What fictional character would you most like to befriend?
Fictional character... Gregg Wallace. He can’t be real, can he? [laughs]. Can I say Greg Wallace? [laughs harder]. He can’t be real. He’s fictional, he’s got to be. He’s so ubiquitous, he cannot be real. He’s like God, he’s sort of everywhere! [dies of laughter].
Describe The Rebound in 10 words or less.
A joyful journey of discovering oneself and love. I did it in eight. Sometimes it’s a messy discovery of it, as well, because Kitty Harris is an imperfect lead and I love that about it. I’d say that. I did it in eight and then rambled, so I’m having my cake and eating it too really, aren’t I?
Would you rather be able to talk to animals or read people’s minds?
Talk to animals! I don’t want to know what people are thinking! That’s why I’m not on social media, so I don’t have to hear what they’re thinking all the time. No, no, what people are thinking is none of my business and I’d like to keep it that way. And I could talk to an elephant? I- It actually makes me want to cry a little bit. So, I’d say talk to animals, and I never want to know what people are thinking. Nor do I want people to know what I’m thinking.
What’s your favourite accent to do that’s not your own?
I think it’s a geezer voice actually, *does the geezer voice* something like this. It was heavily inspired by my partner and his dad. I love it. I support QPR (Queens Park Rangers F.C.), and we go and watch QPR play a lot. And the blokes there always go: *with a geezer accent* “How’s it going, you all right?”. It’s a lot of that and I think that’s my favourite voice to do.
What’s your favourite line in The Rebound?
I think it’s from Diane Harris, Kitty Harris’ mum, who’s a bit of a legend. She might’ve been my favourite character from the book, and she talks about lightning striking twice. And it’s in the context of love, and meeting someone else and maybe finding love a second time round. I love it for the idea of a second chance.
Where’s your happy place?
It’ll be on my boat. It’s not like a super yacht. I live on a canal boat.
*jokingly* “On my seven-floor super yacht!”
No I live on a canal boat with my partner and my dog, and I think it’s either on the sofa or in bed when we’ve got the laptop up, or just in front of the telly watching MasterChef: The Professionals. And I think it’s because it just makes me feel very safe, and I know everything’s okay. And I reckon those will be the moments I remember the most as I come into the winter of my life one day.
Who in the world do you most want to high-five?
Whoever invented the Greggs vegan sausage roll, I can’t thank you enough. I couldn’t pass a Greggs without buying it. Other vegan sausage rolls are available. They really did kick off a very special thing. And sometimes I’ve picked up a four-pack and they’ve been gone by the time I got back to the boat.
Who would you like to narrate your life?
Rylan Clark would be good, wouldn’t it? Or his mum. His mum’s hilarious, Rylan Clark’s mum’s hilarious. Both of them, Rylan Clark and his mum please, if that could happen, great.
Fall in love with the characters of The Rebound with Claudia Jessie.
