Which living person do you most admire, and why?

408 answers answered between 1985 and 2026 one of 25 in The Q&A

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

The Guardian's Q&A repeatedly uses this prompt, sometimes dropping 'living' while retaining the same comparative judgment.

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Public figures who have answered a question like this elsewhere. Quoted from the source shown, not written for FLAPSS.

Read by field Everyone Science and medicine 2 Arts and letters 339 Politics and public life 27 Business and finance 15 Technology 3 Sport 22

Read by age Any age Before thirty 19 In their thirties 60 In their forties 77 In their fifties 68 In their sixties 50 Seventy and beyond 61

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Clare Balding English broadcaster, journalist, TV presenter and author

AP McCoy, the 15 times champion jump jockey. I am constantly in awe of his dedication to his sport.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 January 2011 source ↗

Sarah Brown British Anglican priest

Aung San Suu Kyi – for her courage, self-sacrifice and showing that you don't need to be fierce to be strong.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 12 March 2011 source ↗

Sadiq Khan Mayor of London since 2016

Mo Farah represents everything that’s great about our country.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 24 September 2016 source ↗

Chlöe Swarbrick who is co-leader of the New Zealand Greens. She’s demonstrating the bold leadership that I look to do every single day.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗

Nobody has answered this one yet.