Our wedding weekend in Ireland.
When were you happiest?
Question
Which living person do you most admire, and why?
Values & belief
Question
What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?
Failure & regret
Question
What most recently made you cry?
Identity & self
Question
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Craft & work
Question
What keeps you awake at night?
Daily life
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Which moment embarrassed you most?
Failure & regret
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.
My first summer working, in 1984. I’d come out of drama school, I’d landed a job that got me an Equity card doing Godspell in Aberystwyth – and it was just unmitigated joy.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 May 2023 source ↗
Others on this question
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Andrew Marr
British journalist
I'm happy a lot; the birth of children produced the biggest highs, along with parachuting.
In the orange blossom-filled streets of Seville, snogging on a park bench.
I was happiest in every aspect of my life in the 1990s, when I was married to Paddy [King, a management consultant] and we had the two children and my mum lived with us, and Countdown was the biggest show on Channel 4.
More from Michael Ball
View profile →Volodymyr Zelenskiy, his trajectory from performer to leading his country and then stepping up in such a magnificent way is extraordinary.
“Unfortunately, Michael, I don’t think you’re ever going to work in the acting profession until you’re about 40, and then it’ll only be in minor character roles.” Drama teacher at Guildford School of Acting.
Watching Long Lost Family on telly.
I am pretty proud of having got Aspects of Love back into the West End.
Having got Aspects of Love back into the West End.
During the technical rehearsal of Aspects of Love in 1989. They told me it would be discreetly lit because I was paranoid about being in just my pants. I walked on and every spotlight in the building followed me round the stage.
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