Sybil Mulcahy, television presenter
The most interesting person I ever interviewed . . .Most people who end up on The Morning Show couch have had interesting lives, but from a celebrity point of view, I found Jo Malone fascinating. She built a global empire from her kitchen, while at the same time being a mother of one. When she came into TV3 she was so unassuming and accommodating, chatting away like we were old friends.
If I was running the country . . .I would change the political structures and the way people get elected and ensure standards covering accountability, ethics and even dress code are applied.
The best day so far . . .apart from the day my children Hugh and Genevieve came along, of course, was waking up in the Four Seasons Hotel on the Bosphorus in Istanbul. We then took a boat across the river to an island where I interviewed Eva Mendes, then returned to the hotel for a massage and later cocktails at the bar before heading out to explore the night life.
My most embarrassing moment on TV was . . .being live on the 5.30pm news on the red carpet at the Ifta awards desperately trying to fill in three minutes while I waited for Mischa Barton to come back over to us – and she turned out to be a dreadful interviewee.
If I lost everything in the morning . . .I would emigrate to Australia with my family and start again in a country that's not in financial ruins, nor tainted with political corruption.
My children . . .are quite bold, I'm afraid, or is it better to call them "free spirits"? Hugh is five and the highlight for me last year was when he pulled down his pants and peed on the baggage carousel in JFK airport. Genevieve is three and pretty much only eats toast and pasta. I tear my hair out with both of them on a daily basis. Parenthood . . the joys.
The person who had the biggest influence on me . . .Many people have steered me through: first and foremost, though, is my father, as he is so moral and always does the right thing. Irish-American philanthropist Chuck Feeney has to be an inspiration to us all, having given away most of his fortune, very carefully, to fund education and progressive community projects. He flies economy and wears a $15 watch – if only more rich people would take a leaf out of his book.
My broadcasting hero is . . .Jon Snow, the news anchor on Channel 4. He is immensely smart, cool under pressure and a brilliant presenter.
Having to dress up for work . . .is made much easier because my wardrobe is sponsored by Debenhams and some other small boutiques. They send clothes in to me on a weekly basis, or else I go into the stores and pick what I want. I don't get to keep them though – they all go back at the end of the week.
My favourite way to relax is . . .reading thrillers, preferably the latest Lee Child, in front of the fire with a big glass of wine and a box of chocolates.
The thing most people don't know about me . . .is that I am slightly addicted to chocolate, as are the whole Mulcahy family. My mother blames my father for this bad habit. I probably eat a bar every day, and a Terry's Chocolate Orange wouldn't last a minute in the fridge. And I wonder then why my stomach is so wobbly.
Sybil Mulcahy co-presents TV3s Morning Showand is supporting the Irish Cancer Society's Curves for Breast Cancer initiative, which takes place in October. curves.ie
In conversation with Sinéad Gleeson