But he throws himself into performing with Centrist Dad, a band he set up featuring Peston on vocals and his pal, former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, on drums. But it hasn’t turned out that way,” says Peston, 66. “Writing thrillers is part of my escape, but the music is my principal way of just cutting off from the world. They only perform to raise money for charity and Peston recalls that Sir Keir Starmer, Ed Miliband and Yvette Cooper (Balls’ wife and now Health Secretary) attended their first gig in north west London in 2023. His mother died in February and Peston believes he takes more time to grieve and understand himself these days.