Quotes from Paul O'Grady

I don't want to sound like Catherine Cookson but I've worked since I was eight, with a paper round and in a fruit and veg shop. Taking a pay cut won't demotivate me, not at all. It's not about money in the first place. It's about the job.

I'm not a businessman. I could pack it in, but I like work. I don't want to sound like Catherine Cookson, but I've worked since I was eight, with a paper round and in a fruit and veg shop.

It's become normal for me to walk on set as Popeye, Frankenstein or an Elf or even a chicken.

You can draw the character out of pets, and you can make them your friends, but they are animals, and they have to be allowed to live the lives of animals.

The person I always enjoy having a meal with is Cilla Black. I might not see her for months, but then I'll pick her up at her flat, and we'll go to a restaurant, and it's like I've seen her that morning.

I've got four dogs, eight chickens, 10 sheep and six pigs.

I go in the butchers and there's not a lot of meat I can eat these days, with having all the animals.

I still consider myself working class. I know my circumstances have changed dramatically since I was growing up back in Birkenhead.

I'd rather do community service than sit and write a load of Christmas cards.

I don't want to sit until I'm 90 with people running around after me. I'm not one for sitting on the couch.

Channel 4 are a great bunch of people to work with and the crew are lovely. Working at ITV was like being in the court of Caligula.

I only like doing live telly. It's great because you go in and do it and then go home. No edit, no retakes.

Taking a pay cut won't demotivate me, not at all. It's not about money in the first place. It's about the job.

I like to travel, and I would love to be fluent in at least four languages.

I don't live with people, that's why my relationships last. I'm not romantic. Even when I was a teenager if somebody asked if they could hold my hand I'd say, - no, it's not heavy, I can hold it myself, thank you'.

I don't go for glamour roles.

My primary school teacher once poured a bottle of curdled school milk forcefully down my throat. Then I threw it up all over her suede shoes. I'd rather have drunk from the spittoon in Barney's barber shop.

Times are hard and friends are few.

I enjoyed school - although I ran away on the first day. I'd reminded the teacher that it was nearly time for 'Watch With Mother' on TV.

Every week I have a disaster in my kitchen. The fire alarm goes off repeatedly. But it doesn't stop me being adventurous.

If I wanted your opinion, I'd slap it outta ya.

I love looking after animals. I find it very enjoyable.

I was born late - what my mother calls the last kick of a dying horse. There's three of us children, but I'm 13 or 14 years younger than my brother and sister.

I went to work for the Civil Service. I'd wanted to work for the Ministry of Defence because I had some far-fetched idea that it had something to do with the Avengers, but I ended up in Social Security.