Fiona Allen: How close have you come to death?

The question

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.

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

I think I had a close shave with the taxi driver John Worboys. I was in Soho and going back to Chiswick where I lived, and I got a black cab. This guy wouldn’t stop talking and he offered me champagne, and I said: “I don’t like champagne.” It went a bit quiet and I thought I’d offended him. Then I remember going: “Hang on a minute, you shouldn’t be drinking champagne if you’re driving.” And he said: “I’ve just won the lottery and I’m finished after this.” I had a lucky escape.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 August 2026 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 216 →

Stephen Graham English actor

I was knocked over by a taxi in Liverpool when I was seven. And I fell off the seventh storey of a car park when I was 10 and broke both legs, my collarbone and my arm.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 21 April 2018 source ↗

David Hasselhoff American actor, singer, and television personality

Scuba diving in Costa Rica. My stunt double and I were trying out some equipment that let us talk to each other and I ran out of air at 80ft - probably because I talked too much. I had to use his air. Then we were surrounded by sharks. It was scary.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 April 2009 source ↗

Emilia Fox English actress and presenter

I’ve been to two postmortems in real life, and spent the last 14 years talking about death at work – so, pretty close.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 October 2018 source ↗

Lesley Sharp British actress

I got run over when I was three. I ran across a road in Manchester and was hit by a car. I only had concussion, but I could have died.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 May 2021 source ↗

More from Fiona Allen

View profile →

Question What do you consider your greatest achievement? Craft & work

Growing three brains.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 August 2026 source ↗

Question What would you like to be remembered for? Death & what remains

She was surprisingly good at the harpsichord.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 August 2026 source ↗

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

The second agent I had said: “The thing is, you look like something but then you open your mouth.” So I got myself a sketch show and left, and she lost out.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 August 2026 source ↗