Thanks to his bid for Scottish independence, Alex Salmond now has one of the most recognisable faces on the planet.
He can’t walk down the street without being stopped for “selfies”, while shopping trips with wife Moira have been banned.
“When Moira and I are travelling together and it’s time to stop for the shopping, she tells me to stay in the car,” he explains, cackling at the thought.
“The reason is, firstly, I talk to everyone. And secondly, everyone talks to me. It takes ages.
“I stay in the car, and turn on the radio and listen to the football.”
Mr Salmond said he accepts he is public property now, and has no issue with the trappings of being a “celebrity”.
“I’ve never seen the slightest reason for people in the public eye to be resentful about publicity or intrusion,” he said.
“My automatic reaction to people in public life who reject public exposure is ‘well, why don’t they do something else?’.
“I think there’s a much bigger case for the families, and I think being a political spouse – man or woman – is the worst job in the world.
“But the person who’s in the public eye should just accept it. In fact, you should be delighted – I certainly am.”
He is also more than happy to embrace the 21st century craze of the “selfie” – a fast, self-portrait, made with a smartphone camera.
In fact, his willingness to pose for the intimate snaps became so legendary during the referendum that he cannot go a day without being asked for one.
“If people want a selfie, why shouldn’t they get a selfie?”