Stephen Dillane: Which living person do you most admire, and why?

Which living person do you most admire, and why?

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.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Recorded Stephen Dillane said elsewhere, not written here

Russell Brand, for being his own man.

The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 18 January 2014 source ↗

Others on this question

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Judd Apatow

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Neil Young. Not in that order.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, July 2009 source ↗

Big Narstie British entertainer

Ed Sheeran, a little ginger boy from the farmlands in Suffolk who ran away to London, slept on the streets and became the biggest musician in the world.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 January 2022 source ↗

David Gandy British model

David Attenborough. Not only has he taught us so much, but he’s also brought so much happiness to so many people.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 4 April 2020 source ↗

Rebecca Lucy Taylor

Julie Hesmondhalgh – she’s the kindest, brightest, most truthful woman. She’s so talented, works hard, cares about the right things, puts her energy in the right places. I adore her.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 November 2025 source ↗