The question
What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
The first time I stood on top of the hill that I now live on, in 2007.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 December 2023 source ↗
Christmas Day in Nottingham. I am happiest when I am with all of my family, and last year Jonny and I got engaged.
When my kids were born.
Last night, having dinner with the family round the kitchen table.
My college years, when everything was possible and I felt physically invulnerable.
Not feeling old but everyone treating you that way.
The very first day that I was filming Top Gear, for which I was so unqualified because I’d only ever driven a Fiat Uno. I got into a DB7 Vantage Volante outside the Aston Martin factory, put my foot on the accelerator and bunny-hopped across the gravel because I’d forgotten to take the handbrake off.
My husband, Ludo, for not really getting why war movies are fun to watch.
The worms get to feast.
“We’d love you to be on the cover of our magazine and we’ll give you a makeover.”
Panic and euphoria.
Ann Patchett, Martin Freeman, Charlize Theron, Pete Postlethwaite, Aidan Gillen, Meg Rosoff
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