I have been unusually blessed in that I've been allowed to pursue two strands of a career that both delight me and seem to please the public.

I would love to go to Iran. The island of Madagascar, everyone says is pretty exotic, or the wonderful Namibian desert.

The human race should just slow down and think about what it is doing.

There are many ways of seeing the world. You can hang upside down from a meteor, volunteer to be the fourth stage of a three-stage rocket, or simply get in a balloon and keep going. But if it's sheer, unadulterated discomfort you're looking for, just stay on land.

Please don't ask which I enjoy more - acting or hosting - because I love them equally.

Once the travel bug bites, there is no known antidote.

I've been lucky to have made a number of travel programmes with the BBC, the object being to see places off the beaten track. As a result, I've often had a guide who's been able to show me things that you wouldn't see with a tour group.