What were your expectations before going into the house?
I had very few expectations before I went into the house as it was impossible to know what to expect. I knew virtually nothing about the period before I started the project. But what I was expecting was a fascinating time and an adventure – I was right on both counts!

How well do you think you were suited to the Regency era?
Due to my lack of knowledge of the period I didn't know whether I'd be suitable or not but as the project progressed it became clear to me that I was in fact quite suited to it all. Mind you, I think most people would start to feel that: being waited upon hand and foot becomes quite enjoyable after a while! The code of the era – the manners and sense of respect – is one that I endeavour to live by in the modern world.

Who did you fancy most in the house?
All the girls looked wonderful in there period costumes with their hair done up in such beautiful ways. And as the weeks passed and we all became more familiar with our strange clothes they became even more attractive. I did quite fancy Miss Hopkins, though!

What was your best time?
It's impossible to pin-point a single moment or an event – there were many. Perhaps my most profound moment came when I went out on my first horse ride up in the deer park. The day was hot and bright and with the Spaniard as our guide we trotted off. A very deep sense of history welled up in me. With no cameras to distract me, the only sound that of our horses, the warm breeze in the pine, I did indeed feel like I had travelled back in time. All of us in our remarkable clothes and the Spaniard in his tricorn hat: it was quite extraordinary! I had a huge grin on my face for the whole ride!

There were many other 'best times': the County Fair blew my mind somewhat as well – 60-odd people all in period costume and an afternoon of cricket and other games and food and of course lots of ale and cider! I felt an acute sense of history that afternoon too. There were endless extraordinary moments but last but by no means least was my Regency Maze. It was deeply satisfying to have designed and completed such an undertaking.

What was your worst time?
I'm glad to say that I did not have that many 'worst times'. There were some, of course, but these were hugely outweighed by the good times. I do recall feeling absolutely dreadful on about the sixth day, during our first afternoon with Professor Radford, who provided an introduction into Regency sports and male activities. Afterwards, I got back to my room and felt simply awful and it took me several hours to understand what it was that I was feeling. At last it came to me, I was feeling home sick! Very odd, as I'd not expected to feel that at all. Still, having understood why I felt so bad the feeling soon passed! Perhaps I'd been reminded of boarding school by the slightly scary Professor Radford! Whatever it was it passed and I soon found myself to be very comfortable indeed which might explain why the last three weeks were perhaps my worst times. The future was looming over all of us I think and the tensions and petty squabbles escalated. With the experience drawing to a close an almost feverish desire to squeeze as much in as we could gripped us, I think this caused some pressure and anxiety.

Do you have any regrets?
I have very few regrets. I think I probably drank too much and that does leave me wondering a little about what I said and how I behaved on a few occasions! But hey ho! I regret not quite finishing my maze to the complete design I'd visualised and had worked so hard on. I left myself too little time! And I suppose if I'm honest I regret not imbibing more and trying even harder to learn and engage with the period production was creating for us.

What annoyed you most in the house?
Easy! Dinner times. At least during the first 6 weeks or so when we hadn't got a grip on how to move it along swiftly! DINNER! Agonisingly slow, served at six, would drag on for hours, boiling hot in all our clothes, sat as we were inside, candles blazing mostly, at the nicest time of the day (for mid-summer). Strange food, unbelievable though it was, I yearned for a plate of spaghetti or a good chilli and to be munching standing up in the kitchen! I never really got used to it all.

What did you like / dislike most about dating in Regency times?
It's good that this question is joined because my answer to it might seem odd. What I disliked about Regency dating was what I also found intriguing about it – the formality of the courtship process. Endless notes sent about the place (though someone did suggest a useful analogy – texting – that helped me get my head round it). Trying to create romantic gestures was fun to engage in as in the modern world people don't do such things. Attempted serenades, flowers left on pillows etc. was all so absurd it was hard not to be amused by it! Some of the guests really went to town in that department. The whole business of going though the chaperones to get to your lady of choice was very alien and sadly didn't really work for us as we were all too modern!

Do you think your experience in the house has changed you?
This is an odd one. Both Yes and No. Do I feel different? Then no not really! I feel the same man as I did before the project. What is different is that I know more now about a slice of history that I knew nothing about. There were several very profound moments when the period came vividly to life and that is an experience that I doubt I will match again in my life. It was an extraordinary gift to have been given. The people of that time now seem real to me and that has changed me. I have become much more aware of the past and of some of the processes that have led us up to where we are today. And that is no bad thing!

What did you miss from the 21st Century?
There wasn't much I missed at all really. I love to travel and when one travels you get used to not having the things that make your life comfortable. You expect it and in many ways that is what is so refreshing about going away, you start to relish the challenge imposed on you by your missing comforts! That was my attitude when I embarked on the project, I was expecting to be without things for a few months! Having said all that, I did miss not being able to go to my own fridge and get myself my own drink or whatever! Sounds strange, I know, having servants and being waited on was a joy but in truth the simple matter of doing things for myself was what I missed!

Who will you keep in touch with?
I'd like to think I'll keep in touch with everyone but of course in reality that is unlikely to happen. We will always be friends though. We shared a grand experience that no others have. It was utterly unique and that will bond us for life even if we never see each other again.

What are you doing now?
I am currently working on the crew at 'The Phantom of the Opera' in London at Her Majesty's Theatre.

What would you have liked to see happen to your Regency personae?
Fall passionately in love and taken over the house from Goral-Barnes!

If you were to do it again what would you do differently?
I would do a great deal more research before it all started. I was frustrated by my lack of knowledge and struggled to keep up with the bombardment of information. I feel if I'd learnt a bit more before I went in I would have learnt even more whilst I was there. And I would make even more use of the wonderful things that were offered (horse riding, archery, sabering etc.)

Are you still single?
Yup!

Do you treat the opposite sex any differently since leaving the house?
Not particularly really. I've always tried to be as polite as I can be. It worked well before my experience in the house, worked well in the house and works well now! I've always found that you can't go particularly wrong if you remain polite!

Is there anything else interesting about your experiences?
There are a thousand things that I found interesting – the whole experience was such an adventure! Perhaps one of the most interesting things was the need to entertain ourselves. Or at least get an idea that these people had to. For us, of course, production laid almost everything on but the sense of that need was still there. With no TV and no radio you had to make things up for yourself. I am lucky in a way as one of my passions is to sketch and that was a hobby that seemed to fit nicely with the Regency period, mostly because I had the time to do it! I loved the fact that we didn't have TV and things and was amazed and pleased to find that almost instantly I didn't need any of it. Made me think do we need it all anyway?! We do, of course, we're creatures of the modern world and our lives are intrinsically caught up in the technology that makes it run whether we like it or not. But it was fun to lead a life completely removed from it, if only for a short while!