“Anyone who's tuned in to the House of Commons TV coverage knows the benches are often empty. I like that. I'm a big fan of political transparency. It's good for us to know which debates the MPs consider important enough to show up for, and which not.”

British writer, television presenter and professional poker player

Victoria Coren Mitchell is a British writer, television presenter and professional poker player. She writes a weekly column for The Daily Telegraph and has presented the BBC quiz show Only Connect since it began in 2008. She is known for work that crosses writing, broadcasting and poker. Her public profile is especially tied to her long-running column and to Only Connect, while her poker career adds another strand to a varied media life.