20 facts about me

1. I separate smarties into colour groups before eating them. Pink first; it’s my favourite colour. Yellow next. Then red, green, blue and brown. Orange last – because orange chocolate.

2. I can wiggle my ears. If you want to try it, it’s the same muscle you use to ‘schmeyes’.

3. I can’t whistle or swim.

4. My guilty pleasures include but are not limited to: Hollyoaks. Harvey’s Bristol Cream. Prawn cocktail crisp sandwiches. Custard creams. Breakfast at any time of day. (It’s no coincidence that four out of these five are food and drink related.)

5. I hate rhubarb. Unless it’s the gin variety.

6. If I see a frog, I scream and run away. No Prince for me.

7. I believe in champagne with curry, burning the nice candles, giving compliments & always having fresh flowers in the house.

8. I used to be a trampolining coach.

9. I’m obsessed with my fur-babies! I have two King Charles Cavaliers called Daisy and Poppy. Collectively, they’re ‘The Cavafleurs’.

10. I’ve photographed Alan Carr (hilarious), Professor Stephen Hawking (inspiring), Duncan from Blue (those eyes), Sophie Ellis Bextor (incred voice) and Paul Daniels & Debbie McGee (childhood heroes).

11. In my school days, I wanted to be a pilot. But really, I just enjoyed people’s reactions when I told them that. I was the LEAST likely child to be a pilot.

12. My perfect day is a sunny beach walk with the pups, followed by a coffee and cake pitstop. Then some pottering around at home, a lazy lunch and an afternoon of reading. Chinese takeaway for dinner. Topped off with curling up on the sofa – avec blanket and pups – to watch a horror film. The scarier the better. Ahhh, bliss.

13. I’m prone to blonde moments. One day, wondering why my mouse wasn’t interrupting the screen saver, I called my tech team (aka hubs) for help. His diagnosis? “Turn the screen on and try again.” So instead of a black screensaver, I now have a picture of my pups, so I can tell the difference #eyeroll #howdidigetthisfarinlife

14. I’m a crier. Especially at nature programmes, when Paul Hollywood shakes a baker’s hand – and when Arthur Abbott walks into the auditorium in ‘The Holiday’, even though I’ve seen it fifty times.

15. I’m a shoe addict. If you wonder where I am on your wedding morning … I’ll be with your shoes. (Unless there’s a dog. In which case, I’ll definitely be with the dog.)

16. My best life hack is to eat chocolate biscuits two at a time, with the chocolate sides facing inwards. That way, you don’t get chocolatey fingers. You’re welcome. I’ll pass your thanks on to my Great Uncle Bob for that one.

17. Lists rule my life. Not that you can tell from this page.

18. I’m a proud introvert.

19. I have a scar on my right elbow from falling off my bike onto my Mum’s rockery. (Not alcohol-related, I was 5.) And a scar on my left knee from slipping on the ice in a pub car park. (Alcohol-related, I was old enough to know better.)

20. Spring is my favourite time of the year. It brings back nostalgic memories of my childhood… like holding buttercups under my friends’ chins to see if they liked butter, clouds of cow parsley that lined the fields on my walk to school, and making daisy chains with my bestie during school playtimes.