I was broadcast-struck from an early age; I had saved up for a tape recorder and started making programmes.

I was broadcast-struck from an early age; I had saved up for a tape recorder and started making programmes.

I got into New College, Oxford. The ethos was that you could work - or not.

My job involves searching for 'lost' quotations - that is, trying to find out who came up with a quotable saying that lingers in someone's mind and which they wish to use for their own purpose and which they cannot find in conventional dictionaries of quotation.

People will say what they want to say, in the way they want to.

Rees's First Law of Quotations: When in doubt, ascribe all quotations to George Bernard Shaw.

I was absolutely a non-starter at games. My report for rugby said, 'Nigel's chief contribution is his presence on the field.' I used to pray for rain and sometimes it did rain - and we played anyway.