How are you?
I am very well but suffering from almost perpetual jet lag. I am commuting to LA every other week at the moment for Junk/Scrap specials.
How’s your car running?
Servo's gone, had to bleed my clutch fluid, the spare-wheel mount is completely wrecked. Other than that, it's fine.
What's your favourite CD?
White Stripes, this week …
What's your favourite food?
Fresh tuna salad.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Being at home with my kids when they are being funny and charming. Two days a year, if I'm lucky.
What is your idea of perfect scrappiness?
When it's dark, everyone's tired and something really big and loud starts to actually work.
ABOUT SCRAPHEAP CHALLENGE
What's the gossip about Scrapheap 2003?
It has to be the best yet, seriously. Really good teams, really funny, amazing new ideas for machines and Lisa is an absolute scream. Great dirty fun was had by all.
What was your favourite challenge this year?
Has to be the one in which the teams built jet engines from scratch. It's the loudest thing I've ever heard on Scrapheap. Amazing.
What are the common mistakes teams make when they are competing in Scrapheap Challenge?
Over confidence at the start, followed by total collapse of confidence at about seven in the evening. That's very common but the really good teams don't get despondent, they keep plugging away.
What is the most important attribute that teams need to succeed in Scrapheap Challenge?
They need to know each other very well and get on under pressure. Team dynamics is what makes the yard spin, where everyone has a job and gets on with it. If three people watch another one do something, there's always trouble ahead.
How do you relax on the 'heap?
Quite a lot of smutty talk between Ben the cameraman, Lisa and I. Drinking too much coffee, watching people make things.
Is it true that you have started wearing your Scrapheap outfit when you go down the shops?
That is so not true.
Do you think they should have looked for Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Scrapheap?
Yes, there's all kinds of things hidden away on that yard, it's the first place I'd look.