I learned a lot of things about literature talking to people at the publishing company. Did you know that about 90 percent of celebrity autobiographies are ghostwritten?

When you've been doing comedy for forty years, you really do know most of the jokes. And even if you don't know a specific joke, you can pretty much guess what it's going to be.

Naturally, people's image is of a performer, but the reality of it is the writing for me has always been the most important thing and the most rewarding thing.

It's not the despair, Laura. I can take the despair. It's the hope I can't stand.

The Americans are so much more positive. They are much more in love with success. In Britain, they're a fairly envious bunch, and they love it if you fail.

I don't want to have to start being unselfish again. The great thing about being on your own is you do what you damned well like.

The writing is the most important bit, and performing it is just closing the circle because I'm less likely to screw it up than anyone else.