A distinguished producer called Kenith Trodd actually lived in his office for over a year - the cleaners refused to go in because it was such a tip.

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

I always do like to write love stories, even if they end tragically.

The writer in movies is about as low as you can get and you really are a hired hand. You are paid a lot of money to be treated like dirt.

My wife likes history and documentaries, but I'm not so keen on them. I generally go and do some work if there's one of those on.

As a fairly innocent teenager, growing up in a village in Wales, I just thought, "God, I would like to go and hang about Soho and write great poetry and try to avoid drinking myself to death."

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