Chris Bonington: As a child, what career or life did you imagine for yourself?

The question

As a child, what career or life did you imagine for yourself?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

This is a standing question in The Guardian's decades-long The Q&A and also recurs independently in career and life interviews.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Chris Bonington

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

I was a huge daydreamer and imagined myself as a successful general leading his troops into battle.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 22 March 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

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Edward Fox British actor

To be able to play the piano like Artur Schnabel.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 April 2017 source ↗

Shinya Yamanaka Stem cell biologist; Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, 2012

I was born in Osaka, Japan. It was 45 years ago. My father has a small factory in Osaka, and we lived next to his factory

Recorded Academy of Achievement interviewer, Academy of Achievement interview, 2008 source ↗

Lauren Laverne English radio DJ, and television presenter

I wanted to be like my dad, who was an academic, because he had an office packed full of books, always had loud music on, and seemed to get to do what he wanted.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 5 February 2022 source ↗

Riz Ahmed British actor and rapper

I wanted to perform in some way, but I didn’t think it was viable. Teachers told me I should be a barrister, because I was always arguing with them.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 10 April 2021 source ↗