Q&A: Stephen Merchant 

\'My greatest fear? Boredom. Also, giant crabs.\' Photograph: Spencer Murphy/Getty Images

Stephen Merchant, 38, was born in Bristol. After studying film and literature, in 1997 he became Ricky Gervais\'s assistant at Xfm radio, and they went on to create the award-winning television series The Office. He toured the world with Hello Ladies, a stand-up show about his quest to find love, which he turned into a sitcom, now on Sky Atlantic. He is still single and lives in London.

When were you happiest? Watching Bruce Springsteen at Glastonbury. During Because The Night I actually shouted, "This is the greatest moment of my life!"

Property aside, what\'s the most expensive thing you\'ve bought?

Ignorant people who think they\'re right when they\'re wrong.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I\'m too tall. I am 6ft 7in, so I\'ve been most people\'s height at some point in my life, and 6ft 4in is the best. You\'re tall, but you don\'t have to bend when you go through a door.

If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?

To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?

The Spanish pen friend I never wrote back to when I was 14.

Which living person do you most despise, and why?

The teenage girl sat in front of me at the cinema. Stop texting and watch the fucking film.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman. Something funny is bound to happen.

"Sorry, this doesn\'t normally happen to me. Let\'s try again in the morning."

Failing to get anything in the New Year honours, not even a poxy CBE.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

What song would you like played at your funeral?

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?