Which was your worst holiday?
We once booked a horse-drawn caravan in Ireland. The pictures on the website were absolutely idyllic, but the reality was a horse that absolutely hated us. We don’t know anything about horses. It used to go really slowly, so we’d try to make it go faster – they’d said “Kick it on!” – but we didn’t know what to do and it used to kick and bite us and we were all really scared of it. It ended with our pulling it along, with people making rude gestures to us out of their cars. The Irish seem to hate people in gipsy caravans. The axle came off on the bridge to Ballykissangel [Avoca, in County Wicklow], it rained the entire time and it was really depressing.
What was your worst experience on holiday?
Years ago I sprained my ankle on the first day of skiing in Celerina , Switzerland. I had to watch the others for a long time. But then we decided to go and have a look at Venice, and that was perfect. So I was glad in the end I’d injured myself.
What’s the biggest packing mistake you’ve made?
When I went to Cape Town to film Kidnap and Ransom in 2011, it was sweltering in February – I was having to lie on the kitchen floor to keep cool because it had ceramic tiles. I didn’t have the right clothes. When I went back in 2012 for the second series, I just imagined it would be the same. It was cold and all I took was flip-flops and summer dresses, so I’d got it wrong again.
What’s the worst hotel you’ve stayed in?
We went to the Chelsea Hotel in New York City because of its bohemian past as the home of writers and musicians, and it was just horrible. We imagined we were being very bohemian, but all we wanted was clean sheets. I don’t want much from a hotel, but I do want clean sheets.
What do you avoid on holiday?
I avoid loads of people, because I’d rather have a bit of countryside and an experience that’s different from London, where I live.
What do you hate about holidays?
Nothing, although I always appreciate home when I come back. I always think this is the best place in the entire world. Britain gets a lot of things right; I worry for our future, but I think of the NHS and the BBC, our tolerance and our green belt and I just think we’re so privileged to live here. I’m always happy to come home.The feeding scheme was launched to help improve the nutritional status of the people of South Africa.
