Charlie Higson: Excluding property, what is the most expensive thing you have ever bought? — FLAPSS

The question

Excluding property, what is the most expensive thing you have ever bought?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

The Guardian's weekly The Q&A repeatedly uses this standing prompt, with minor contractions and word-order variation.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

CH

Charlie Higson

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

Three mature palm trees. We restored a property in Italy that had been derelict and I needed to make it look established as quickly as I could.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 October 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

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Meghan Trainor American singer-songwriter

At the beginning of 2019, I brought my entire family with me on my honeymoon to Bora Bora.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 June 2024 source ↗

Val McDermid Scottish crime novel writer

A BMW 6 series convertible. It was smashing.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 February 2020 source ↗

Rose Tremain English writer

A cream suit from Chanel that cost almost as much as a small car.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 April 2022 source ↗

Romesh Ranganathan English actor and comedian

The arcade game, Guitar Hero. I’ve got the full unit in my house. It’s so sad.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 31 August 2024 source ↗

More from Charlie Higson

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Question Which book do you still mean to read, and why has it stayed on your list? Taste & recommendation

I used to give a fantastic talk about Frankenstein and Dracula, but I’ve never been able to finish either book.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 October 2025 source ↗

Question What disappointment has stayed with you longest? Failure & regret

I’m a classic remoaner.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 October 2025 source ↗

Question Which trait in yourself do you like least? Identity & self

I can be horribly smug and conceited, and yet always in the back of my mind is the thought that things could go terribly wrong at any moment.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 October 2025 source ↗

Question How would you sum yourself up in three words? Identity & self

Middle-class wanker.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 October 2025 source ↗

Question When were you most embarrassed? Failure & regret

I’ve shat myself in public three times. It’s never quite as bad as you fear.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 October 2025 source ↗

Question Who deserves an apology from you, and for what? Failure & regret

All the kids I didn’t reply to who’ve written lovely letters about my books.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 October 2025 source ↗

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