Benjamin Zephaniah: ‘I don’t want to grow old alone’

The author and poet, 60, on why the best kung fu move is to run, how he’s going to try online dating and why it’s best not to touch his chocolate

There was a time when I thought I wouldn’t live to see 30, but now I’ve doubled that. It feels strange to turn 60. I don’t feel old at all. I play football with 25-year-olds and I can outrun all of them.

I went down a bad road a couple of times, but when you make mistakes it’s not about regretting them, it’s about saying, ‘How can I learn from that?’ The worst mistakes are the ones you just keep making, it doesn’t matter how big or how small.