In any war, there is a concealment of certain kinds of setbacks because it's propaganda for the enemy.

But in the first Gulf war the United Kingdom was not under any threat from Iraq, and is still less so in the second one. Then there is no justification for obstructing freedom of information, particularly as nations have a right to know what their soldiers are being used for.

People always seem to assume that we have a full, back-up support team - make-up, costume and a driver - but usually, in a war zone, there's only me and the cameraman.

I sailed through my childhood with a complete lack of any drama.

Hair is also a problem. I remember once, when I was reporting from Beirut at the height of the civil war, someone wrote in to the BBC complaining about my appearance.

War zones are dangerous, protests can be violent, also, natural disasters are difficult to cover, so there are going to be risks.