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.
When were you happiest?
Question
What has been your biggest disappointment?
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.
Any of the many times I have sat on my lawn with my wife, watching the boys play on a summer evening.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 August 2011 source ↗
Others on this question
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Richard Hawley
English musician
I've often reached the dizzying heights of ecstasy holding a pint of frothy seasonal ale in Fagan's pub, chatting away with Tom the landlord.
Richard Osman
English TV presenter and writer
Probably when Fulham beat Juventus 4-1 in the Europa League.
Richard Wilson
Scottish actor and theatre director
In my early 20s. I did my national service late, in Singapore. It was liberating to be in a new culture.
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View profile →That I wasn't able to stay on The West Wing longer.
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