“I'm not very religious, but having reached middle age I rather enjoy t...” — Alexander Armstrong Quote

“I'm not very religious, but having reached middle age I rather enjoy the quiet and the contemplation of spending an hour in an old building.”

“I have four boys aged 10 and under. Fatherhood is lovely but there is this slightly shocking moment when you realise it is not something you just wear and take off.”

“The problem is you have people who are keenly aware of what their time span is. Governments work towards the next election; BBC governors work for their time there. You have extraordinary regimes that run at the BBC and different people have different outlooks.”

“If there is a special Hell for writers it would be in the forced contemplation of their own works.”

“I just want fiction to remain a vital force for entertainment and not just for contemplation. Both things can exist.”

“Contemplation is a luxury of the middle class, the very rich.”