In the Arctic I met some Russian sailors on a submarine and they chorused, "Gordon's alive!"

My dream is to own a Hockney - I'm a Yorkshireman, and his vibrant colours are a good example of how the north-country people are vibrant and colourful.

I went to drama school but it was very hard to get work until I was made assistant stage manager.

In the Arctic I met some Russian sailors on a submarine and they chorused, "Gordon's alive!"

My parents taught me honesty, truth, compassion, kindness and how to care for people. Also, they encouraged me to take risks, to boldly go. They taught me that the greatest danger in life is not taking the adventure.

I threw [Picasso's] drawing on the floor and in doing so, threw away about £50m.

You can't call it an adventure unless it's tinged with danger. The greatest danger in life, though, is not taking the adventure at all. To have the objective of a life of ease is death. I think we've all got to go after our own Everest.