Musician

Be active to your full capabilities.

I don't know Robbie Williams. I know his name, but I've never met him.

I'm a girl from East Ham.

I've visited Holland plenty of times and always liked staying in the Hilton in Amsterdam.

I'm delighted people still enjoy my music all these years later.

People used me, in a way, to achieve something, and I was glad of it. I was just doing my job.

Ordinary British people don't on the whole find it easy to express their feelings, even to those closest to them.

I think a sense of history and perspective for our young people today is essential.

I think people looked at me as one of them - an ordinary girl from an ordinary family with a voice they could recognise.

I've been blessed to be able to sing and perform.

Perhaps because I never left England and went to America - I think the public sort of appreciated that. I visited and I did some shows over there, but I never had any ambitions to settle over there. I could never have left England.

All young men should have a certain time in the Army, instead of going running around wild for a few years after school. They would learn discipline and they would learn a good trade. It would be a good opportunity.

Take each day as it comes and focus on the present moment.

On one occasion I had to sleep on a stretcher balanced on two kitchen chairs. It wasn't glamorous.

In 1939, a newspaper ran a competition for the first load of boys off to war to pick their favourite singer. They chose me from my radio broadcasts. That's when I became known as the 'forces' sweetheart.'

I did an audition for Henry Hall, a well-known dance man at the BBC, when I was about 15. I have lost the letter I was sent, but it said: 'your voice is unsuitable for broadcasting.'

I don't have a good memory, so learning all the songs for my TV performances was a real challenge.

Remember to stand tall and tuck your tummy in - very important as you get older!

I always took things very seriously. Always have done.

Basically, country is my kind of music - the simple melody, the simple lyrics.