Clive Myrie
The news broadcaster, 57, lives in north London with his wife, Catherine, and has recently become the host of Mastermind
Not a lot of people know this, but I am very good at… swimming. I loved swimming as a kid. I find it relaxing and great exercise. I’m pretty good at breaststroke and freestyle, but now and again I can turn my hand to the butterfly. I’ll alternate between swimming and going to the gym to do weights and the treadmill.
My best friend is… I’ve got three best friends. Catherine is my wife and certainly my best friend. And then just below Catherine are two guys I met at university – Martin Evans, who is a professor in history and French, and Neil Bullock, who is a barrister in London. I will go on holiday, go for a meal, get drunk, go to the cinema and go to concerts with those three.
The one thing I would change about myself is… my fastidiousness. I’m a bit OCD, but I’m a Virgo and I’m a Leo – born 25 August 1964, on the cusp – so it all comes together and it all makes sense. I’m a bit of a show-off. But at the same time, I’m really quite a shy person. How does that work? But it’s true.
If I had one day left on Earth I would… hug my wife, because I love her.
My nickname is… Augie. Because I was born in August, my mother gave me the middle name of Augustus. Very regal, isn’t it? Good job I wasn’t born in July, or May!
The best day of my life so far was… my wedding day in 1998. It was just amazing. Professionally, being in America on the night the country elected its first black president was pretty damn special.
The bravest thing I’ve ever done is… war reporting. I’ve done a hell of a lot of that, and I’ve been attacked and fired on and had people coming at us with knives. Is that brave or just foolhardy? It’s my job and I enjoy it.
My perfect evening is… a wonderful meal at home with Catherine. She tends to do most of the cooking. There would probably be music playing, probably an evening concert on Radio 3; it would be a beautiful summer’s evening, the garden doors would be open and the birds would be tweeting. And there would be a nice bottle of wine or possibly champagne. I love champagne.
The best thing my parents taught me is… work hard. Particularly being black. You’ve sometimes got to work twice as hard to get what you need. And you only
get out of life what you put in it. That work ethic has stuck with me and all my brothers and sisters. My parents came here from Jamaica in the early 60s. My mother was a brilliant teacher in Jamaica and she sincerely hoped that her qualifications would stand her in good stead here, that she could teach here, but that wasn’t the case. So my mum became a seamstress
– a bloody good one. They worked hard to the point where they not only could afford their own house after a few years, but the house next door as well.
My greatest weakness is… sugar. I love hard candy, like cherry drops and mint humbugs.
My first kiss was… when I was about 13 or 14. I was accosted by a group of girls on the street on New Year’s Eve and one of them kissed me. I don’t know her name but that was my first kiss.
If I could pass any law, it would be…
10 years in jail for littering! I hate litter. Our city centres, the beaches in the hot period that we had. For anyone who litters, 10 years minimum, and no parole!
The last time I cried was… quite recently. It was on the Mastermind set. Not because I was the Mastermind host, but there was a specific instance and this was a particularly amazing contestant. That’s all I can say.
Clive hosts Mastermind, Mondays, 7.30pm, BBC Two
‘Being black, you sometimes work twice as hard to get what you need’