Paul Whitehouse: When were you happiest?

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.

Recorded Paul Whitehouse said elsewhere, not written here

When I came round after being seriously ill. I’d had a dose of morphine, the sun was shining and I thought, “Ah yes, I live!”

The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 16 June 2018 source ↗

Others on this question

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Ian Wright English footballer and pundit

1990 FA Cup final, playing for Crystal Palace.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 13 July 2019 source ↗

Brian Cox Scottish actor

I’ve had a lot of happiness in my life: 1) the birth of my children; 2) getting into Lamda when I was 17; 3) meeting my wife; 4) and the renewal of our marriage vows and my 60th birthday.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 July 2016 source ↗

Chris Rock

August 16, 1985. My dad took me and my brothers Andre and Tony to see the Fresh Fest at the Nassau Coliseum, on Long Island. We saw Whodini, the Fat Boys, and Grandmaster Flash. Greatest day of my life. The births of my children were big days, too, but billions of people have children—only 15,000 people saw that show.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, January 2016 source ↗

Vince Cable British politician