Chris Bonington: What accomplishment matters most to you?

The question

What accomplishment matters most to you?

Originally asked

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

Verbatim recurring item in The Guardian Q&A; two fully readable publisher-hosted respondent pages establish institutional recurrence.

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

Chris Bonington

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

Everest the hard way in 1975: leading the expedition that succeeded where so many people had tried and failed. That was the most complex mountaineering challenge I ever faced. I spent hours at night in a little tent thinking about what the next problem would be and how to solve it.

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

Others on this question

View all 192 →

Alison Steadman British actress

Earning a living as an actor for 40 years.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 17 January 2009 source ↗

Fran Lebowitz American author and public speaker

That I’ve never killed anyone – and I’ve been tempted numerous times. My other achievement is that I went to Australia, which meant I was on a plane without smoking for almost 24 hours, and I didn’t kill anyone on that flight.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 18 June 2022 source ↗

Billy Porter American actor and singer

Holding on to my sanity.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 January 2021 source ↗

Mark Radcliffe

Having three great daughters, having been on the radio for nearly 50 years and not being dead.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗