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.

I have never been attracted to any kind of violence.

My job is to get to the heart of a story, to find out what's really going on; to get it verified and, then, to get it out to as many people as possible as fast as.

I've never been one to sit around and eat my heart out. Life's too short.

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.

There was no equal pay law when I started working. I was no different to any other woman in any other job at the time.

No two wars are identical.