Alexander Armstrong is best known for lighting up our screens on TV quiz show Pointless and bringing music to people's ears on Classic FM. But when it came to charting new territory by writing his first novel, the presenter and comedian turned to his four sons for help.
"I've been reading my book aloud to them and they've been amazing," he tells HELLO! "I can spot instantly when they're gripped, or when I've got too carried away. It's lovely having them as a sounding board."
"Having four boys, I wanted to write a real page-turner for children their age," adds Alexander.
© PA ImagesAdvice from former Pointless co-host Richard Osman
Alexander's debut thriller The Golden Linnet comes out in September and not one to rest on his laurels, he has already started writing his second work of fiction. He credits his former Pointless co-host Richard Osman – himself, a seasoned thriller writer – with being another great support.
"I can check in and say: 'How do you get around this?' and he'll say: 'Change this.' It’s a useful thing to bounce ideas off someone and get inspiration." Oddly enough, the fuller his schedule – he presents a show on Classic FM every weekday morning and spends a quarter of the year filming Pointless, as well as regularly helming Have I Got News for You – the easier he finds it to write.
"I'm lucky that I'm busy because I have specific times where I have to fit writing in."
© Getty ImagesSupporting Big Give's charity campaign
He also makes sure to dedicate time for charity work and is delighted to be involved in Arts for Impact, an arts-focussed fundraising drive being run by UK matching fund Big Give and its chair of trustees James Reed.
The initiative aims to raise £2.5m, with 239 participating charities being allocated match funding of £1.25m from Big Give's donors. Alexander has chosen to support Music and Theatre for All, a charity founded by musician and director Thomas Guthrie in 2014 to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together with professionals to create opera, music and theatre.
© Music and Theatre For AllSinging the praises of one of the charity's projects, the Lewisham Creative Chorus, he tells us: "I am evangelical about the power of music and what these brilliant people are doing. Their performances reach out to audiences and light a flame in them."
Alexander Armstrong's family life
Music has played a big part in Alexander's life: at the age of 11, he became a chorister.
It plays a big part in home life, too. "Our eldest loves classical music," says the doting dad. "Our third is a keen drummer – we were considering building a soundproof shed in the garden but thank God for digital drums with headphones. They're the answer to our prayers!"
Marriage to Hannah Bronwen Snow
A mutual affection for the arts has also made for a harmonious relationship with wife Hannah Bronwen Snow, to whom 54-year-old Alexander has been married more than 20 years. "It's gone past in the twinkling of an eye," he says. "Music is a wonderful, shared love of ours and has been from the beginning of our relationship. I've just got better at not always putting on my music first thing in the morning!"
To donate and have your money doubled, search for Music and Theatre for All at biggive.org
To read the rest of this interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
