Jools Holland talks about 'pretty ghastly' childhood and dangers of addiction

Jools, 62, has lived an interesting life, from fame in the band Squeeze through to his iconic music show. Here, in his own words, he talks about the biggest lessons he’s learnt along the way…

As a child I was pretty ghastly and precocious.

My grandmother, aunts and uncles all spoiled me. Then as a teen I was quite rebellious. I bunked off school to listen to music. I was confident, but I didn’t know a lot about anything – and I’m not sure I’ve changed much since.

You have to be a little bit romantic to be an artist.

To see something in the shadows or light. I have written songs about my wife Christabel. But having a laugh together is the real secret to a marriage, and not being clingy.

You each need space. When you leave the house you don’t want someone clinging onto your ankles.

Try to be non-judgemental.

Back in the 80s when I was presenting The Tube, bands were more casual about drink and drug-taking, but I wasn’t there to make value judgements on people’s behaviour.

Jools Holland and his wife Christabel — Jools and wife Christabel
(Image: GC Images)

Jools with his band mates in Squeeze
(Image: Redferns)

I haven’t been an angel in my life, but the older you get you realise what a dangerous thing addiction is.

I’m a happy hypocrite, though, because I equally love seeing friends for a few nice jolly pints and drinking wine.

Pack your bags the night before you fly.

If you’ve had a night out and you’re scrambling to find clothes in a hotel room when you’re hungover, it’s never good.

You’ve got to be a bit like Edith Piaf in life – have no regrets.

I am quite pragmatic and live in the present. I haven’t been a saint, but I hope I don’t look back and think I’ve hurt someone’s feelings.

With the late Paula Yates, his co-host on The Tube
(Image: Channel 4)

You can’t be good at everything.

I am hopeless in the kitchen, I don’t even try. I can’t cook anything.

The best meal ever for me was my grandmother’s Sunday lunch.

It wasn’t until I started eating in the grandest restaurants in the world that I got even close to what she could produce.

I like some form of routine.

Friday and Saturday nights I normally have concerts, obviously not at the moment.

I love my model railway, but I’ll only go and see it on the weekends, not in the week, as it would confuse me.

I like going to church on Sundays. I’m like a medieval person: church in the morning, a wild dance in the evening.

Play what you love, and love what you play.

It’s a good motto. If you love your work as much as me, you’re lucky. Every day is a holiday. My father used to say, ‘No problems, only opportunities,’ whenever disaster befell. It was a bit of a joke, but he had a point.

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Jools Holland in Greenwich in the early 60s with his Uncle David — In Greenwich in the early 60s with his Uncle David
(Image: Jools Holland)

My secret snapshot

I am about three here, being held by my uncle, David Lane, my mum’s younger brother, who was then 14. He was in a band a bit like The Rolling Stones, but they weren’t at all famous.

We’re in my grandparents’ front garden in Greenwich, where all the family gathered around the piano. David taught me how to play boogie-woogie – it was the best thing I’d ever heard! – when I was a kid.