I want people to think about what I have achieved and not what I look like.

I did indeed put on weight after I got married.

I didn't really know what I was going to do with my life. I've taken every opportunity, pushed myself in ways I'm not sure I knew were even possible, I've made the best of my life and career. So yes, I do feel proud of myself.

To any man currently thinking it's not safe to say anything to women these days, allow me to offer you a rule of thumb. If you're in any doubt about something you're going to say to a woman, just ask yourself if you'd say the same thing to a man.

Let's face it, when is it actually ever funny to joke about hitting someone? Never, right? The threat to give someone a slap, no matter how you look at it, is aggressive.

It is critical to create opportunities to identify talented women in business, then support them to develop their confidence to aim for the boardroom.

It really annoys me when magazines put up these 'superwomen' with the perfect blow-dry, the perfect life - but nothing's perfect. People have a whole bunch of problems and it's how many solutions you can find to those problems as to how happy you are.

I look at people like Helen Mirren, Emma Thompson, Goldie Hawn, they're the people I want to be.

The most beautiful women in the world, I find, are those who have inner confidence.

The only thing I wanted when I left school was independence. I had been at boarding school for many years. When you're boarding, nothing is your own and your whole day is scheduled. You're told when to sleep, what to eat and when. You have zero independence.

It's really important that young people realise very rarely do you become an overnight success.

Good managers ensure good outcomes, but great leaders can deliver a vision by getting people to work together.

The worst kind of businesses are ones where there are no expectations set out for employees.

English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish football gains so much from being in Europe. Clubs and fans all benefit from European action, laws and funding.

For clubs, free movement plays a big role in transfers and players' contracts. Players from the E.U. can sign for U.K. clubs without needing a visa or special work permit, making it quicker and easier to secure top talent from across Europe to come and play in our leagues.

Though I don't have time to go to the gym, I am fit and active, and have a healthy diet.

You have to have a very thick skin to run a business.

I live day by day. There's no other way.

On holiday, I don't want any plans or structure. If I want to wake up at lunchtime or have breakfast for dinner, then I will.

I love knowing that if I was dropped off in Trafalgar Square, I could walk in any direction and see something amazing or eat something delicious.

If I'm going to spend money, I'd rather it be on a fabulous location or food, not gambling.

As long as you like yourself, as long as your family like you, as long as you are good at what you do, your staff respect you, and your board have trust in you, that's what is important.

I was called fried eggs and all that at school. Size does matter.

I suppose the appeal of boxing for me is seeing people do well when they have worked really hard.

I don't have any fears.

I'm very comfortable in my own skin.

I always wear a suit jacket, a smart blouse or a top, with my hair and make-up done. Under the desk, what no one knows, is that I'm wearing jeans and trainers.

I hate fad diets.

I'm the least vain person I know. I literally get out the shower, throw a brush through my hair, put jeans and a T-shirt on and head to the Tube and go to work most mornings. It takes seconds.

Winning the BAFTA for 'Young Apprentice' felt great. It's really nice to be part of the winning team.

I love and embrace change.

I took it as my personal responsibility to be able to juggle. I didn't want anybody to help me and I didn't expect my office to make it easy for me.

The problems children bring get bigger as they get older.

I remember when I was young, I used to love hockey - I was selected to play for my county - and my dad said: 'Well, there's no money to be made in hockey,' and it put me off for ever.

I think the term feminist is scary for women, because it means that you're extreme in some way, and I'm not extreme in any way, although I do passionately believe that a woman's role within any organisation is to assist and help other women.

I am a faithful companion of Jesus. I probably wasn't when I was 12 or 13 when I was in the convent, but I think having a spiritual side means that you live your life with an open heart, and you embrace things that are difficult, you want people to do well.

My grandmother had a motto that you should never look down on people unless you are helping them up, and I think that's a very spiritual way of living.

I'm not going to become an MP and I'm not going to be London Mayor. I have no political ambitions.

I'm not friends with politicians.

I've experienced a lot of sexism in football.

The brain aneurysm I had in 2006 put things into perspective. It made me understand what was really important - to enjoy life, take more risks and stop putting things off.

I'm the sort of person who doesn't hear the word 'no' - I hear 'find another way to get what you want.'

I'm a hard cheese person and I could have it with biscuits for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I used to love villas when the kids were small but now I like hotels.

When you're starting your own business it's really important to think through your plan: what's the idea, why is it relevant to the market, how much money you are going to invest, how are you going to tell people about it.

You have to have two personalities: your home personality and your work personality and the trick really is not to allow one of those personalities to drain the life out of the other.

When I'm at home I'm 'Karren Peski Solido mother-of-two' when I'm at work I'm 'Karren Brady don't mess with me.'

I love to think about business. It's what makes me happy.

I think it's a very old fashioned attitude, that you've got to wear short skirts and a lot of make up to get on in life. I think most women look at that and laugh. I think those are antiquated views from a bygone age that thankfully is no longer around.

Most women who work and have a career and a family sympathise with one another because they know just how difficult it is to try and manage it all and sometimes if the pressure's too great and you can't manage something has to give and it's either your career or your family.