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My London: Jamie Theakston
By Alistair Duncan, ES Magazine Last updated at 00:00am on 13.12.04
Theako: likes his posh wine
The presenter-turned-actor buys his jeans from Duffer, his clown fish from Aquatic Creations and his Burgundy from Corney & Barrow
Where do you live and why?
I live in W10, which is the Ladbroke Grove/North Kensington area. I moved there because it was cheap at the time - it's not so cheap these days. How long have you lived there?
Fifteen years. Before that I lived in Brighton.
Where were the last three places you went on holiday?
Estonia, Mauritius and Poland. I guess there's a bit of an Eastern European theme there. I loved Estonia. I went with a bunch of friends to the capital Tallinn, which is very pretty. We did a lot of eating and drinking.
What advice would you give a tourist?
Explore the city at five or six o'clock in the morning. It looks so beautiful and it takes half the time to see everything.
What is your earliest London memory?
Those old ticket machines in Tube stations. They used to have light bulbs on top of them with the price of each ticket in pence.
What are your extravagances?
Wine. My favourites are 1990 Bordeaux and 1996 white Burgundy. I usually drink a bottle a week of either and get them from Corney & Barrow on Kensington Park Road.
What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?
I would stop the planned congestion charge extension to Kensington and Chelsea. Overall, I think the scheme has been a success, but extending it to Kensington makes no sense. There's no traffic there.
What are your favourite home comforts? Where do you go to buy them?
I find my tropical fish very relaxing. I've got loads of different types, such as clownfish and angelfish - watching them is very calming. I bought them from Aquatic Creations on St Helens Gardens.
What aftershave do you wear?
Dunhill Classic.
Who is in your secret address book?
Golborne Fisheries on Golborne Road, a great furniture shop on Golborne
Road called Les Couilles du Chien, which means 'the dog's bollocks' in French, Orlando Hamilton florists and The Travel Bookshop on Blenheim Crescent.
What was the last play you saw in London and did you enjoy it?
The Tennessee Williams play Suddenly Last Summer, with Victoria Hamilton and Diana Rigg. It was wonderful. I'm a big fan of Michael Grandage, who produced it.
What is your life philosophy?
If the sh*t fits, wear it.
How do you get around town?
Cabs normally, just because they're easier. But my car is a Range Rover 4.6 HSE.
What items are in your winter wardrobe?
Blue Rogan jeans from Duffer.
What was the last book you bought?
Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie. It's the story of Woody Guthrie's life as a travelling folk musician in America. It's not that I'm particularly obsessed with folk music, just that I was fascinated by his life.
What have been your most memorable London meals?
The actor Alexander Armstrong throws legendary dinner parties. They always tend to be pretty memorable, so probably round at his house in Islington. I'm not sure that I'd want to mention any incriminating anecdotes from them, however...
What was the last CD you bought?
The Lost Riots by Hope of the States. They're from Chichester; definitely my favourite band of the moment. My music collection is eclectic.
Do you have a favourite pub?
Two pubs, which are right next to each other: The Westbourne (below) and The Cow. The food is great at both and all my friends go there. Erin and I often pop out for a drink.
What do you miss most when you're out of London?
My girlfriend, Erin O'Connor
What do you listen to on your iPod as you travel around London?
Razorlight are a band that I am currently listening to. Exciting stuff.
What are your current projects?
I've just finished doing my first drama for ITV. It's an episode in the new Miss Marple series. I play a guy who has fallen on hard times: he's never really got over the loss of his wife and friends during the war. He's gambled all his money away and he becomes a suspect in a murder investigation. I'm enjoying doing more acting these days.
