I'm the black sheep: I got into telly.

The only time I scream is when I see the 5 A.M. start on the call sheet.

Have you ever noticed when people stop laughing, they say, 'Oh dear?'

I'm so excited to be appearing in 'Peter Pan.' It really is an extraordinary production, the like of which Wembley has never seen before. It's a big, bold arena extravaganza and festive treat with something for everyone.

My goodness, what a blast it is filming 'Woody.'

I'm loving every second working with the brilliant Kayvan Novak; it's a hoot from dawn to dusk!

Debra Stephenson and I are nothing more than friends and have a close working relationship - we certainly have not had an affair.

My heart is just being in this industry. I've been lucky enough to have been in films, plays, and on radio.

I'd love to still be able to play a bit of football, but my knees are shot to pieces.

I reckon there could be an entire 'It'll Be Alright On The Night' programme dedicated to me on 'The Chase.'

My wife, Donna, is a fantastic cook!

Unfortunately, my football career wasn't very long. The reason I finished playing was because I fractured both ankles in a matter of months.

I only got into show business because I quit football.

I was earning a living. I was getting into more acting, then 'Coronation Street' came along, and it was the chance of a lifetime.

I'm pretty laid back.

I first started as an actor, but there was no money in it, which is why I drifted into comedy.

I'm good at observing people, physical stuff, which leant itself to acting.

You can't give up. If you set yourself a target, you've got to keep on until you achieve it. It's a matter of having pride in yourself.

To be honest, I wasn't the best stand-up comic.

For actors coming out of long-running soaps, it's really important to have a little break from the screen and look for roles that are removed from the ones they have played.

I want to try to help shift perceptions people may have of me as an actor.

The times change, and if you don't change with them, you get left behind.

People don't realise I have seriously bad blepharitis.

I remember watching the Twin Towers collapse. Because it was another country and looked like a film, I just sort of thought, 'Oh.' I didn't think that much. Then three days later, it hit me. I was in a terrible state, and I was tearful for three or four days.

To do a train wreck and make it look real on screen is tremendously skilful.

It's much harder to lose weight as you get older.

The Tour has changed, and I can't make up my mind if it's changed for the better or worse.

If we went to the Tour, I'd have to think, what would our purpose be? Would it be to win the Tour de France? I'm not sure I want that pressure.

I was born in Belgium, but we moved to Kilburn when I was one, so 'Time Out' has always been in the background of my life.

The 2012 Olympics is a fantastic incentive for everyone to help leave a sporting legacy and show that Britain is truly a great sporting nation.

Growing up, the news agents round my way in Kilburn all had 'Time Out' on their shopfronts. The logo is a London icon.

I began cycling round the Serpentine because it was the only closed route in London where I could ride traffic-free.

You can plan physically to try to win the Tour, but I could never plan for what was going to happen after it.

I'd love to win Paris-Roubaix.

I feel like I was born to ride the track.

My dad was a professional track racer. It's in my genes, and my first memories as a baby were in a velodrome.

That period afterwards, just hating being the winner of the Tour de France, hating cycling, hating the media for asking me questions about Lance Armstrong.

I'm not just a time triallist any more.

I've become more of a climber now - who still keeps that time trial as strong as ever. It gives me such self-belief. I feel a different athlete.

I feel a different person in a lot of ways. I feel much more professional and dedicated to my trade than I used to be. I appreciate this ability I've got - and don't take it for granted any more. That fits every aspect of my life now.

I've got an opportunity that not many people have - to be the leader of Team Sky as I enter the prime years of my career.

Usually, the great thing about cycling is that anybody can watch it; it's very accessible.

You train all year for the physical aspect of cycling, but you can't plan for what comes next. You're still the same person. External perceptions might change, but inside, you're the same.

Working-class people don't tend to be wooed by celebrity.

You think if you win the Olympics, you'll become a millionaire overnight. But I was still scraping the barrel, looking down the back of the settee for pound coins to buy a pint of milk.

You take for granted that you can walk. You do it every day, and then suddenly you can't walk, and you have to remember, 'How did I get out of this chair and start walking in the first place?'

I didn't like doing team presentations at races, being introduced as the winner of the Tour. I felt quite embarrassed by it.

When I did win the Tour, I felt I was feted more in the U.K. for being an Olympic gold medallist... Then I come back to Europe to race, and they're not interested in the Olympic gold; it's about being the winner of the Tour de France - here he is.

You know what? I've won the Tour de France, and now I feel ready to talk about it.

I'm not really a computer man, to be honest. I check my emails every couple of weeks.