Fiona Allen: How close have you come to dying?

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 209 →

Meghann Fahy

A blood clot in my artery when I was 23.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 25 April 2026 source ↗

Dan Stevens English actor

Probably on a Los Angeles freeway.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 25 November 2017 source ↗

Miriam Margolyes

When the media, en masse, reported my imminent demise.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 July 2025 source ↗

Emma Bunton British singer

When I was seven or eight, I got run over and was actually under the car, which was scary. I just ran out; it was totally my fault. I was fine – all I got was a tiny scar on my knee.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 12 June 2021 source ↗