Samira Ahmed
British journalist and writer
On stage, interviewing one of my heroes, Paul McCartney, at the Royal Festival Hall last November.
When were you happiest?
Question
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Identity & self
Question
What keeps you awake at night?
Daily life
Question
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Daily life
Question
Who most deserves an apology from you, and why?
Failure & regret
Question
Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?
Money & investment
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 was young and carefree, before I realised what the obstacles were that we face as black people. I was raised in a beautiful home with incredible parents. They allowed me to enjoy what it was to be a child.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 December 2020 source ↗
Others on this question
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Tommy Hilfiger
American fashion designer
At the birth of each of my children.
Heidi Klum
German-American model and TV host
The first time I saw each of my four children’s faces.
Shaun White
American snowboarder and skateboarder
Easy – winning the gold medal for the men's half-pipe in Vancouver.
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Creating. When everyone goes to bed and then you have six or seven hours to create peacefully. I’ve become nocturnal. Even on a night when I am not in the studio, I still won’t go to sleep till six in the morning.
To be in a position to empower my entire family with generational wealth.
To my father, for the time that was lost when we weren’t getting along. We were able to reconcile a few months before he passed away five years ago.
I bought myself a diamond pinky ring for two million dollars.
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