Since we launched the original 'Pop Idol' in England I've remained close with Simon Fuller. Working as executive producer on 'American idol' for its first seven years not only was an inspirational journey into the heart of American pop culture it opened my eyes to the untapped potential of the incredibly dynamic young people in this world.

It is always the simple that produces the marvelous.

With the brush we merely tint while the imagination alone produces colour.

As an actor I think sometimes producers need a little bit of encouragement to see you in a particular role they may not have as much imagination as you would expect.

If my accent betrayed my foreign birth it also stamped me as an enemy in the imagination of the producers.

Chemistry is not anything an executive producer or writer can orchestrate or plan you just hope for it.

I am proud and more than a little excited to be asked to work with Faber in an editorial capacity. It is my dearest hope that we will produce some fantastic books together.

Why go for a costly sickly mass-produced purebred when shelters are full of one-of-a-kind mixed breeds who are literally dying for a home?

He's a good tough producer yes. But I don't think that he's unreasonable unless he feels threatened. And when somebody's in your home I think everybody in the home gets threatened.

Stand-up is like a movie every night. You write it direct it produce it the audience votes and you go home. There's nothing more satisfying.