ROSS KEMP

When checking in at an airport, no matter how rude the check-in person is to you, always smile and be nice because you don't know what kind of day they've had. You are going on holiday and they're stuck wherever they are. Be nice to them because they can re-route your baggage to wherever they feel like.

It's an odd feeling, knowing someone is trying to kill you. On the front line, you learn quickly that if you're in the path of a bullet, you will get hit.

Sunglasses are a bit like watches for me - a real obsession. My favourites are Oakleys, Ray-Bans and Wileys, which are worn by the U.S. military.

I don't think you should go into politics until you can stand on your own two feet economically, if possible, and you know enough about the world.

It only takes around 60 seconds to cast your vote in the polling station. 60 seconds to protect the economy, 60 seconds to protect your jobs, 60 seconds to protect the services your family relies on. A lot is at stake during those 60 seconds.

If you have extremes of haves and have-nots where the gap keeps growing, the have-nots group together and create social disorder, as they can't see a way out of their situation.

I read a lot of research notes about the countries I visit, and my mum and dad bought me a Kindle, but I'm still getting to grips with it. I prefer paper books.

The one thing that I'm absolutely sure about is that the people of Gaza aren't going anywhere. And neither are the people of Israel.

For too many families, the aftershock of the war in Afghanistan will be felt every day, most probably for the rest of their lives. I know because I've looked into the eyes and the faces of grieving mothers.

I'm an old git now, so I would say this, but television was better when there were less channels. There was more concentration and selection in terms of the output.

Some bosses believe they can't afford to employ someone legitimately - so they employ them illegally.

The welfare system was designed to do something different when it was started than what it does now. It was a safety net to help people get back to work: if they were sick, it would help them get back.

Oh yeah, I'm an Essex boy and proud of it.

I have seen incredible bravery from very young guys, the young generation that people write off.

Jewelry is fine on some guys, but it's not for me.

A day in Afghanistan is like a week at home.

I would never ever talk about my own personal life in an interview.

If I have a weakness, it's for timepieces - if I see one I like and can afford it, I'll buy it.

People-trafficking is modern day slavery. There are more slaves today than there were at the height of the slave trade.

What's always got me is the fact that when people talked on the telly about Iraq, before Afghanistan kicked off, you'd get only these public-school-type army officers talking about what was going on out there. I kept thinking, 'Why don't we get the true voice of the squaddie? Why don't we hear from the lads on the battlefield?'

When the weather's good, there's no better place to be than the British countryside.

I really enjoy travelling around the world. I get to meet some extraordinary people.

Riots born out of political issues aren't the same as those born out of personal greed.

There is no such thing as the worst gang because they're all pretty bad. It is very difficult to classify them in terms of who is worse than the other because they all have pretty bad things associated with them.

Many areas of Los Angeles have gang problems.