Brits and Americans have hundreds of different phrases for the same thing. Luckily it's usually a source of amusement rather than frustration. A flashlight by any other name is still a torch. My personal favourite is 'fairy lights ' which we boringly refer to as 'Christmas lights.'

I enjoy the preparatory elements of travel - packing my bags and choosing my outfits - but my favourite part is getting there.

I love films that make me react emotionally and physically when you walk out of the cinema. Two of my favorite films however have got to be 'The Tree Of Life' and 'The Piano Teacher ' which also stars one of my favourite actresses Isabelle Huppert.

Europe has a lot of strength. We need to pool that strength and I am very much in favour of that - more of a deeper political union.

Every social organisation which is rooted in life still lasts a long time even after the conditions from which it drew its strength have changed in a manner unfavourable to it.

One killer exercise that's really great is pull-ups with your legs out level. That's my favourite. It's such functional core strength and that's why I can climb up trees and down vines.

The Old Testament is my favourite science fantasy reading.

What I like about sceptics is that in good science you need critics that make you think: 'Crumbs have I made a mistake here?' If you don't have that continuously you really are up the creek. The good sceptics have done a good service but some of the mad ones I think have not done anyone any favours.

For some years I deserted religion in favour of Marxism. The republic of goodness seemed more attainable than the Kingdom of God.

The nerds are my favourite sort of boys - any guy with a passion - whether it be physics or film or writing or poetry even I think it's super sweet and it's very attractive for a female.