I was sent to a nice Church of England girls' school and at that time, after university, a woman was expected to become a teacher, a nurse or a missionary - prior to marriage.

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

It wasn't glamorous in my day. In the regions, reporters were seen as such low life that they didn't merit their name in the Radio Times. Now people are interested in being famous. I never gave it a thought.

The better the information it has, the better democracy works. Silence and secrecy are never good for it.

I also read modern novels - I have just had to read 60 as I am one of the judges for the Orange Fiction Prize.

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