Mark Lawrence

Most often mistaken for
Channel 5 cricket presenter Mark Nicholas and (according to a rather short-sighted employee at Paddington station) Simon Cowell. Great start to the day that was…

Dislikes
The use of the word journey unless it relates to travel, limp handshakes, misused apostrophes, Coldplay (sound and fury, signifying nothing).

Likes
Cycling, Northampton Town Football Club — both involve long, uphill struggles and lots of suffering — and music, anything from The Smiths to Mozart (except Coldplay).

Things I do that make me realise I am turning into my dad
Gardening, commenting on petrol prices as I drive past the stations, getting angry when I watch the news.

Most embarrassing professional moments
A dead heat between an excruciating interview with former Labour politician Denis Healey “I believe your wife has a local connection?” “No” “Do you have a local connection?” “No”; and starting an interview with athlete Steve Cram with the words “So Steve, I understand you are a mad Middlesbrough fan.” Cram supports arch-rivals Sunderland.