One of the things I've always thought is a drag in so many period adaptations is that they are always buttoned up to the neck in so many clothes all the time. I'm always looking for excuses to get them out of their clothes.

I'm absolutely delighted if people think of me as a reliable purveyor of quality period stuff.

I adore doing classic adaptations, but I also feel their frustrations and their limitations.

When you see two writers named on a movie, one of them did some drafts and got the boot.

An adaptation I was working on of Trollope's 'The Pallisers' has been axed by the BBC... I was also going to do Dickens' 'Dombey and Son' but they've asked me to do 'David Copperfield' instead.

Be careful about the advice you give, especially to your children.

The joy of writing drama is putting yourself into different people's heads.