Every morning when I go into our three-year-old’s room. He’s so happy to see you, it’s a moment of heaven.
When were you happiest?
Question
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Identity & self
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
Which living person do you most admire, and why?
Values & belief
Question
Who most deserves an apology from you, and why?
Failure & regret
Question
What keeps you awake at night?
Daily life
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.
When I am in Italy with the family, not thinking about work.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 January 2019 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 577 →
Malorie Blackman
British writer
When my daughter was born.
Lleyton Hewitt
Australian professional tennis player
When my kids were born.
Kathy Lette
Australian-British author
When the book of my enemy was discounted.
More from Martin Freeman
View profile →I wanted to be a footballer and then a squash player – I was in with a chance because I was very good. But I fell out of love with that by 14 or 15 and joined a youth theatre.
A really careful lobotomy, to switch off bits of my brain.
I love clothes and accoutrements, so it would be either a suit or a watch. I love Mark Powell in Soho, and Paul Smith.
It’s hard to beat David Attenborough. Everything he does is quality. I like people who make me proud to be British.
I say it a lot to my kids when I’ve lost my temper, and I’ll save up a big one for when they are 18.
Thinking about all the worst possible things: losing people, dying, how am I going to die? All that sort of stuff. I stay awake thinking about furniture and shoes as well. It’s not all death.
More on time & hindsight
- What is the most important lesson life has taught you? 137 answers
- What advice would you give your twenty-year-old self, and what should they ignore? 77 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? 22 answers
Also answered this
Simon Russell Beale, Richard Wilson, Stephen Dillane, Willem Dafoe, Sue Perkins, Cuba Gooding Jr
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