The studio have always claimed that the ship is the star of the show, especially when they're renegotiating contracts.

One of the things that I've come to understand is that as I talk a lot about Picard, what I find is that I'm talking about myself.

I was brought up in a very poor and very violent household. I spent much of my childhood being afraid.

When I'm meant to be standing in the wings, the only way to go is the ladies' toilets. It's the only time I've ever acted in the toilets.

I wouldn't know a space-time continuum or warp core breach if they got into bed with me.

I've been in politics all my life. In 1945, I committed my first act of civil disobedience during the election campaign for the first post-World War II general election, when the Labour Party, to everyone's amazement, ousted the Conservatives. I refused to obey the instructions of a policeman, and as a result, almost got a belt around the ear, because those were the days when policemen could hit children and nobody cared, they thought it was probably good for them.

During my time we had two chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, at different times of course, on the bridge, both of whom asked my permission to sit on the captain's chair.