James Taylor: 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.

JT

James Taylor

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

I don’t remember the womb, so … my first taste of ice cream? First night in a girl’s bed: happy.

Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, May 2015 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 577 →

Jo Brand English entertainer

I don’t tend to rank happy times.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 September 2015 source ↗

Now. Five years ago, I started looking after myself a bit more, emotionally and spiritually, and it’s paid dividends.

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

Dermot O'Leary British-Irish television presenter

On Curracloe beach with my family in Wexford, circa 1980, after a swim.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 September 2014 source ↗

Alexander Armstrong English actor, comedian, broadcaster and singer

Now. Although I am on tour and I will be deliriously happy when that finishes, because I'll be back home.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 November 2010 source ↗

More from James Taylor

View profile →

Question What do you fear most? Identity & self

Still nuclear annihilation.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, May 2015 source ↗

Question What does happiness look like for you when life is going well? Identity & self

Happiness is going to come and go, but to have a chance at intermittent happiness you need to be free from fear. In our culture, in our day, we can lose sight of what a rare gift that is: to live free from fear

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 22 May 2015 source ↗

Question Who alive today do you admire most, and what draws you to them? Values & belief

Noam Chomsky, Barack Obama.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, May 2015 source ↗

More on time & hindsight

Also answered this

Andrew Marr, Imelda Staunton, Paul Merson, Johannes Radebe, Joss Whedon, Tom Daley

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