Quotes

[on working on breakfast television] One minute you'd be interviewing Madonna, the next it would be the Prime Minister, then someone who'd walked across the country and raised thousands for charity. And there is a real intimacy about that kind of broadcasting. Often you are the first person people will see in the morning.

[on the difference between working on GMTV (1993) and Tipping Point (2012)] Live TV is the most exciting thing in the world to do, whether it's football, or on something like GMTV as anything can happen at any time. So you are always waiting for disaster to strike, although 80% of the time it doesn't happen. This is a very different situation as I have four contestants all trying to do the best they can and I want them to be comfortable and we want to create the best programme we can. So it's a very different skill but just as enjoyable.

[on game show Tipping Point (2012)] The guys who developed it wanted to do a show with this iconic piece of machinery. There is a real sense of nostalgia about it as we've all played on those machines, at the seaside and in arcades. We've supersized it, it looks beautiful.

I'm not as much of a disciplinarian as Dad was but I'm getting like him. I hear myself saying things that really irritate me, such as: 'Do you think your coat lives on the floor?' or 'Is there a reason your shoes are on the table?'. Those are things Dad said but I can't help it. I catch myself doing it and my wife will laugh. I'm proud of Dad but there are some worrying things about it - it's a sign of getting older and growing up.

[on the birth of second child] I actually wanted to call him Bauer and Annie [Shephard's wife] put her foot down. Annie did brilliantly and Jack looks just like Sam [his first child] when Sam was born - he has got tons and tons of hair and massive feet and when he came out he looked a bit like a hobbit.

[on filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) documentary] I've also filmed behind the scenes documentaries for all the films and in the last but one, Julie Walters let me feel her boobs! She was dressed as Mrs Weasley and was telling me about all the padding she has to wear. As we were stood in the Great Hall of all places, she invited me to have a feel and I did. She quipped 'I think you've touched the real thing there Ben!' It was hilarious!

When you become a parent you try to work out what you did with all the time you had - all those hours hungover or in front of the TV.

[on his favourite thing about being a dad] If we're going somewhere [his youngest son, Jack] will shout, 'Dad wait for me' and come running to hold my hand so we can go together. That little moment when they reach for your hand is amazing.

[while working on ITV's Mystery Map (2013), commenting on his own life] Where do the socks go that never come out of the washing machine? That's a mystery everybody should look into because, quite frankly, that can't be explained physically or chemically. How my two small children can eat so much food... The strange mystery of the disappearing crisps in the house. No clues and no one willing to own up to it. The series has absolutely piqued my interest in finding out about things like this.

The most expensive thing I've ever splashed out on is my wife. Keeping her going in shoes, handbags and tops costs me an absolute fortune. Seriously, I must have spent less money running my old TVR and that car was a money pit.

It's not good for my image, but I like cleaning stuff. I get immense satisfaction from vacuuming, mopping up, sorting, polishing, tidying and putting stuff away. Then I'll sit down with a big cup of tea and feel that all is well in the world.

The bravest thing I've ever done is being present at the birth of our kids. That was pretty blooming brave.

[on his wife, Annie] She wasn't particularly interested in getting married or having children but I wore her down. I didn't realise how much it would change me. We'd been together for nine years when I proposed but it gave an extra sense of security. I adore my job but have very little responsibility and starting a family gave me that.

[on growing up] I was more adventurous [than his siblings] and would stay out later. As a father, I understand that asking where your child is going, who they're with and when they'll be back are all reasonable questions but, as a 15-year-old, I didn't want to share that information. I wasn't getting into trouble - I just wanted my own boundaries and a bit of privacy.

[on getting up early during his time as a breakfast TV presenter on GMTV] My alarm clock used to go off at 3.30am and sometimes I'd only had half an hour's sleep when I went on air as my youngest son Sam was a shocking sleeper. There were often times when I slept in a separate bedroom just ­so I could get some kip. ­It wasn't romantic, but I had to do it.

I'm more excited about coming home and finding out how the boys have been getting on than doing a huge event at the Olympics or coming back from Cannes.

[on being a parent] I'm involved with as much as I can. I do the school run as often as work allows, although I think it should really be renamed the school scramble, as it can be so tricky juggling everything and getting everyone out of the door on time. I completely take my hat off to [wife Annie] and all mums out there - you're amazing and I don't know how you do it!

If I could pass any law it would be to crack down on the way people use mini roundabouts. Anyone who stops when it's their right of way should be immediately banned from driving.

If I had half an hour left on Earth I'd want to be with my family. I'd go to the park with my sons then have a kickabout and climb trees.

My perfect Sunday is I'd be out in the park with my sons, having a kickabout and a long walk. Then afterwards we'd come home for a big roast lunch, sit around with friends and tell stories. The kids would then miraculously take themselves off to bed, so Annie [his wife] and I could carry on sitting about and enjoying the evening together, singing ridiculous songs. Then we'd wake up the next day feeling amazing.

When I was at university I liked to go out clubbing all night. I never knew when it was time to stop and I would stay up until 3am or 4am. But now I don't have such mad nights because I have kids and it hurts when they jump on your head and you've not had any sleep. If I'm having a dinner at a friend's I can easily stay up all night drinking and chatting but I'd never do it if I was working the next day. As much as I love to think I could, my face tells every single story of what I've been doing the night before. As good as make-up is, you can't disguise the fact you've only had 10 minutes' sleep!

I drive a Range Rover because it suits family life. But I live in London and I long for a garage.

I'm very good at jumping off stuff. I have a strange compulsion to do it and I'm always happy to jump first, before anyone else. I've jumped off cliffs, diving boards, buildings, cupboards, wardrobes - all kinds of things.

I fell into this bizarre world and got a job in telly. My wife's been involved all the way through, which has been lovely, and now we've got kids and life goes on. She's the rational one to my sort of 'off in the world chasing mysteries', which I think works brilliantly, or seems to work all right.

Mum was hugely influential on me. Wherever she goes, she'll find something to talk to people about and she's very inquisitive. She's quite theatrical, which rubbed off on me - I like finding out about people. I love my job because I get to give the people I meet - whether it's a footballer, movie star or member of the public - the chance to tell their story, which I've got from my Mum. I wanted to go into a performing environment and Dad wanted me to have something to fall back on and be realistic about things. He was great - he knew I liked sport and people and he came up with loads of ideas for careers, such as sports marketing, if what I wanted to do didn't work out. They never said there was only one career route for us. Their expectations were for us to work hard and be happy and enjoy life.

[on his worst thing about being a dad] I find being consistent with them incredibly difficult, especially as being a parent is never black and white. Another tricky one is resisting the temptation to laugh when you're telling them off, especially if they've done something funny, but still naughty! I'm terrible at distracting them when they should be doing something else, and tend to lead them astray with fun and games, even when I know I shouldn't.

There's a romantic in me that wants UFOs to exist and for there to be ghosts.