Having had loving people who brought me up, and then I find another set of people. That really is a double blessing.

I have no time for the endless nostalgia: 'Oh gosh I used to . . . ' Life is too short; I don't have any time for sitting and saying I miss things. What's the point? Go and do something else.'

I was timid and frightened as a child. Yours truly did not shin up mountains or do any other kind of adventurous stuff.

But in the first Gulf war the United Kingdom was not under any threat from Iraq, and is still less so in the second one. Then there is no justification for obstructing freedom of information, particularly as nations have a right to know what their soldiers are being used for.

I never desired to go into war zones. I never had any thought about it. It sort of just happened as part of the job.

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

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