OK! LIFE LESSONS
My secret talent is…
I have no secret talent! I’m pretty much an open book. All I can do is fill three minutes of dead air on TV. Over lockdown, I discovered a talent for climbing into the loft and retrieving Lego sets and building those, does that count?
My perfect evening is…
a cheeky little supper, then a night out at the theatre or cinema. I’ve missed that. But when I did go back to the cinema, when we could last year, I thought it was really loud. Have I become middle-aged in lockdown?
My favourite thing about owning a dog is…
learning how dogs can help when you’re going through a tough time. I have a six-yearold cockapoo called Clemmie. She is my first pet. My father died four years ago and she was a huge comfort for my mum. She didn’t leave her side. I can’t imagine life without a dog now and my one great regret is I never got one earlier.
The best thing my parents taught me was…
good grace and manners. They can take you a long way. Also, there was a saying framed by my bed along the lines of, “It’s not where you’re at, it’s where you’re going.” Another lesson my parents taught me is worrying is like betting against yourself.
The one thing I’d like to change about myself is…
I’m over-cautious, so I haven’t taken opportunities that came up.
The first record I bought was…
The Carpenters’ Top Of The World, followed swiftly by ABBA’S Greatest Hits.
The shop I can’t resist going into is…
I loathe shopping. I have no patience to try things on. My ideal shopping trip would be a quick hour darting around, then a four-hour lunch. However, I do have a huge affection for Liberty. When I came to London in 1992, I worked in its tie hall and I’ve got fond memories.
My last holiday was…
I was lucky enough to travel last year, when it was safe to. I went to Venice and saw St Mark’s Square flooding, it was extraordinary. The holiday I’m most looking forward to next is getting up to Edinburgh to see pals I’ve not seen since the pandemic began.
I’m currently reading…
Murder By Matchlight by E.C.R. Lorac, a crime novel set in 1940s London. I love that era.
My perfect Sunday involves…
cooking a roast. My speciality is the gravy and potatoes. Once you get those right, you can dress up any meat. It’s a ritual and I look forward to being able to have friends over again.
The best day of my life…
was actually a week in 2012. Within three days, I moved into my dream home, got the call from Strictly and got to host a party with the Dallas cast to mark the reboot of the series – my favourite show growing up.
‘Dallas was my fave show growing up’
If I had half an hour left on Earth, I would…
Curl up on the sofa with Clemmie and my other half, and count my blessings.
Richard is supporting sue Ryder, the national healthcare charity which provides expert end of life, neurological and bereavement support. to find out more, visit sueryder.org.