Nish Kumar
British stand-up comedian and presenter
I learned how to play The Wind Cries Mary guitar solo.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Question
What is your greatest fear?
Identity & self
Question
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Identity & self
Question
Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?
Money & investment
Question
How close have you come to death?
Death & what remains
Question
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Values & belief
Question
What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?
Failure & regret
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.
Growing three brains.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 August 2026 source ↗
Others on this question
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Katherine Parkinson
English actor
I went to a state school, so had to learn ancient Greek from scratch at Oxford.
Jennifer Hudson
American singer and actress
Professionally, receiving my first Grammy from Whitney Houston.
Helen George
English actress
To still be working.
More from Fiona Allen
View profile →My kids navigating the world as it is today – and daddy longlegs.
Passionate, gobby, flabby.
A sports car. I was in my 20s; I’d fallen out with my boyfriend, so to cheer myself up I got myself a little silver and black Mazda and a matching jumper and jacket. And do you know what, it worked. I saw him do a double take.
I think I had a close shave with the taxi driver John Worboys. I was in Soho and going back to Chiswick where I lived, and I got a black cab. This guy wouldn’t stop talking and he offered me champagne, and I said: “I don’t like champagne.” It went a bit quiet and I thought I’d offended him. Then I remember going: “Hang on a minute, you shouldn’t be drinking champagne if you’re driving.” And he said: “I’ve just won the lottery and I’m finished after this.” I had a lucky escape.
Coldness, selfishness.
The second agent I had said: “The thing is, you look like something but then you open your mouth.” So I got myself a sketch show and left, and she lost out.
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Also answered this
Phil Daniels, Karamo Brown, Jess Phillips, Gemma Whelan, Nish Kumar, Bryn Terfel
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