Jerry Springer - My London

In 1970, Springer ran as a Democratic candidate for Congress. He lost, despite getting 45 per cent of the vote. In 1977, he became Mayor of Cincinnati...

Where do you stay in London?
When I was in Chicago in the West End, I stayed in various hotels in the area.

Have you been away recently?
I went to Tuscany and Capri. Italy is definitely my favourite place to holiday. You know the saying, 'When God made Italy he was showing off'? I think it's so true. Everything is beautiful there: the people, the scenery, the food.

What did you wear on the beach?
A smile...

Home is...
Sarasota, Florida. I am fortunate to live on the beach so I get to swim in the ocean, in my backyard.

What advice would you give to a tourist coming to London?
Look both ways before you cross the road. I love how you guys have written on the sidewalk which way to look. American tourists can be a bit clueless in the traffic, so it's very useful. Other than that, travelling on the bus is a great way to see the city. London is one of my favourite cities in the world.

What is your earliest London memory?
When I was very small - I must have been about three - my family and I lived in a flat in London with a big roundabout outside. I wanted to become a bus driver and I used to stare out the window and watch the buses turn. My mother gave me a round tray and a cap and I'd sit there for hours pretending to be a bus driver.

Where do you shop in London?
I shop like a man. I went to Massimo Dutti on Regent Street and bought the same sweater in three different colours. And I really love Harrods; I bought my grandson a first birthday present there and I just happily wandered around for hours.

What's the best meal you've had in London?
I like Chinese food and China Tang at The Dorchester is great for that. But I'm a casual eater and I like to eat traditional food when I'm in London, like shepherd's pie and fish and chips. You won't find me at the typical celebrity hangouts; you're more likely to see me in some random pub I don't even know the name of, having a good English fry-up. I like to wander round the city and just step into little cafés that catch my eye.

What was the last show you saw in London?
I went to see Chicago before I joined the show and I thought, 'Good Lord, what have I gotten myself into?' It was the first time I've done anything like that; singing, dancing and acting on stage. But I enjoyed every minute and now I'm in the Broadway production.

What is your favourite London discovery?
I was blown away by the Churchill Museum. It is phenomenal.

What do you want on your tombstone?
'I won't be right back.' I have spent my whole life on TV saying, 'I'll be right back,' so I think that's appropriate.