The Radio 1 breakfast show was an embarrassing moment that lasted for nine months.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗
Which moment embarrassed you most?
Question
What does love feel like?
Relationships
Question
Who most deserves an apology from you, and why?
Failure & regret
Question
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Time & hindsight
Question
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Daily life
Question
Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?
Money & investment
Question
When were you happiest?
Time & hindsight
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
A verbatim recurring question in The Guardian's Q&A series.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
When you jump out of addiction and look back, things like drink-driving and sitting in crack houses are not good.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 January 2023 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 122 →On one of my first jobs, Cold Mountain, I got a wasp in my ear in front of Jude Law. He couldn’t see the wasp so just saw me freak out.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 16 May 2026 source ↗
Tom Allen
British comedian
I did a corporate gig early in my career, and they opened the buffet in the middle of my set and everybody left.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 25 November 2023 source ↗
Having somebody pull my judo trousers down at a competition when I was seven. And finding I wasn’t wearing any pants.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 17 January 2026 source ↗
More from Paul Merson
View profile →For me, love is working through things when it’s not going well.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 January 2023 source ↗
Walsall fans. I wanted to be a good manager but I was really bad with drink and gambling at the time. I should have done better.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 January 2023 source ↗
That materialistic things will not make you happy.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 January 2023 source ↗
Nothing, because it’s up to me how I feel. I’ve been a millionaire three times and I still wanted to kill myself.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 January 2023 source ↗
Thirty-odd years ago I bought a black pinstripe suit which I thought was £900. But when I went to pay that was just the jacket – the trousers and waistcoat were extra. I didn’t have the balls to put anything back. I dread to think how much it cost me in the end.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 January 2023 source ↗
On holiday in Orlando with my wife, Kate, and kids just before lockdown. I wasn’t drinking or gambling. I was so happy, so at peace with myself – I’d been searching for that for many a year.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 January 2023 source ↗
More on failure & regret
- What has been your biggest disappointment? 218 answers
- Who most deserves an apology from you, and why? 209 answers
- If you could edit your past, what would you change? 203 answers
- What is the worst thing anyone has said to you? 122 answers
- How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a favourite failure? 49 answers
- What is the hardest thing that has happened to you, and what did you carry out of it? 35 answers
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Adam Lambert, Adele Parks, Alex Hassell, Alison Steadman, Andrew O’Hagan, Bear Grylls
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