Quotes OF THE WEEK

‘To see it in black and white was nothing more than a firearm stuck in the ear. When you have a gun in your ear, you hand over your wallet.’

Paul McCulley, chief economist with Pimco, the world’s largest bondtrading firm, on the ECB letter to Brian Lenihan that led to the bailout ‘I think that they’ve nailed the complexity of the Traveller culture. There’s a lot more going on than the Nidge thing.’

John Connors, Patrick from Love/Hate, on one of the achievements of the show ‘We [Boyzone] played to 200,000 people in Hyde Park this year, and the next day I did a matinee to 37 people, and that was more exciting.’

Keith Duffy, on how acting is now his

passion

‘It’s fine to boo Irish players.’

Gordon Strachan, Scotland manager, on why it’s okay for his country’s fans to jeer Scots-born Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy ‘Okay, I’m fine doing the topless shot so long as you don’t make them any bigger or retouch.’

Keira Knightley, on why she is happy with her body the way it is ‘When you work as a humanitarian, you are conscious that politics have to be considered.’ Angelina Jolie, on what her next big role might be ‘I’m a spoiled rotten, overpaid, undernourished rock star. But if I was starting out now, aged 17 or 18, I would be very excited.’

Bono, on his fame and fortune

‘It could have been worse. He could have said, “I don’t like them.”’ Lorraine Kelly, TV presenter, revealing that actor Robert Downey Jr’s first words to her when he sat down to be interviewed were, ‘nice t**s’