When I was seven ...

Everything seemed so carefree. I was oblivious to any worries. I don't remember any bad summers but I'm sure there must have been some.

The first time my heart was broken ...

I've been dumped quite a few times but in retrospect I've always realised it's a good thing. When you get dumped and then realise you should have done the dumping yourself, that is annoying. You feel upset – but only because someone else got in there first.

The wisest thing my grandmother told me ...

My two grandmothers were very different: one was tough; the other as soft as putty. The soft-hearted one, my paternal grandmother, lived closest to us. She never tried to guide me, she was the sort of person who would allow a child to be him or herself – and that's more precious than anything.

The biggest adversity I have overcome ...

I was a plump teenager and it marred those years. I'm glad not to be a podgy post-menopausal woman.

My motto for life ...

Do as you would be done by. Live every day as if it's your last – but without burning your bridges.

My soul mate is ...

My friend Elaine. She is a trauma expert, very wise, and I get a lot of support from her.

Not many people know that ...

I'm not a clean freak. My motto is: "A home needs to be clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy."

If ever I feel lonely I ...

Have good mates I can call on – and I do. My friend Alison from Glasgow, who lives near me in London, is always up for fun. She will put work aside to meet up, go out for drinks or have a cup of tea. We're on the same wavelength. We went on holiday to Jura this summer and it was a two-day drive to get there. We never stopped yapping the whole way and felt so comfortable in each other's company.

What I look for in a friend is ...

A shared sense of humour, good listener, loyalty, sensitivity, thoughtfulness and reliability – I could go on and on.

I believe the secret to a strong relationship is ...

Listening, communicating, sharing and giving.

Something I wish I'd done earlier ...

The list is far too long to even contemplate – and that's my answer. I have so many regrets in my life.

My all-time favourite YouTube clip ...

I have a 17-year-old son, Ewan, who does nothing but watch YouTube clips but most of them are far too rude to mention. You can imagine the type of thing. Ewan and I share a similarly risque sense of humour. He doesn't mind what he shows me, nor does he have that sense of embarrassment a lot of teenage boys have with their mums.

My childhood hero was ...

I loved the Monkees. I used to fantasise about going on the road with them. I wanted to be a groupie at the age of 12. Davy was my favourite. He was the handsome one. I go for the persona rather than what's underneath.

The place I most like to call home ...

I have two: Rothiemurchus and London. Each are special for different reasons. Ultimately, though, home is wherever I'm with my sons.

Storage Hoarders, presented by Aggie MacKenzie, starts on Monday at 2pm on STV