It wasn't not being famous any more or even not being a recording artist. It was having nobody who needed me no phones ringing nothing to do. Because I'm still too young to do nothing. I was only 24 when all that happened. Now at 40 I feel I've got more to give than I ever have.

My goal and my career is definitely not to be famous. That's a really horrible goal just to be famous for the sake of having fame.

Having bodyguards is just part of being famous I think.

Why does anybody want to be famous? You know what's important to me? Having lunch! Pasta! Seeing my friends! Is that so crazy?

I love singing - singing is what I'm famous for doing. Now it's turned into things I am famous for doing - like having rows with my mum or about my boyfriend so it does get irritating.

He makes me laugh Mick! He tended to turn up when we were having lunch and entertain us all. He bought an Enigma machine! I've never worked with a producer who was more famous than everyone put together.

Being famous is having the power to really implement positive change in the world and it gives you the power to do what you want. I'm really grateful for it because I can play music and people will listen.

I don't put weight on fame and having people around me just because I am famous makes me feel really bad about myself.

I know I had my equivalents in Adrian Lester and Lenny James when I was at drama school. I remember David Harewood doing 'Othello' at the National and Adrian Lester having done Cheek by Jowl's famous 'As You Like It and Company' at the Donmar. Not necessarily performances I saw but just the fact they happened was massively encouraging.

Uncle Brett had a definite vision that he was after I don't think having a famous father affected him much.

There's this common perception that having a famous last name is all you need. A surname may get you a meeting but if there's no talent you won't get the part.

For me getting comfortable with being famous was hard - that whole side of it the loss of anonymity the loss of privacy. Giving up that part of your life and not having control of it.

There aren't many downsides to being rich other than paying taxes and having relatives asking for money. But being famous that's a 24 hour job right there.

I've been accustomed to being famous and having a certain level of attention for 14 years but in the last few months it's changed. It's like on the arcade game I've gone up to the next level.

It wasn't being an alcoholic - it was going wild. It happened when I got famous. It was like having my teens in my early thirties: blotting out your life not having to think about anything.

There is no fulfillment in things whatsoever. And I think one of the reasons that depression reigns supreme amongst the rich and famous is some of them thought that maybe those things would bring them happiness. But what in fact does is having a cause having a passion. And that's really what gives life's true meaning.

Some of the most famous books are the least worth reading. Their fame was due to their having done something that needed to be doing in their day. The work is done and the virtue of the book has expired.

I always want to say to people who want to be rich and famous: 'try being rich first'. See if that doesn't cover most of it. There's not much downside to being rich other than paying taxes and having your relatives ask you for money. But when you become famous you end up with a 24-hour job.

I always loved family holidays and I had this vision and dream as a little girl of having a big family of my own.

I had the good fortune of having a happy closely knit family.

Of course I regret not having been able to spend time with my family.

The voters are going to decide in November who is going to fix their personal family dismay over not having jobs in America. They are going to pick Mitt Romney.

And having a strong family you know we've lost some members of our family and had some setbacks but I think a good family and kids all those things I thought at one time... you got to be kidding me... Those things are so important they enable you to go on.

Selfishness narcissism being uncomfortable in your own skin not feeling connected to the world around you feeling dislocated from family and youth having a strange relationship with your childhood - all those things feel really true to me.