Sophie Ellis-Bextor

A career in entertainment has a lifespan, like one in sport.

I started my music career at 18 and for a long while I let other people handle my affairs.

You should make an effort on stage because it's a performance. The stage should be glittery and camp, but I don't go down the shops in full stage gear.

I'm all for consumer rights. I get very aggravated if I don't get a good service.

I think I'm fairly good with money, but I've developed some strange tics - in shops I don't like to go to the counter unless I've got at least two things to buy. If I'm walking around with just one thing in my hand I'll put it back and wait a few weeks because that doesn't seem like a proper purchase.

Someone had my number and they started text-stalking me. I've never replied to them. It was tempting to write back, but I resisted.

I'm too frightened of confrontation, so I will always tip - even if the service has been really shoddy.

But I quite like that the public has a very short attention span. If I haven't been on telly for a little bit, I can sense it. People don't take as much notice of you, it's really quite palpable.

I was an only child, but then my parents resettled with different partners, and I am now one of six.

I must confess I knew very little about the trance scene, I'm more house and commercial dance but it was really interesting and different.

I can definitely tell when mum has got money because then she likes to go shopping to spend it, whereas dad is steadier and avoids splurges. I like to think I've inherited both sides.

Some people can get away with being very sexy to men and not looking like a complete cow, but I didn't think I was in a position where people knew me well enough.