My London: Tess Daly

TV presenter Tess Daly loves getting round town on her bike, shopping in Selfridges and watching Sex and The City. She tells Alistair Duncan how a Derbyshire lass gets by in the Big Smoke.

Where do you live and why? Maida Vale, West London. It's convenient for Heathrow, and also handy for Hampstead Heath, which is great for cycle rides.

How long have you lived in London? Ten years in total. I've had spells in Finsbury Park and East London - which is where I lived when I first came to London - but all-in-all I think West is best.

What has been your most memorable London meal? It was at Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea. I took my boyfriend Vernon Kay there for his birthday. It's amazing, in a word. But it's not cheap, that's for sure.

What is your earliest London memory? Euston station. I remember arriving there from Derbyshire one weekend with a friend and trying to find a B&B. I was about 16 or 17 and we were going to the Hippodrome to see a live band called Academy.

Harvey Nicks or Selfridges? Selfridges. It's more compact. Harvey Nicks is chic, but you can get everything you want in Selfridges in just two hours.

What do you miss most when you're out of London? I miss all its conveniences, like being able to get bread and milk at one in the morning.

What are your favourite home comforts? A comfy bed, a well-stacked CD rack and all the series of Sex and the City - I've got every episode ever made.

What is your life philosophy? We are here for a short time. Let's make the most of it.

What are your favourite shops? I love Blackout II in Covent Garden. It's a clothes shop that specialises in second-hand shoes, ballgowns and interesting one-off pieces. Also, Sub Couture on Kensington Park Road, which has lots of my favourite designers. I love Portobello Market on the weekend: cheap and cheerful.

What is in your spring wardrobe? I've just bought some three-quarter-length pants, but I don't know if they're me. I just got a corduroy waistcoat from Stella McCartney, too. I saw Jenny from Atomic Kitten wearing it and asked her where she got it from.

What scent do you wear? I don't wear perfume. I occasionally use lavender oil but generally I don't want to smell like something out of a bottle.

Who's in your secret address book? Geale's in Notting Hill for the best fish 'n' chips in town. I often go there after watching a movie at The Screen on the Hill. It's a traditional fish restaurant with a good wine menu, lovely mushy peas and great bread rolls for chip butties.

What would you do if you were Mayor for the day? Have a traffic warden-free day. I'd send them away on a PR training day. Teach them how to be nice to their fellow men. You just can't reason with them. I was in a taxi the other day and a warden started writing the taxi driver a ticket as I was getting out!

What were the last books you bought? Wrong Rooms by Mark Sanderson. It's an autobiographical book about love and loss. Incredibly moving. Also Nelson Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom.

What was the last play you saw in London and did you enjoy it? I made a New Year resolution to go to the theatre every other week, but I haven't kept to it. I saw Peter Kay at the Hammersmith Apollo and that was amazing. And when I went to the Jonathan Ross interview with Madonna the other day, Minnie Driver, who was there, invited me and my boyfriend to her new play, Sexual Perversity in Chicago.

How do you get around town? I usually get a lift to work, but I love cycling. When you cycle around, the city really feels like your city.

What are your extravagances? A recent extravagance was hiring a 'home masseur'. She came round, lay me out on my bed and massaged me. It was great - I only had to stagger to the sofa afterwards! Generally, my extravagances are shopping and long lunches with friends.

What was the last CD you bought? I like chill-out CDs, but most recently I've bought the Big Brovaz album, Nu Flow, and the Justin Timberlake album,
Justified. Good, if a little 'light pop' in places.

What advice would you give to a tourist? Walk through the city and you will discover. I'd say the best would be a visit to the South Bank: take in the river, the bridges, the London Eye, the Dali Universe gallery in County Hall.

Tess Daly presents Home On Their Own every Tuesday at 8.30pm on ITV1