4. If you could send a message back in time to yourself aged 16, what would you tell him?

Generally, not to be so worried. It will be okay to be gay, you’ll have your own house eventually, you’ll have some really happy times and you’ll have some fantastic friends.

In 21 years’ time, you still won’t have had a serious long-term relationship, or have lived with anybody, but that won’t feel as bad as you think it will now.

Sort out what you’re going to do with your life, so you don’t find yourself still asking that question when you’re 37.

Other people will always seem to be having more sex than you do. Try not to worry about it.

Keep a diary. (I have.)

Follow your heart, go to drama school, and be an actor. You know it’s what you want, and you know you’re good enough to do it. Don’t go to uni to do the degree that your LEA careers officer told you to do, in a five minute visit, when they’ve never even met you before.

Have some bloody confidence. Talk to strangers when you’re sober. Take risks.

The Tories won’t be in power for ever, but don’t raise your expectations too much. Somewhere around 2000, you will be profoundly disappointed. Unbelievable as it may seem right now, we will still be the only country in Europe without a fair electoral system.

Don’t waste so much of your life watching TV.

Live for the present. Don’t put things off. Find out things about people. Don’t wait until next time. You never know how long friends and relatives will be around. Do things that you say you’re going to do. Don’t let people down.

Consider earning some money now from journalism. Don’t wait until you’re 30 before the idea enters your head, or you’ll think ‘why didn’t I do that before?’

That nuclear war you’re expecting any day now, here in 1982 – it won’t happen for at least another 21 years, so make some plans.

That pathetic thing your mates are so fascinated by; the Spectrum ZX81, will get bigger and better and there’ll be this thing called the internet. In 21 years’ time, you’ll spend an evening typing the answers to questions from someone you know and someone you don’t know and you’ll use your improved version of the ZX81 to let other people see the answers on theirs. You still won’t be quite sure why.
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