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.

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

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 have nothing to do with the selection of stories. I'm the reporter.

I keep telling myself to calm down, to take less of an interest in things and not to get so excited, but I still care a lot about liberty, freedom of speech and expression, and fairness in journalism.

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.