Favourite place to walk?
I’ve lived in the area for 16 years and I only really discovered the Ashdown Forest properly during lockdown, but I think it’s an extraordinary resource. I drove through it all the time; I just didn’t stop and do the walks. I feel very strongly about it in terms of the conservation of the area, there are some extraordinary people who work very hard to look after it, and it’s a really interesting landscape, not immediately soft and pretty, but stunning.
Katie Derham and husband John Vincent. Image: Katie Derham Favourite thing to do locally on a day off?
I love a farm shop, a Plaw Hatch visit near East Grinstead. It’s all bio-dynamic and delightful and you need to take out a second mortgage to have a piece of cake, but it’s delicious food, and there’s always interesting people to chat to.
Favourite thing about yourself?
I think I’m reasonably gung-ho and give most things a go, probably quite a good quality, what an un-English question!
Katie Derham at work for Radio 3 Image: Katie Derham
Favourite thing about your work/career?
The ability to chat to fascinating people who are passionate about, and good at what they do. I know I’m very very blessed – the people I get to meet through the work I do in BBC Music and Radio 3, and when I was doing the news as well it was just this wonderful entry pass into people’s lives. I’ll never ever get complacent about that.
Favourite saying?
Never a dull moment. This is what my kids always tease me about. They put it on my WhatsApp profile, life is never boring. When things are getting stressful or busy, my go-to phrase apparently is always, oh, well, never a dull moment. My ‘little ones’ are 24 and 19.
Favourite celebrity or person you’ve ever interviewed/met?
In my early days of being a film and entertainment reporter on Barry Norman’s show and as an ITN correspondent, I was very excited to meet a few people. John Travolta was one, I’d grown up with films in the 70s and 80s. I interviewed him for Primary Colours and that was great. Robin Williams was a wonderful interviewee. The film composer John Barry was amazing and really interesting. In terms of genius legends that I’ve been excited to meet, Stephen Sondheim. It was his 80th birthday prom and we did a big long interview with him and that was great. And it’s always wonderful with Glyndebourne being just down the road, and I spend a lot of time talking to people in the opera world with work.
Favourite thing you’ve ever read about yourself to do with work?
On Strictly it was endlessly ‘what Katie did next’ seemed to be the headlines.
There was a column written about people on the telly and how some people were born certain ages and I was quite miffed as I was in my 30s at the time and someone said news reader Katie Derham was clearly born at the age of 40… I laugh about it now that I’m on the other side of 50, and think I’ll take that although at the time I felt slightly aggrieved because I thought I was being all youthful and funky and, clearly, I was coming across in a very different way.
Favourite smell?
A bacon sandwich first thing in the morning at the seaside, on a boat preferably, salty sea air plus bacon, delightful.
Favourite site in Sussex?
The view when you’re going up Ditchling Beacon and coming down the other side, love that sight. And also, Lewes Castle at night..
Favourite building in Sussex?
The really, really ancient higgledy-piggledy bookshop in Lewes on the high street, on the corner, near the top, nearly opposite the castle in the bottleneck. It’s 1400s, I think.
Favourite restaurant in Sussex?
I love Lucky Beach on the beach in Brighton. It has a really good menu. You expect it to be just standard burgers, but it’s not. It’s got a really interesting sort of lunchy, snacky beach side fish and chips menu, and it’s great food.
Favourite thing about Sussex?
It’s huge variety and its sense of being slightly undiscovered still, despite it being very, very convenient for commuting into London. I love the fact that you’ve got the Downs and the coast and hugely different towns, from Chichester to Hastings.
All dressed up Image: Katie Derham Favourite memory and behind the scenes ‘gossip’ about Strictly?
Endlessly good and funny behind the scenes memories. Your hair would curl at the sights and scenes just because everybody’s in such a rush and everybody’s so wonderful and glamorous, but we’re all crowded in – the quick-change room was always hilarious. I was very lucky, I spent a lot of time with my partner Anton Du Beke who was enormously good fun and good-humoured, and I have so very happy memories of our lunches. I mean, obviously the dancing was great, particularly the tango and the Viennese waltz but he would always insist that we’d have a proper lunch, with a plate and a knife and fork, and we’d have a really good chat putting the world to rights.
Favourite piece of music?
I could give you a different answer every day but today let’s say Rachmaninoff 2.
Favourite venue?
It’s got to be the Royal Albert Hall. I know it’s perhaps a rather predictable response from me, but anything that happens there is very special and there’s a lot to be said for the architecture and the sense of occasion and drama that you get from being in that enormous circular amphitheatre. I’m lucky enough to go to it a lot, and it’s nearly always full at the proms, which again brings extra atmosphere having 6,000 people in there.
Katie Derham at the opera Image: Katie Derham Favourite opera?
Rosenkavalier in terms of ones I’ve relished the most in the room.
Favourite composer?
There are loads that I love but I think probably if I had to just have one it would be Mozart for clarity and genius. And the ability of pulling on the heartstrings within three notes.
Favourite dance step?
I did love dancing the Foxtrot.
Favourite food?
Cheese probably. It’s that age-old discussion, isn’t it, cheese or cake, what would you give up? Very tricky, and I do love a cake, but I think I couldn’t live without cheese. I grew up in Cheshire, and I’m a big fan of Cheshire cheese, which is not something that you get very much in your local supermarket these days, sadly. We’ve got Tremains up the road, and they do a very good soft St. Giles, and their Brighton Blue is excellent.
Favourite decision you’ve ever made?
To move to Sussex. It was a spur of the moment decision to come and see this house, and we’ve never looked back. We’ve had to spend money on the various bits of work we’ve had to endlessly do on it. It’s 1600’s so old house syndrome! But I think this is probably the thing which has given us the most pleasure.
Favourite place at home?
Where I’m sitting now, which is at my desk, looking out of my window. It’s on the first floor, and so I’ve got a good view of the garden, which I do love.
Favourite animal?
Ancient Sunny, our golden retriever.
Favourite book?
If we discount our love of Jilly Cooper (she laughs) the one I went back to over and over again is Lord of the Rings. I love a fantasy novel and that is the original and best.
Katie Derham in her beloved opera coat Image: Katie Derham Favourite item of clothing?
When I was 21, I was given a 1950s lovely bright green opera coat, vintage, in satin which I’m still in love with. Ridiculous item of clothing, let’s be honest, but it was fabulous and gets rolled out. I might not wear it for five years or ten years, but it’s an excellent evening coat for an event. I have worn it to Glyndebourne. It almost glows in the dark it’s just so bright. I need to feel quite punchy to wear it.
Also, my favourite cardigan that I wear every morning is a dressing gown which I’ve had for about 20 years which is absolutely shameful. I should not be seen by anybody other than immediate members of the family…
Least favourite thing?
Discovering that Southern trains have cancelled the last trains back from Victoria, which has happened twice in the last week after Christmas events, nothing after 11.15pm. I mean, that’s not that late to be leaving London, is it? Last minute train cancellations after a fun night out.
Plans in March?
There’s a lovely event which I host, which is the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall. It’s all ex-servicemen, the massed bands of the Royal Marines, lots of drum lines, and it’s hugely good fun. I’ve been doing it for the last four years, and I’m doing it again in March.
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