Over the past 40 years I have been interviewed quite a number of times on television, especially during the years of the Save Elstree Studios campaign from 1988 to 1996.

The fame and fate of Elstree Studios resonated around the world so television news crews would turn up from Germany, Iceland, Australia and Italy, to name just a few countries. There are two things you soon learn about being interviewed on camera: they keep you talking and then use only a fraction of the footage as news footage usually just wants sound bites, then they promise to send you a copy but never do so I never got to see most of my television appearances.

On one occasion a crew from Brazil arrived and said they would shoot me in long shot on the studio backlot. I asked why and they said most of their viewers did not understand English so they would dub in a voice back home. They said I could just ramble on about anything as I would be too far away for lip readers. Hence I spoke about my hernia operation, what I was planning to have for lunch, etc. I never saw the transmitted version so I have no idea what the Brazilian chap said on my behalf about the campaign.

A friend on holiday in Spain phoned to say I had just cropped up on local television speaking perfect Spanish. I did not have the heart to tell him it had been dubbed.

I also recall doing a live interview outside the studio gatehouse for ITV and in their studio they had Michael Winner saying Elstree was not worth saving as it was just a series of tin sheds off the A1 and film makers rarely used sound stages anymore. It is true Michael always preferred location shooting, but it was rubbish and my response told him so. I got a bit heated and called him a 'rent a quote' as he was always popping up talking about films. I had to contend with listening to what he was saying in an earpiece and staring straight into the camera which you usually are asked to ignore when being interviewed. I was also enduring various studio staff walking behind the camera and trying to make me laugh.

I must say that Michael later sent me a note containing £200 saying that while he did not agree with me he respected the campaign and enclosed a donation. That was more than nearly all the high and mighty of the film business ever did.

For some reason, when The X Factor was riding high I was asked to appear on three documentaries about Simon Cowell. I basically told the same story each time, which Simon had told me. It was how he started his career as a runner on a 1970s television series called Return Of The Saint at Elstree and left after a month or so. The studio was then owned by EMI, which also had a record division. His dad was an advisor to EMI so he went there instead and the rest is history. Ironically the producer he worked for, Robert Baker, was a friend of mine and responsible also for The Saint television series with Roger Moore and much more .

One of the documentaries was for American television, so they filmed me at the studio and then asked me to guide them to Simon's old residence in nearby Barnet Lane, which I did and they filmed the exterior. The interviewer told me the week before they had interviewed a famous singer who demanded the interview took place in a plush New York suite which they had to hire for the day even though it only took an hour. The best champagne and expensive nibbles had to be provided.

Do you know what I got for my time and effort? A meal at the Toby Carvery in Borehamwood and a cup of tea! Again, I never saw the final result but Simon did, for when I hosted a plaque unveiling in his honour at Elstree he thanked me for my television appearance. 13 years later - never a phone call or Christmas card from him!

So you see these television crews and channels are often a positive shower but I must admit they were always fun to do.