It seemed to me that the real philosophical breakthroughs of the 20th century were in terms of the understanding of language. What is language? Where does it come from, how does it work, what does it do?

If you get depressed, you can be stuck for months; if you have an analyst, you at least have a chance of getting out of it faster.

I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.

I guess writing is a kind of therapy in the sense that there are things you need to say and you say them, and better out than in.

What seems strange is that Obama elicits such extreme dislike when, in fact, he is an exemplary family man, and his policy positions would have made him a conventional liberal Republican not that long ago.

When my family first found out about my part in 'EastEnders' they were happy for me and very supportive.

My family lived off the land and summer evening meals featured baked stuffed tomatoes, potato salad, corn on the cob, fresh shelled peas and homemade ice cream with strawberries from our garden. With no air conditioning in those days, the cool porch was the center of our universe after the scorching days.

My family were nothing but pleased when I told them I wanted to be a comedian.