Pauline Black: 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 fell asleep in a room that had an oil heater and it filled with carbon monoxide and, if it hadn’t been for my husband, Terry, I would have died.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 12 April 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

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Omid Djalili British stand-up comedian and actor

I had spinal meningitis when I was 13.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 August 2010 source ↗

Elaine Paige English singer and actress

One night in Cats, I missed my footing and nearly plunged more than 30ft. As if by magic, the stage manager’s hand appeared and winched me from certain death.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 17 September 2016 source ↗

Bryn Terfel Welsh bass-baritone singer

In 2006, I went fishing for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. On the way back, one of the engines caught fire and then we had one engine for 70 miles. Slowly but surely, we got to Baton Rouge in the darkness but then got very close to a very large passing ship – they didn’t see us and we didn’t see them.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 November 2024 source ↗

Sara Pascoe English comedian, presenter, writer

Ten years ago, I went to visit my dad in Australia. I walked to the edge of a cliff and looked over and tripped. I righted myself but my head was over the edge. No one saw it.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 July 2018 source ↗