Astley: "Back in the '80s, I was known for being reclusive, often shying away from media attention."

Astley: "Don't expect fame to come overnight. That filtered through to me in my own career. Look at Madonna: she's not the best singer in the world, but she's got where she has through hard work."

Astley: "I don't get recognised until I'm on stage, and then I can walk off and forget about it. It's great."

Astley: "Doing things in my day was simple: you either signed to a big label or you signed to a very small label, and you worked with that one, and then they eventually signed you on to a big one."

Astley: "It's very hard to behave naturally when you know people recognise you."

Astley: "I must admit, the constant invasion of privacy was becoming a real concern. I've been asked for autographs while I've been doing laps in the pool and even in the toilet!"

Astley: "I'm a person who tries not to have regrets."

Astley: "I don't trust politicians. I think that by the time they've made it, with the concessions they've had to make in that position, I don't believe they still have the beliefs they had at the root."

Astley: "I'd had my time in the charts and made loads of money. I was no longer hungry for success."

Astley: "My success set me up for life, and it meant that I could retire from the music industry at 27 to spend time with my newborn daughter and my wife. My time away from the spotlight allowed me to rediscover my love for music, and I'm doing it for me now and no one else."

Astley: "I don't like flying. I'm a bit scared of it and don't enjoy the whole experience."

Astley: "You can't explain the feeling of singing hit songs to an audience - it's like being a genuine sports star at the peak of their powers."

Astley: "I'd been bumming around in bands since my school days."

Astley: "I come away from a gig thinking, 'Yeah, I'm worth something.' I can still do it and entertain people, and that's worth it."