Mark Radcliffe: What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy? — FLAPSS

The question

What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?

Originally asked

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

Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.

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

MR

Mark Radcliffe

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

When I changed the toner cartridge in my printer all on my own – that was a day of pure euphoria.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 577 →

Sofie Gråbøl Danish actress

Most recently, going to a 1D concert at Wembley with my nine-year-old daughter. Seeing her dream becoming real. The highlight was meeting a nice man in the elevator when it was over, who gave her Harry's autograph. Turned out to be his dad. To my daughter that was like meeting the archangel Gabriel.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 July 2014 source ↗

Julien Macdonald Welsh fashion designer

With my family in Wales.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 October 2016 source ↗

Jessica Raine British actress

The day I got accepted by Rada and the day I found out I was pregnant, both a long time coming. I am a late bloomer.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 March 2019 source ↗

Mike Skinner English rapper

When I was a child and I got a new toy.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 24 January 2009 source ↗

More from Mark Radcliffe

View profile →

Question What would you most want to leave your children? Death & what remains

A sense of what’s right, a few quid and some nice paintings.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗

Question What worries you about getting older? Time & hindsight

Nothing. I survived a cancer scare at 60, so I am just overjoyed to be here.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗

Question As a child, what career or life did you imagine for yourself? Identity & self

A drummer in a famous band or an astronaut.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗

Question How close have you come to dying? Death & what remains

Throat and neck cancer in 2018. They told me six to eight months if it hadn’t been caught.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗

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

Fairly decent bloke.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗

Question What is the harshest thing anyone has said to you? Failure & regret

This was said about me in a Radio 1 focus group: “I don’t pay my licence fee to hear scummy northerners.”

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗

More on time & hindsight

Also answered this

Tim Peake, Chris Addison, Alex Lawther, Susan Calman, Alexa Chung, Ronnie Wood

Search the directory for somebody in particular.

Explore further

All time & hindsight questions
The The Q&A questionnaire — 25 questions from the same format
Explore the archive — by field, age, era, and subject

Report this answer