Credo: Ron Jeremy, porn star, 56

(ROBERT YAGER)

I believe...

There's a lot of pressure to perform when you're the best-known [porn] actor in the world; my biggest fear is that I'll be in a scene and I'll suck, and people will say, "Just look at that flaccid noodle." I'm getting older and it feels more of a strain, but I'm still enjoying doing the scenes.

Humans were not designed to be physically monogamous. In Greek and Roman times they weren't; it's a Judaeo-Christian thing. But I do believe we're meant to be emotionally monogamous.

I wanted to act in theatre, but it's difficult to make a living off that sort of work. I got approached to do adult films and the money was good, the travel was amazing, and, of course, let's not forget the lovely ladies...

There's recreational sex and there's making love. One is having fun. The other is emotionally involved; caressing, holding, cuddling. Guys like recreational sex because we're dogs, but women are catching up – toy boys didn't exist when I started out.

Being in porn is tough on a relationship. Girls I date have to be able to separate sex from romance and understand that the girls I sleep with don't mean anything. But it goes both ways; I'll say you can mess around with whoever you want while I'm out of town, as long as there's no walking through parks holding hands or candlelight dinners.

Cherry [my pet tortoise] is very much like my daughter; I'm very close with her. I've had her eight years. She's not the brightest, but she knows me and we cuddle.

If you have a dream, go chase it, but make sure you have something else to fall back on – I got a teaching licence in case the acting didn't work out.

'One-Eyed Monster' (18), Ron Jeremy's latest mainstream film, is out on DVD now