English Bridge The Two-minute Interview Bridge-playing celebrities talk about themselves and their love of bridge The Two-minute Interview The Two-minute Interview The Two-minute Interview Susan Hampshire James Mates Liz Fraser s s e e d d n n a a h h o o M M n n e e e e r r i i h h S S : : o o t t o o h h P P Susan Hampshire is one of Britain’s AWARD- winning journalist James finest actors, especially famous for her Mates is ITV News’ Senior Corres - One of Britain’s most popular comic television roles as Fleur Forsyte, Sarah pondent. He mostly plays at the actresses, Liz Fraser has sixty-three Churchill, Becky Sharp, and more Andrew Robson Bridge Club in film appearances to her credit . recently Molly in Monarch Of The Glen . London, and also used to play in Recently she has appeared in In 1995, she received an OBE for her Washington when he worked there episodes of Foyle’s War, Doctors and work for the dyslexia cause and has as ITV correspondent. Holby City on television. written a memoir about her own How did you start playing bridge? struggle with the disorder. How did you start playing bridge? My girlfriend, now wife, taught me at In the early ’60s I went to play golf at How did you start playing bridge? the kitchen table. the Mill Hill golf course, and was I was looking for a sedentary activity to How often do you play? intrigued by the funny card game some share with my husband, who is not the As often as I can, and not nearly often ladies were playing. So I got a book active type, so five years ago I took a enough. On average, about once a and taught myself in three days! I was weekend beginners course supervised by week. helped by having a good grasp of card Simon Stocken at the Andrew Robson games, especially whist, as I had played What does playing bridge mean to Bridge Club in London. a lot when evacuated during the war. you? How often do you play? Paradoxically, it’s a combination of a How often do you play? Not as often as my husband, who is a real intellectual challenge and great Not as often as I would like now that keen duplicate player and plays five times relaxation. I’ve met so many people I my regular partner has moved to a week! I play as often as I can when I am now call friends around a card table, Spain. I still manage the occasional not working, so it’s fairly spasmodic. and hope I’ll continue to do so. Monday and Wednesday at Young What does bridge mean to you? If you could change one thing about Chelsea, my favourite club. I enjoy playing because it is relaxing, bridge, what would it be? What does bridge mean to you? but the main benefit for me has been that I would keep on moving down the I enjoy the competitive side of bridge, bridge has improved my memory as well road away from ‘alerts’ and towards as the way my brain works. Acting entails so even when I go on a bridge holiday ‘announcements’ of partnership agree - learning a lot of lines very quickly, which – as I will this Christmas, with Hilton ments. does not become any easier with age. – I look for a good game. Bridge has helped me enormously in this What are your hobbies outside What are your other hobbies? respect . bridge? Bowls, golf, charity work, and espe - Riding my mountain bike and playing How could bridge be more enjoyable cially walking. Usually I walk my bas - tennis. for you? set hound two hours a day. I would love to be able to have a regular Name up to six people you would Name up to six people you would partner. We might stand a better chance invite to your Dream Dinner Party. invite to your Dream Dinner Party. of understanding each other’s bidding To make up a bridge four: Zia It would be six people who don’t play than I do with playing with a differ - Mahmood, Omar Sharif and Andrew bridge! I think bridge players are Robson. To put the world to rights: ent partner each time ! extremely boring , since for the most Lance Armstrong, Nelson Mandela What are your hobbies outside bridge? part their conversation starts with: and Arnie Schwarzenegger. Gardening and music. ‘You hold . .’ 2 English Bridge www.ebu.co.uk The Two-minute Interview The Two-minute Interview The Two-minute Interview Ed Glinert Farokh Engineer Benjamin Whitrow BAFTA-nominated for his perform - ance as Mr Bennet in the BBC produc - FAROKH Engineer’s test cricket career tion of Pride and Prejudice , Benjamin Journalist and author Ed Glinert started in 1961 and continued to 1975; Whitrow has appeared in TV dramas specialises in writing about London he was India’s first-choice wicket- since the 1960s. He has also been a reg - and has published several books on keeper for most of that period. As a ular stage performer with such famous the subject – most notably The Lon - batsman, he plundered 94 before companies as the Royal Shakes peare don Compendium , chosen by two lunch on the first day in the Madras Com pany and the National Theatre. leading newspapers as one of their test in 1966-67. Farokh also lent his ‘books of the year’. His latest book, face – and hair! – to the Brylcreem How did you start playing bridge? The Manchester Compen dium, pub - advertising campaign. My parents used to play rubber bridge and I learned from them, but I became lished by Penguin, is out this month. How did you start playing bridge? really interested as a young actor. When I had a knee replacement operation – How did you start playing bridge? I worked at the National Theatre, Lau - My maths teacher at school when I not an uncommon occurrence for a cricketer – and was bored during the rence Olivier, the director, allowed us to was 12 threatened the class: learn to set up a table in the wings. It was good play bridge, or find pi to a million long recovery period that followed. fun to play until you heard your cue, go decimal places. A friend took me to the Manchester Bridge Club; I played a few times and on stage, do your bit . and come back How often do you play? was hooked! As in cricket, I didn’t take to find that someone else had played the Twice a week, although I often retire lessons but just threw myself in at the hand for you! at night with Goren and Kelsey to keep deep end. However, I had help from How often do you play? myself fresh. Jeff Morris, owner of Man chester BC, If I am not working, two or three times What does playing bridge mean to who gave me a portable bridge-playing a week. I play duplicate at the Wim ble - you? computer to practise with. don Bridge Club: I like the ambience The chance of being humiliated by How often do you play? – and the club is not far from home. my peers at the cost of only a few Two or three times a week, either What does bridge mean to you? pounds (unless we’ve won the week rubber or duplicate. before and have a free entrance ticket). It keeps me occupied in the evening What does bridge mean to you? and gives me the opportunity to meet If you could change one thing about A lot! It keeps my mind alert. As in people from all walks of life. More bridge, what would it be? cricket, you never stop learning. importantly, I like the fact that bridge I once saw someone open as dealer If you could change one thing about enables you to be totally absorbed for with a double. When it was explained bridge, what would it be? three hours and forget all about your to her that this was against the rules, I would discourage from playing those sorrows and pro blems in life. her reply – too long to go into here - opinionated people who make life a If you could change one thing about convinced me that she was right and misery for others with gratuitous criti - bridge, what would it be? that the laws should be changed. cism. The really good players are not I would re-instate the re-redouble! The What are your hobbies outside like that and advise only when asked! redouble has become almost a conven - bridge? What are your hobbies outside tion, so it would be good to have a call Translating the Bible from the origi - bridge? that only means business! nal Hebrew properly, writing eve r More bridge! But I also do a lot of com - more books, eating, and Arsenal mentating for the media all over the What are your other hobbies ? Football Club and everything associ - world – mostly cricket, but I hope Golf, though I am not very good at it, ated with it. bridge will be next! reading and going to concerts. www.ebu.co.uk English Bridge 3 The Two-minute Interview The Two-minute Interview The Two-minute Interview Baroness Henig of Kosha Engler Louis Sachar Lancaster s m a i l l i W - n n a a i p m o w g e a N H e y r r i r a l e P C : : o o t t o o h h P P Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, International best-selling writer Louis Kosha Engler moved to London in Sachar is best known for being the Ruth Henig, Baroness Henig of Lan - 2005.