Favourite Holiday: Isle of Lewis. It’s my touchstone. My family are from there.

Favourite Film: The Third Man. So atmospheric in cinematography and mood. I even went on a tour of the film locations in Vienna.

Favourite Book: Dance Called America by James Hunter. The story of the Scottish diaspora in North America has always inspired me.

Favourite Music: Runrig gave me the connection between the Gaelic roots of my home and the pop culture around me. Elvis and Springsteen are very close behind.

Greatest Influence: On a personal level, my parents. Professionally, watching the late Kenny Macintyre reporting was a constant education. And Eddie Mair’s broadcasting is in a class of its own.

Worst Influence: I worked for a short time on a Sunday newspaper. The team were great and treated me really well, but the culture of the time was long liquid lunches.

Advice to 16 year-old self: You belong. Don’t think you’re not good enough. I wish every child at a state school was told that.

Greatest Regret: My only regrets are those that fate delivered and over which I had no control.

Best Advice Received:In TV terms, let the pictures do the talking.

Career High: Anchoring an STV News at Ten special in Edinburgh as the polls closed in the Scottish Independence Referendum. The hairs were standing on the back of my neck.

Career Low: Wearing my lucky white heather for St Andrew’s Day and having to apologise as we crashed off air because of technical difficulties.