My London: Ed Balls

Home is…

Stoke Newington — it has a strong sense of community and Church Street has lots of great cafés and shops.

Who do you call when you want to have fun?

My wife Yvette of course!

Which shops do you rely on?

Meat N16, the superb butcher on Church Street, for sirloin; Columbia Road market for plants and flowers; and Imperial China on Lisle Street for karaoke.

If you were locked in a building overnight which would it be?

I’ve always fancied a night at the museum — I reckon the Natural History Museum would be best.

What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?

Refurbish all of London’s children’s parks and adventure playgrounds so parents and kids always know there’s somewhere fun and safe to play.

Most romantic thing someone’s done for you?

Lived with me for more than 20 years.

Best piece of advice you’ve been given?

A veteran political operative once said: ‘In politics, always remember it’s probably a cock-up and never forget it might be a conspiracy.’

Where do you go to let you hair down?

The top floor of the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch is a great venue for a dance party.

Earliest London memory?

Coming to London on a Cub Scout trip from Nottingham aged nine. I remember passing Big Ben on our bus and peering into a new American burger place called McDonald’s.

Favourite discoveries?

I have run the London Marathon three times for Whizz-Kidz and Action for Stammering Children; the canal path from Canary Wharf to Regent’s Park is a great way to see the city.

Last play you saw?

Hangmen at the Wyndham Theatre; David Morrissey was excellent.

Best place for a first date?

Jin Kichi in Hampstead — it worked for Yvette and me.

If you could buy any building which would it be?

The Hoover Building.

Best place for a nightcap?

Gordon’s Wine Bar on Villiers Street in Embankment.

Last song you downloaded?

Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’; our Strictly tour bus anthem.

What’s your biggest extravagance?

Getting a cab after a night out when the Tube is still running.

Who’s your hero?

Denis Healey. He was a great Chancellor who also played piano and knew how to live life to the full.

Best thing a London cabbie has ever said to you?

‘I always knew you were a politician but after Strictly it’s great to know you’re a human being as well.’

What do you collect?

Recipe books — I love browsing through them and trying out new dishes..

Ed Balls appears at Zedél on 1 May and Greenwich Theatre on 15 May (faneproductions.com)