Me.. and my housekeeping! I’ve been queen of casseroles for years

Presenter Katie Derham couldn’t live without cake, loves a bargain and dreams of having Lady Gaga as a dinner guest

Katie lives in West Sussex with her husband, John Vincent, and their two daughters, Natasha, 19, and Eleanor, 14.

How would you describe your home?

Characterful! It’s old and rambling, full of interesting corners and unexpected steps, with way too much random clutter.

How tidy is it?

Fair to middling. It’s probably best described as ‘lived in’.

Cook for friends or eat out?

I love having people over. Preferably, they’ll stay the night, too, so kids can come. It means everyone can stay up late and we get more time to chat in the morning.

What is your signature dish?

I’ve been the queen of casseroles over the years. My lamb kleftiko always goes down well, but it takes five hours to prep and cook, so, if I’m in a hurry, I’ll make a curry. Once you have the key spices to hand, making one from scratch is easy.

What food could you not live without?

Cake.

Dream dinner party guests?

Lady Gaga, Dorothy Parker, Mozart, Anton Du Beke [Katie’s partner in the 2015 series of Strictly]. How fun would that be?

Best kitchen gadget?

The Wonderbag, which is kind of a bag for your casserole. In the morning, start your casserole on the hob until boiling, take it off the heat and put the pot in the Wonderbag. When you get home, hey presto; dinner is ready!

What is the best bargain you’ve ever found?

I’m constantly rifling through sale rails. I got a great Paul Smith coat for £100 back in the day. It’s bright pink and way too long, but I love it and have worn it every winter for 20 years.

To work hard, value education and to always be kind. They also taught me to know my own worth. To quote my Yorkshire mother, ‘You show ’em!’ And to speak clearly, sit up straight and finish my plate.

What did your parents teach you? What advice will you hand down to your children?

As above, and to really, really enjoy what you do. Oh, and drink decent quality wine past the age of 25!

What are your kitchen cupboard must-haves?

Loads of spices, oils, chutneys, jams and jellies to perk everything up. I swear we have more condiments than actual food.

What do you always have in your fridge?

There are always ingredients for a fine breakfast. We all like a good start, so eggs, avocado, Naked bacon (the one with no nasties) or smoked salmon, plus endless supplies of Greek yogurt.

What is your biggest extravagance?

My garden. I love it and spend a lot of time growing flowers and vegetables. I convince myself that I’m saving some money, but if time is money, then those cosmos and courgettes are practically gold-plated.

What lifts your mood?

Taking the dog out for a run or just standing outside my back door and looking at the scenery. We moved to the countryside 10 years ago and love it. I can feel my shoulders drop when I stare at the view.

Are you a hoarder or a chucker?

Definitely a hoarder. I’m so pleased that my girls have started digging out my old 1980s evening dresses and are not laughing at them. Well, most of them!

What is at the top of your to-do list?

Get more sleep.

What is your health motto?

Don’t stress too much about it. I’m pretty good at eating healthily and since getting fit on Strictly I’ve enjoyed exercise more… but I also like cake and wine.

•Katie Derham presents the BBC Proms on BBC Two & BBC Four, and In Tune on BBC Radio 3