The Five Minute Interview: Fearne Cotton, television and radio presenter

Fearne Cotton, 26, is a television and radio presenter. She shot to fame working on children's television shows including Eureka TV and The Saturday Show before moving into more mainstream broadcasting with Top of the Pops, Love Island and The Xtra Factor. Fearne currently hosts the chart show on Radio 1 and presented this year's Golden Globes, Baftas and Oscars award ceremonies for the BBC. She is also the roving reporter for the Walkers ‘Do us a flavour’ campaign, where crisp lovers were challenged to invent a brand new flavour of crisp. The six final flavours are: Chilli & Chocolate, Fish & Chips, Onion Bhaji, Crispy Duck & Hoisin, Cajun Squirrel and Builder’s Breakfast. For more visit: www.walkers.co.uk.

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be…

At the moment I’d be training at the gym. I’m climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with Chris Moyles, Gary Barlow, Cheryl Cole Kimberly Walsh and Ben Sheppard for Comic Relief next month so I’m desperately trying to get in shape.

A phrase I use far too often...

“That’s amazing”. I say amazing way too much. I’m just so enthusiastic about things so I’m not exaggerating when I say it which I suppose makes it better. I really do find things amazing!

I wish people would take more notice of...

I would say animal cruelty. There’s still such much going on out there, from cruelty in a domestic sense right up to the terrible conditions of animals in transportation. We need to raise awareness and we can all do our bit in our own way. I’ve not eaten meat since I was 11 but even those who do eat meat can make a real difference by being careful in what they buy. Buying organic or free range is so important.

A common misperception of me is...

That I’m some sort of rock chick. I hate that phrase - it doesn’t mean anything to me. My life is about as rocking as my Nan’s at the moment, I don’t go out, I don’t have a social life and I haven’t been to a gig in ages. I do like rock music and yes I have tattoos but I’m not in a band and certainly don’t lead a very rock and roll lifestyle.

The most surprising thing that ever happened to me was...

Probably when the Italian Rugby team came into my gym. I had no idea who they were but all of a sudden these Italian hunks just filled the room. I was running on the treadmill trying to look as attractive as I could. As soon as I got home I Googled them and found out they were the Italian rugby team – in town to play England at Twickenham that weekend.

I am not a politician but...

I would love to have a day in the year where everyone is legally obliged to be nice to everyone else. We’re all so obsessed with being the biggest, the best, the richest or whatever, that we’re happy to trample over people to get there. A day of compulsory niceness could inspire people to take more notice of one another. And it’d be a national holiday too, so everyone would look forward to it.

I'm good at...

Dancing. I’m a trained dancer and been doing it since I was 5 so I’m pretty good at that. Also I paint. I’m actually right in the middle of planning an exhibition planning as we speak. It’s difficult finding the time but hopefully I’ll be able to show my work sometime in the next year.

But I'm very bad at...

So many things! I’m really bad at competitive sports – football, netball basketball, those kind of things. I’m certainly not planning to compete with the other guys on Kilimanjaro. Just getting up there will be a victory in itself

The ideal night out is...

Something called a TV picnic. My friend Holly and I often have these evenings where we go to the supermarket, buy a load of picnic food, put on our pyjamas and watch television. The best show to enjoy a TV picnic with is Stephen Fry in America

In moments of weakness I...

Turn to gin. Training means I’ve not been allowed to drink for over a month, so every day is becoming a day of weakness. As soon as it’s over I’m planning to drink a whole vat of gin.

You know me as a television and radio presenter but in truer life I'd have been...

An air hostess. When I was six I wrote a letter to British Airways asking them if I could have a job. I felt completely ready for a career as an air hostess so when they wrote back I was so excited. Sadly it wasn’t a job offer but they did say they were pleased I wanted to work for them and that I should apply again in ten years time. I’ve kept the letter just in case.

The best age to be is...

I don’t think I’ve reached the best age yet to be honest. I imagine I’m going to really enjoy by thirties as I’m getting more comfortable in my own skin as I get older. I really hated my teenage years. I was so confused about everything and could never really relax enough to enjoy it. I had a great party year at 22, going out to gigs and things but despite the fact I’m getting a bit more boring as I get older, I’m feeling a lot more settled personally.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is…

Just have a laugh. I don’t want to look back and feel I’ve missed things because I was scared or didn’t think I could do them. As my friend Holly says: “It’s better to be riding the roller-coaster than standing in the queue”. To be honest I feel like I’m doing loop-the-loop right now.