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In conversation with... Emma Freud

Who are you and what do you do?  

I'm director of Red Nose Day - and I am writing this when I should be editing the fundraising films for the BBC1 show on March 13th.  In my spare time I have 4 children, and a nice boyfriend who I also work with, editing his scripts, co-producing his films.  And occasionally I write stuff for papers and present the odd thing on radio 4 or for National Theatre Live.  Also I look after 2 guinea pigs which takes a lot of time.  Other than that, not much.


How do you relax/switch off?  

Forcing my children to sit on my knee even though they are now teenagers, Guinea pigs, Broadchurch, Corona (the beer, not the fizzy drink from the 70's), Avocado on Toast, Twitter, Amazon Prime, My Girlfriends, Modern Family, dancing badly, Downton Abbey, Radio 4, Bed.


Favourite book?  

Anything by Esther Freud - no relation.  (She is a relation).


Favourite film?  

The Railway Children, Sixth Sense, The Truman Show, About Time (our last movie - I know I shouldn't put one of ours, but I thought it was fricking brilliant).


Favourite blog/website? - no relation.  (She is a relation).


What’s your guilty pleasure?  

Our guinea pigs - Ron Burgundy and Baxter.  Is it wrong to love a small pig more than your own children?  


What are you listening to at the moment?  

Dance music.  We are choosing the tracks for the First Comic Relief Danceathon at Wembley on March 8th -  2,400 people being sponsored to dance non-stop for 6 hours. The music alone will be incredible!  FFS come and join us, or sponsor me or I will look like a bad granny throwing inappropriate shapes for no purpose other than to embarrass my children.  


How can we get involved with Red Nose Day?

Oh just anything that makes you laugh and raises some cash for our projects.  check out for ideas... and do Make your face funny for money while you're doing it.  At the least - text FACE to 70011 to send a funny Selfie for us to use in the campaign - it'll cost you a pound.  At the most - bake and sell some cakes, get sponsored to dress in red on red nose day, have a swear box at work, charge your children for their dinner, or just watch our TV show on BBC1 on Friday march 13th... all our projects are helping to tackle the root causes of extreme poverty - either here in the UK, or all over Africa.  And every penny you send us goes to the projects we support.