101 Faces - 11

51-55

CLR JAMES

CLR James is a connector - his name will crop up in some political book, some unknown story, some thing to do with music and civil rights in America, he was a journalist, a novelist, an activist, a figurehead, a guy that really changed the world a bit, but above all he was a cricket man. His brilliant Beyond a Boundary helped me to get a little understanding of the West Indies cricket I had always loved, helped put it context and raise it in my mind to the status it deserved.

MIA

MIA has undoubtedly done some brilliant music, and been a controversial, polarising figure, but I think in particularly what I've always liked about her is that she embodies the London I grew up in - the west and the south inner outlands-  and actually there's surprisingly little of that in a recognisable way in pop music.

FRANK PAUL

 Quizzing being my business, I've taken to wondering if there are people that are truly inspiring in the world of quizzing - what relationship does it have to sport or to art? Is there greatness in it? Those more involved in competitive quizzing than me see the very best in that field (the likes of Kevin Ashman and Pat Gibson) as truly brilliant mental sportspeople, but I'm not able to comment on that.

I am lucky to work on Only Connect, though, which is highly thought of in terms of the creativity of both the questions and the mental agility of the competitors.

And if there's one person who brilliantly embodies both aspects, it's Frank Paul, who was not only sensational (and entertaining) in winning OC Series 13, but also has written his own 'Cryptic Pub Quiz Book', which, with the imagination of the questions and the brilliant illustrations, has truly, and literally, raised quizzing to an art form. In my own field, that is definitely inspiring.

MARINA HYDE

Week on week, time after time, the best newspaper columnist. Manages to be hilarious and righteous without being inconsistent or overly mean-spirited. Always just a joy to read. 

CHRIS HUGHTON

Spurs and Brentford, Ireland - a good old London Irishman, says anny for any. Waited so long to get his chance as a manager, even when he did and was good at it, had to put up with a couple of bullshit sackings. Doing superbly well at Brighton. Just one of the great football people of these isles.