Paintball
Amongst various activities as a PhD student we arranged a day paintballing in the woods near Ponteland. Very wet, very messy and a lot of fun.
In addition to my research interests I am a Grade 6 qualified Driving Instructor. I support Newcastle United FC and enjoy playing 5-a-side (if fit), swimming, running along the beach, and playing badminton and basketball. Now that I am in Sheffield I have yet to hit the streets in my running shoes!
Favourite TV drama
The Killing: a Danish crime drama. Sara Lund's jumper! Shown on BBC Four
Recommended read
The Einstein Girl by Philip Sington: a political mystery thriller set in Germany during the early days of the Wehrmacht is a gripping read which mixes romance, domestic abuse, general relativity, psychology and eugenics. The author makes these accessible maintaining a pacy, moving drama from start to finish with empathetic characters.
The Shadow Line (above) and Zen (right). I am disgusted that the BBC canned the intense, cerebral and luxuriantly stylish Zen (set in Italy), but commissioned a second series of the thoroughly disjointed, incoherent and superficial Luther. Although Idris Elba was excellent in the Wire