Julia Donaldson
British writer and playwright
As a child, discovering there was a wonderful thing called countryside.
When were you happiest?
Question
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Daily life
Question
What keeps you awake at night?
Daily life
Question
Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?
Money & investment
Question
What has been your biggest disappointment?
Failure & regret
Question
Who most deserves an apology from you, and why?
Failure & regret
Question
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Identity & self
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.
When I am in Italy with the family, not thinking about work.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 January 2019 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 577 →
Suzi Quatro
American-British rock musician
When my first child was born – something I thought would never happen.
Perez Hilton
American blogger
At the South By Southwest Music Festival last March. Few things make me happier than going to concerts, and this was an epic evening.
Shappi Khorsandi
Iranian-born British comedian
Right now. Ask me again when my children are grown, and I’ll sob, “When they loved me more than that woman/man they’ve shacked up with.”
More from Martin Freeman
View profile →A really careful lobotomy, to switch off bits of my brain.
Thinking about all the worst possible things: losing people, dying, how am I going to die? All that sort of stuff. I stay awake thinking about furniture and shoes as well. It’s not all death.
I love clothes and accoutrements, so it would be either a suit or a watch. I love Mark Powell in Soho, and Paul Smith.
“I don’t love you.”
I say it a lot to my kids when I’ve lost my temper, and I’ll save up a big one for when they are 18.
I wanted to be a footballer and then a squash player – I was in with a chance because I was very good. But I fell out of love with that by 14 or 15 and joined a youth theatre.
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Also answered this
Simon Russell Beale, Richard Wilson, Stephen Dillane, Willem Dafoe, Sue Perkins, Cuba Gooding Jr
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