You can't converse with Alzheimer's sufferers in the way you do with others; the dialogue tends to go round in circles.

With your own children, you love them immediately - and with grandchildren, it's exactly the same.

I'm very good at being out of work.

With all the lines I have to learn for TV scripts, I don't think I have any problems with forgetfulness - that's brain exercise enough for me.

My mum Mary was always a bright, confident and fiercely independent lady.

With something like cancer, there is a feeling that you can fight it in some way or control your response to it, but with dementia there is the fear of losing control of your mind and your life.

Walking is my main method of relaxation. I don't go over my lines or try to solve the world's problems, I just enjoy the scenery and the wildlife.

People think I'm thick because of the characters I play. I think I'm brighter than the characters. Well, I hope I am.

I've been going to Bamburgh for holidays since I was a child.

My family have been around Northumberland for five generations.

The more telly you do, the more it feels like a factory.

Too many leaders fancy themselves on being philosophers, but not enough pride themselves on decisive action.

No man is an island, no man stands alone

I always like to tell a story.

No one, at night, really believes he'll live forever.

My son, Wolfgang, plays drums, guitars and bass.

Assuming that we have trained our imagination to denounce the past, we will not suffer much from unfulfilled wishes.

I'd rather report to four million people as the elected Sheriff than some governor or president, so I like reporting to the people.

I can be a good friend, or a bad enemy.

High school – those are your prime suffering years. They don’t get better suffering than that.

When I turned pro, Muhammad Ali was laying back, and I was able to fill up an area that was empty.