As I'd like to welcome you to a listed London a special here on B.B.C. Radio London over the next 2 hours I'll be bringing you a selection of my favorite listed London as from 2018 for the uninitiated every Monday on the robot arm show a notable London says 15 questions from the rot says we find out about their favorite haunts memories pick fights and just about everything in between so who do we have lined up for you well you're going to be hearing from one of our best loved comedy actresses London's 1st black police officer or not persona of extraordinary ability and a live in London legend. 1st up for the famous 15 questions Rebecca front an actress and author best known for her T.V. Work on the thick of it and with Alan Partridge But what's a favorite along the neighborhood as so I guess I have a lot because that's where so many voice have studios and I did yes we so I worked there a lot but I'm old enough to remember when so I was quite seedy and I just I love the history of it and the question from the architect has it been marooned. Now I think it that I think there's a real risk that it's going to become very very corporate It's not you definitely not going that way but it's still pretty somehow isn't what you think just about you I think is just about as well and I think you can you can still find your so yeah if you know me like Barry street market which obviously is no longer written veges but it still is now become a food store market at least is still food is still quirky it's not it's not sort of lots and lots of Sandwich chains it is actually something quite independent and different you know I'm with you on that well when did you 1st start going to Soho when you were young the I mean you grew up in Ghent Silje yet you sort of gravitate towards the west so yeah we spent a lot of time in the West Bank my dad when I was a kid worked in advertising I go to a proper Mad Man star really thinks and he gave that out when I was very little but he always he and my mom always had this rather fashionable kind of love of London and good shops and they so we did least here in the West and every weekend we quite often go and have a you know they'd have a coffee and so having to go to the new National Theater me we'd hang out in the way that I couldn't see sophisticate so I know it was really cool actually so yeah I spent a lot of time in London as a kid pick a building a piece of architecture what it stands for whatever you can any one you like I'm going to go for just around the corner from where we are broadcasting house because I love the B.B.C. I've worked a lot of broadcasting house and I love art deco as well so it's designed so the architecture is amazing so the old one the old broken not the new one but yeah not the only ones but the old ones much more striking that foot there's a wonderful lobby and a big big for a with massive. Remember 1st going in the book yeah I did my brother and I got my brother Jeremy is a writer and he got commissioned to do a series of the B.B.C. Comedy show and we got these little temporary passes that for 3 months we could go in anytime we wanted news the archives and use the cafe and use offices to write and it was just we felt like we'd go a golden ticket to the Chocolate Factory was so excited about that brilliant. The opposite end of the spectrum a building that you really don't like you know I can't really think of one that I hate I mean I'm not a big fan of sort of heavy contemporary architecture by which I mean I space things out Portcullis House was not that contemporary I don't couldn't say I hate it because having been inside it it's actually rather beautiful inside but sometimes I like buildings that light an airy if they're when they knew you know who the shot when it 1st went up I thought looked ridiculous and now it's on the blog if it's really be the way it reflects the light and things whereas something like the Walkie-Talkie which is kind of be getting a bit too just a bit too hefty him but yeah and exactly but I don't really hate any buildings I mean occasionally I drive past one I still think who hear that doesn't work that's a lie so yeah but there are many that I really really like not live up in north London like just about every other actually act in England White. Family home up there yes. I mean I'm in east London as you said but yeah I like being North I am I'm afraid one of these people is not terribly comfortable south the river by which I only mean I don't know my way around me today is ridiculous I got nothing against it but the minute I'll cross the river where I am I mailed a nice Bowman's here Rover I've always really that's just it's the juxtaposition of that I just can't quite get the lay of the land and it's my fault because I didn't spend the time that but yes I'm definitely north when you were little would you want to be an actress did you Yeah absolutely yeah I mean since I was about 7 I wanted to act not specifically commented you go to school or in the NOW I didn't know I went to normal school and just did kind of normal stuff I belong to a drama group called the Red Brigade you Theatre Workshop which I think still exists such really and the in in South Woodford And that was brilliant that was really my way into acting it wasn't in any way a professional training it was just just a youth group but it was absolutely brilliant We went to the had more festival than I were an amazing thing to do Yeah and what's the best view in London. Waterloo Bridge without In which case then because you picked Woodbridge I'm going to be very specific you've got to tell me which side of the river you're wrong which direction you're looking what time of day is everything OK Well actually I would say looking either direction I'm going you know we're north to south starting north but I probably because generally I'm going north to south. You also always coming home ice you yeah but there it is like. Well that's a different view at night I think some set. Yeah because I like the Kinks as well probably looking west if it's something that actually are slightly prefer the view looking he see that he was here just said the right thing that what we VESA telling them this showed the Londoners look east and tourists look west to rise or somewhere because it's more the Disney view of London with Big Ben and all about it whereas a Somehow we know intrinsically that the city is yeah where it begins and that is one of the few places you get a good view of some pool where I was in poses that was is what he looked Yeah that's right but it's all it's just a stunning view that isn't it is wonderful and I can't ever walk across the bridge without stopping at some point on taking a picture and just kind of breathing it in so yeah I love it when I was a student because the only time really I've lived away from home for a few years whenever I came out to London I went to Waterloo Bridge I just had to get my fix do you do you see it's a much I haven't done for a number of years I'm now sort of looking towards nice and more by didn't for a long time when my kids were little because it wasn't really part of what I did before I had kids so then something had to give in order to be a moment theatre it was the obvious thing for me for me to give up to like it I loved it when I did it but I only did about 3 shows and then ice then I stopped because I had myself so yeah I'm looking for it I'm very nervous I thought I was doing it but I really want to do something let's pick your 5 year open space a Pollock a garden or if you like I think maybe Regent's Park actually because we used to go there every weekend when my son when my son was little. And and then you know a little bit on my door to a small as well but when my son was a total we would take them back and there's a beautiful rose garden Oh of course she's wonderful so we used to take him to the zoo because that was kind of a great way to wear him out and then we'd usually go to the Rose Garden I was taught. To write. Everything Right exactly and you can see that you know exactly why but the Rose Garden is gorgeous and you can just you know run around smell the roses and I love it that's going this way is probably my favorite sport as well you know London has and it's not valid mean obviously gets masses of visitors know about well no it isn't it's a little jam if Los Angeles is cold or Hollywood calls it would you go not to live I mean I definitely yeah I do it for you could you know the month or a year or something but i wouldn't we like Kate and I can't imagine that because I am just a Londoner and everything to my family and you know my parents the hair and most of my work is here so yeah I did go for you know. All that you got for you thank you for your show definitely yes love to sit with quite gusto Yeah no I really am much better than all of yesterday shopping with my daughter who is also shopping and most the time I'm not really spending very much but I just love walking around shop so I really you know I would say it was your favorite one of the most interesting one. I think actually the most interesting would be well the 2 might not be allowed to come to St I go for camisa and the Algerian coffee stores which is only that there was a bunch of us both just essence of so high essence of London you know something if we lose either or is it will be like the right reasons go and then I will leave and go Yeah you know what would be the point if they could live in ridiculous and well yeah but they just think completely wonderful an atmospheric count 19 and again you're back I know them both as well yes there's a romance of both of them or if you have it's policies and incommensurate exactly the odds are good but what was very bad I went to both actually last week. And they both had keys outside which I really think it's a good sign I thought about clothes shopping I tend to do a lot of I'm a bit of a cheapskate about clothes I buy loads of clothes so I tend to just go high street I don't buy anything independent you know it's also Zoran White Company and things that happen on them I would put you down as I would come to the street to shop. You obviously like food if you like those 2 places so let's go to a restaurant or pub or bar would have you fancy. I would say actually I'm going to stick with SOHO as my theme had Bar Italia yet. Again I'm going for this so very old school 950 so hope but I genuinely I think to the best coffee here that I at best kept you know I get anywhere and I love the decor I love the feel of it I was so so heated now with my some. Kids When my son is now 19 but when he was sort of 1516 he was coming up to London with his mates and just finding his way around and I say to mean i should you should go to bartending because it's really cool take a friend in the just thing you're so cool but you never did so I was in there last week having a coffee and I just took a little snap of Bartali and sent it to my son saying why aren't you here you know it's just it's a great place and it's just got so much atmosphere perfect coffee good cake yeah 1st lap where would you go for a big meal. This is such a lovely thing that I'm going to love as they arrive in a stall I'm really sorry but we love the ivy we had our wedding up stairs this year yeah we did it so we are massive I.V. Fans I'm afraid but yeah I'm aware that the ship itself is not in the know I believe good well I'm veggie yes no maybe they just a great everything is all of yours and yeah you know my health and I'm one of the best trauma team is I've ever had to drive out into the knowledge fabulous just made you a very good I'm just I'm actually Pesca terrine on the real city and top try. Pick one memorable night out because every wedding in the R.V. If you want but whatever you fence I'm going to go for the King's Head theater. King's Head in is the Internet and there was a brilliant brilliant performer called Bertie's Redding he was doing a night's use doing a gig of sort of jazz blues songs that be the stuff and I got taken out by this young bloke I was working with at the B.B.C. At the World Service where I used to work and many years later we ended up getting married. It's not me and. So I go for that yeah that night he learned to see a good taste in music I did I was so impressed because I knew that he'd sort of really spent time thinking she'll want jobs what a woman you know it really worked at the North London smaller venue in Cebu Yeah he really worked out so he did the. First 2 so we were working together in fact that we would just mates It wasn't until we were just friends he'd go on very well then I remember at 70 so thinking want to know who is 9. I mean you're both being in essentially the same business having a stress or a story noise help but I think it's a help really because we don't we've never worked together since we haven't we started out on radio together have worked together and I think it's just quite good because we understand each other's world so you know if he's frustrated about something to do with a script I understand it you know I've written it off script and I and if I'm frustrated because I'm not getting the job I want to something he gets that as well so I think it does help Yeah OK I'm going to give you dial how you can spend it OK right I am going to go for a big walk because I love walking so I would you would probably I might even walk into town or county so I like Hampstead Heath Regent's Park walk into town then I'd go to someone at the British Museum or maybe the V.A. And I'd have to get a cap that has a big celebrity museum's easier British Museum the zigzag yet basically they're shopping probably American High Street I think but it's shopping if I've you know if my ships come in little theater show I like short plays so can I go to one of those one hour type plays that doesn't have an interval because I get I get stressed is this race this is not this is in we go into the evening Yeah I'm assuming we had a sandwich lunch OK and fine and then dinner maybe you know I think I allowed the I was sure. I would definitely have been thought of how to draw a martini So you know where I'm driving and I'm not walking back I don't know how to move the I would definitely get a taxi a proper black taxi you know yet. Like a lovely guy do you get to do it. We do film I do a lot of walking around London now we've recently got a puppy but we used to walk a lot anyway so we do actually occasionally you'll meet the town Oh yeah and then something I mean have there been several times when I've if I've had a voiceover in somewhere near you know Regent's Park is I mean is there a few studios around that that have been times when I've just we get up an hour earlier and we walk in it's lovely get breakfast on the way and then downhill of course as well if you're in of course so that. You've got someone visiting these never been here before then where they've come from. Where would you take them. Well my 2 top tips usually are the Johnson Museum which is fantastic in the infield which is wonderful which by the way I was in the last Transformers film The most recent one and my filming days were Jones releasing Yang cribs the 1st time anybody ever filmed that So that is wonderful and also Dennis Seavers house do you know that spill from yeah just amazing you have to go on a winter's evening it's not I mean I haven't been during the summer it's probably wonderful but I've only had any advise a little candle in the road at all and everything smells a kind of orange peel and oh it's just the most atmosphere it is useful experience going that we've done it loads of time say a dentist see this definitely go that OK now is a fun and absolutely fantastic experience as well and a little bit if you think so I'd really like to live like this and then you think want to go clean up the fire in the morning and light the lives Cadel Yeah yeah I'd probably burn the house down because I'm really accident prone to absolutely and calorie counters are not. Really you know that I love all of the world for good but it's very nice to step back into Yeah just a half an hour a cup with great houses that's a very nice one so all of that's lovely we've got a nice day out we've got a nice walk we go into some beautiful houses now the opposite the worst journey ever we all know it can all go horribly wrong. It would be the last time I ever went on a cheap train religious was 1986 that's very precise Yeah I remember very clearly because I had not long. Left drama school and I was getting the Ci from East London my was living to West London and to do a gig on the trains it was a very hot night packed train is stopped in the tunnel and I'm really badly claustrophobic not a miracle I was even on the T.V. And I start to have a massive panic attack and somebody gave me a seat and I kind of sat did some deep breathing and then finally the train started moving and I thank God that it stopped again and at that point I remember just thinking when this if this ever reaches the station I'm getting off and I'm never ever going to get on your heaven we deeply inconvenient living in London it really is I'm not proud of that fact but I just couldn't I just thought I can't live my life like this being terrified of being stuck in a tunnel all the time it's just the only I don't want to look again you get so. When I can get a lift and I do occasionally use and not as often as I should by I'm very weak about lifts I know I'm supposed to do them and I should use cheap there's no you know that's the only way that you get over a period by doing that we've actually got to the point I was in I was also look if you want to get the boss you go 10 minutes earlier also you are so yes disgraced absolutely my how can I say that yeah you're going to see it but I am I guess I got injured but I actually physically like the crash on the right all of that stuff it was like being in love that I kind of enjoyed the top of me all rolled in a little that sort of thing I'm not buses I used buses all the time and I love it for the same reason yeah interesting people yeah 1000 conversations if you get the best see up says Yeah exactly I tend to drive good now I love a bus journey I really do but I just I can't I can't be energy trying to write in well I'm not going to make you thank you instead I'm going to ask you about your personal London landmark It would probably be either Broadcasting House because I tend to think of things in terms of how close is or maybe 7 Dials actually up or down to $7.00 Yeah like 7 though I was 7 when I worked my 1st serious job was at the Donmar years ago and so I kind of associate I think I get in and out. Around and being in town in the in not of course the obvious any around the corner though this is the corner that is indeed where I was when I started going to be from Lima and yeah so I think I love Covent Garden anyway but it's $7.00 this it's close to the Damaso which still feels I have a pull towards the dome because I know so much and of course it's very central It's near left a square uncovered and I don't like the sort of the bit of Covent Garden which is still slightly ours rather than tourists Yeah I mean where is the PM just feels like yeah I'm not going up against her it's only 5 of them but that doesn't feel like it's mine any more whereas that because the garden feels much more earthy say you're upset your outlook still is still got some little independent show us and things it still feels a bit quirky absolutely did you ever have the conversation when you were bringing up a family of all we must leave London I'm going give them sheep Yeah we didn't try husband always wanted to go live in Somerset we spent a lot of time in some of that and I adore Somerset but I am not a country person I just know so yeah I just wouldn't allow it to happen because I wouldn't