Lian, 57, Darlington Occupation Former professor of chemistry, now head of growth for a green startup Voting record Labour party member. Before that had voted Green in some local elections. Describes himself as centre left Amuse bouche A former PhD student of Lian’s is now his boss. “I only went to work for her for five weeks. … Read more
In 2016 a breakup sent me spiralling into a period of deep introspection. I was 25 years old and knew it was time to “do the work”, as they say. I knuckled down and spent a long, lonely winter sorting myself out as best I could. By the spring my mood was thawing, and on … Read more
William on Lucy What were you hoping for?An evening with someone fun, full of character and full of conversations. First impressions?Really beautiful eyes. She was very bubbly and also funny. She made me laugh on a number of occasions – proper belly laughter too! What did you talk about?Microwave chips. Japan, India and Korea. Charli xcx. … Read more
In a two-storey house in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Dr Mike Mew perches on an ergonomic kneeling chair in front of two vast computer monitors, a microphone and three dazzling studio lights mounted on a rig, a vision mixing console and a studio camera complete with Autocue. Behind him, on a white shelf, is an enormous … Read more
I like to think of myself as a bit of a connoisseur of tinned seafood, and of tinned sardines, in particular. Well, of course I do: I’m Spanish, after all, and I’ve been eating this stuff since I was two (which, let me tell you, is a very long time ago indeed!). So I jumped … Read more
Born in Kent, Tamsin Greig, 58, studied drama at the University of Birmingham. Her television work includes Black Books, Green Wing, Episodes and Friday Night Dinner, and she won the 2007 Best Actress Olivier award for her role in Much Ado About Nothing. Until 21 June, she stars in The Deep Blue Sea at Theatre Royal Haymarket in … Read more
Any day now I am going to do a complete wardrobe reorganisation and then make tons of money selling my old clothes on Vinted. Also, learn Spanish. Go through the 10,000 photos on my phone, print out the nice ones of the kids and put them in nice frames, and create one of those charming … Read more
A reader writes, asking how I can let my tortoise roam free in my back garden. She’d like to do the same with her adopted tortoise, but is worried it will escape. I explain that my garden is bounded by high brick walls, safely sealing the tortoise in, but that I too am consumed by … Read more
During a 100 mile (160km) race around Mount Kosciuszko last year, I was caught in a lightning storm. I got talking to a fellow runner who was sheltering with me. She told me that there was an even longer race, out in Western Australia. “You must do it!” she said. “The food is incredible, and … Read more
The questions 1 Which king’s sister, wife and lover were all called Edith?2 Korky the Cat was the first cover star of what in 1937?3 Which fabric is made from flax fibres?4 What type of holiday is named from a Swahili word for journey?5 Who orchestrated the FTX fraud?6 Maria Mitchell, in 1847, was the … Read more