ONE - My first TV crush.
This was on the actor John Thaw when he played DI Regan in the TV show 'The Sweeney'. He was tough, he was strong, and he sure did awaken my sexuality.
David Menon
TWO - I have a phobia about snakes.
This has been the case for as long as I can remember but I grew up in the East Midlands city of Derby where you don't exactly get many snakes, you know? I don't know where these phobias come from but I used to dream about being attacked by snakes if I was worried or anxious about something ( a bit like the scene in 'the Witches of Eastwick' where Cher battles with all those snakes in her bed!). It's not as bad as that now but I still have trouble looking at a picture of one in a book or on TV, and it's funny because outside of Europe my two favourite parts of the world are South East Asia and Australia. Now in both those places there are heaps of snakes! So work that out.
THREE - I made a cheese sandwich for the actress Julia Roberts.
This was when I was cabin crew for BA and I was working the 'galley' position in First Class on a flight from London to Los Angeles. This meant that I looked after all the food and she didn't want the full lunch because she said it looked a 'little too extravagant'. So we got it down to a cheese sandwich and she loved it. She was lovely actually.
On another flight I mistook Matt Damon for Leonardo di Caprio. Matt Damon thought it was hilarious and didn't mind at all. I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.
You see, the stars with real talent were always quiet, unobtrusive, polite, friendly and often quite fun. It was the ones who didn't have much talent and had just been lucky that were the pains in the arse and wanted constant recognition.
FOUR - I think that Emmerdale is the best soap.
I'm well into EastEnders too but I also love Neighbours. Now I know it was regarded as being all bright and sunny back in the day but nowadays I think it's a really good piece of contemporary drama with a really rich array of characters. I'd love to write for it.
FIVE - My all time favourite song is 'Sara' written by Stevie Nicks and on the Fleetwood Mac 'Tusk' album.
I've often been asked why I call Stevie 'the voice of my interior world' and for me the answer is easy. Her poetry and melody have connected with my emotions in a much deeper and more profound way than any other artist and I play her stuff at some point every day. I've seen her in concert many times, either on her own or with Fleetwood Mac, and I once flew to Dallas, went to her show that night and then flew back the next day. I did the same in Boston a few years later. At her solo concert in Birmingham in 1989 I was on the second row and I wore a top hat in honour of her song 'Rhiannon'. She came to the edge of the stage, I lunged forward with my hat and she took it off me with a big smile. She then proceeded to wave to the audience with it. I don't think I slept for a week!
SIX - It took me five attempts to pass my driving test.
I think I'd have given up if I hadn't have passed that one. As it is, I like driving although I don't do much these days. I don't really miss it. I use public transport a lot which is interesting for me as a writer as I sit there and listen in to all the conversations.
SEVEN - I saw ABBA in concert in 1979 as part of their 'Voulez-Vous' tour.
It was the last time they toured in the UK and although they were never my favourite band they've always been in my top ten.
Many years later my partner and I were preparing to go to Stockholm for a weekend city break. He'd been there before with his work but I hadn't and I was very excited. He said 'It isn't full of happy, smiling ABBA's, you know'. I said 'Yes, I know that. I have read the Stieg Larrsson novels'.
I did fall in love with the city though. For me it's one of the most beautiful cities in Northern Europe.
EIGHT - I absolutely hate all this reality TV crap like TOWIE or the Cheshire set or that one set up in Newcastle.
To me it's the most abominable nonsense on TV and full of people who just want to be famous without actually showing any talent for anything. I can't stand Big Brother either. Awful. And I'm sorry but also on my hate list is the 'X-factor'.
NINE - I've never met my Dad.
He came from Kerala, India and recently I gave it one last shot at tracking him down but it failed so I won't be trying again. There will be a pain in my heart until my dying day because of it but it clearly just wasn't meant to be and I just have to embrace it.
TEN - I used to be an ardent Republican.
But now I'm more of a reluctant monarchist. I realised that I was in a minority opinion being a Republican anyway but also if we do have to have a monarchy then I think that William, Kate, and Harry will fill the top jobs in the modern world pretty well. I think they should be stripped of some of their ceremonial powers though and I think it should skip from the Queen to William.
