It’s very clear from Biblical history and Jewish history that Jewish monotheism wasn’t developed in an instant, that it became gradually the accepted norm. But undoubtedly, Jewish ancestors were polytheists.

When I grew up, we didn’t have a TV, and I think more families today have ambitions of getting out of their environment, such as sending their children to university.

You can’t be judgmental about babies. They are all have different needs. I was left with an enduring hatred of cheese because it was forced down me when I was young.

Whether you’re religious or not, there is a real need for other people’s religious positions to be treated with the upmost respect.

I think it’s important for scientists to be a bit less arrogant, a bit more humble, recognising we are capable of making mistakes and being fallacious – which is increasingly serious in a society where our work may have unpredictable consequences.

I don’t like seeing myself on television and I don’t enjoy filming. What I actually enjoy is thinking about how I am going to express something or how we are going to make the visual metaphor.

Robots may cut down on infection and mean a consultant can see more patients, but wouldn’t you rather meet the doctor than a machine?

Although religion might be useful in developing a solid moral framework – and enforcing it – we can quite easily develop moral intuitions without relying on religion.

Over the past 20 years, I have presented many science programmes on BBC1. But none is, I think, more socially important, or of more human interest, than this ongoing series of ‘Child of Our Time.’

I was born with my moustache and, no, I’ve never been tempted to shave it off. I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about my face and, like Gilbert and Sullivan’s Katisha, my best feature is my left shoulder-blade.