Ahead of our event with him in London on 28 November, we asked Alexander Armstrong ten impertinent questions.

1. Are you happy?

I am happy. In fact I tend to be happy most of the time. I’ve noticed that people much cleverer than me are generally less happy which I fear makes me a dolt, but – unsurprisingly perhaps – I’m happy with that.

2. What are you reading?

I’m reading Robert McCrum’s hugely enjoyable PG Wodehouse biography.

3. What was your worst job?

I once spent three hours in a sound booth saying “Have you had your Weetabix?” over three hundred times for a room full of advertising executives while they argued about how I should inflect it (“Have you had your Weetabix?”, “Have you had your Weetabix?”, “Have you had your Weetabix?”, “Have you had your Weetabix?”). Okay, it’s not triage in a field hospital but it was awful. It was awful. It was awful.

4. How many hours do you work each day?

Probably eight to ten.

5. Town mouse or country mouse?

Country mouse.

6. Does love bring happiness or unhappiness?

Love brings everything: euphoria, despair, chaos, equilibrium but when all’s said and done, it brings more happiness than anything else.

7. Mp3 or vinyl? Real book or ebook?

MP3 and real book.

8. What are your three greatest pleasures?

Music, wine, lovely company.

9. Do you believe in the nap?

I live by the nap.

10. What advice do you have for young people?

Make mistakes but learn from them. Strive to be happy.

Alexander Armstrong’s new album, Upon a Different Shore, is out now.

Come and see Alexander talk about it on Monday 28 November in west London