The 5-Minute Interview: Angela Rippon, Television broadcaster

'Many mistakenly think I was a professional dancer'

Angela Rippon, 62, is hosting the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards today at Sadler's Wells

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

Doing paperwork. I've got a pile of it sitting here. I've been filming a new series of Cash in the Attic and working for a production of Follies in Concert I'm doing at the Palladium on 4 February. And the dance awards. It's quite busy.

A phrase I use far too often is...

"I'm busy". It means I have to miss out on a lot of things I'd like to do. But it's not a complaint.

I wish people would take more notice of...

Courtesy to others. If we were all a bit more courteous to each other and humanity, it would make all of us nicer and make the world a nicer place.

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

Being asked to go back to news and current affairs nearly three years ago. To be asked to be one of ITV's main anchors for their coverage of the Iraq war... Considering I'd been associated with the BBC and I'd been away from hard news and current affairs, it was a surprise and a huge compliment.

A common misperception of me is...

That I was a professional dancer because of the Morecambe and Wise Show. I studied ballet until I was 16.

I'm not a politician but...

I'd query a lot of the rulings that come directly from the EU that have changed the way of life in Britain. Many countries in Europe aren't quite so precise in their interpretation. I travel in Europe a lot and I see a lot of the countries are quite relaxed - Spain and France particularly.

I'm good at...

Throwing parties.

But I'm very bad at...

Throwing things away. I'm a terrible hoarder.

The ideal night out is...

A night in, having good friends round for dinner.

Elisa Bray