The first song I fell in love with
I was at nursery school when Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen was the song of the moment. I remember seeing the video on Top of the Pops, which is chilling at first, but epic when it gets to the big guitar break.

The first single I bought
My mum had this little record player that used to keep me very entertained, so I got her to buy me Ring My Bell by Anita Ward for my birthday or Christmas, from a record shop in Wolverhampton.

The song I do at karaoke
I recently took part in Soccer Aid, and one of the traditions is that they have karaoke after, so I did I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston. It’s a big number, so I’m not sure what possessed me; I just went for it and belted it out. I got a standing ovation, so I can’t have done too badly.

The song I inexplicably know every lyric to
There are so many, but I can belt out the lyrics to Take on Me and The Sun Always Shines on TV by a-ha for days.

The best song to play at a party
If I’m with my girlfriends, as soon as Candy by Cameo comes on, we know the routine, we know the steps, we take over the dancefloor, and it literally goes off.

The song I can no longer listen to
I’m going to make a lot of enemies, but I’m ready for the backlash. I don’t mind Christmas, but when Merry Xmas Everybody by Slade is playing in shops, I think: Please no, I can’t deal with it. I’m a woman of a certain age, so I’ve had 50-plus years of it.

The song I secretly like, but tell everyone I hate
My Heart Will Go On by Céline Dion. It could have crept into the “song I can no longer listen to”. But actually, it’s just been saved.

The song that changed my life
One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston came out in the summer of the 1988 Olympics. It embodied everything that I was feeling at that moment – where you are more than you thought you could be. I had it in my mind that I would go on to win an Olympic gold medal, and it kind of fuelled that passion and desire even more.

The song that gets me up in the morning
Hold on to your table – it’s a feisty one. Savage by Megan Thee Stallion, because it’s so upbeat and empowering, and makes me feel like I’m going to own it; that I’m that woman who is going to conquer the day.

The song that makes me cry
Even thinking about The Scientist by Coldplay, I get tearful. I went to see them recently and I was blubbing like a baby.

The song I’d like played at my funeral
I’m living for ever, so I won’t be having one. But just in case, I can imagine My Way by Frank Sinatra belting out as I’m cremated or put in the ground.

Denise Lewis is working with Scottish Widows to help women ensure career breaks don’t impact their financial futures.