Frank Cottrell-Boyce
British screenwriter, novelist and actor
That it’s impossible to persuade other people of the value of the lessons that life has taught you.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Question
What would you like to be remembered for?
Death & what remains
Question
When were you happiest?
Time & hindsight
Question
What most recently made you cry?
Identity & self
Question
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Identity & self
Question
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Craft & work
Question
What has been your biggest disappointment?
Failure & regret
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
Verbatim recurring item in The Guardian Q&A; two fully readable publisher-hosted respondent pages establish institutional recurrence.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Life is never fair.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 June 2025 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 137 →
Chiwetel Ejiofor
English actor
To do the very best you can and then let it go.
Henry Marsh
Neurosurgeon and writer
A close, loving family and work position in society which is meaningful, which is about making the world a better place rather than getting a bigger - having a bigger bank account.
Offer kindness always.
More from Arlene Phillips
View profile →Kind, thoughtful and gave damn good advice.
Each time I gave birth.
I play Classic FM in the car – emotional music brings me to tears thinking about people I’ve loved and lost.
Loving, creative, demanding.
My daughters and granddaughters.
Being let go from Strictly.
More on time & hindsight
- When were you happiest? 577 answers
- What advice would you give your twenty-year-old self, and what should they ignore? 78 answers
- What scares you about getting older? 61 answers
- What is the best advice you have ever received? 28 answers
- If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere, what would it say and why? 23 answers
- What is something you were told by a parent, teacher, or mentor that you still repeat to yourself? 23 answers
Also answered this
Roger McGough, Phoebe Dynevor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Isabel Allende, Fearne Cotton, Bill Clinton
Search the directory for somebody in particular.
Explore further
- All time & hindsight questions
- The The Q&A questionnaire — 25 questions from the same format
- Explore the archive — by field, age, era, and subject