It was certainly privileged in that I had a great time there and got a great education, but it wasn’t paid for by mummy.What’s next? Stage or screen? Roger Lutyens, BangorI’m going to do a new TV comedy written by Andy Hamilton, who co-wrote Drop the Dead Donkey. It’s all about a sports agent.When did you first appear on stage? Ursula Prince, Harrogate1967, Wix’s Lane Primary School I was the second shepherd. Or perhaps it was my performance of “Fr? Jacques” on Clapham Common bandstand, for which I received my first and only acting award – a copy of Niko and his Mule. I think everyone got one.You supported Ken Livingstone in his bid to become Mayor of London.
Do you still think he’s great? Paul Gates, LancasterYes, I would vote for him again. Despite the best efforts of the Evening Standard, Ken’s success or failure as mayor will depend on how he tackles London’s transport problems. We knew at the beginning that the mayor would have virtually no say on health, education and housing. Now we find that his power over transport is severely limited. If, as a result of that, we realise that we’re not being grown-up about this – we’re certainly not as grown up as the US, which is perfectly prepared to see immensely powerful mayors in New York and major towns across the country – then something good will come out of it.As a Spurs fan, did you secretly enjoy seeing Seaman’s vulnerability to the long lobbed ball shown up again? Sam Collin, MaldonWell asked, that man. You rightly guessed that there are few things that bring me more pleasure than remembering Real Zaragoza’s Nayim lobbing Seaman from the halfway line. But while I’m always happy for that to happen when he’s wearing an Arsenal shirt, when he’s wearing an England shirt, I, like everyone else, react by putting my head in my hands Last Friday was a sad day, but Brazil were better than us.
I was glad that we were drawn against them, because winning the World Cup without beating the Brazilians would’ve seemed tarnished. On the other hand, we did neither.Neil Pearson stars in ‘Benefactors’ at the Albery Theatre, London WC2 (020-7369 1730), booking to 28 September. A study showing how the genes of a father attempt to gain supremacy within a mother’s womb could explain why some babies are born smaller than others. The fight is over how much of a mother’s vital resources should be invested in the growing foetus.The findings might have important implications, given that low birth weight is linked with higher death rates in newborn babies, a greater chance of mental or physical defects, and an increased risk of heart disease or diabetes in later life.Research on mice has revealed that when certain paternal genes are switched on, they cause the placenta to grow bigger than it otherwise would, thereby making the offspring larger at birth.
