There are so many instances when I’ve come very close to death that it’s difficult to pick one.

This is a lot harder for you than it is for me. If you had gone to bed as many nights as I did in the old days knowing that you had taken so much stuff that could kill you and not knowing if you would wake up, this is not as shocking as you think.

I was caught by a wave while swimming at night with friends in Southampton. That shook me.

I’ve been to two postmortems in real life, and spent the last 14 years talking about death at work – so, pretty close.

Watching seeds grow in the greenhouse. Drawing or reading or cooking.

I admire the mother of my children a great deal, because she’s interesting, smart and funny.

That they’re kind, trustworthy, smart, and can hear and communicate and aren’t afraid to do so.

I don’t think so! You can’t really know that until the moment of your death, at which point you will probably not be afraid because you won’t be there. I have a very old friend who called me last year to say, “Okay I am done. I am not fighting this anymore. I am checking out. I am calling to say goodbye because I am not really conscious most of the time. I am cutting off the pain killers.” He seemed okay. That was not the moment of his death, but it was within two or three days.

Probably when our children were small, which is not to say I am unhappy now.