The 5-Minute Interview: Sarah Cawood, TV presenter

'I kiss unsuitable men and smoke'

Sarah Cawood, 34, is best known for being one of the last presenters of "Top of the Pops". She is now a regular pundit on Channel 5 mid-morning discussion show "The Wright Stuff".

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...

Cooking and watching The Simpsons.

A phrase I use far too often...

"Hello beautiful".

The most surprising thing that happened to me was...

Getting into the Royal Ballet School at the age of 16 and then getting kicked out a year later for not being very good.

A common misperception of me is...

That I'm only superficially interested in music because I'm actually a bit of a music buff.

I am not a politician but...

I don't believe in the war in Iraq and am angry with Tony Blair for involving us.

I'm good at...

Baking, especially oatmeal and gingerbread cookies.

I'm very bad at...

Confrontation - I'd rather leave a bad meal and never go back to that restaurant again than complain about it.

The ideal night out is...

Hanging out on a Saturday night at a festival, preferably the one in Reading.

In moments of weakness I...

Kiss unsuitable men, eat ginger biscuits and smoke.

The best age to be is...

Your early twenties: you don't realise how difficult life is going to get.

In a nutshell my philosophy is...

Never regret mistakes, just learn from them.

Siddika Khalique