You were on screen the first night S4C went on air.

Yes I was, and this is what I wore. They’re suede. They’ve never been worn outside the studio, I was too afraid! Every time I had a cup of tea I used to lean to one side so that I wouldn’t drip onto my clothes. They were very fashionable at the time. If you think back to what Diana used to wear, all that frills, it was all the rage at the time.

How did you feel on that first night?

It was a nightmare! I was so frightened. But it was an amazing night, fantastic! I was also very aware that it was a historical evening. Everybody told me, that if I made a mess of things, if I stumbled on my words, that I would go down in history for all the wrong reasons! As I was only twenty one at the time I don’t think I was fully aware of the true significance of the night, but as I get older, that night, and what happened since and is still happening today I realise it was very special.

You have a wonderful collection of clothes.

Between S4C and ‘Heno’, I was on television four nights or four days a week for about twenty years, and that’s a lot of outfits! I’ve been caught out several times, especially in those early years wearing things that are totally inappropriate for what I was doing. So now, I start at the bottom with my shoes and work my way up, matching everything with my shoes.

What did you think of the fashion in the 1980s?

I loved it! When you look back they were ugly and over the top. But at the time I thought they were fantastic with those big shoulders! Everything was Dynasty or Dallas, everything was big! The hair was big, the earrings were big, the shoulders padded and there were decorations everywhere, from gold chains to big buttons. It was just fantastic! Looking back I can’t believe I wore such things, but at the time they were great.

This is unusual, where did it come from?

I got this even before S4C went on air, at the Eisteddfod in Swansea, at Singleton Park. Hundreds were made to advertise S4C and I got to model it first. It’s made out of paper, so thank god it didn’t rain that day or my career would’ve been over before it even began!

You like a lot of sparkle don’t you?

I love it. I like beads and sequins that shine, feathers and all kinds of dangly things – I love them! Everyone’s dressing up to go out again, wearing sparkly clothes and going a little OTT, but not as much as they used to in the 80s though! A little more sedate, but I like being glamorous.

This is a wonderful dress, where did it come from?

This is the dress I wore to the Oscars. I was very lucky to be able to attend a few years ago, the same year as the film Titanic won all those awards. It’s a lovely dress, the cut is fantastic and it already has padding for the breasts! About six weeks before the Oscars, and at the time I didn’t know that I would be attending, I presented a fashion show with Gary Owens. We had to model some of the outfits ourselves, and this was one of them. At the end of the night Gary persuaded me to buy this dress even though I never normally wear something as formal. Then a few days later I was told that I would be going to the Oscars and I had this dress at the ready!

When you switched from television to the radio, was it a shock to the system not having to dress up every day?

It was strange. I’m glad that I didn’t have to worry about what I wore because at the time I started work at 5am! Now that I work in the afternoons I like to dress up, and even though some don’t understand why, seeing as I’m on the radio, we do get guests into the studio. The strange thing is, about a quarter of an hour before we go on air I’ll comb my hair, put some perfume on and a little lipstick before I walk into the studio – so it’s possible that it’s in my blood!

As a presenter and public figure, do you feel any pressure not to age at all?

If I worried about getting old, I wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning! I could never get away with wearing the same clothes as I did when I was twenty now. It wouldn’t look right. I just try to do look my best and the stage I am in my life right now.

What’s the difference between Siân Thomas the public figure and presenter, and Siân Thomas, the person around the house, the real Siân?

I would like to think that there isn’t a difference between the two, I’m not aware of a difference. Even though you sometimes have to buy certain things for special occasions, I’m not going to buy something that isn’t me. I like to think that I am who I am at all times.