Which living person do you most admire, and why?

My father. He has treated every person he has met with kindness and respect.

Jimmy Carter, for his wisdom and courage in going to meet Hamas.

My father, because he's a positive man with an enormous amount of compassion. My mother passed away four days ago.

Nelson Mandela, for obvious reasons.

Wow, so many – Robert De Niro, James Cameron, Will Smith.

My wife, Melanie. She's had real trauma and loss in her life, yet she starts every day with joy, and sees the world as a good place

It's a fool's errand to waste time admiring anybody.

Danny Boyle, for obvious reasons.

My husband is the kindest, funniest, most strange and wondrous person I know.

Russell Brand, for being his own man.

Bob Dylan: his great gift as a poet and musician, his long, incorruptible career—and he continues to tour constantly.

My grandmother, Marianne Karlsson.

David Attenborough, because he sticks to what he loves and is still passionate about it. God bless him.

My mum – she's in her 90s, lives on her own, is lucid, wise and funny. And knows what a selfie is.

Anybody who fights for human rights or to make this world a better place. Nurses, doctors, teachers: these are the people who deserve the credit these days.

Probably Daniel Barenboim. His blend of insane talent, intellect, and profound humanitarianism is one that comes along very, very rarely. I would put Martina Navratilova and Stephen Sondheim in a tie for second.

Camila Batmanghelidjh, the founder of Kids Company.

The elderly, because it takes courage to get through the day when there isn’t some glorious future ahead.

My mother, Mary Davidson, for having me at 16 – a child herself – and raising me with very little.

All women who slog their guts out every day, quietly getting on with bringing up their families.