DEBORAH MEADEN

I care a lot about animal welfare and children. Although I don't have children myself.

I don't like anything with too much dependency. Children are very dependent, which is probably why we never had them.

I didn't want to get married.

People can call me what they like - fat, ugly, sour - but tell me I'm not fair, tell me I'm not ethical, those are the things that bother me.

The minute I think 'Oh God, I don't want to do this because I'm scared,' is the moment I have to do something, whatever it is.

You give power to issues if you pay a lot of attention to them. The more attention you give them the more power they have. So the most powerful thing you can do is just get on and ignore it.

I'm quite a restless holidaymaker - I can't lie down on the sand and don't like too much heat.

I am not just sitting in my office making deals all the time.

I use my clothes to make my day better - for example, if it's a dull day, I'll wear something bright to cheer myself up.

I have definitely learnt in business that when you have a smart, engaged entrepreneur with good judgement they can really drive even a mediocre business forward so to me the entrepreneur is very important.

I have no problem paying taxes. It doesn't bother me, because I want to live in a society that's happy.

Nobody is like the person I am on TV, surely, only Cruella de Vil, or the wicked witch from Snow White.

Much as I'm loving the 'Strictly' experience, I'm sure I'll always be better known for my business career and my appearances on 'Dragons' Den' than I will for my cha-cha-cha or Viennese waltz.

I would have liked children, but I am not all disappointed. I've had a lot of stuff thrown at me in life so I don't dwell on it.

I'm always asked about how women get on in the boardroom and my answer is always, 'Never acknowledge that you are a woman. Your gender is not the point.'

I am a very loyal person and believe that people should be treated fairly in life.

My parents felt I should earn my money because I would then value it. So they would pay me a shilling or two to do jobs such as washing the car, cleaning and washing up.

Retirement has never, ever crossed my mind. And I honestly can't imagine when or why it would. If you're doing the thing you love, why on earth would you want to stop doing it?

I don't exactly know the moment that I was a millionaire but it was in my twenties.

I am a more rounded person than you see on television. You don't bark your way to being a success.

Business doesn't cut you any slack because of your gender. You're either good at what you do or you're not.

When I first started on 'Dragons' Den,' I was under pressure to buy flashy cars and boats but I resisted.

I think I've got more humour than comes across.

People can be very serious with me, and expect me to be very businesslike all the time. So I have to help them get over that by showing them that I enjoy life.

Running the country is like running one big business.