My friend Ian McKellen, who has an extraordinary record as an actor and a gay activist.

The problem with my job is that you meet people you admire and then you don’t admire them so much. The only one I carried on admiring was Nelson Mandela.

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

Harriet Harman. I know how hard it is to do what she’s doing.

My dogs. They didn’t cost that much to buy, but I’ve been paying for them since. We’ve two Tibetan terriers, Danny and Wilbur.

The best of times, the worst of times.

Handing out leaflets for a European coach trip wearing just lederhosen, in February and March in Surrey. It was freezing, and I got fired.

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.

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.

“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.