Michael has a degree in French and German from Cambridge University.

He regularly plays golf for the Stage Golfing Society. He was a keen cricketer at school and University and then, for many years, for the National Theatre. In 2002 he was interviewed by Chris Martin-Jenkins on Test Match Special's "View from the Boundary".

In the early nineties he worked as a commentator, doing live commentaries in French on British racing! Listen to the clip below for a speedy greyhound race commentary: