Did you have a health-conscious childhood?
I was aware of the need not to have any major disabling accident, but when I grew up, in the sixties and seventies, nobody had connected food and health as far as I know.
Did you enjoy school sport?
No. I was a weedy and sickly child. I was so bad at sports I wasn’t even allowed to watch.
Do you exercise now?
At 41, I’m fitter than I’ve ever been. I walk a lot. I live in London and it’s a walking city. I walk into work on Mondays – it’s five and a half miles – and on Thursdays I run in.
Do you look good when you exercise?
Not when I’m running. I wear something like a Janice Joplin T-Shirt and look like a shambling oaf.
What’s your best physical attribute?
As I got older, I realised that being tall is a good thing, so I would say… my legs.
What one thing would you change about your appearance?
I would want to have a much straighter back and enormous pectoral muscles. At the moment I’m a bit like a sunflower that leans towards the sun.
How do you relax?
There’s nothing better than walking. Donald Dewar walked everywhere, and I used to think this gave him amazing mental focus.
How do you deal with stress?
By crying. And by making sure I keep getting sleep and exercise in difficult times.
Do you encourage others to be healthy?
No. Emphatically not. I would encourage others to be unhealthy because it makes me look better.
What’s your greatest health worry?
Anything that would effect my personality or mind. If you’re hit by a car, as long as you emerge from it as the same person, I think you could live with that.
What keeps a sparkle in your eye?
The love of my family.
What’s the least healthy thing you do?
What I’m doing right now – sitting in a McDonalds, eating a Big Breakfast.
Do you have a motto?
Never take no for an answer.
Copyright The Financial Times Ltd
