“Yes, there is ageism in television.” — Angela Rippon

I was an only child.

My mother, Edna, was a seamstress and my father, John, was a Royal Marine, and at war when I was born - so I didn't see him until he came home in 1947.

My mother Edna was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2004, and for the next four years I looked after her at home with the help of live-in professional carers, allowing her to live a life that was as near to normal as her condition would allow. In that way I was lucky, but it was still heart-breaking to see her decline.

Television cannot be seen as a 'job for life.' My CV is full of programmes that I used to present. I was the 16th presenter of 'Come Dancing,' the second presenter of 'the Antiques Roadshow' and the first presenter of 'Top Gear.'