The question
How close have you come to dying?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
A recurring Guardian Q&A prompt asked directly across respondents and years.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
On a flight, last February, from Atlanta to Rio. We went through a storm and I was convinced that the plane was going down. The overhead cabins were opening, everything was falling out, people were screaming and I was hanging on to my seat.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 12 December 2020 source ↗
Modelling in South Korea, aged 19. After a party, I flopped into bed, lit a big candle and balanced it on top of a massive box of matches. I created my own firework display when the candle burnt down and set fire to it. It made the biggest noise ever which, luckily, woke me from my slightly boozy slumber.
I made a suicide attempt at 12 or 13 years old.
Again, too many times to mention, but probably being swung from the balcony at the top of the Columbia hotel in London by the bodyguard of a Saudi Arabian princess was fairly close.
Just thinking about unsafe sex.
When I was 17, I was offered a tennis scholarship at the University of Virginia. I wish I had been brave enough to take it.
Getting my teeth done. I had veneers and it took 18 months.
That Scottish tennis has failed to capitalise on the successes of Jamie and Andy.
Billie Jean King. She’s the reason tennis is such an equal sport in terms of opportunity for women.
Firm, fair, fun.
When Sean Connery died. He was a big tennis fan – a big Andy fan – and I met him a few times.
Harry Redknapp, Simone Biles, Adam Peaty, Chris Bonington, Kevin Pietersen, Bradley Wiggins
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