I think that the best way to explain that is that my mother gave me all the color and character and flare and liveliness, and my father gave me all the sanity and nature and all the things that helped me be a more rounded human being.

If I am able to sing again it will be through some miracle operation. There's a lot of work being done to help singers regain their voices, but in my case I actually lost vocal tissue so it's very hard for my chords to rub together and I need to replace that tissue. I remain optimistic but not tremendously so.

Success is failing nineteen times and soaring the twentieth.

I have been called a nun with a switchblade where my privacy is concerned. I think there's a point where one says, that's for family, that's for me.

When adversity hits, go out and learn something.

I am very proud to be British. I'm very conscious of carrying my country with me wherever I go. I feel I need to represent it well.

For the last time, you cannot wear that cropped fleece vest