On the Northern Ireland question, for instance, the British and Irish governments prohibit media contact with members of the IRA, but we have always gone ahead, believing in the right to information.

I have never been attracted to any kind of violence.

I don't want to be involved in endless media gossip.

Hair is also a problem. I remember once, when I was reporting from Beirut at the height of the civil war, someone wrote in to the BBC complaining about my appearance.

War zones are dangerous, protests can be violent, also, natural disasters are difficult to cover, so there are going to be risks.

On the Northern Ireland question, for instance, the British and Irish governments prohibit media contact with members of the IRA, but we have always gone ahead, believing in the right to information.

In any war, there is a concealment of certain kinds of setbacks because it's propaganda for the enemy.