I'd always been the genius of the family.
Jenny Ryan
One person might be able to learn by reading, another will have a good audio memory, and another will make notes in different colored pens. I have a more multi sensory memory - I remember what I was doing when I learnt it and where I was.
Music really helps - singing is huge because it releases all the endorphins and gives me a real thrill. But I still have bad days.
It has taken all of my 20s and most of my 30s to get to this point where I am very happy with who I am.
I've got used to being on 'The Chase' and keeping nice and calm and that feels like comfort now compared to being in the spotlight and being on stage.
I'm really proud to be from Bolton. Population-wise it's the biggest town in Europe but you feel you live in a village - you'll always find yourself beside someone you went to school with.
It's a better boost to my ego that people are commenting positively on my appearance than negatively.
And when they brought me in for the first ever episode of 'The Chase,' they still hadn't figured out the format so I was helping them to play test it and then come up with the right standard of questions. So it's my fault they can be really tough!
I started to sing a lot more during my twenties when I was struggling with depression.
I'd love it if I could face off against the 'Eggheads.'
When I got a call about 'Celebrity X factor' I thought wow, what an opportunity. It felt like everything had been leaning towards that point.
One of my previous incarnations is as a question writer, so I'd worked on shows like 'The Weakest Link' and a couple of very short-lived ITV series.
Yeah, I was expecting most of the comments about my appearance to be about me being fat, because I'm not a skinny girl by any means. But I wasn't expecting there to be that sort of wave of 'Wow - the new Chaser's hot!'
I was miserable at uni. There were months at a time when I wouldn't leave the house unless it was to buy food. I lost a lot of friendships. I later lost jobs because of my mental health.
I get quite a lot of people chatting to me online. Some of the messages do take me by surprise. They can be flattering.
It knocks me for a six when someone online asks me on a date.
I get a lot of people asking if my hair is a wig because it is in an elaborate style. I assure them it is all my own.
I have to put my outfit on in the same order. It's sort of a superstition. The last thing I put on is the glasses.
The Vixen character is not quite me. A part of that is putting up this huge front of being strong, impenetrable, really tough and a little bit condescending.
Quizzing is a family hobby - before I was born my granddad, mum, auntie and uncle were into quizzing.
I remember us all playing Trivial Pursuit at home and my granddad was a member of a local quiz leagues. When I was old enough, I joined the Bolton leagues.
Being a Chaser you are not supposed to show any vulnerability.
Yes, I'd really love to get a chance to tread the boards in the West End, that would be incredible.
To perform live would be amazing; that's a huge thing to undertake.
I've always enjoyed singing as a hobby and an antidepressant.
I always enjoyed singing but I was never convinced that I had a big voice like that, that was distinctive, I just thought I can sing in the choir.
I've held myself back a lot for a lack of confidence.
If you're interested in something, do some more research and don't be afraid to ask questions. At the very worst you're going to know more than you did at the start of the day.
I have always got my computer or phone nearby so that I can find out extra details about a certain subject.
If I am at home I'll put 'Tipping Point' on and will always learn something from it.
I love having a costume for The Vixen as getting into the look allows me to be a bit more snarky and snippy.
People say I'm mean and rude to contestants but The Vixen isn't that bad! It's a game and I'm supposed to be intimidating.
It isn't too bad for me as when I don't have a beehive, I can go incognito in my scruffs.
I took my sister to an ITV event once and it was good to see everything through her eyes as I had perhaps become slightly jaded.
I'm a professional crusher of dreams.
Someone who gave me a lot of confidence was my friend Martin Taylor, he's the most famous man in Bolton. He is a pianist and used to play in one of the local pubs. He would sing everything from classical to rock to pop. He was amazing.
It is quite hurtful when people make a judgement without even really watching me and saying things like, 'I'm not watching if she's on' or 'I don't like change.'
Well I'm partial to a bit of Tom Hardy.
And I'm a big fan of Benedict Cumberbatch.
There's certain people who have contacted me on Twitter, not realizing I am a human being who reads things sent to me directly. They've said, 'I can't stand her. I never watch more than a minute of her before switching off.' It's a bit like 'give me a chance!'
A huge number of real 'Chase' fans have taken me to their hearts and people are recognizing me out and about and are saying how pleased they are with me making a refreshing change to the lineup - not that they don't like the other guys but people like that we're all different.
There are moments when the Chasers drop clangers. It's not that the questions are harder than usual, but it's the pressure and speed.
I could read from the age of three, and I used to love watching quiz shows with my grandad, especially 'Fifteen To One' on Channel 4.
I decided the things I enjoyed were quizzes and television, so I decided to find a way to combine them.
I loved the show from the start and thought, 'I wish I could be a Chaser.'
Paul Sinha is a very good piano player and singer.
We feel so lucky. We were amateur quizzers but now we get to do it for a living. So there's no way any of us Chasers would walk out.
I actually worked on the pilot of 'The Chase' and wrote the questions on it.
I've been on my fair share of quiz shows so I'm very empathetic with the contestants and I know exactly how they feel.
We're quite fortunate on 'The Chase,' we get to sit very still and you can concentrate on one thing at one time - the questions.
