Andrew O’Hagan: ‘The worst thing anyone’s said to me? That I was the spitting image of David Cameron’

The Guardian UK Saturday 25 July 2026, 09:00 UTC By Rosanna Greenstreet 1 min read

Key Points

The author on an encounter with the CIA, an embarrassing moment in church, and longing to hold hands with David AttenboroughBorn in Glasgow, Andrew O’Hagan, 58, studied at the University of Strathclyde. In 1995, he published The Missing, a work of nonfiction. His debut novel, Our Fathers, was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 1999; Be Near Me and The Illuminations were longlisted in 2006 and 2015.

The author on an encounter with the CIA, an embarrassing moment in church, and longing to hold hands with David Attenborough

Born in Glasgow, Andrew O’Hagan, 58, studied at the University of Strathclyde. In 1995, he published The Missing, a work of nonfiction. His debut novel, Our Fathers, was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 1999; Be Near Me and The Illuminations were longlisted in 2006 and 2015. His recent novels are Caledonian Road and Mayflies. The latter was adapted for BBC television in 2022 and is now a play which will be performed at the Edinburgh fringe from 7 to 30 August. O’Hagan is editor at large for the London Review of Books; he lives in London with his wife and has a daughter.

What is your greatest fear?
I can’t say it.

Andrew O’Hagan (PERSON) David Cameron (PERSON) CIA (ORG) David AttenboroughBorn (PERSON) Glasgow (LOCATION) the University of Strathclyde (ORG) Caledonian Road (ORG) Mayflies (PERSON) Edinburgh (LOCATION) the London Review of Books (ORG) London (LOCATION)

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