After I graduated from the University of Glasgow, I was a self-employed archaeologist going from dig to dig around Scotland, and it was not well-paid. I was an excavator, not a lecturer as well, so paying rent on a flat was tricky. In the end I decided to retrain as a journalist as I couldn't see a future in it.

I live in a perpetual present. I don't look back and I don't look forward. I just live from week to week.

It took me a while to get established - success didn't happen overnight.

I find it so easy to read qualified commentators who are 180 degrees opposed to each other.

My wife has always supported me in my career, even when there were times when it was more sensible to get a job. It has been her confidence in me that has helped enormously.

I have always been quite careful when I have been approached to do a television project to have the option of writing the accompanying book.

I delivered leaflets for my dad and was paid £5 per thousand, which was slave labour.