Quotes from Rachel Riley

Maths is the language of science.

I love that once you know the basic rules of maths, you can do whatever you want with it.

Practising maths can be fun.

If I find a dress I really like and it happens to be a bit short, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. The thing about going to Oxford is it does give you the confidence to be how you want to be.

I am really surprised that what I am wearing on 'Countdown' has got into the papers.

I'm not into bags, so I don't pay a lot for them; I get them from H&M and Topshop.

Russian is a really hard language - but I've got my own personal teacher. He's been really patient.

There's no reason for men to be better at maths than women - it's just about our perception.

Being bad at maths shouldn't be something to brag about, and I'm glad people are waking up to this, but there's no reason be embarrassed to look for help when it comes to numeracy.

Isolation among older people is a massive problem, and my grandad used to come round for Sunday lunch every week for as long as I can remember.

From my personal experience, because I'm in a relationship, on paper I would never have imagined - I'm an Essex girl, maths geek who likes football, and I've ended up with a Russian ballroom dancer, and I guess the things you think are important, especially when you're younger, turn out not to be.

People have got their opinions, and you can't please everyone.

Some of the words that pop up on the show have had terrible connotations. But that's the beauty of 'Countdown.'

I cycle, especially in warm weather. If I have a meeting in town, I would rather cycle than go by car.

My parents supported me through university, and after I graduated, I got a job as an analyst at a price comparison website called TotallyMoney.com.

I take vitamin C and zinc every day to keep colds at bay. I also take calcium tablets to supplement my lack of dairy, and d-mannose, a cranberry extract thought to be good for women's health.

I'm 5ft 7in tall and a size six to eight on top and eight to ten on the bottom. Consequently, I get a lot of my clothes altered to fit, as I am always between sizes.

I'd happily describe myself as a TV presenter now.

When I first started, I tried to wear things I thought a 'Countdown' presenter should wear.

'I'm a Celebrity' is not my cup of tea whatsoever. I don't like the animal cruelty in it, to be honest.

In school productions, I was always villager No. 7. I was never at the front of the stage dancing and never had any lines.

When I see myself on screen, I don't even feel like it's me - it's like it's a completely different person.

I'd love to present a popular science programme because it's something I feel very passionate about.

I have loved 'Countdown' for years. I always used to watch it when I got home from school. To be actually on the programme is a big challenge.