There’s an amazing series of paintings by the American artist Thomas Cole. It’s called ‘The Course of Empire’ and charts the rise and fall of a Classical civilization. It’s essentially an anti-colonialist piece, and is a reminder that empires fall – and that nothing is permanent. I’m also a huge fan of Salvador Dali, Frederick James Aldridge, the Soviet space art of the 1950s, and the contemporary artist Anna Marrow – all for very different reasons! As sad as this probably sounds, my favourite place is my home city of Portsmouth. Nothing beats the smell of fish and chips, the sound of arcade machines, and the sight of the beach. I once worked as a mascot for the Spinnaker Tower. It was an eight-foot-tall costume and the head used to fall off all the time, usually in front of dozens of very confused and upset children. You also couldn’t really see anything, so I used to bump into a lot of things… and people. Fun times. My spirit animal is a lobster – a bit rough on the outside, but pretty soft underneath. Goes well with butter.