, but I’ve developed mechanisms to deal with it.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Becoming artistic director of the Nottingham Playhouse Theatre in 1972, aged 29. To suddenly be responsible for a little world with 120 people working for you made me grow up and transformed my career.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal Henri Matisse’s The Snail from Tate Modern. It is full of energy and joy – but I’d need a very big wall to put it on!

The song that means most to you...Que Reste-t-il de Nos Amours? [What Remains Of Our Love?] by Charles Trénet, from the 1940s. A French girlfriend played it to me in my early 20s, so it’s very tied up with young love. 

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The three weeks I spent with Sue in Gloucestershire after she nearly died from peritonitis in 1996. I so appreciated having her in my life and realised how lucky we were.

The saddest time that shook your world...My mother Minna being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when she was 55. I remember four years later opening a door for her and her simply not knowing she was meant to walk through. I wrote that scene into Iris [the 2001 film he directed based on author Iris Murdoch’s descent into Alzheimer’s] and Judi Dench re-enacted that moment.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To be able to speak perfect French.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Every action has a consequence, so always try to be good. 

The order of service at your funeral...I would like my ashes to be scattered under a tree in our garden in Gloucestershire and for people to drink great champagne and wine – and lots of it!

The way you want to be remembered...Simply with love.

The Plug...Richard Eyre directs Nick Dear’s The Dark Earth And The Light Sky at the Almeida Theatre until 12 January. For tickets call 020 7359 4404 or visit www.almeida.co.uk.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 17 November 2012

Crime author Ian Rankin:

The prized possession you value above all others...A series of three photos of me with Keith Richards, taken as he signed a copy of his memoirs for me in 2010. I’m a huge Stones fan.  

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That both my parents didn’t live to see me become a success. I was 19 when my mum Isabel died. She was only 58 and was seriously ill for six months. My dad James saw my first couple of books published before he died at 72, but they weren’t a success.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d start the day walking with my wife Miranda through the temperate rainforest at Tofino on Vancouver Island. Then we’d take our children – Jack, 20, and Kit, 18 – to Chanonry Point on the Black Isle in northern Scotland to watch the dolphins. They come within yards of the shore. Kit is in a wheelchair, but he loves the wind in his hair and the rain on his face. For lunch, we’d have fresh langoustines at a fish restaurant called Sutor Creek ten miles away in Cromarty. Then I’d take Miranda to Venice. We’d head to the Zatterre promenade for a fish dinner with local white wine at the Riviera restaurant, and stay the night at the Hotel Cipriani.

The temptation you wish you could resist...I devour no end of Snickers and Caramels while I’m writing.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark is the archetypal Edinburgh novel. It gets to the underbelly of the city.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d follow Nick Clegg to see what he’s useful for!

The pet hate that always gets your back up...The litter situation in Edinburgh.

The film you can watch time and time again... Blade Runner from 1982 with Harrison Ford. Although it’s set in the future, it’s a great old-fashioned private eye story. I’ve seen it about 20 times.

The person who has influenced you most...Ron Gillespie, my English teacher when I was 15. He was the first person to encourage my writing.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The author Robert Louis Stevenson. Apparently his wife, Fanny, threw the first draft of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde on the fire because she didn’t like it. I’d love to know if that’s true.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Believe in yourself.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Killer Sudoku puzzles. I do one everyday because I think they are good for my brain, but it’s probably just a way of postponing work.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A load of miniature comics I made when I was about nine. They were my earliest writings but were thrown out years ago.

The unending quest that drives you on...To write the perfect novel.

The poem that touches your soul... Meeting The British by the Irish poet Paul Muldoon. It’s about the British Army meeting the Native American Indians in the 18th century, written from the perspective of the Indians.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I can be found every day at The Oxford Bar in Edinburgh where Rebus drinks! 

The event that altered the course of your life and character...When Kit was one and was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome – a chromosome disorder which means he doesn’t develop normally. I dealt with my anger and frustration by writing the Rebus novel Black And Blue, which was the book that took off. If Kit hadn’t come along the books may not have succeeded and we wouldn’t have the money for the things that make his life better.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I would steal Francis Bacon’s triptych, Three Studies For Figures At The Base Of A Crucifixion, from Tate Britain.

The song that means most to you...Solid Air by John Martyn reminds me of my teenage years.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Winning the Gold Dagger award for Best Crime Novel in 1997 for Black And Blue. It sold four times more than my previous books and suddenly I was a bestselling author.

The saddest time that shook your world...My dad dying. He taught me my life skills after Mum died.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To be lead singer in a huge rock band. I was in The Dancing Pigs when I was 19 – we did about six gigs but we weren’t very good.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Just do it and keep going at something until you get good at it.

The order of service at your funeral...I’m not that religious but I still want a church funeral. I would come in to The Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want. There’d be an acoustic version of Solid Air and everyone would leave to Silver Machine by Hawkwind. I’d like to be laid to rest beneath a rose bush at Chanonry Point.

The way you want to be remembered...Just as a good husband, father, friend and writer.
The Plug...Standing In Another Man’s Grave is published by Orion, priced £18.99. Visit www.ianrankin.net.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 10 November 2012

SAS hero Andy McNab:

The prized possession you value above all others...A silver cup used at my wedding to Jenny 11 years ago. I’m not religious, but she’s Jewish so a rabbi came to the house and blessed our marriage with the cup, an important symbol.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not getting a proper school education. I was always bunking off, or doing jobs to earn some dosh.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d spend all morning surfing at Jaco Beach in Costa Rica, then go for a long ride on a Harley-Davidson with Jenny through the mountains of Montana and Utah. I’d have a slap-up lunch of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding at a pub I love near our home, then, because I love Zurich, I’d mooch around there in the afternoon before going to the Bulgari Hotel in Milan for an early evening drink. Jenny and I would end the day with dinner at the Hotel Splendido in Portofino in Italy.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Buying motorbikes. I’ve got through about 20 in 15 years because I keep crashing, but I love the freedom.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Touching The Void by Joe Simpson about his incredible survival after a mountaineering accident. It completely changed the way I write.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...To infiltrate the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan to learn what they’re really up to, then give our Army the heads up.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Bad service, especially in expensive restaurants.

The film you can watch time and time again...Coriolanus with Ralph Fiennes, which came out last year. He’s brilliant, and the action scenes are fantastic.

The person who has influenced you most...Jenny. I used to fly off the handle frequently, but she just gives me a slap and calms me down. 

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Muhammad Ali. I met him in Hollywood three years ago and he was amazing, but I’d like to meet him in his prime, in the 60s and 70s.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...No matter what you’re doing, give it your absolute best. And never forget to stop and appreciate what you have achieved.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Opera. I love the over-the-top drama. I’ve been to the best venues, like La Scala in Milan, and get a real kick out of the elaborate productions.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again... My army medals. I had 14, but they all vanished about 18 months ago when we moved house. I’ve turned the house over several times looking for them. They’re worth a lot of money but they’re too famous to sell.

The unending quest that drives you on...I’d like to ride the rip curl of a 30ft wave at Jaco Beach.
The poem that touches your soul...I’m not big on poetry but love Jerusalem by William Blake as a hymn.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m a thick squaddie. A lot of business people think that, but it’s to my advantage to be underestimated, so I let them get away with it and make them pay another way.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Being adopted. My real mum left me in a carrier bag on a step at Guy’s Hospital in London when I was a baby. My foster parents adopted me when I was five. Mum was a cleaner and Dad a taxi driver, so money was tight, but they gave me love and a stable upbringing.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d pull off the most amazing hi-tech robbery of the Crown Jewels. I’d then hide them, only to be released after my death.

The song that means most to you...Should I Stay Or Should I Go by The Clash. It sums up my approach to life. I don’t take many things seriously.

The saddest time that shook your world...The moment I was captured by the Iraqis in Syria [during the SAS Bravo Two Zero mission]. I remember the disbelief and deep sadness as it dawned on me it might not end well.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...When the Red Cross plane took off from Baghdad [in March 1991 after the end of the first Gulf War] with all the prisoners of war on board. We let out a cheer and two F16s and two Tornados escorted us to Saudi Arabia. That’s when we knew we were safe.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To write a serious stage play. I’ve met people at RADA to see if I can work with them and I’ll find out pretty soon if I’m up to it. 

The philosophy that underpins your life...Never stitch anyone up. It will always come back and bite you. 

The order of service at your funeral...I’m going to leave instructions for my ashes to be put inside a massive firework which will be set off during a full-on party. I’ll go out with a bang!

The way you want to be remembered...I’d be happy with, ‘A good soldier. Now dead.’

The Plug...Red Notice, Andy McNab’s brand new thriller, is out now, published by Bantam Press, priced £18.99. Visit www.andymcnab.co.uk  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 3 November 2012

Pop star Ronan Keating:

The prized possession you value above all others...My iPhone. It connects me with my friends, work and my children, Jack, 13, Marie, 11, and Ali, six.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...The breakdown of my 14-year marriage to Yvonne, which ended in April [after he admitted an affair with a dancer]. I’m not proud of the mistakes I made and it’s not a pretty sight when a relationship breaks down and everything falls apart. If I could turn back time I’d do things differently.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I always wake up on my own these days. But on this day, I’d be with my children in a whitewashed house on Malibu beach. We’d hang out there all morning, just spending quality time together. I’d then travel through the Alps with close friends for a champagne lunch on the Orient-Express, and go on to do a gig in London as there’s no greater buzz than performing. I’d hook up with some people in New York for drinks, but end the day at home in Dublin. I’d cook a steak with plenty of greens and a glass of red wine, then kick back on the sofa to watch a good film, then go to bed.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Australian shiraz red wine. I’m not a big drinker but a meal out with mates can get messy if I  have too much.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man And The Sea. There’s a real beauty in the old man’s perseverance.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d go behind the scenes at the Kremlin.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Rudeness. It’s so easy to be nice.

The film you can watch time and time again... The Great Escape with Steve McQueen – I’ve seen it 30 or 40 times. Steo [Boyzone singer Stephen Gately, who died in 2009] gave me a vinyl edition of the soundtrack signed by McQueen for my 30th birthday, which I treasure.

The person who has influenced you most...My mother, Marie. She gave me the core values for my life – truthfulness and respect for others. I owe her a lot. [Marie Keating died from breast cancer in 1998 aged 51.]

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Winston Churchill. He was a right character who accomplished amazing things but also had a dry wit.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Your health is your wealth. I keep in good shape for 35 and I’m pretty tough on my kids to be healthy, but I still let them have junk food now and then. Kids need to enjoy themselves.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Wrist watches. I got my first serious watch – a Rolex Submariner – after joining Boyzone and have been collecting ever since. My Portuguese Tourbillon is worth £70,000.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My virginity! I wish I could make losing it more memorable. The press made a big deal about me being a virgin after I said in my first interviews when I was 16 that I hadn’t had sex. I got asked about it for years and I kept saying I was still a virgin when I wasn’t. I actually lost it when I was 18 while on the road with Boyzone. 

The unending quest that drives you on... To be the best I can be.

The poem that touches your soul...The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. It echoes the spirit in which I’ve led my life. I’ve always taken the tougher road.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...I’ve been performing for 20 years so people assume I’m very sure of myself. I’m actually quite insecure.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The moment Louis Walsh said I was in Boyzone when I was 16. I was euphoric.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d track down those evil warlords in Africa who turn young kids into soldiers and beat them to within an inch of their lives.

The song that means most to you...Father And Son by Cat Stevens. I sang it at the audition to get into Boyzone, we later released it, and years later I recorded it with Cat and we became friends. I owe that song an awful lot.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Obviously, the births of my children, but my first solo album going to No 1 in 2000 was incredible.

The saddest time that shook your world...The world fell apart on the day Steo died. The shock was horrific.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I want to climb Everest and raise money for charity. 

The philosophy that underpins your life...Live each day as if it’s your last.

The order of service at your funeral...I’m Catholic so it’d be at my local church in Malahide, Co Dublin, and I’d want Truly, Madly, Deeply by Ray LaMontagne played. I’d like my ashes scattered somewhere overlooking the sea in Ireland, where my kids can visit.

The way you want to be remembered...As a good father and an honest man, who made mistakes but he learnt from them. And as someone who made people happy with his music.

The Plug...Wasted Light, the new  single from Ronan’s album Fires, is out on 3 December. Visit the Marie Keating Foundation at www.mariekeating.ie

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 27 October 2012

Author and presenter Jonathan Dimbleby:

The prized possession you value above all others...My 50-year-old wooden sailing boat, Lady Kate. She sails beautifully and turns heads because she’s so pretty. 

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not telling my mother precisely why I loved her before she died in 2009. Mama had strong views, but she was immensely tolerant and she embraced triumph and disaster with understanding and kindness.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...It’s a warm June day, which starts with tomatoes on toast and coffee in the garden of our house in Devon. Later, I would ride one of [Olympic Gold medallist] Nick Skelton’s best horses victoriously around the Olympic course in Rio de Janeiro.

Lunch would be fresh fish at Anchorstone Café by the River Dart in Devon. In the afternoon I’d play tennis against John McEnroe at the Hilton Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and be back to enjoy Così Fan Tutte with my wife Jessica at the Royal Opera House. We’d have dinner at La Coupole in Paris – escargots, cassoulet, crème brûlée and a very good bottle of Saint-Estèphe. I would kiss my children [Daniel, 38, Kitty, 32, Daisy, five, and Gwendoline, three] goodnight and then go to bed with an Ian McEwan novel.

The temptation you wish you could resist...The third, or fourth, glass of wine, or the next bar of chocolate.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Anna Karenina. I read it as a teenager and again in 2007 when on my way to Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoy’s home, where he wrote his masterpiece.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I would eavesdrop on Tony Blair and George Bush during a private get-together and make their honest conversation about Iraq known to the world.

The pet hate that always gets your back up...People who use mobile phones in the ‘quiet’ train carriage.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Battle Of Algiers from 1966 about the end of French rule in North Africa. It’s cinematic genius. 

The person who has influenced you most...My father, Richard. He died when I was 21 and ever since I’ve wondered what he’d have thought of whatever I do. He had enormous presence and integrity and was always polite.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint... Karl Marx. I’d ask him why he thinks it all went so horribly wrong.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Listen and try to be kind.

 The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Showjumping. It was my first love and my main ambition when I was younger. I was a professional for a time and became the South of England champion in 1965.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My father’s diary of his time as a BBC war correspondent. I lost it moving house years ago. 

The unending quest that drives you on...Curiosity and the urge to educate, inform and entertain. And, naturally, the need to earn a living!

The poem that touches your soul...An Arundel Tomb by Philip Larkin. It provokes a sense of what is irredeemably lost, but inspires optimism.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m my brother, David, or that he’s me. I don’t mind taking credit for all his achievements, but I am six years younger!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...My father’s death from cancer when he was 52 [on 22 December 1965]. To lose him when I was so young was devastating. I regret not being more curious and asking him about his experiences, especially during the war.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...It would be daft to confess.

The song that means most to you...Cole Porter’s Do I Love You? sung by Ella Fitzgerald. It sears the soul.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The day on which the Berlin Wall tumbled. It lifted a huge albatross from the shoulders of the world.

The saddest time that shook your world...Some things are too private and too painful to share.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To say exactly what I think about any subject. Like anyone, I have strong views, but as the chairman of Any Questions? I have to keep them to myself.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Keep on trying and stick at things that really matter. The triers of this world are under-estimated.

The order of service at your funeral...It will be quiet and private. I’m not religious and I suppose I’ll be cremated and my ashes can be scattered on the River Dart. I’d like a reading from Shakespeare’s Cymbeline in Act Four, Scene Two, ‘Fear no more the heat o’ th’ sun, Nor the furious winter’s rages, Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone and ta’en thy wages.’

The way you want to be remembered...He worked, he cared and he loved.

The Plug...My book Destiny In The Desert: The Road To El Alamein – The Battle That Turned The Tide is out now, published by Profile Books.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 20 October 2012

The late Clarissa Dickson Wright:

"The misapprehnsion about me? That I’m a batty old toff. I have an IQ of 196, my father was a hard-working surgeon and I was taught my cut-glass vowels by the nuns at school – and I’m only 65."

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s the turn of Two Fat Ladies presenter Clarissa Dickson Wright…

The prized possession you value above all others...My integrity. I was an alcoholic for 12 years and it’s been a long battle back to find it again.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Turning down the chance to cook for Tony Blair and Vladimir Putin at No 10 Downing Street in 2000. I could have happily poisoned them both with E. coli.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up at the Marcliffe Hotel near Aberdeen and have the locally sourced smoked haddock for breakfast with a poached egg and some Stornoway black pudding. Then I’d take a cruise around the islands of West Scotland. For lunch, I’d fly by helicopter to London to St John restaurant near Smithfield Market. I’d have roasted marrow. I’d then wander around Hatchards bookshop on Piccadilly before a cream tea at Fortnum & Mason. I’d end the day having a look around La Boqueria food market in Barcelona. I’d have white garlic soup with almonds in any restaurant in the city – they’re all great – then go to a flamenco dance.

The temptation you wish you could resist...I’m extravagant when buying presents or eating at restaurants.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Defeat Of The Spanish Armada by Garrett Mattingly. I read it when I was 15 and it was the first time I really understood big historical events.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d be a poltergeist in the Cabinet Room at No 10 and make things fly across the room to put some fear into rotten politicians.  

The person who has influenced you most...My mother, Molly. She had a tough childhood and my father was a horrendously abusive alcoholic but she always maintained a positive outlook.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint... Erasmus Darwin, Charles Darwin’s grandfather. He had all the ideas about evolution long before Charles. He’s a great unsung hero.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Everyone has at least one natural talent. Find yours.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Archaeology. I’ve been on digs and love delving into the past.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...An 18ct gold Napoleon III snuffbox, which my mother gave to me when I was 18. I sold it for £100,000 in the 1980s and drank the proceeds – mainly gin!

The unending quest that drives you on...To see the hunting ban repealed.

The poem that touches your soul...The Young British Soldier by Rudyard Kipling. It’s about the waste of life in the two wars in Afghanistan in the 1800s.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m a batty old toff. I have an IQ of 196, my father was a hard-working surgeon and I was taught my cut-glass vowels by the nuns at school – and I’m only 65.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Getting sober. At my lowest, I was drinking two bottles of gin a day, plus strong beer. But I had my last drink – a large gin, naturally – in a pub on 10 April, 1987. I then went to rehab.  

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal enough money to never have to work again. I inherited £2.8 million from my mother in 1975 and blew the lot.

The song that means most to you...The Libiamo duet from Verdi’s La Traviata. I heard Montserrat Caballé sing it at Covent Garden in 1972 when I was 25. I was with my first real love. That song makes me feel young and in love.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Being inaugurated as the Rector of Aberdeen University in 1999. The students carried me through the streets on the back of a stuffed Angus bull. It was the most frivolous, carefree day I’ve ever had.

The saddest time that shook your world...My mother’s death on Derby Day in 1975. She had a heart attack and I found her in bed. I was devastated and that’s when my drinking started.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To promote honest food labelling and help people buy British.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Leave it to God because he has a better imagination than you.

The order of service at your funeral...I want a proper church funeral with people weeping in the pews. I will be carried into the church to Boney M’s Rivers Of Babylon. The poem Something Like A Stone by my friend Christine Coleman will also be read and I will leave a booklet for everyone with all my favourite recipes.

The way you want to be remembered...As a battler who always fought for what she believed in.

The Plug...Clarissa’s England is published in hardcover by Hodder & Stoughton, priced £20. Visit www.hodder.co.uk

Clarissa died on Saturday, 15th March 2014.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 13 October 2012

Wildlife presenter Bill Oddie:

The prized possession you value above all others...My Victorian house by Hampstead Heath in north London. Every room is full of memories. 

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I wish I’d learnt to read music. I can play drums and a bit of guitar, but I can’t read music. If I could I’d definitely have made music my career.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake after a perfect eight hours’ sleep. I’d begin with birdwatching in Central Park, New York, at 5.30am to see a great ‘fall’ of migrant American birds, like warblers and thrushes – it’s  like it’s raining birds. I’d then nip into Greenwich Village for a cream cheese and smoked salmon bagel. I’d spend some time searching online for rare CDs, then my wife Laura would join me for lunch on a beach near Cape Town where you can whale-watch. We’d have a siesta in the serenity of the hotel on Bird Island in the Seychelles. In the early evening I’d go to Jim Corbett National Park in northern India for an elephant ride to see some tigers. At some point I’d have a glass of Metaxa brandy, but not too much, nor too late.  

The temptation you wish you could resist...Snacks late at night, like crisps, nuts or After Eight mints.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Birds Of Britain And Europe by naturalist Roger Tory Peterson. It came out in the 60s and was the first well-illustrated bird book.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d go to central Africa to sit among the gorillas.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...The BBC asking me every year to do Strictly Come Dancing! I hate ballroom dancing with a passion.

The film you can watch time and time again...This Is Spinal Tap is a masterful comedy and beautifully observed. It always cheers me up. 

The person who has influenced you most... My dad, Harry. He became both parents when my mum, Lilian, was taken into a psychiatric hospital when I was six. I didn’t appreciate at the time what strength he had. He died at 57 from breathing problems.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Sir Peter Scott, Captain Robert Scott’s son, who did incredible things for nature conservation. He’s a hero of mine.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Just because a person is an adult, it doesn’t mean they know best.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I adore music by Prince. He’s a rock god and I probably have everything he’s ever released.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...Our local post office because it was the heart of our community. It closed three years ago despite a big campaign to save it.

The unending quest that drives you on...To never become a grumpy old person who whinges about the youth of today. I’m 71 and intend to remain interested in what youngsters do. I love their energy.

The poem that touches your soul...No poem has ever touched my soul but I’m obsessed with lyrics by the likes of Randy Newman, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell. Joni’s song The Magdalene Laundries is beautiful and very moving.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m ill. I was diagnosed as bipolar three years ago. I have been all sorted for the past two years, but there’s still this sense that I’m not available for work.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Having a complete breakdown 11 years ago. It was hard having to accept I had an illness.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d jump traffic queues by driving in bus lanes.

The song that means most to you...I Can’t Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt makes me cry, but I love it.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Being at Wembley Stadium with my dad for the 1953 FA Cup Final when Blackpool beat Bolton 4-3. It became known as ‘The  Matthews Final’ because Stanley Matthews set up the goals for Blackpool to come back from 3-1 down.

The saddest time that shook your world...Re-meeting my mother for the first time since I was 14 when I was in my 40s. I went to her flat in Manchester and she just sat there smoking. It was like meeting a stranger. 

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To make Inspired By Nature, a series I started working on with the BBC three years ago which got shelved because of cuts. It tells how nature has inspired the arts.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Always tell the truth.

The order of service at your funeral...I’m an atheist, so I will have a humanist funeral. I want to come in to Nothing Compares 2 U by Prince and disappear to Cocktails For Two by Spike Jones. My ashes can be scattered on Hampstead Heath. I love it there.  

The way you want to be remembered...As someone who made good television programmes that touched people.

The Plug...I blog on my website www.billoddie.com and I tweet at @billoddie. Please support the great charities that are protecting our environment.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 6 October 2012

Film actor Terence Stamp:

The prized possession you value above all others...A beautiful hand-woven rug made for me by the Italian actress Silvana Mangano. She was brilliant at needlepoint and it took her two years.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Turning down the part of Arthur in Josh Logan’s 1967 musical film Camelot because I was frightened of singing. Richard Harris got the part.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up to the sound of the call to prayer at the Palais Jamaï hotel in Fez, Morocco. I’d then go to the New York Athletic Club for a swim and a steam, followed by brunch in San Francisco. I’d be back in Manhattan for shad roe [fish eggs] at Grand Central Station’s Oyster Bar for lunch, then hang out with my brother Chris at his home in East Hampton. I miss Concorde, so I’d fly on it to London for a West End play, then back for dinner with friends at Elio’s on the Upper East Side. I always order a plate of fried courgette to start. I don’t drink alcohol, but I’d be happy with a cold bottle of Badoit mineral water.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Toasted organic spelt bread with olive oil. It’s fattening but I think of it as a treat because I grew up in London’s East End during the war and after German bombing raids my mum always said, ‘Not to worry, let’s have a nice cup of tea and some toast.’

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Razor’s Edge by Somerset Maugham. It’s such a powerful book about an American pilot’s search for meaning in life after being traumatised in the First World War.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d go inside the multinational agricultural and biotech company Monsanto’s headquarters to see just how much genetically modified food they are making.

The pet hate that always gets your back up...People speaking loudly on mobile phones about personal matters.

The film you can watch time and time again...And God Created Woman from 1956. I was 17 and it was the first time I laid eyes on Brigitte Bardot. I became besotted with her.

The person who has influenced you most...Baron Frederik van Pallandt. He was a Dutch singer in the 60s and became my mentor. He taught me that less is more.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Alexander the Great. I’m fascinated by powerful figures who just get on with it.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child... Be aware, be yourself and follow your heart.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I’m 74 and I’ve suddenly realised the benefits of high-intensity training. I do one 15-minute workout each week and it keeps me fit.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A lead bust of the Greek philosopher Socrates. I had to sell it in the mid-70s to pay the rent because I was totally broke.

The unending quest that drives you on...To reach 80 with a fully flexible spine. I do yoga regularly.

The poem that touches your soul...The Masnavi, which is a collection of spiritual poems by Rumi [the 13th-century Persian poet and mystic].

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Meeting the Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti when I was 27. His teachings opened my eyes to so much.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I was romantically involved with Princess Diana. We were just really good chums, yet I still get asked questions alluding to something more. She was a lot of fun – we used to have lunch at San Lorenzo and her company was heaven.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I would steal Shah Jahan’s jade drinking cup [made in 1657] from the V&A. It’s the most exquisite object I’ve ever seen.
The song that means most to you...Night And Day by Cole Porter. It’s just a beautiful song and I love it.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The first time I kissed Jean Shrimpton! It was in Hollywood in 1964. Just to lay eyes on her was a joy. We were together for three years. She was the love of my life. Definitely.

The saddest time that shook your world...My mother’s death in 1985. She was in hospital following a stroke and I thought she was going to pull through. I was overwhelmed by grief.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To be at peace in the moment, where you quieten the mind from pushing you into the future.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Do unto others as you would have them do to you.

The order of service at your funeral...It would be for my friends to decide, but I expect to be cremated. I don’t own a home so I live on the move, but in my heart I’m a Londoner. So I guess my ashes should be scattered there, maybe in Green Park.

The way you want to be remembered...As someone who spent his whole career earning his living as a stroller player.

The Plug...My memoir Rare Stamps is published as an eBook by Escargot Books. www.escargot-books.com.  

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 29 September 2012

Countryfile presenter John Craven:

The prized possession you value above all others...A painted wooden voting stick presented to me by the Kuna tribe in the rainforests of Panama [pictured]. I filmed with them in the 1970s and the stick made me an honorary tribesman, which meant I could take part in their council meetings – a great honour.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That I didn’t study harder at school. I left at 16 with five O-levels.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...My wife Marilyn and I would wake up in our Oxfordshire cottage and have breakfast in bed and read the newspapers. We’d watch whales in Baja California, off Mexico, then have a beach lunch with the family – our daughters Emma and Victoria, their husbands and our five grandchildren – at the Hilton Resort at Flic en Flac, Mauritius. I’d spend the afternoon walking in the Yorkshire Dales, followed by a cream tea on the Cornish coast. I’d sip a Manhattan cocktail in the penthouse of a New York skyscraper hotel before having supper at home with Marilyn, because she’s the world’s best cook!

The temptation you wish you could resist...Pork scratchings at the pub!

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, which I studied for O-levels. It made me realise just how powerful the English language is in the right hands.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d eavesdrop on a Cabinet meeting at No 10 and reveal what was really said.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...People in service industries who, when you ask for something, say, ‘No problem’ instead of ‘Of course’. Why should there be a problem?!

The film you can watch time and time again...Some Like It Hot still makes me laugh. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are the funniest odd-couple ever and Marilyn Monroe is sensational.

The person who has influenced you most...My father Bill. He spent three years in a Japanese hell camp in WWII and never fully recovered. But, like a creaking gate, he kept going until he was 80. His strength shone through and he imbued in me a set of values to live by.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Horatio Nelson. I want to know why he wore his Admiral’s uniform on the deck of HMS Victory at Trafalgar, making himself a sitting duck!

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Never stop believing in yourself.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Civil aviation. I’m a bit of a plane-spotter and read magazines about it.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My childhood teddy bear, which I sent to a charity teddy bears’ picnic about 20 years ago and never got back.

The unending quest that drives you on...Making sure I have something interesting to do tomorrow.  The poem that touches your soul...High Flight by John Gillespie Magee, who died flying a Spitfire aged 19 in 1941. It is about joy and enthusiasm.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Walking into a TV studio in 1970 as auditions were being held for a children’s current affairs show called Search and cheekily asking if I could be considered. I got the job and that led to Newsround.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase... That I was on Blue Peter. Lots of people confuse me with John Noakes and stop me in the street to ask about Shep!

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d hack into Google Earth and switch off those house pictures so that nosey parkers can’t see where everyone lives.

The song that means most to you...Johnny One-Note by Ted Heath and his Orchestra, which was the Newsround opening theme. It’s very catchy and people have been coming up to me and repeating it for the past 40 years!

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...My 70th birthday party [in 2010] in our garden on a glorious summer’s day. I remember thinking how lucky I was to still have good health, a wonderful family and a job that I love.

The saddest time that shook your world...The death of my parents within a year of each other. Mum went first. She had motor neurone disease and at the end could only communicate by blinking. Then Dad died. Suddenly, at the age of 50, I was an orphan.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I’ve always wanted to learn to fly light aircraft.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Have a go.

The order of service at your funeral...I’d like a couple of stirring hymns to send me on my way, then to have my ashes scattered either near the Buckinghamshire village where my children grew up, or at Wharfedale, Yorkshire, where as a boy I first discovered the countryside. Maybe a few here, a few there! 

The way you want to be remembered...A good broadcaster who loved the medium of television, but regarded fame as a by-product, not a goal.

The Plug...John is on Countryfile, Sundays, BBC1 and his Countryfile Handbook is published by BBC Books.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 22 September 2012

BBC TV News presenter Fiona Bruce:

The prized possession you value above all others...Our three-month-old Irish Terrier Molly. She’s a lot of work, but is adorable nevertheless.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I try not to look back and think ‘if only’. But I do regret wearing a full-length sheepskin coat in a series five years ago. I looked terrible.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d spend all day with my husband Nigel and our children [son Sam, 14 and daughter Mia, ten]. After an amazing breakfast buffet at the Waldhaus hotel in Flims in Switzerland, we’d ski in Chamonix, then have lunch on the balcony of Chez Vrony in Zermatt, Switzerland, one of the most stunning locations in the world. In the afternoon we’d lie on the beach at the Royal Palm hotel in Mauritius, then have dinner at Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant The Fat Duck in Berkshire. I’ve eaten there once – each dish was like a piece of theatre.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Pudding is my favourite part of any meal and I always have one if I can manage it. You can’t beat a good millefeuille, which is basically a posh custard slice. Yum!

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...I love The Master And Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, which is about repression in Soviet Russia in the 1930s. I read it 20 years ago – it opened my eyes to a new way of writing.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d take an extended tour of the Queen’s private art collection. I’ve seen some of it while making programmes, but to see it all – like her Leonardo da Vinci anatomical drawings, and dozens of Canalettos – would be incredible.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...When music comes out of people’s headphones on the Tube or bus. The noise invades my personal space and the sound quality is so poor!

The film you can watch time and time again...Gone With The Wind. It’s wonderfully romantic and melodramatic – fabulous for a Sunday afternoon, with a cup of hot chocolate, when the rain is lashing against the windows.

The person who has influenced you most...My father John taught me about hard work and the importance of manners. He’s 80 now and sets a great example, but sadly I fall far too short!

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Mahatma Gandhi. He definitely wouldn’t have a pint and I doubt he’d eat a pie! But I’d love to know if he thought any of today’s world conflicts could be won by his own movement of peaceful non-cooperation.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...I tell my kids to work hard and stick at things, but that makes me sound like a humourless Presbyterian!

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Horse riding. At its best it’s exhilarating. At its worst, it’s terrifying.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My mum had a clearout about five years ago and gave a beautiful pedlar doll of mine to Oxfam. They auctioned it for £2,000!

The unending quest that drives you on...To be a better cook. I’d love to be able to throw a dish together spontaneously, but I fail at most things.

The poem that touches your soul...An untitled series of poems about a wedding by Simon Armitage in his collection Book Of Matches, which Nigel gave to me before we got married in 1994. It’s brilliant and very touching.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People often come up to me and say I’m slimmer and taller [she’s 5ft 9in] in real life than they imagined. It means plenty of others think I’m a short ten-ton Tessie!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Being asked to present the news in 1999 opened up avenues I could never have foreseen. And it’s made it a lot easier to get a table in restaurants!

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d rob the Bank of England and give the money to charity – but keep plenty for myself.

The song that means most to you...My Baby Just Cares For Me sung by Eartha Kitt, which was played for the first dance at our wedding. Whenever I hear it, I’m taken back to that day.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...A family holiday in Cornwall six years ago when we hired a 1970s Triumph Stag. We put the hood down and had the best fun ever.

The saddest time that shook your world...When my mum Rosemary died last year, aged 81. I’m still going through the grieving process and can find myself moved to tears about her. She was unchangingly loving and warm.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To be a rock star! I was lead singer in a few bands at university, but it’s good my dream will never come true – I wouldn’t wish it on the world!

The philosophy that underpins your life...Be yourself.

The order of service at your funeral...I’ll be happy with whatever my husband and children want. I’m not religious.

The way you want to be remembered...As someone loyal, loving and fun.

The Plug...Fiona hosts Fake Or Fortune and Antiques Roadshow on BBC1.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 15 September 2012

Ex-footballer and presenter Gary Lineker:

The prized possession you value above all others...The Golden Boot I got for being top scorer at the Mexico World Cup in 1986. It changed my life. I’m also the only English player ever to win one, which is nice.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Losing the penalty shoot-out against Germany in the semi-final of the 1990 World Cup in Italy. I look back and always think, ‘If only’.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up with my wife, Danielle, at the Hotel Costes in Paris, then spend the morning in Ravello on Italy’s Amalfi Coast. We’d nip back to Paris for lunch at L’Avenue with a decent bottle of red wine, like a Lynch-Bages ’86. Then we’d hit the beach at St Barts in the Caribbean with my boys [Gary has four sons, 14-20, from his first marriage to Michelle Cockayne] and Ella [Danielle’s daughter, ten]. Danielle and I would then go shopping on Melrose Avenue in LA and have a sundowner cocktail on Malibu beach before dinner at Cecconi’s. We’d spend the night at the Bel-Air hotel.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Having too much sugar in my tea. I’ll easily have five spoonfuls.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein about the lives of professional golfers on the PGA tour. It really got inside the players’ minds and taught me so much about golf. 

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d spend a day at the White House watching President Obama. I’d be interested to know if he really makes the decisions.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Parents shouting at their kids during junior football matches. They instil a fear in children, which is why we’ve struggled to create skilful players in Britain. I’ve watched my four boys go through school football without saying a word on the touchline.

The film you can watch time and time again...One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is a classic and Jack Nicholson is brilliant in it. It’s poignant and funny.

The person who has influenced you most...George Dewis, who was the junior and youth team coach at Leicester City. He was amazing at training forwards. I wouldn’t have had the career I did without him.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Winston Churchill. I share the same birthday as him – 30 November – which is why my middle name is Winston. To hear his stories would be incredible.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Put your heart and soul into every good opportunity you get. Work really hard and give it your all. Then, even if it doesn’t work out, you won’t have any regrets.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...The theatre. I have really got into it during the past three years because Danielle has been doing a bit of acting. It’s never interested me before, so it’s surprised me how much I love it.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...I’ve lost a lot of football matches!

The unending quest that drives you on...To stay fit. I make myself go to the gym at least three times a week.

The poem that touches your soul... I haven’t got one – I’m not that deep!

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...My reputation as a ladies man is all rubbish. I’ve never messed around or had affairs. I’ve always been a faithful husband.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...My son George [now 20] was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was two months old. He had months of treatment, but he came through. Dealing with that gave me a greater perspective on life.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I would park anywhere with impunity.

The song that means most to you...Danielle says I only like depressing music, so Coldplay’s Yellow is a great song for me. Really miserable!

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Winning the FA Cup with Tottenham in 1991. The saddest time that shook your world...When the doctors told Michelle and I that George had leukaemia. They said his chances were not as good as 50-50, but not as bad as ten per cent.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To present a programme when England win the World Cup. To say ‘England. World Champions’ would be a dream come true. One day…

The philosophy that underpins your life...Always try to do the right thing and always be true to yourself.

The order of service at your funeral...I’m not religious, so I don’t want any prayers or hymns. Alan Hansen [Gary’s co-star on Match Of The Day] can give the eulogy – although I’ll be gutted if he outlives me. They can scatter my ashes in the six yard box at Wembley so I don’t have to track back for offside ever again!

The way you want to be remembered...As a decent bloke, who was good at what he did and sold a few crisps!

The Plug...Gary stars in the new Walkers TV advert attempting to scale the new Walkers Deep Ridged crisp. To find out more visit www.facebook.com/walkers

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 8 September 2012

BBC Broadcaster Sian Williams:

The prized possession you value above all others...A red Russian Communist Party banner I picked up in Moscow in the 1990s as Communism collapsed. I was there producing The World At One with Nick Clarke, who died a few years later. The banner reminds me of an extraordinary time working with a remarkable man.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not spending more time with my mum [Katherine]. She died from cancer in 2009 when she was only 70. We used to speak every day.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up at Saundersfoot beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales, with my husband Paul and my children [Joss, 20, and Alex, 18, from her first marriage, and Seth, five, and Eve, three, with Paul]. I’d have salmon and bagels for breakfast at a New York diner, then walk around the forests at Applecross in the Highlands. We’d have lunch at Knoll House in Dorset, where Enid Blyton was inspired to write Noddy. They have a big pudding table and I usually go for white cherry fudge and a crème brûlée! I’d spend the afternoon ambling round Paris’s Latin quarter, then have supper at Gualtiero Marchesi’s restaurant in Brescia by the Italian lakes. I’d close the day with a brandy, then get into bed with a book.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Too much dark chocolate.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. It’s about a carer looking after a young paraplegic. It made me feel grateful for everything I have.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d whizz round hospitals to make sure patients were being treated with dignity.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Gossiping. I don’t like people talking badly about someone else.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Shawshank Redemption. My boys and I watch it every time it’s on. It’s about friendship and stoicism.

The person who has influenced you most...My father, John, who’s 74 now. He taught me to work hard and respect people, especially your colleagues.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Marie Curie. She pioneered X-rays, drove ambulances in WWI, and died of radiation exposure – an incredible life.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...The same piece my grandmother gave to me: Pick yourself up, dust yourself down, start all over again.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Helping BBC news crews who’ve returned from wars or natural disasters. I’ve done a course with the Marines which helps you spot PTSD. I’m not a counsellor, but I can assess if people need professional support.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My teenage diaries, which were thrown away in a big clear-out long after I’d left home. But I think they’d only say things like, ‘Got up, went to school, came home, did homework, watched Superstars, Claire Bennett is still ignoring me!’

The unending quest that drives you on...To be a better mother. After 20 years you would think I would know how to do it, but it changes constantly.

The poem that touches your soul...One my grandmother wrote to my grandpa the year he went to war. It has a wonderful final line, ‘You will live to love again my dear in the grand and glorious way.’ I read it at Mum’s funeral.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...There’s no room for misapprehensions about me because you can’t hide your true self after doing breakfast TV for 11 years.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Reporting on the Hillsborough disaster for local radio in Liverpool in 1989. It taught me to report news with care and respect.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I wouldn’t. The Welsh Methodist in me would make me too guilty.

The song that means most to you...The Welsh National Anthem. I sing along when it’s played before a rugby game and it always brings tears to my eyes.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Knowing Seth was alive. He was born blue and flat because he had the cord wrapped around his neck.

The saddest time that shook your world...Mum dying too quickly. The cancer was so aggressive that she died within four months of diagnosis.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To do a job that helps people with mental health problems. I’m in awe of those who put their lives to one side to care for others.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Be generous in thought and be kind in nature.

The order of service at your funeral...I’m not really fussed, but I’d like my ashes scattered on the cliffs at Beachy Head near Eastbourne, where I was brought up. I’m happiest by the sea.

The way you want to be remembered...As someone who cared.

The Plug...Sian co-presents Saturday Live on Radio 4 at 9am, is a BBC newsreader, and is running the New York Marathon for Macmillan Cancer Support. www.justgiving.com/sian-williams16

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 1 September 2012

Broadcasting legend Sir Terry Wogan:

The prized possession you value above all others...A piece of paper signed by the Queen conferring a knighthood on me in 2005. It’s hanging in a prominent position in my study.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I’ve been too lucky in life to have any regrets. Besides, I’m an optimist, and I believe regrets are futile. Things go wrong in every life, but you must move on.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d begin with a breakfast of fresh mango on a boat in the Andaman Sea off Thailand with my wife Helen, followed by a stroll on the beach at the Banyan Tree hotel in the Seychelles. Our three children and five grandchildren would then join us for a fun alfresco lunch at Club 55 in St Tropez. After that we’d all head to Crane Beach in Barbados where I would attempt to body surf, but probably drown. Helen and I would have a candlelit dinner in a garden in Marrakech and I’d end the day with a large Armagnac on the terrace of our holiday home in Gascony, southwest France. As you can see, my perfect day is geared around regular intakes of food and drink!

The temptation you wish you could resist...Doing everything at once. I like to do things quickly, so I tend to do at least two things at the same time.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger. I read it when I was 17 – it spoke to my generation.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...Being invisible doesn’t appeal – I would see things I’d be better off not seeing!

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Hatred in all its forms. It’s futile, worthless and ends in tragedy.

The film you can watch time and time again...High Society. There’s never been a cast like it – Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly – and the music of Cole Porter. I’m a great fan of musicals and this one never fails to lift me.

The person who has influenced you most...It has to be Helen. We have been married for 47 years and not only has she given me the greatest thing imaginable – my family – she has also made me a better person. She is kind, loyal and gentle, and I have to live up to that, rather than think of myself. She’s also a very good cook!

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...I’d like to have a chat with the ancient Greek warrior Alexander the Great and ask him why he didn’t just stay home and enjoy himself instead of conquering all those countries.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...That’s easy – be kind. Kindness is the most important thing in life, but sadly there is simply not enough of it in the world.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I have a keen interest in birds. I’m no twitcher, but I’m fond of sitting in the garden looking at the parakeets. The beauty of birdsong in the morning is something to behold.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...I don’t recall
mislaying anything, but when you get to my age, 74, possessions are less important. I’m more concerned about losing my marbles and my memory.

The unending quest that drives you on...I’ve never been driven, just lucky.

The poem that touches your soul...I’m a great lover of poetry, particularly the First World War poets. Wilfred Owen’s Dulce Et Decorum Est is a powerful testament to the futility of war.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I have more brains than I actually have!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...When the BBC offered me a slot on Midday Spin in 1967. Everything grew from there.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’m too
law-abiding to commit a crime.

The song that means most to you...Stardust by Nat King Cole brings back romantic memories, but I’m not telling you what they are!

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Sinking the longest televised putt in history on the 18th green at Gleneagles to win a BBC Pro-Celebrity Golf match in 1981. It might be the only thing I’m remembered for.

The saddest time that shook your world...When our daughter Vanessa died from heart complications a few weeks after she was born in 1966. Those were terrible days. You deal with tragedy as best you can. Life has to go on.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To have played rugby for Ireland. Sadly, my left knee was injured when I was younger.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Life happens and we cannot control it. Accept whatever it brings.

The order of service at your funeral...Give me ten years and I might start thinking about it! I do want a party afterwards where people say, ‘Well, that’s the end of him, let’s have a drink.’

The way you want to be remembered...With affection. For people to have liked you is about all you can hope for.

The Plug...Sir Terry Wogan presents Proms In The Park at Hyde Park on 8 September.

Visit www.bbc.co.uk/promsinthepark

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 25 August 2012

Pop star Dave Stewart:

The prized possession you value above all others...A vintage acoustic guitar once owned by 1950s American country artist Red River Dave. It led me to record in Nashville which convinced me to start playing live again.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Not having an in-depth conversation about life with my father before he died three years ago.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up at my home in LA with my wife Anoushka and our kids Kaya, 12, and Indya, 10, and my other two boys [Sam, 24, and Django, 21, his sons by Siobhan Fahey]. I’d work out, then breakfast would be an omelette with spinach and an avocado with a triple-shot cappuccino. I’d head to my office, chip in all my ideas, then go to Seaburn beach in Sunderland for a sandwich and an ice cream sundae. I’d spend the afternoon writing songs with Mick Jagger, then pop back to the office where all my ideas will have worked! I always have a vodka martini with three olives between 7.30pm and 8pm. Today I’d have it at The Wolseley in London, before dinner at the Chateau De La Chèvre D’Or hotel in Eze, South of France.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Taking sleeping pills. I have to take them to combat jet-lag.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Dickens’ Oliver Twist. When I ran away to London [from his native Sunderland] at 16, I lived on the streets and used to compare the characters I met to those in the book.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d sit in on a gossipy lunch between great women who have lived a life, like Anjelica Huston and Susan Sarandon.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...People who have closed minds.

The film you can watch time and time again...Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory from 1971. All my children have been obsessed with it.

The person who has influenced you most... Nelson Mandela. I worked with him for two years to launch his 46664 Foundation. He can make the most negative thing positive.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The 18th-century Scottish poet Robert Burns would be great fun, but I think we’d better have a whisky.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...I nailed Rudyard Kipling’s poem If above my boys’ beds when they were growing up. It’s a mantra for how to live life and its wisdom is hard to beat.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...People wouldn’t expect me to be sporty, but in fact I’m a pretty good skier. I used to stand on my dad’s wooden skis in the yard when I was a kid waiting for it to snow! 

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...An electric guitar I had made in New York in 1994. I flew back to England with it and it was stolen the next day.

The unending quest that drives you on...To write the perfect song.

The poem that touches your soul...I love comedic poetry, like John Cooper Clarke’s take on the 17-syllable haiku: ‘To convey one’s mood in 17 syllables is very diffic!’

The event that altered the course of your life and character...I was in a car crash in 1975 in Germany. I had to have a huge operation and when I woke up I had a new clarity about what I wanted to do musically.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m a gregarious party boy. I’m a family man who loves music. It’s just that when I play, it attracts beautiful women.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d release prisoners locked up for their beliefs.

The song that means most to you...Ray Charles’ Take These Chains From My Heart. When I was 12, my mum used to play it endlessly around the time her and my dad split up. I’ve since  rediscovered it and think it’s beautiful.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...On stage with Annie Lennox in Rome in 1989 singing When Tomorrow Comes. She’d been through so much, but that night she was exhilarated. [Daniel, Annie’s son by then husband Uri, was stillborn in 1988.]

The saddest time that shook your world...My father’s funeral. He used to play harmonica but we never played together. As his coffin went down a tape of him playing Danny Boy came on and I played along on my guitar.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To write a memoir exposing the music industry.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Anything is possible.

The order of service at your funeral...I’d want a service in Jamaica. Some of my ashes would be scattered on the Caribbean Sea for the pirate in me and the rest at Roker beach in Sunderland, by the Cat And Dog Steps, where my brother and I will soon scatter our dad’s ashes.

The way you want to be remembered...As someone with a sense of humour who wrote a few good tunes.

The Plug...Dave Stewart’s album The Ringmaster General is released on  3 September and he is on tour 3-7  September. www.davestewart.com.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 18 August 2012

Broadcaster Jamie Theakston:

The prized possession you value above all others...I collect football programmes – the rarest I have is the 1888 FA Cup Final between Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion. It would fetch around £15,000 at auction.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I wish I hadn’t lost touch with so many friends. 

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions... My wife, Sophie, and I love New York. We’d head to a deli for breakfast with grits, hash browns, eggs and pancakes. Then I’d go to Augusta, Georgia, to play the Masters course with my father, Geoff, and two mates. After that I’d join Sophie and our sons – Sidney [four] and Kit [two] – on the West Coast of Barbados. We’d play on the beach and I’d sink a few rum punches. In the evening, Sophie and I would go to the Lone Star restaurant for some barbecued flying fish. Delicious!

The temptation you wish you could resist...Worrying.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame. It started my love of reading. I read it to my kids recently and it felt wonderful reconnecting with its characters.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’m fascinated by Robert De Niro, so I’d hang out on a film set to see how he works.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...The bureaucracy of local councils. I have no end of problems with planning and parking permits.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Champ from 1979 with Jon Voight and Ricky Schroder is one of the most moving films ever made.

The person who has influenced you most...My father. He’s strong, stoical and taught me what’s right and wrong.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...I’d like James Hunt [the late British Formula 1 driver] to take me on a drive in a fast car, then out for a major night. I imagine he’d know how to have a good time.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Believe in your dreams.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...20th-century Italian furniture. My wife and I have taken two years to renovate our new house and I’ve spent a fortune in Italy. One chandelier alone cost £20,000!

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...I miss having that naive enthusiasm for life you have when you’re younger. I’m 42 now and no matter how hard you try, age turns you into a realist.

The unending quest that drives you on...A thirst for knowledge. I’m the type of person who always wants to know exactly how things work, to take the back off something to see whatever’s inside.

The poem that touches your soul...Not Waving But Drowning by Stevie Smith. It deals with someone trying to cope with mental problems. I read it as a teenager and it stayed with me.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m always unflappable. Obviously, I give that impression during live television or on the radio, but you can’t see the duck’s feet paddling like crazy under the water.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Becoming a father when I was 38 had a huge impact on me. Suddenly life was not about me.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d lock up Justin Bieber. The way he’s been manufactured reflects everything I despise about the music industry.

The song that means most to you...Steve Harley’s Make Me Smile. It was played as Sophie and I walked out of the church at our wedding in East Sussex in 2007. Everyone loved it and started singing along. It’s become our song.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...The moment I knew I was in love with Sophie and wanted to marry her. I was sitting in a hotel room in Paris in 2006 while she was in the bath. I caught sight of myself in the mirror and realised how happy I looked. Two days later I proposed.

The saddest time that shook your world...I was very sad when London was attacked on 7/7. On my radio show the next day there was this outpouring of emotion from callers.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To build the perfect house for our family. I’m determined to do a Grand Designs-style project.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Count your blessings and appreciate what you have, rather than focus on what you haven’t got.

The order of service at your funeral...A traditional service at St Margaret’s in Ditchling, where I got married. It would be great if Sophie could read WH Auden’s Stop All The Clocks, or maybe they’d play Monty Python’s Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life. I might surprise everyone by making one last broadcast. I’ll announce beers will be served at a local pub and my final sign-off will be, ‘And now, the travel!’

The way you want to be remembered...I’d like anyone who remembers me to have felt loved by me.

The Plug...Jamie is in Celebrity MasterChef, weekdays, 6.30pm, BBC2.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 11 August 2012

Cricket umpire Dickie Bird:

The prized possession you value above all others...My MBE and OBE from the Queen. I got the OBE in 1986 and the MBE this year for services to cricket and charity. I felt very humble and proud to be British.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I should never have stopped playing cricket for Yorkshire. I left in 1960 because I couldn’t get a regular place. I was 24 and went to play for Leicestershire, but I wish I had stayed and fought for my place.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d start the day with a long walk along Scarborough beach, then have coffee in a seafront cafe. The cricket ground at Scarborough is magical and if I could watch anyone it would be Garfield Sobers in full flight. I’d go to India to visit the Taj Mahal, which is wonderful in the moonlight, but would be back to Scarborough in time for dinner at the Tuscany Italian restaurant for ravioli with a glass of red. I’d stop the night at the Crown Spa Hotel, the best in town.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Chocolate. I can get through a box of Black Magic in a night.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...My bible. I won it for an essay I wrote for Sunday school when I was 12. I’m 79 now and it’s quite tatty, but if ever I get depressed, I read a passage and it gives me strength.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d sit in on a meeting of world leaders at a critical moment for peace in the world.

The pet-hate that makes your hackles rise...Weeds! I have half an acre of garden near Barnsley. Nothing gets me angrier than weeds taking over.

The film you can watch time and time again...I love Westerns and nobody can touch Clint Eastwood, especially in A Fistful Of Dollars. He’s magnificent.

The person who has influenced you most...My father Harold. He was up at 4am every day to work down the mines, but still found the energy to bowl at me after school. He told me I could make it to the top if I had no drink, no women and no going to nightclubs. I followed his advice and never married.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...The 18th century politician William Wilberforce. He stopped the slave trade and was the greatest ever Yorkshireman.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Whatever you do in life, be sure you enjoy it. 

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I’ve collected ties since I was a boy. I’ve got hundreds, all over the house, of all colours and sizes.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A pair of gold cuff links I got when Yorkshire won the county championship in 1959. They were stolen in a burglary in the 1970s.

The unending quest that drives you on...To stay healthy. I’ve had a stroke and my short-term memory is shocking. I get to Asda and forget what I’m buying!

The poem that touches your soul...Invictus by William Ernest Henley, the 19th-century poet. It’s so inspiring.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I know everything about cricket! People relay particular bits of a game from years ago and expect me to remember it.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...In September 1969 I had a drink with the former Middlesex fast bowler John Warr and he suggested I become an umpire. Within two years, I was a Test umpire and stayed for 25 years.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’m a Christian, so I’d rather miss this question. No man is above the law.

The song that means most to you...I always get a lump in my throat when I hear Barbra Streisand’s The Way We Were. With its beautiful sentiment of looking back fondly on the past, it makes me think of my parents.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Having a private lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 1990. It was just me, Prince Edward and two others, but they all left at the end, so it was just me and the Queen in the lounge chatting. I shall remember it as long as the Lord gives me breath.

The saddest time that shook your world...When my sister Sylvia died from a brain haemorrhage in 1974 when she was 41. I took it badly but it was even worse for my mother, who was 70.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To have opened for  England with a century at Lord’s.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Live life with a smile.

The order of service at your funeral...I’m the president of the Barnsley Municipal Band, so I’d like them to play at a service at the church of St Mary in the town. And I want my ashes buried at the foot of the statue of me, which is on the spot where I was born in Barnsley.

The way you want to be remembered...For my children’s sport foundation and as someone who was honest and treated both sides fairly.

The Plug...Please support The Dickie Bird Foundation which gives under-privileged children the chance to participate in sport. Visit www.the dickiebirdfoundation.co.uk

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 4 August 2012

Sports presenter Chris Hollins:

The prized possession you value above all others...A pair of silver cuff links I got for my 21st birthday from my parents [Linda and John, the Chelsea football legend]. As a boy, I’d always wanted a pair of grown-up cuff links. My initials are engraved on them and they have huge sentimental value. I wore them on my wedding day last March.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That I went along with peer pressure at school and didn’t practise sport – especially cricket – to the maximum because it was uncool to be a try-hard. I just did the minimum and expected to become a professional sportsman because my dad was.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d bomb around skiing all morning in Courchevel, France, with my wife Sarah, my sister Liz and her husband, Mark, and mum, but not dad because he’s got dodgy knees and a bad hip. We’d meet him for lunch in a beautiful square in Florence. I’d play golf in the afternoon with some close mates at Ballybunion, on the south west coast of Ireland. I play off five but as this is a fantasy day, maybe I would break par! I’d have a pint of Guinness with the boys before meeting all the family in Barbados for Mojito cocktails and a great supper of jerk chicken.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Switching on every TV I pass for a quick flick through the channels.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Bounce: The Myth Of Talent And The Power Of Practice by Matthew Syed. It proves that any child can be great at something if they put in a magical 10,000 hours of practice.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d love to watch a genius such as Paul McCartney or Elton John making music.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Negativity – especially killjoys who dampen others’ enthusiasm.

The film you can watch time and time again...Spartacus. I’m a sucker for an epic and this has to be the greatest.

The person who has influenced you most...Mum has been my moral guide and taught me to do the right thing.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Henry VIII – I’d like to know if he was really worried about England, or just a deranged drunk.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Do not fear failure.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...I am passionate about social history. I can stare for hours at old photographs trying to imagine what life was like for the people in them.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...The wide-eyed innocence of my youth. As a journalist, you become cynical very quickly and I don’t like that feeling.

The unending quest that drives you on...To never end a day wishing I could have done more.

The poem that touches your soul...Vitaï Lampada by Sir Henry Newbolt. It’s about young men in war and when I read it at the age of 16, it made me realise that if I had lived in another time, it could have been me dying in battle.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m on one long jolly. I work incredibly hard.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Getting dropped from Durham University cricket team when I was 19. It was a wake-up call, warning me that I was not good enough to be a sportsman.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I would hack into a major bank and put £10,000 in everyone’s account.

The song that means most to you...Frank Sinatra’s I’ve Got You Under My Skin. When Sarah and I started going out five years ago it became our song. It sums us up and we had it for our first dance at our wedding.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...I had better say my wedding! But besides that it was a family holiday in the South of France when I was ten. We piled into a VW Beetle convertible and drove where we fancied for three weeks. We had the roof down, sang like crazy and had the best fun ever.

The saddest time that shook your world...When mum was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2009. She is the rock of the family and life stopped for everybody. She is all clear now, but the shock of it never really leaves you. I don’t take life for granted any more.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To successfully assemble a flat-pack cupboard and prove to Sarah’s family that I am not a total imbecile at DIY.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Say yes to everything – have a go.

The order of service at your funeral...I have a faith, so I would want a church service. Some nice organ music would be good and I’d want everyone to sing Jerusalem. But the main order of the day would be a big party for everyone to eat, drink and be merry. The only thing I care about is not dying with any regrets.

The way you want to be remembered...As someone who made a difference.

The Plug...Chris presents London 2012 Olympics coverage on Breakfast, BBC1 from 6am-9am.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 28 July 2012

Decathlete Daley Thompson:

The prized possession you value above all others...Apart from family, it’s my health. I’m not into possessions. I even gave away my Olympic Gold medals for the decathlon [Moscow 1980 and LA 1984] to two friends who trained with me for seven years. They earned them.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I’ve made loads of mistakes, but don’t have regrets. You play things the way you see them and you can’t go back and change anything.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d take my children [Rachel, 24, Austin, 21, Elliot, 19, Alex, ten, and Aaron, five] to all five Disneyland theme parks in the world. We’d start off in Japan, and end up in California. But I’m never happier than being in England, and one area that’s special is Richmond Park. I love the deer and cycling around there, so maybe I can fit that in too.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Sweets of any shape and size. Midget Gems and red liquorice are big favourites.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Bible. I went to Sunday school of my own accord from the age of seven because I was gripped by stories like the Sermon on the Mount and David and Goliath. I found them so believable.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...No idea! I try to keep out of the public eye generally and have only been doing publicity work recently because of the Olympics. Once the Games are over I’ll go back to being invisible again!

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Insincerity. I prefer straight talking. If the answer is ‘no’, then say it. Don’t say ‘maybe’ and not mean it.

The film you can watch time and time again...I love Chariots Of Fire [1981]. It’s about people overcoming obstacles in life, and is in the same athletics language I speak. I knew Harold Abrahams [1924 Olympic 100m champion, played by Ben Cross in the film] and it was strange to see him depicted in the film. He was a grumpy git in real life!

The person who has influenced you most...Bob Mortimer, the sprint coach at the Essex Beagles athletics club. When I was 16 he forced me to change from the 100 metres to the decathlon. I was already a successful sprinter, but he was right and it changed my life.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Martin Luther King. People like him are very rare. It must be incredible to be driven by a higher purpose.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Live life to the full and be open to people and their ideas.

The unlikely interest that engages  your curiosity...I’m nuts about the TV show Glee! I watched four episodes on the trot on a plane the other day.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...My youth. I’m 54 now and can still do the 100 metres in 13 seconds. But I miss the freedom of youth, when you had no responsibilities and could just please yourself. However, I’m content in the fact I didn’t waste my youth. I loved sports and training and that’s what I did to the maximum.

The unending quest that drives you on...To make life as good as I possibly can for my family.

The poem that touches your soul...If by Rudyard Kipling. It’s about fulfilling yourself and doing things to the best of your ability.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...I don’t care what people think about me. If there is a misapprehension, then so what?

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Discovering sport changed my life, but not my character. When I was nine I thought I’d be the world’s greatest footballer, then I found athletics and realised I was going to be great at something else. Even winning at the Olympics was not a big shock because I expected to win.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d get into my BMW and drive around the M25 as fast as I could.

The song that means most to you...Me And Mrs Jones by Billy Paul. It takes me back to when I was a teenager in Notting Hill going to discos. It was always the slow song at the end of the night and as soon as it came on you’d have to find a girl. Fun times.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Nothing can beat having kids. But every day is a great day for me.

The saddest time that shook your world...When I had to retire at 31 because I kept getting injured. I could have had another four years at the top.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I’d love to go into space and experience weightlessness.

The philosophy that underpins your life...You get out what you put in.

The order of service at your funeral...I can’t begin to imagine being dead, so it wouldn’t occur to me to talk about it.

The way you want to be remembered...Just as a good friend and a good dad. I don’t even need the athletics to be remembered. That’s all in the past.

The Plug...See Daley host the ‘Daz- athlon’ at www.facebook.com/dazsoapclub and find his missing  trophies to be in with a chance of  winning a cash prize.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 21 July 2012

Fashion designer Bruce Oldfield:

The prized possession you value above all others...My dogs Babe, a Rhodesian ridgeback and Baz, a border terrier. They mean everything to me.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I don’t have regrets because they are negative. Life’s full of rubbish, so you just have to move on.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d watch the sun come up at Chiva-Som health resort in Thailand, then have one of its slimming breakfasts. I’d then have a piano lesson at home in Chelsea and play Bach’s Prelude in C faultlessly. After that I’d cook an al fresco lunch for friends at the Argiano winery estate in Montalcino in Tuscany. I’d spend the rest of the day at (socialite) Sue Sangster’s lovely house in Barbados. I’d sit on the beach with a fruit cocktail waiting to see the emerald flash (a rare meteorological phenomenon) as the sun goes down. I’m generally in bed by 10.20pm – otherwise I get grumpy – but Barbados is so relaxing I’m usually tucked up by 9.30pm!

The temptation you wish you could resist...I keep on working when other people are out having fun. But I love what I do and find it hard to stop.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Selected Poems by the 19th-century English Jesuit priest  Gerard Manley Hopkins. I studied his beautiful work for A-level at school in Ripon and it has stayed with me.  

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I would spend the day watching the girls in our work rooms, seeing who produced the best work – and who didn’t!

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Bad workmanship – in anything, not just clothes. Even if I see a door painted badly it bothers me.

The film you can watch time and time again...All About Eve. Bette Davis gave impersonators a ticket to imitate her for years to come with that role.

The person who has influenced you most...My foster mother Violet Masters (Bruce was given up to care when he was six weeks old). She brought me up from the age of two until 13 (with four other foster siblings). She was a seamstress and inspired my career.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Maria Callas. I adore her music and would love to have heard her sing.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Don’t be limited by the expectations of others. You can always be better and do more.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Facebook! I know it’s sad, but I love it and have about 2,000 ‘Likes’. The relationships you have on it are very hands-off. You can take it further if you want, or just leave it as a passing Hello. It’s weird, but that suits me.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A small 1930s Cartier tie pin. It was a lovely piece but I have no idea where it went.

The unending quest that drives you on...I’m not as driven as I was in my 30s, but I constantly strive to maintain my standards.   

The poem that touches your soul...Pied Beauty by Gerard Manley  Hopkins is a complex and beautiful poem about God being in everything.  

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Being taken from my foster home in 1963 and put into a Barnardo’s home when I was 13. I was getting out of control, so they had no choice. It was desperately sad being dragged away from my family.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m grand! Maybe it’s because I’m associated with so many celebrities, but when people meet me they often say, ‘Oooh, I didn’t think you’d be so nice!’

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I would lay bicycle tyre-shredding strips on the raised zebra crossing by the Serpentine Gallery in London’s Kensington Gardens to force cyclists to dismount. They do not have priority over everyone else!

The song that means most to you...Joni Mitchell’s People’s Parties. I sat next to her at a party in 1982 and told her how much I loved that song. She couldn’t remember the words and was quite surprised when I recited them to her.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Getting an OBE in 1990. I felt I was getting some recognition.   

The saddest time that shook your world...Christmas Day at the Barnardo’s home after I’d been taken back. I stayed in my bed all day crying.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you... To have hair again!  

The philosophy that underpins your life...Never cut corners, or accept anything that’s second-rate.

The order of service at your funeral...I’d like a simple service at St Paul’s in Knightsbridge with lots of flowers and I’d have the Intrada movement from Gerald Finzi’s Dies Natalis. I’d like my ashes to be thrown to the four winds somewhere on the Ridgeway in Oxfordshire.

The way you want to be remembered...As someone who tried hard and, hopefully, did a good job.

The Plug...Bruce’s new couture bridal salon opens in Knightsbridge on 30 July. Visit www.bruceoldfield.com.

copy to come

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 14 July 2012

Actress Hermione Norris:

The prized possession you value above all others...The Aga in our home in Dorset [Hermione also has a house in London]. It cost £10,000 to put in ten years ago, but was worth every penny. It’s the heart of the home – it makes amazing roasts, dries clothes and I even sit the kids on it to warm them up!

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I wish I’d had my children younger. I was 37 when I had Wilf [now eight] and 40 when I had my daughter Hero [now four]. I’m 45 now and it’d be nice to have more stamina – being a mum can be shattering.  

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d watch the sun come up alone at Shimla in the Himalayas, then have breakfast with a girlfriend at Tom’s Deli in Notting Hill – I love the eggs Benedict there. After skiing in Val d’Isère with my husband Simon, I’d relax with all the family on North Island in the Seychelles – a stunning private desert island with villas. I’d have a massage and read a novel on the beach, then go horse riding in Patagonia before heading to New York to watch Ruthie Henshall in Chicago on Broadway. I’d end the day having dinner with Simon at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons near Oxford, then head home to London.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Buying for a family of ten when I’m in Waitrose! I’ll happily spend an hour there and rack up a bill of £300.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Pat Barker’s Regeneration Trilogy [Regneration, The Eye In The Door and The Ghost Road] opened up the First World War to me. The scale of the loss of life is deeply moving.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d shadow Meryl Streep at work. She’s an incredible actress with the lightest of touches.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...The culture of fear we live in because it stifles creativity. People should have the freedom to fail because that’s what drives inspiration.

The film you can watch time and time again...Spy Game with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. It’s beautiful – essentially it’s a love story between two men.

The person who has influenced you most...My drama teacher Colin Cook at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He gets your blood up and makes you passionate about acting.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Nell Gwyn was the first commercially successful actress. I’d love to chat to her about her world and ask her about her boyfriend, Charles II.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Be comfortable with yourself and embrace who you are, because you’re going to be in your company for the rest of your life. Be your own best friend. The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...

I love bad cookery programmes. The Barefoot Contessa with Ina Garten is appalling, but watching her is strangely comforting

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A beautiful platinum butterfly necklace with blue sapphire wings. Simon gave it to me but I lost it about five years ago at work and still feel bad about it. It was quite rare and he was genuinely upset.

The unending quest that drives you  on...To do a beautiful piece of acting work. 

The poem that touches your soul...The Desiderata [written by American Max Ehrmann in 1927]. It’s like a little manual on how to live your life. 

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People think I’m very put-together, refined and tidy, but I’m actually very scruffy and messy and not at all put-together!

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Getting a scholarship to ballet school when I was 11. My dream was to be Margot Fonteyn, but ballet led me into acting.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d love to put on a black catsuit and pull off a really complex jewellery robbery.

The song that means most to you...Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World. It was on the radio at the exact moment my son was born.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Obviously, when my children were born, but also getting into LAMDA at 18. I was working in Liberty when I found out and said, ‘Oh God, YES!’

The saddest time that shook your world...My father dying when I was 21. It broke me, but it also made me grow up and decide what I wanted to do with my life.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To give my children a solid foundation to their lives.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Carpe diem. 

The order of service at your funeral...I’d be burnt on a pyre at Varanasi in India and have my ashes scattered on the Ganges. Then an orchestra would play Giovanni Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater in F minor at a huge party in my garden in Dorset, followed by fantastic fireworks!

The way you want to be remembered...As a person who left lots of love behind.

The Plug...I’m a patron of Maggie’s Centres. They offer extraordinary care to people with cancer. Please support them at www.maggiescentres.org.

copy to come

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 7 July 2012

Spandau Ballet stinger Tony Hadley:

The prized possession you value above all others...My baby grand Yamaha piano. My wife Ali bought it for my 50th birthday, in 2010. It cost £10,000 so it was incredibly generous.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...I was too trusting when I was younger, especially of certain people in the music business.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d have breakfast with all the family [Tony has five children: Thomas, 28,Toni, 26, Mack, 21, Zara, five, and five month- old Genevieve] at Blues restaurant in Camps Bay, Cape Town. I’d then float over the Earth in space before landing back at my home in Buckinghamshire for a roast-rib-of-beef lunch with my family and friends.

Then Ali and I would get the deckchairs out at a villa we love in Sardinia and have a gin and tonic or two in peace. I’d end the day with tapas and rosé wine at Ramon’s in northern Majorca.

The temptation you wish you could resist...A kebab at 3am when I’m travelling back from a show. I love them but I have to watch my weight. I’m 16- and-a-half stone at the moment.

The book that holds an everlasting resonanceWhen I was eight I discovered The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe by C S Lewis and it made me fall in love with reading.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d visit Area
51 [the secretive US air force base in Nevada] and find out if we’ve been
visited by aliens.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...I loathe litterbugs and I’m pretty vocal if I see someone do it.

The film you can watch time and time again...Chitty Chitty Bang Bang because it has everything – great music, magical scenery, a rags-toriches story and a car that can fly!

The person who has influenced you most...Frank Sinatra. I love his music, but more than that, I find inspiration from his life. He hit rock bottom, yet he dusted himself down.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...William the Conqueror. I’d love to know what motivated him to invade England and what vision he had. The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child... Be open-minded so you can always see the other side of the coin.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Logging! We moved into a new house last summer with two acres of land and quite a few trees, which I maintain. I bought a chain saw, a helmet and special leggings and boots. I’m a scary sight in all the kit.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...An orange plastic Beatles guitar I had when I was five. It got lost along the way and I wish I’d looked after it.

The unending quest that drives you on...To succeed. I admire people who are content, but I need to keep striving.

The poem that touches your soul...In Flanders Fields by the Canadian Major John McCrae. It’s poignant and distils the horror of the First World War.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People expect me to be up myself because of all those moody Spandau Ballet publicity photos. But I’m really friendly.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...Signing the Spandau record deal with Chrysalis Records in 1980 when I was 20.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...

I’d break into the vaults underneath the Vatican and root through all the archives.

The song that means most to you...Sinatra’s That’s Life. It always lifts my spirits and reflects my take on life.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Playing the Albert Hall with Spandau in 1983. When I was 17 I had gone there with my mum to watch Frank Sinatra. I managed to get backstage and he spoke to me. I told him that it was my ambition to be a singer. He said, ‘I hope you succeed, son’, and shook my hand. I remembered that when I did the sound-check before that gig. I had fulfilled a dream.

The saddest time that shook your world...Also when I was 17, my nan Rose died of stomach cancer. I was absolutely devastated.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I’d love to star in a wham-bam Hollywood action movie and get an Oscar.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Look after your family and friends and be a decent person.

The order of service at your funeral...I’d like people to dress as if they’re going to a concert, so it won’t be too sombre. I don’t believe in the afterlife, so I don’t want anything too religious, but maybe someone can tell a few anecdotes about my chaotic life. They can play Pretty Vacant by the Sex Pistols during the cremation and I’d like people to file out to Monty Python’s Always Look On The Bright Side of Life.

The way you want to be remembered...Here lies a good bloke. And he could sing a bit, too.

The Plug...Tony is supporting Cadbury Dairy Milk Postcards campaign as part of its London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games sponsorship.Visit www.cadburypostcards2012.co.uk

copy to come

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 30 June 2012

TV naturalist Chris Packham:

The prized possession you value above all others...A tiny brass falconry bell I bought in 1974. It was worn by a kestrel I got, called Tim. Owning Tim was a seminal moment in my life, because of the struggle it took to get him. Working class boys back then were not allowed to be involved in falconry, so I stole him from a nest and kept him in secret. It gave me a sense of independence.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Ignoring a boy walking his new puppy on a Christmas morning when I was 17. He was about 12 and looked at me proudly, but I just walked on by. I was an angry young man at the time and I regret my lack of humanity.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d begin with a walk on Bamburgh beach in Northumberland with Itchy
and Scratchy, my miniature poodles. I’d then go to Antarctica with my stepdaughter, Megan, 17, to take photos of the wildlife. I’d have oysters for lunch at the oyster bar at New York’s Grand Central Station, then go to the Rothko Chapel in Houston and look at the paintings. I’d end the day at my holiday home in south-west France with my partner Charlotte. We’d listen to the frogs in the swimming pool. I hate swimming so I turned it into a pond.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Alcohol. I probably have the capacity to be alcoholic, so give it up for months, but am always tempted back.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, which I read as a teen. I related to the character John The Savage. Like him, I felt isolated and like an outcast.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...To see how a top football manager like Alex Ferguson deals with his players at half-time when his side is losing in a big game.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...The lethargy and dishonesty in conservation. Too many committees say things are great when they aren’t.

The film you can watch time and time again...The Thing. Although it is horror, it is my comfort film. I feel quite content with its apocalyptic end for humanity!

The person who has influenced you most...My biology teacher John Buckley. When I was 11, he turned me from a bird egg collector to a young scientist. He suggested I count the eggs and map the nests instead of stealing from them.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...I’d love to meet Horatio Nelson before Trafalgar to see how he was with his men.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Love life. All life. Everything has its purpose in the ecosystem.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Spitfire planes. I was brought up on a diet of Spitfires because my dad loved them and they were based near our home in Southampton.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A basic blue plastic comb I’d had for five years. It fell out of my bag in a Cardiff car park but I only realised when I got to Southampton. I am totally OCD about losing things, so I drove back the next day to look for it, but the car park had been swept.

The unending quest that drives you on...To take a perfect photograph which exactly conveys that precise moment and what I was feeling when I took it.

The poem that touches your soul...There is a poetic sentence in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince which means a lot to me: ‘It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is important is invisible to the eye.’

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...People often say they think I’m a nice bloke. But I’m incredibly self-critical and don’t see that.

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The death of my kestrel Tim. I buried it beneath the nest I’d stolen it from six months earlier, and I felt a huge sense of failure. I dealt with its death in total isolation, which made me a more independent person.

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I’d steal Johannes Vermeer’s The Lacemaker and sleep with it above my bed.

The song that means most to you...Pure by The Lightning Seeds. It may be a bit naff, but I think it’s an unpretentious love song that bounces along.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Ten years ago, when my poodle Fish excitedly jumped on my lap and licked my face one day. My girlfriend at the time said, ‘He loves you so much.’

The saddest time that shook your world...Five days after that day, when Fish was run over and killed.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To see Earth from space.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Go harder, go madder, go faster. It’s about being the best you can be by pushing yourself harder than anyone else.

The order of service at your funeral...I would want a simple service, then be incinerated to Shout Above The Noise by the punk band Penetration, which has been a mantra for my life.

It is about being an individual.

The way you want to be remembered...I don’t feel the need to be remembered.

The Plug...I’m an ambassador for Arla Foods’ Kids Closer To Nature campaign, which encourages children to experience the great outdoors. Visit
www.kidsclosertonature.co.uk

Copy to come

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 23 June 2012

Legendary director Bryan Forbes:

"I would be happy for family and friends to remember my good bits, scatter my ashes in the garden and plant a tree in my memory"

We ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept THE definitive answer. This week it’s the turn of film director, author and actor Bryan Forbes (who directed Rob McGibbon in International Velvet alongside Tatum O’Neal – well, sort of!)

The prized possession you value above all others...My garden, which I have fashioned from nothing since Nanette [actress Nanette Newman] and I bought our house when we got married in 1955. It has ten acres and was completely overgrown and I became obsessed with making it beautiful. The garden has been my passion and my sanctuary over the years. I am 85 now and not very mobile, so I can’t garden any more, which is sad.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...That I was never able to make my film of Napoleon and Josephine. Ian Bannen was going to play Napoleon and I slaved over writing it for three years, but then Warner Brothers junked it because Stanley Kubrick was going to make a film on the same subject, although he never did.

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I would spend all day with my three wonderful granddaughters [India Rose, 24, Tilly, 21, and Lilly, 15]. We’d fly by private jet to Antigua for breakfast on the beach, then on to New York for shopping, so I could spoil them. We’d have tea at the Carlyle Hotel, then go to a Broadway musical in the evening, then fly back home on the private jet, missing all the hideous delays we normally have to endure.

The temptation you wish you could resist…To stop buying books. I love reading and have about 6,000 books. I used to have nearer to 10,000, but I have sold a great many in recent years. I owned a bookshop for 37 years, so there was a great temptation to pinch from myself!

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford. He was an extraordinary writer and this is such a clever, brilliantly constructed novel. I wish I could write as well as him.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I would reschedule all television programming. We have about 600 channels at home, yet Nanette and I often can’t find anything worth watching. I think the programmers have lost touch and it drives me nuts.

The pet-hate that makes your hackles rise...All those politicians on the gravy train at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. They waste amazing amounts of our money complicating our lives with idiotic regulations. It would be great if we could tell them all to get stuffed!

The film you can watch time and time again...Jeux Interdit (Forbidden Games) directed by René Clément from 1951. It is a French classic about innocence, which epitomises the futility of war.

The person who has influenced you most...Graham Greene was a great mentor who always encouraged me. We first met in London in the 1950s and we were in touch right up until his death [in 1991]. I used to see him a lot in the South of France when he was living in Antibes. Once we were having dinner at a little bistro called Chez Felix and he turned up with a revolver in a plastic bag. He said: "If a black Citroen drives by, make sure you duck. It will be the Marseille mafia coming to shoot me!" Graham was always one for great drama and he was a lovely man.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...Marcel Proust. I would like to know how he managed to keep on writing.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Don’t despise education – it could be the difference between happiness and abject failure.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...Cooking, which will most definitely seem unlikely to Nanette and our family because I can only cook three dishes! I once set fire to the kitchen whilst making langoustine flambé. But I love the idea of cooking and admire Rick Stein for being so innovative.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...A signet ring that Nanette gave me, which came off while swimming in the South of France in the 1960s. I spent hours diving for it, but never recovered it.

The unending quest that drives you on...The whole object of writing is to write a masterpiece, but it doesn’t happen to many people. I wrote one great novel – Familiar Strangers – which I am proud of, but if I could write a book as good as Greene’s The End of the Affair I would die a happy man.

The poem that touches your soul...I don’t have one. Poetry has not been a great force in my life.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...I honestly don’t know what people think of me. I was known as a jack-of-all-trades, which is fine, but can inspire envy. You have to wait until you are dead before people say what they think of you, but then you can’t read it! (And they have written wonderful things about you, Bryan – including me! You were so very much loved and respected. RM)

The event that altered the course of your life and character...When in 1942 the BBC producer Lionel Gamlin took me for tea and a bun and gave me a job as Question Master for the BBC’s Junior Brains Trust. It was my first professional job and my life in show business began. He also suggested I change my name. [Bryan’s real name is John Clarke].

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I think we are badly governed by politicians of all hues. One doesn’t want to commit murder, but it would be nice if they could all be miraculously obliterated.

The song that means most to you...When I Fall In Love as sung by the great Nat King Cole. I was directing a film called King Rat [released in 1965] in Hollywood and one night at a cabaret Nat suddenly dedicated that song to me. He was desperate to be an actor and star in that film, but I had the unfortunate task of telling him there wasn’t a part for him.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Managing to buy our house in Surrey and forging our life here. It had been derelict for seven years and we bought it at auction for £8,300, although we couldn’t afford it. My best man gave me a private mortgage to help pay for it.

The saddest time that shook your world...When I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis whilst directing The Slipper and the Rose in 1975 [film was released in ’76]. It was a horrible time, especially for Nanette, because it felt like I had been given a death sentence. I kept it secret because I would not get any work if people thought I was not long for this world because of insurance problems. But all the doctors later admitted that the diagnosis was totally wrong and I have never developed any symptoms.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...I don’t really have one. I have been luckier than most and realised so many ambitions. I received a British Film Institute Fellowship earlier this year. I am very proud of getting that.

The philosophy that underpins your life...Never take anything for granted.

The order of service at your funeral...I am not very religious, so I wouldn’t want a formal ceremony as such, or a tombstone. I wouldn’t even want people to wear black. I would be happy for family and friends to remember my good bits, scatter my ashes in the garden and plant a tree in my memory.

The way you want to be remembered...As somebody who was not taken in by fame.

The Plug...My new novel The Soldier’s Story is published by Quartet Books in July, priced £18.

The Bryan Forbes died at his beloved home surounded by his family following a long illness on Wednesday, 8th May 2013. He was 86. RIP.

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 16 June 2012

Fashion model Jodie Kidd:

The prized possession you value above all others...A diamond and platinum necklace that converts into a tiara that my grandmother Lady Beaverbrook left to me when she died in 1988. 

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...During my first modelling job when I was 15 in Milan for the fashion designer Gianfranco Ferré, I called him Karl – as in Karl Lagerfeld, his greatest competitor. I never worked for him again!

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up on the west coast of Barbados and have a huge fresh fruit breakfast. I would be with Andrea [her boyfriend, Argentine polo player Andrea Vianini] and our baby son Indio, who is nine months old. Andrea and I would then go for a swim in the Arroyo de Jose Ignacio river in southern Uruguay, followed by lunch at the Lucifer restaurant in Pueblo Garzon. I would then go scuba diving in the Seychelles. For the evening, I’d come back to our home in West Sussex, put the baby to bed and go to my favourite local pub – The Three Crowns, in Wisborough Green – and drink local ales until last orders.

The temptation you wish you could resist...A glass of cold beer. It’s too easy to have one and keep going.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Wind In The Willows. My mother read it to me when I was little and I can’t wait to read it to Indi.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Woman for a day...I’d go to Area 51 [the US air force base in Nevada used for secret testing] and find out if a real UFO ever landed.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Dishonesty. I hate liars. I have come across a lot of it in the modelling world and have a good radar for lies. 

The film you can watch time and time again...The Shawshank Redemption with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. I love the moral of the story and how Robbins’ character gets justice.

The person who has influenced you most...My dad [businessman and former showjumper John Kidd]. He has been a great role model and taught me how to be a good person.

The figure from history for whom you’d most like to buy a pie and a pint...

Jules Verne [the 19th-century French author who pioneered science fiction writing]. I’d like to know how he foresaw submarines and space travel.

The piece of wisdom you would pass on to a child...Work hard and play hard. Enjoy spending every penny you earn on living your life.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity...AI, artificial insemination in horses! Andrea and I breed polo ponies and it’s amazing.

The treasured item you lost and wish you could have again...I lost an Omega watch two years ago when I was riding. It wasn’t valuable, but I loved it.

The unending quest that drives you on...Winning! I have a very competitive streak, especially in sport.

The poem that touches your soul...If by Rudyard Kipling because my godfather [the late Douglas Bunn, who founded showjumping’s home, Hickstead] said he would give me £10 if I learnt it when I was little. I couldn’t do it, but I fell in love with the poem because it’s all about courage – and it reminds me of him. 

The event that altered the course of your life and character...The birth of Indi [on 5 September 2011]. Having him has made me calmer, softer and more humble towards people.

The misapprehension about yourself you wish you could erase...That I’m posh and anorexic. I had a wonderful upbringing, but I’m normal. And since giving birth I am a size 12-14. 

The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it...I would steal the gold from Fort Knox to buy loads of beautiful land. 

The song that means most to you...Money For Nothing by Dire Straits reminds me of singing it with my dad in the car when I was about eight.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever...Scoring an eagle [two under par] in 2004 at The Road Hole at St Andrews, which is meant to be one of the hardest holes in golf.

The saddest time that shook your world...Seeing the Twin Towers come down in 2001. I was in New York for fashion week and saw it from the balcony of an apartment about 30 blocks away. I could even see people jumping. It shook me – and the world.

The unfulfilled ambition that continues to haunt you...To ride the Hickstead Derby course. You need to be a gutsy rider and I don’t think I could even try, especially now I’m a mummy.

The philosophy that underpins your life...He who has the gold makes the rules! That was written at the foot of the stairs in my godfather’s house.

The order of service at your funeral...I will leave it all to my family because I will neither know nor care what happens. I’d like to be buried in Sussex. Above all, I want everyone to have a big knees-up and celebrate life.

The way you want to be remembered...As a connoisseur of fine red wine who brought some good to the world.

The Plug...Jodie Kidd has designed a limited edition Formula 1-inspired Sky+HD 1TB box. Visit www.sky.com/designerboxes   

Copyright: Rob McGibbon/Accessinterviews.com 2011 (2014). All rights reserved

Published: 9 June 2012

Football commentator John Motson:

The prized possession you value above all others...My collection of football programmes. I’ve got every FA Cup Final programme since 1921 and all the England World Cup ones. They represent my 60-year passion for the game.

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...Never having had the thrill of commentating on England playing in a major final.   

The way you would spend your fantasy 24 hours, with no travel restrictions...I’d wake up at the Dormy House hotel at Broadway in the Cotswolds and go for a four-mile run. Then lunch at Oslo Court in London’s St John’s Wood: smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, followed by a meat dish with red wine. After that, a match at my local football club, Barnet, with my 26-year-old son Fred. Then a cream tea at the Landmark Hotel in Marylebone, washed down with champagne in its Mirror Bar. Finally, a slap-up dinner at The George of Stamford Hotel, off the A1 in Lincolnshire.

The temptation you wish you could resist...Snacking on bread and cheese while on the road – which is why I’m normally a stone overweight at the end of each football season.

The book that holds an everlasting resonance...The Power Of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. I left school feeling inferior because I was the smallest in the class and not great at sport. The book inspired me and helped me as a cub newspaper reporter.

The priority activity if you were the Invisible Man for a day...I’d drive a black London taxi for the day. For years I thought I’d do that job if the commentating didn’t work out.

The pet hate that makes your hackles rise...Email! It’s spoilt the art of conversation. I’m a dinosaur about technology, I can only go as far as texting.

The film you can watch time and time again...Scent Of A Woman with Al Pacino. People think I’m a very serious person but it really makes me laugh.

The person who has influenced you most...My wife Anne. She’s kept my feet on the ground. We’re a team and I couldn’t cope without her.