I read a lot of research notes about the countries I visit, and my mum and dad bought me a Kindle, but I'm still getting to grips with it. I prefer paper books.

The welfare system was designed to do something different when it was started than what it does now. It was a safety net to help people get back to work: if they were sick, it would help them get back.

What's always got me is the fact that when people talked on the telly about Iraq, before Afghanistan kicked off, you'd get only these public-school-type army officers talking about what was going on out there. I kept thinking, 'Why don't we get the true voice of the squaddie? Why don't we hear from the lads on the battlefield?'

There is no such thing as the worst gang because they're all pretty bad. It is very difficult to classify them in terms of who is worse than the other because they all have pretty bad things associated with them.

Many areas of Los Angeles have gang problems.

I really enjoy travelling around the world. I get to meet some extraordinary people.

I would never ever talk about my own personal life in an interview.