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When you are called a character actress, it's because you're too ugly to be called a leading lady - Kathy Burke, winner of the Best Actress award at the Cannes film festival

I'm not a saint. I never claimed to be a saint. My suits are not white, they're off white - Martin Bell, war reporter turned MP

I have tried to grow a British garden in Los Angeles and brought over 106 varieties of rose. But the gophers ate them all - Linda Evangelista, supermodel, at the Chelsea Flower Show

Big Ben is a very old gentleman and needs tender care, perhaps a full- scale medical rather than the equivalent of sticking plaster - Harry Greenway, former Conservative MP and a Friend of Big Ben

I have been living a schizoid existence, pretending to be a wild man when I am really Mr Mortgage - Rik Mayall, comedian

Like used car salesmen, they are madly putting back the speedo to convince us that they are nearly new models. It won't wash - Teresa Gorman, on the rivals for the Conservative leadership

In rushing into these things, this government is showing all the signs of inexperienced men and women being intoxicated with their new power; they are 18-year-olds in the saloon bar, trying every bottle on the shelf - Kenneth Clarke, former Chancellor, on Labour's City reforms