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 Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 30 December 2017 source ↗
On holiday in Orlando with my wife, Kate, and kids just before lockdown. I wasn’t drinking or gambling. I was so happy, so at peace with myself – I’d been searching for that for many a year.
With no shoes on in the African bush with my family.
The early family skiing holidays – before I’d broken an ankle and Gerald had torn a ligament – were just wonderful.
As a child growing up in Ireland, on a beautiful day playing on what was known as a cock of hay (or haystack).
An actor. Then I grew out of that and became one by default. Or sort of one: “Not really an actor”, said Michael Billington.
Adolescent love feels like exquisite self-indulgence. Long-term love feels like a warm bath that needs a trickle of extra hot water every now and then.
No songs, please. Don’t make a fuss.
The next morning. It rarely turns out as bad as I think it’s going to be.
As a charming, helpful, solicitous, generous, loving, carefree and constantly funny companion, lover and father. Some hope of that.
Sorry, I’m British and middle class, so I’ve already apologised to virtually everybody I have ever met.
Nicholas Parsons, Warwick Davis, Stephen Dorff, Archie Panjabi, Sue Johnston, Cybill Shepherd
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