Nicholas Parsons

Host of BBC Radio 4’s panel game show Just a Minute for the past 50 years, the 93-year-old presenter was first voted Radio Personality of the Year in 1967 for his satirical comedy show Listen to this Space. A holder of the OBE and CBE, he recently fronted

I have a great interest in clocks, having acquired a number of old and broken grandfather clocks, which, after some instruction, I began repairing. One of my favourites is a lantern clock from about 1640, which my father bought for a very modest sum when he was studying medicine at Cambridge. It had been in our home all through my childhood, with a very large chime, but, in his later years, it fell into disrepair. I couldn’t bear to see it not working, so I took it away, cleaned it, got it going again and it’s been keeping perfect time ever since. It’s part of my childhood, my life, and will, presumably, be handed on to one of my children

Rhubarb or apple crumble is certainly one of my favourite dishes and, when I had a vegetable garden, it was a joy that I supplied the ingredients myself. My wife, Ann, makes an excellent crumble mixture, then I stew the fruit and add little extras such as lemon and ginger. With vanilla ice cream, it’s one of my favourite ways to finish a meal

I love gardening. I find it the most therapeutic and relaxing activity and feel very sad that, with advancing years, what I can achieve in the garden on my own is limited. In every garden I’ve owned, there have been

roses and they’re certainly my favourite flower. The ones I have at present, I prune with love and infinite pleasure when they come into bloom