How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
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411 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Jennette McCurdy on Reclaiming Her Voice
18 februari 2026 · 57 min
This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia. Listener discretion advised. Lees meer
This might be one of the most powerful conversations I’ve ever had on How To Fail. I don’t say that lightly - I’ve had some amazing guests - but there’s something about how Jennette puts the female experience into words that I find truly electrifying.
Raised Mormon in Orange County, Jennette had a difficult, abusive childhood which she chronicled with unflinching honesty in her 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died - a book that spent more than 90 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
Her new novel, Half His Age, follows 17-year-old Waldo as she embarks on an affair with her 40-year-old creative writing teacher. It’s a startling, powerful story about discomfort, agency and self-determination and it became a Sunday Times Number One bestseller in its first week!
In this episode, we talk about her upbringing, her experience of disordered eating, the writing process and the grounding partner she’s been with for nine years (who I was lucky enough to meet). Plus: setting boundaries, finding your voice, rage, recovery and autonomy.
Recorded in our London studio.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
03:27 Speaking Up and Setting Boundaries
04:15 Reception of 'Half His Age'
07:22 Exploring Mormonism and Guilt
14:36 Failures and Creative Process
30:09 Calorie Restriction Lessons from My Mother
30:58 First Encounter with Anorexia
32:45 The Turning Point: Mother's Death and Recovery
32:58 Struggles with Bulimia
35:41 Therapy and the Road to Recovery
36:47 Understanding the Value of Eating Disorders
38:59 Healing Through Relationships
42:58 Finding My Voice and Inner Peace
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
I think oftentimes a woman is perceived as difficult if the person around her can't meet her standards.
It’s time that women start speaking up in any capacity - and not worrying about being 'too much'.
There is nothing more powerful than a woman's …
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ON FAMILY DYNAMICS… With Bella Freud and Danny Dyer
16 februari 2026 · 22 min
Families are fascinating: how those first bonds shape our understanding of love, security and ourselves. In this episode, we revisit episodes with Bella Freud and Danny Dyer, who each open up about the simultaneous beauty and complexity of family life. Lees meer
Bella Freud, speaks about losing both of her parents to cancer within a week. As the great granddaughter of Sigmund Freud and the eldest sibling, she reflects on a complex childhood, the responsibilities she carried and how grief reshaped her sense of identity.
Secondly, we hear from Danny Dyer, who shares what it was like growing up on a council estate with a single mother. He discusses the shock of discovering his father had another family and how the absence of love in his early years shaped the devoted parent he is today.
Family dynamics can feel messy and taboo, but I hope this episode offers reassurance, validation and insight into the ties that form us first and stay with us for life.
Listen to Bella Freud’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/mQntNELQPRhZ9CjFQO77
Listen to Danny Dyer's full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/L192dU5DZHQnCUjFWuX8
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Family Support: www.family-action.org.uk
Elizabeth’s Substack: theelizabethday.substack.com
Join the How To Fail community: howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Vi…
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Mo Gilligan - Fatherhood Is A Gift I Didn’t Know I Needed
11 februari 2026 · 52 min
Mo Gilligan started out working in retail (think Jo Malone and Levi’s) but quit in 2018 when his online comedy videos went viral. The leap paid off - sell-out tours across the UK, a late-night entertainment show on Channel 4 and his own breakout format The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan, which earned him the first of three BAFTA wins. Netflix specials, world tours, primetime TV and a podcast soon followed. Lees meer
Now in 2026, Gilligan is launching the biggest year of his career to date with a global tour, a major new partnership with Netflix and a feature documentary which will offer a glimpse behind the scenes of the 37-year-old at the top of his game.
In this episode, Mo opens up about being a dad to his six-month-old daughter and two-year-old son, the pressure of representing the Black British community in stand-up and the debt that shadowed him for years.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
03:51 Retail Experience and Its Influence
06:11 Audience Interaction and Respect
09:13 School Struggles and Dyslexia
18:14 Family, Fatherhood and Financial Lessons
25:19 The Standup Struggle
26:37 Credit Card Chaos
31:12 The Viral Breakthrough
33:35 Touring Triumphs and Tribulations
36:04 Code Switching and Representation
39:43 Handling Success and Praise
45:51 Family and Future Plans
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
I really wanna make people feel cool. I think it’s the nicest feeling ever.
Knowing that I am my children’s universe... That is such a gift that I didn’t know I needed to have.
I find it hard to listen to praise about myself. I find it very, very hard... I'm always trying to move on to the next one.
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Get Mo’s tour tickets here: mogilligan.com/mo-live
Mo’s new Netflix show is available to watch now: Mo Gilligan - In the Moment
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
📚 WANT MORE?
Ashley Walters - on growing up fast, struggling with self-dest…
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ON FINDING LOVE AT ANY AGE… With Luke Evans and Dolly Alderton
9 februari 2026 · 28 min
We’re taught that love should happen early, and if it doesn’t, something’s gone wrong. But what if that’s not true? Lees meer
In this episode, we hear from past How to Fail guests who found love later, or in their own time. Luke Evans reflects on meeting his soulmate in his forties and Dolly Alderton talks about heartbreak, celibacy to reassess the role of sex and romance in her life and learning that sitting with uncertainty can be the bravest choice.
I met my husband in my late thirties and I've found that trusting your own timing is often what leads to real love. I hope this is helpful for those unsure of what’s next.
Listen to Luke Evan’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/2AAJhVeDNGdKIJGdznR9
Listen to Dolly Alderton’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/XM98joc3GFEMTsLfkEfR
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: theelizabethday.substack.com
Join the How To Fail community: howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Shabaz Ali - ‘I’ll be a diversity quota as long as I get paid’
4 februari 2026 · 49 min
A few years ago, Shabaz Ali was a chemistry teacher in Blackburn. Today, he’s one of the internet’s most beloved creators, best known as Shabaz Says, with millions of fans and a knack for skewering the most outrageous (and often tasteless) displays of online excess. Lees meer
Since quitting the day job, Shabaz has launched a podcast, performed at the Edinburgh Fringe and published his book I’m Rich, You’re Poor. Beneath the humour though, there’s always been something more serious at play: a sharp commentary on the psychological erosion that comes from spending too much of our lives online.
In this episode, we talk about Shabaz’s upbringing, being bullied at school, how his taxi-driver Dad didn’t even realise his son was famous until recently and why no-one should ever spend £10,000 on an outfit.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
03:03 The Impact of Social Media on Youth
05:14 Navigating Imposter Syndrome and Success
10:53 Embracing Authenticity and Overcoming Criticism
12:46 Growing Up in Blackburn
15:45 Challenges of Intersectional Identity
22:36 Family Perspectives and Cultural Expectations
24:04 Struggles with Poverty
25:20 Empathy
30:15 From Teacher to Social Media Star
31:24 Unexpected Career in the Hospital Morgue
33:38 Finding Viral Success Online
37:16 Representation and Finding Your Voice
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
You can be a man and still speak up for women's rights. You don't have to be a black person to speak up for black people. You don't have to be trans to speak up for trans rights.
How you present yourself is always how the world's going to treat you.
[Death] definitely gave me an appreciation for life. It gave me appreciation for human beings... I have so much love to give for humanity.
I don’t care if I’m palatable for you.
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Shabaz’s book, I'm Rich, You're Poor - is out now
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
📚 …
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ON FINDING HOPE IN ADVERSITY… With Sir Chris Hoy and Michael Rosen
2 februari 2026 · 20 min
This week we’re revisiting two deeply moving conversations that explore what it means to find hope in the face of profound adversity. Lees meer
First, we hear from the 11-time world champion and a six-time Olympic champion, Sir Chris Hoy. He speaks with remarkable honesty about living with stage four prostate cancer, as well as the shock of discovering that his wife had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during the same period. He talks about finding hope, and appreciating the small things in life.
Then we hear from the legendary British children’s author, Michael Rosen, who reflects on the devastating loss of his son, Eddie, who died at the age of 18. He explains how talking about him now is in fact a relief.
These stories speak to resilience, love and the ways hope can survive even in the hardest of circumstances. Whether you are personally affected, or know of someone going through a tough time at the moment, I hope these conversations offer comfort and a fresh perspective.
Listen to Sir Chris Hoy’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/vkdUVszJnMghYNMSLFdO
Listen to Michael Rosen’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/3lr5HOsDIw6hgOnD7vgc
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Cancer Support UK: www.cancersupportuk.org
Bereavement Support: www.cruse.org.uk
Mental Health Support: www.samaritans.org and www.mind.org.uk
Elizabeth’s Substack: theelizabethday.substack.com
Join the How To Fail community: howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at …
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Golda Rosheuvel - ‘I don’t see my dyslexia as a failure anymore’
28 januari 2026 · 53 min
Best known for her role as Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton, Golda Rosheuvel is an acclaimed actor of stage and screen. Her career spans powerful theatrical roles including Romeo and Juliet, Jesus Christ Superstar and a groundbreaking lesbian interpretation of Othello. She also stars in the spin-off series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Lees meer
In this conversation, Golda speaks movingly about her childhood and family: how her mother, a white social worker, met her father, a Guyanese Anglican priest, by chance at a choir rehearsal in Jamaica. She reflects on discovering she was dyslexic, navigating rejection, experiencing racism, struggling with motivation - and even failing an early audition for Bridgerton. Plus: why representation is so important.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
04:12 Impact of Representation and Public Recognition
08:39 Challenges with Dyslexia
21:15 Navigating Identity and Belonging
28:10 Professional Challenges and Identity
29:08 Casting and Industry Feedback
29:47 Facing Rejection and Overcoming Setbacks
30:32 Failed Auditions and Lessons Learned
31:45 Challenges of Racial Identity in Theatre
34:04 Progress in Representation and Diversity
35:35 Reflecting on Parental Influence
38:58 Navigating Personal and Professional Identity
40:36 Struggles with Exercise and Motivation
47:54 Final Thoughts and Legacy
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
‘I’m not half anything. I’m a whole... I found who I want to be.
‘I don't see [dyslexia] as a failure because it was never told to me that it was a failure... It was, “you see the world differently”. This is really exciting.’
‘Representation is important. We wanna see people who look like us, who we can relate to.’
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Part one of Bridgerton season four premieres on 29th January on Netflix; part two begins streaming on 26th February
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
📚 WANT MORE?
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ON THE IMPACT OF EARLY FAME… With Shania Twain and Charlotte Church
26 januari 2026 · 32 min
Fame isn’t always limousines, five star hotels, champagne and private jets. I find this topic totally fascinating and these two past How to Fail guests give us a glimpse behind the curtain as to what becoming famous at a young age really means. Lees meer
Shania Twain takes us back to her childhood, singing late nights in smoke-filled bars, growing up far too fast and without real control over her own life. She speaks movingly about the emotional cost of starting so young.
Charlotte Church reflects on how early fame shaped - and at times restricted – her creative freedom, the doors that were closed to her by the industry and the advice she would give her younger self now.
Listen to Shania’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://play.megaphone.fm/cgztqicuqzic6lu1d75lka
Listen to Charlotte’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/RZeSUcGaFgix3SsYMaBp
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Martin Freeman - ‘We should be saying no to our kids’
21 januari 2026 · 54 min
Martin Freeman is one of the most sought-after actors of his generation. Whether it’s Tim in The Office, John - the mild-mannered porn actor in Love Actually, Watson in Sherlock, Bilbo in The Hobbit, the stressed parent in Breeders, the Liverpudlian cop with personal problems in The Responder and Everett K. Ross in Marvel Cinematic Universe smash hits Captain America and Black Panther - Freeman is a star, and to date has won two Emmys and a BAFTA. Lees meer
In this episode, Martin reflects on his childhood as the youngest of five (comparatively modest when you consider his mother was one of fourteen!) as well as the lasting impact of losing his father at ten years old. We talk about parenting, the people who’ve inspired him (hello, Michael Caine), the future of AI from a technophobe’s perspective, his unease with fame and the quieter failures that sit behind public success. Plus: strap yourself in for much hilarity. I don’t think I can remember a guest who made me laugh QUITE this much.
Martin can next be seen as the determined Superintendent Battle in Netflix’s new Agatha Christie adaptation, Seven Dials.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
02:22 Dealing with Fame and Anxiety
05:12 The Everyman Label
07:35 Exploring Anger and Authenticity
16:28 Academic Struggles and Early Acting
20:33 Personal Reflections and Family
28:08 Comparing to Heroes
32:15 The Office and Sherlock
40:29 Technology Struggles
44:20 AI Concerns
47:47 Meeting Michael Caine
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
You should say no to your kids. You should let them know that life's gonna kick 'em in the ass... that is a manifestation of love for me.
There is a great deal of value in making a child bored... How else are you going to paint, or make up a story or learn a trade or learn a skill if you are literally mouth agape looking at a f***ing screen?
The people who say it [success] doesn't solve your problems are obviously right... But love is a good start to it - it does more than anything else.
🔗 LI…
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ON PANIC ATTACKS… With Jamie Laing and Fearne Cotton
19 januari 2026 · 17 min
Panic attacks are wide-spread in today’s society, and yet remain something we rarely talk about openly. So it’s vital that we normalise an experience so many of us share - because talking about it is often the first step towards understanding, accepting and working through it. Lees meer
Jamie Laing and Fearne Cotton both came on How to Fail back in 2019 and spoke so honestly about their own experiences. Jamie reflected on the early days of Made in Chelsea, when he experienced panic attacks for a full year. Fearne shares how she still experiences panic attacks today and the stigma that can surround them.
Hopefully this conversation feels reassuring, validating and helps to normalise a topic that has remained unnecessarily taboo for far too long.
Listen to Jamie’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/QXKrzzpg5hULgBpXWMBY
Listen to Fearne’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/UT0WhcQT43TY0hDtgnFW
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Marisa Abela - ‘You never expect to be told you have cancer at 23’
14 januari 2026 · 53 min
You’ll know Marisa Abela from HBO’s critically acclaimed hit Industry, where her portrayal of Yasmin - a brilliant, volatile young woman with ambition to burn, earned her a BAFTA. She also starred as Amy Winehouse in Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Back to Black and now returns for the hotly anticipated fourth season of Industry. Lees meer
In this conversation, Marisa spills the beans on her first audition for Industry, why her acting is inspired by The Real Housewives (yes, really) and what we can expect from the new season. We also reflect on her troubled teenage years - and how she was ‘a terror’ to live with, as well as her shock diagnosis with thyroid cancer at the age of 23. Through the subsequent intensive surgery and recovery process, Marisa learned the importance of women advocating for themselves and their own bodies in a culture where women’s health is often overlooked and under-researched.
Still just 29, Marisa is remarkably self-aware and wise beyond her years. As an Industry superfan myself, I adored chatting to her and I hope you love the episode too. If you do, please rate, review and hit the follow button!
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Intro
03:15 Drama School and Early Failures
04:23 Navigating Pressure
07:33 Teenage Struggles
27:13 Health Crisis in 2020
29:30 Diagnosis
30:30 Surgery and Recovery During the Pandemic
32:01 The Impact on Body Image
35:36 Advocating for Women's Health
38:45 Support and Love
40:32 Getting Married!
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
At a certain point, the regret of not doing a thing is worse than the fear of rejection.
I really do believe that your body has a way of telling you that something's actually wrong and we should listen to it.
All of the good things and all of the bad things are what make you, you - and without all of the bad things, I wouldn’t be who I am
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Industry airs on BBC One on 12 January and will be on iPlayer. In the US it airs on HBO on 11 January.
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail…
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ON MEDITATION… With Kirsty Young and Yuval Noah Harari
12 januari 2026 · 15 min
It’s claimed that meditation can fix everything. If you speak to anyone on the topic, they claim it will reduce your anxiety, make you slimmer, result in you earning more and mean your relationships are all perfect. It might be popular, but it’s notoriously hard to keep up. Lees meer
Broadcasting legend Kirsty Young admits she feels she’s ‘really bad at meditation’ BUT it doesn’t stop her having a go at it every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
At the other end of the spectrum, we have Israeli historian and writer, Yuval Noah Harari, who claims he has failed at meditation, despite meditating for two HOURS every day. But he makes the point that in meditation, you constantly fail – but that’s a good thing.
I hope these two brilliant minds inspire you as much as they did me.
First up, it’s Kirsty Young.
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Margaret Cho - They Told Me I Was Too Fat To Play Myself
7 januari 2026 · 55 min
This episode contains description of addiction, eating disorders and discussion of suicide. Lees meer
Our guest today is the pioneering comedian, actor and activist Margaret Cho. She began performing comedy as a teenager, opening for Jerry Seinfeld at just 14, before becoming one of the most influential stand-ups of her generation.
Now in her 50s, Margaret reflects in this episode on the cancellation of her groundbreaking sitcom, All-American Girl, and the surreal "miscalculations" of a network that hired consultants to ensure she was "doing Asian right". She speaks candidly about the "mind f***" of being told she was "too fat to play herself", which triggered a dangerous spiral into disordered eating, 90s diet drugs and eventual kidney failure.
She opens up about a suicidal near-death experience that she was initially too afraid to admit even to herself - and about the intervention by friends that finally led her to sobriety.
This conversation explores shame, rage and the life-saving importance of humour. Because, as Margaret says, sometimes laughter can be the thing that keeps you breathing.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
04:37 Childhood Reflections
06:59 Political and Social Commentary
10:43 The Sitcom Experience
18:35 Body Image and Health Struggles
26:13 Legacy and Influence
26:54 The Struggle with Diet Culture
28:34 Embarrassing Moments on Stage
32:10 Family Influence on Weight Issues
33:22 Seeking Help and Therapy
34:05 Childhood Abuse and Its Impact
37:27 Battling Drug and Alcohol Addiction
43:09 Intervention and Recovery
46:51 Finding Hope and Happiness
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
You carry the otherness with you as a kind of residual suffering that's still there.
Shame is such an electric emotion. It really ignites your history and gets to the core of who you are. I think that's vital as an artist and also it improves your art if you can somehow rise above it.
Humour is really hope. Humour and laughter is the intake of breath, which is the p…
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ON MONEY WORRIES… With Fern Brady and Simon Cowell
5 januari 2026 · 15 min
Money worries are far more common than we like to admit: from keeping you awake at night to quietly shaping your choices and decisions, financial anxiety affects us all - especially after a season of festive indulgence. Lees meer
In this episode, comedian Fern Brady (recorded live in Edinburgh) speaks about not having enough money to stay at university - and the unconventional ways she earned a living to keep going.
Media mogul Simon Cowell reflects on going bankrupt in his late twenties and how he *still* worries about money even now because of the fear that he’ll have to start again from scratch.
Together, these conversations explore financial failure, resilience and the belief that setbacks don’t have to define what comes next. We hope they offer reassurance to anyone feeling overwhelmed by money issues right now.
Listen to Fern Brady’s full episode of How to Fail here: http://swap.fm/l/cmeompBv7EHK20enmwbS
Listen to Simon Cowell’s full episode of How to Fail here: http://swap.fm/l/hSwuCNEuZNgnaG20v0yB
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Join Elizabeth Day for a special How to Fail live show at Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield! Tickets on sale now: https://crossedwires.live/podcast/how-to-fail
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about y…
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Failure Throwback: Bear Grylls
31 december 2025 · 58 min
Bear Grylls has achieved worldwide fame as one of the most recognised faces of survival and outdoor adventure. A former SAS soldier, he has climbed Everest, circumnavigated the British Isles on a jet ski, rowed naked in a bathtub along the Thames and once broke his back in a parachuting accident. Lees meer
But he's most famous for his TV career. He starred in seven seasons of the Discovery Channel’s Emmy Award-nominated Man vs. Wild TV series and hosted Running Wild, which has featured Bear taking President Obama, Julia Roberts, Roger Federer, Will Ferrell, Channing Tatum, and Kate Winslet on extreme adventures.
Bear is thoughtful, open and surprisingly gentle. This conversation will make you reflect on resilience, bravery and what it really means to keep moving forward when things fall apart.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
03:00 Living with nerves and self-doubt
07:12 Public success versus private fear
13:45 Losing his father and learning to live with grief
18:10 Breaking his back and rebuilding confidence
23:40 Faith, inner voices and self-belief
29:05 Courage, fear and moving towards the difficult things
35:20 Failing SAS selection and earning confidence
41:00 TV failure, risk and starting again
46:40 Why giving up is the only real failure
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
The only real failure is when we give up.
You can't be a brave person without the fear... just not having fear and doing it mindlessly is- that's just stupidity. That's not courage.
Those failures are the stepping stones. They’re the scars I’m proud of.
The truth is we tend to stand on the shoulders of many. Beautiful people and giants who've helped us and been kind to us and encouraged us, and supported us and elevated us over themselves.
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Never Give Up by Bear Grylls
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join Elizabeth Day for a special How to Fail live show at Crosse…
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Sophie Willan - From Foster Care to Alma’s Not Normal
24 december 2025 · 48 min
This episode contains very strong language and isn’t suitable for small ears. Lees meer
Sophie Willan is a double BAFTA award-winning writer, comedian and actor, perhaps best known for her BBC comedy drama, Alma's Not Normal. But it wasn’t always red carpets and award ceremonies. Willan experienced an unsettled childhood with spells in foster care, which she talks openly about in this episode. We also talk about a failed Edinburgh show that coincided with an ‘intense’ relationship and what these experiences taught her. Moving, funny and honest, this episode was recorded in front of a lovely live audience at The Lowry in Salford, Manchester.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
02:00 Alma's Not Normal: Success and Challenges
03:00 The Emotional Toll of Comedy
03:55 Awards and Recognition
05:03 Personal Struggles and Triumphs
08:43 Reflections on Care Experience
14:39 Family Stories and Humor
23:46 The Fine Line Between Madness and Comedy
24:49 A Disastrous Improv Show
26:55 The Novice Detective: A Misplaced Comedy
27:55 Facing Criticism and Misogyny in Comedy
31:32 Stories of Care: Empowering Voices
32:27 The Edinburgh Experience: Highs and Lows
38:06 Writing Process: Chaos and Creativity
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
We're all quite funny in my family though. It's like a family of emotionally deranged people that have a good sense of humour.
You spend the first half of your life unpicking what you inherited and the second half building something better.
Sad things are funny, and funny things are sad, that’s just how the world is.
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
You can watch Alma’s Not Normal on BBC iPlayer
Listen to Sophie Willan’s episode on Where There’s a Will There’s a Wake
Stories of Care founded by Sophie Willan
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join Elizabeth Day for a special How to Fail live show at Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield! Tickets on sale now:…
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Bella Freud - Learning To Trust Herself
17 december 2025 · 53 min
Fashion icon Bella Freud on abandoning psychics, learning to trust herself and realising that what happens next is entirely up to her. Lees meer
Freud is a designer and creative whose clothes have adorned the likes of Zadie Smith, Kate Moss, Little Simz and…well…me. She’s also a cult podcaster with her hit show, Fashion Neurosis, where guests are invited to examine what clothes mean to them.
She’s lived a fascinating life: the daughter of Lucian Freud, the great-granddaughter of psychoanalyst Sigmund and the sister of novelist Esther who wrote the novel Hideous Kinky about their childhood. Now in her 60s, she joins me to explore why she’s always late, why she regrets never joining the circus and what it’s really like carrying the weight of such an instantly recognisable family name. Plus: why she no longer goes to psychics.
Bella is so smart, considered and stylish. This free-ranging conversation will make you think, laugh and feel unexpectedly hopeful about getting older.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
04:04 The Power of Fashion and Design
06:47 Challenges in the Fashion Industry
11:52 The Significance of Punctuality
17:02 Childhood Memories and Their Impact
22:18 Therapy and Family Loss
26:13 Reflecting on a Peaceful Passing
27:43 Family Dynamics
30:04 The Circus Job That Never Was
32:33 Sibling Relationships and Childhood Roles
36:06 The Legacy of the Freud Name
41:23 Embracing Failures and Life Lessons
46:28 Living Authentically and Joyfully
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
This whole thing about failure of course, is that you can fail and try again
What's going happen is what I make happen, so get on with it
The key is to stay and finish and then the whole level of reward is so much greater
Being late is an incredibly aggressive thing to do
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
You can listen to Fashion Neurosis wherever you get your podcasts and it’s also available to watch on YouTube
Bella’s photo is by Lynette Garland (2025)
Join the How To Fail community: https:…
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ON FRIENDSHIP… With Dawn French and Vogue Williams
15 december 2025 · 24 min
I’ve always been obsessed with friendship - how it shapes us, challenges us and often goes uncelebrated. In this episode, both Dawn French and Vogue Williams get honest about the beauty and the messiness of it all. Lees meer
Despite being surrounded by great friends, Vogue explains why she worries she’s not the best friend back - although she’s definitely working on it. Dawn then reflects on growing up as an RAF kid. Repeated moves meant she learned early on how hard it can be to build and keep connections. She also talks about her iconic friendship with Jennifer Saunders (which did *not* start smoothly) and the people she holds closest today.
My fascination with the subject runs so deep that I even wrote a whole book about it! Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict explores why friendship matters and how it evolves over our lives. Feel free to buy a copy for you…and all your friends!
Listen to Dawn French’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/NJDrzxLKhyi6icOrxmHT
Listen to Vogue Williams’ full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/KdIrVp0y41qgun1oGjfR
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Alex Hassell - Rivals, Rejection and Taking Acid at Alton Towers
10 december 2025 · 46 min
You might know the star of Rivals for his revealing role in the hit Disney+ show, but did you know about his dramatic allium allergy?! I thought not. Lees meer
Alex Hassell might be best known for his portrayal of the dashing bounder, Rupert Campbell-Black in the Emmy-Award winning TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals but his career spans the Royal Shakespeare Company, a leading role opposite Anya Taylor-Joy in The Miniaturist, HBO’s His Dark Materials and co-founding the pioneering Factory Theatre Company.
In this conversation, Alex reflects on the role therapy and his marriage have played in weathering early-career rejection. We talk about his struggle with self-confidence, his unlikely ’failure’ to get into trouble and the rebellious streak that defined his youth - including that time he took acid at Alton Towers. Plus: having to spray tan his own private parts.
This episode was recorded live at the Barbican earlier this year.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Intro
03:17 Season Two of Rivals
04:35 The Challenges of Acting
05:28 Therapy and Self-Reflection
11:17 Overcoming Self-Doubt
13:31 School Experiences and Bullying
20:13 The Factory Theater Company
23:31 Reflecting on Early Career Challenges
23:57 The Onion Allergy Struggle
28:16 Balancing Historical Accuracy and Sensitivity in 'Rivals'
29:30 The Pressure to Be Good
33:12 Family Influence and Personal Growth
40:57 The Actor's Vulnerability and Connection
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
To withstand being an actor, you have to have very, very thick skin.
I am really drawn - for some perverse reason - to parts that intimidate me and that I think I'm probably not capable of playing.
I think that acting sometimes can be a bit like being in an abusive relationship in that you feel like the most important and the best... And then it's just taken away and no one wants you and they're not interested and it's like you're a piece of shit.
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingca…
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ON PERSPECTIVE… With Adeel Akhtar and Pat Cummins
8 december 2025 · 12 min
Perspective is something we all chase - because when it slips, life can feel chaotic and overwhelming. But when we find it again, everything becomes a little clearer. Lees meer
In this episode, actor Adeel Akhtar reflects on a time when he lost sight of perspective and how becoming a parent helped him rediscover what truly matters.
Cricketing great Pat Cummins shares how the loss of his beloved mum reshaped his relationship with sport and why he’s now more determined than ever to put family first.
Listen to Adeel Akhtar’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/eWxKBXUJZAAkfovquzwi
Listen to Pat Cummin’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/DecJN4jHYh5gSeSUN72t
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Mo Gawdat - The 3 BIGGEST Mistakes We Make In Finding Love
3 december 2025 · 1 uur 2 min
I don’t often have repeat guests on How To Fail but Mo Gawdat is the exception. When he first came on this podcast in 2019, he fundamentally changed my mindset and my approach to life. Lees meer
Back then, he was on a mission to make 1 billion people happier. Now, he returns to focus his brilliant philosophical and analytical brain to the perpetual human question: how to find true love, then nurture and sustain it.
He joins me to discuss the three most frequent mistakes we make in love - and to explain how AI could be the saving of us. Mo is about to launch a game-changing AI-powered app called Emma that promises to help us all navigate the dating game with compassion and insight. This is the first time Mo has spoken in depth about this revolutionary new app so, yes, that IS a How To Fail exclusive, no biggie.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
04:29 Personal Growth and Relationships
05:40 Heartbreak and Grief
10:03 Reflections on Love and Breakups
18:12 The Complexity of Modern Dating
21:45 Introducing Emma: The AI for True Love
29:53 The Mathematics of Dating
30:33 The Law of Large Numbers in Love
32:54 Dating Fatigue and Its Consequences
33:39 Game Theory in Relationships
36:52 AI's Role in Modern Relationships
39:15 The Economics of Love and Relationships
47:52 Finding Contentment Amidst Global Chaos
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
Heartbreak is very similar to a terminal diagnosis, followed by grief.
Falling in love is very easy. The trick is how realistic are you about falling in love with the right person?
When you go on a date with a mindset that says “It's not going to work”, it's definitely not going to work.
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Check out Mo Gawdat’s new relationship app: emma.love
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
📚 WANT MORE?
Mo Gawdat - his first appearance on How to Fail (in 2019!) sparked infinite chatter in the HTF space, covering grief, f…
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ON IVF… With Jessel Taank and Paloma Faith
1 december 2025 · 36 min
We don’t talk about this enough, even though so many of us face it personally or through someone we love. Lees meer
Real Housewives of New York star, Jessel Taank, opens up about her three-year journey to become a mum; the strain it put on her marriage, the financial toll and the moments during five rounds of IVF when she questioned everything - even whether she truly wanted motherhood. And then… she had twins.
Paloma Faith also shares her own IVF experience, from the loneliness and an ectopic pregnancy to postpartum psychosis and depression after her first baby. Today, she’s a mum of two and recently announced she’s expecting her third.
As someone who’s been through IVF myself, I hope this episode offers comfort, connection and a reminder that you’re not alone - no matter where you are on this journey.
Listen to Jessel Taank’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://tinyurl.com/jesseltaank
Listen to Paloma Faith full episode of How to Fail here: https://play.megaphone.fm/rq-vrlg6sla2hyboi6znkq
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Ruth Wilson - Be Challenged By What Disgusts You
26 november 2025 · 44 min
Ruth Wilson MBE has made a habit of tackling psychologically demanding roles. You’ll know her from playing a mother grieving the loss of her child in The Affair, a sociopathic research scientist in Luther or even from her acclaimed stage performances in Anna Christie and King Lear. Lees meer
Now, Wilson is back with Apple TV's Down Cemetery Road, based on novels by Mick Herron. She stars opposite Emma Thompson, as an art restorer swept up in a high stakes crime drama.
We talk about her getting rejected from Oxford University, her failure to run the London Marathon in the way she envisaged and the power of aging naturally. Plus: how her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis has helped her live in the present. A beautiful and intelligent conversation with a phenomenally talented actor.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
02:11 The Power of Art
04:07 Working with Emma Thompson
07:04 Aging Naturally
08:57 Getting Rejected From Oxford
14:04 Grandfather Being a Spy & a Bigamist
20:21 A Very Royal Scandal
23:36: The London Marathon
31:37 Failing to Trust The Creative Process
38:30 The 24-Hour Play
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
‘People are endlessly fascinating and surprising. They're never what you expect and you can find connections with anyone.’
‘I think it's important to face things you don't want to see, because only then will you grow. Only then will you live properly.’
‘Our gift as a human is to be able to think and feel. So, do it and be challenged.Be challenged by what disgusts you.’
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Ruth stars in Down Cemetery Road - watch on Apple TV
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
📚 WANT MORE?
Sharon Horgan - talks about drama school, auditions and a very personal failure: her marriage https://link.chtbl.com/hR7kycoN
Simon Callow - reflects on how admitting vulnerability around his sexuality and ambition shaped his career and self-belief swap.fm/l/3PddGv…
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ON REJECTION… With Mel B and Nicole Scherzinger
24 november 2025 · 19 min
We all face rejection, no matter who we are. In this episode we revisit conversations with two extraordinary women who have faced rejection and overcome it: Spice Girl Mel B opens up about her unsuccessful audition for The Sound of Music and the pain of feeling like she didn’t fit the mould because of how she looked while Nicole shares what life was like before the Pussycat Dolls - the endless auditions, doors slammed-shut and the struggle to land her big break. Lees meer
Hearing these stories from women who have gone on to achieve so much is a powerful reminder that feelings of doubt and fears around not being ‘enough’ are universal. But as Mel and Nicole remind us, the true test of character is in how we respond to them.
Listen to Mel B’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/MelB
Listen to Nicole Scherzinger’s full episode of How to Fail here: swap.fm/l/NicoleScherzinger
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Michelle Yeoh - On typecasting, fertility and THAT Oscars speech
19 november 2025 · 53 min
Michelle Yeoh has created a legendary body of work that defies easy categorisation. You’ll know her from cult classic Kung Fu Cinema, Everything Everywhere, All At Once - the film that made her the first Asian woman to be given the Academy Award for Best Actress at the time. She was cast as a Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies, then starred in the global box office hit Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and the brilliantly chilling future mother-in-law in Crazy Rich Asians. This month sees her returning to the role in Wicked, as Madame Morrible. Lees meer
In person she is warm and engaging, with a fascinating story to tell. We talk about why mistakes help us grow, why she felt like a ‘failure’ for not having children (something we have in common), stage fright - and how she almost quit after a life-threatening stunt injury. Plus: racism, typecasting and why her mother is the REAL diva.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
01:16 The Journey to Hollywood
02:36 The Role of Family
03:52 On Playing Iconic Roles
08:10 Facing Personal Challenges
24:20 Think Wider: Breaking Family Expectations
25:38 Pursuing Dreams: From Ballet to Acting
27:16 The Hong Kong Film Industry: Early Challenges
27:33 Breaking Stereotypes: Women in Action Films
34:25 Hollywood's Limitations: Typecasting and Minority Roles
37:30 Facing Racism: The Ongoing Struggle
39:22 Stunt Accident: A Turning Point
47:57 Resilience and Reflection: Lessons Learned
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
When you're down, you learn. You become resilient, you become stronger and you learn from mistakes. Don't wallow in them.
I truly believe ups and downs are like a heartbeat. You can't just [go] one way. Right? That would be a flatline.
I believe in always moving forwards, because if you stay still you're just stagnant and you're just waiting for the inevitable.
An act of kindness or compassion goes a long, long way in our world and we are in so desperate need of that.
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Wicked: For Good is in cinemas from 21st November
Join t…
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ON PARENTING…with Andy Cohen and Caitlin Moran
17 november 2025 · 14 min
Today, we’re chatting all about parenting on How To Fail! We’ll be revisiting some of the most meaningful moments from the archive - the ones that can bring a fresh insight, thoughtful perspective and a sense of comfort through parenting’s tougher challenges. Lees meer
First, you'll hear from the Daddy of Reality TV, Andy Cohen, who speaks about a time he felt he failed as a parent in the playground and how he worried he’d let his son down.
Then we turn to Caitlin Moran, who shares her experience of the terrible sadness of realising her daughter had an eating disorder - and how she didn’t deal with it in the right way at first.
I hope these moments from other parents offer you a bit of guidance, relief and a reminder that every family finds its own way.
Listen to Andy Cohen’s full episode of How to Fail here:
swap.fm/l/AndyCohen
Listen to Caitlin Moran’s full episode of How to Fail here:
swap.fm/l/CaitlinMoran
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Kelly Brook - I’m In My Don’t Give A Damn Era!
12 november 2025 · 53 min
Just a heads-up that in this episode we talk about late miscarriage. I am so grateful to Kelly for opening up about something that affects and speaks to so many of us - it’s a beautiful conversation but if you’re feeling tender around those issues for whatever reason, we’ve put in the time-stamps below in case you need to skip that bit. Lees meer
Kelly is a woman whose career has reflected the shifting tides of the British media landscape: from finding fame as a glamour model in the 90s, and being voted FHM’s sexiest woman in the world on more than one occasion; she later made the move into presenting and acting. Now it's also just been revealed that she'll take part in this year's I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
In her first interview since that announcement, Kelly joins me for an honest and moving conversation about the pitfalls of fame, finding true love and she gives an extraordinarily vulnerable insight into her own fertility journey and her decision not to have children. Plus; how working on her own self-worth has brought her new happiness. An inspiration!
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
02:05 Marriage
05:28 Joining 'I'm a Celebrity'
06:52 Preparing for the Jungle
10:56 Reflecting on Success and Failure
25:28 Navigating Personal Growth and Boundaries
26:39 Romantic Relationships and Sacrifices
31:36 Dealing with Loss and Grief
33:31 Body Image and Societal Pressures
35:55 The Pain of Miscarriage
46:39 Embracing Authenticity and Moving Forward
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
‘ Being sexualised at such a young age was very uncomfortable.’
‘ I came from a very normal working class background, but success came to me very quickly.’
‘ I think we are living in such a beautiful time where we can just be our authentic selves.’
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Kelly is on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 2025 - watch on ITVX
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Kell…
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ON REALITY TV… With Dorinda Medley and Captain Sandy
10 november 2025 · 14 min
If you know me at all, you’ll know that I am a huge advocate for reality TV. So what better reason to have a little trawl through my archives than to revisit some of my favourite interviews from reality TV stars? Lees meer
First, we hear from Dorinda Medley, known and adored from The Real Housewives of New York. Dorinda speaks about being approached to join Housewives shortly after losing her husband. She talks about her grief as a young widow and how the Bravo community supported her when she needed it most.
Then, we turn to Captain Sandy from Below Deck Mediterranean. Sandy talks about life on board with production crews, the dynamics with her team, and - crucially - what she would put on her own preference sheet.
Even if you’re not usually a reality TV fan, I hope this episode offers a glimpse into the humanity behind these shows - and how connection, vulnerability and growth can show up in the most unexpected places.
Listen to Dorinda Medley’s full episode of How to Fail here:
https://link.chtbl.com/Lf44HTRS
Listen to Captain Sandy’s full episode of How to Fail here:
swap.fm/l/CaptainSandy
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Malala Yousafzai - I Am Not Who You Think I Am
5 november 2025 · 52 min
You might think you know about Malala. But you’d be wrong. For so many years, she stood as a symbol of resistance: the teenage girl who was shot by the Taliban for insisting on the right to go to school and who later won the Nobel Prize at 17 for her efforts to make education available for everyone. Lees meer
But there was another story that existed behind the headlines: the story of a young woman who was only just understanding who she was. Now 28, Malala has published a new book, Finding My Way which describes some of that extraordinary journey.
In this episode we discuss her panic attack after smoking a bong at Oxford (and how this retriggered undiagnosed PTSD), what friendship taught her, her views on marriage and how they’ve changed, as well as the sadness she carries for Afghanistan and all the women who are denied an education around the world. Plus: how she fell in love with a hot cricketer.
This is such a powerful conversation and Malala is also funny, warm and incredibly wise. You will laugh. You might cry. But whatever happens, you’ll emerge with a new perspective on life.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
01:27 Recovery and Continued Education
05:12 College Life and First Experiences
07:03 Mental Health and Panic Attack
11:09 Academic Struggles and Social Life
17:48 Reflections on Friendship and Cultural Pressures
26:02 Reflecting on Nasin's (her cousin’s) Struggles
27:49 Reflections on Life Choices
30:14 Marriage: A Journey of Doubts and Discoveries
31:47 Redefining Marriage Norms
34:36 Contemplating Motherhood
37:04 The Fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban
44:27 Global Crises and Personal Reflections
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
I realised that my learning was not limited to just reading articles and books. It's really your friends who make you comfortable because they don't judge you. They don't see you with any title. They see you beyond all of that.
What you wear is your choice. Nobody should be deciding that for you and we need to give more f…
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ON EMBARRASSING MOMENTS… With Dan Levy and Phoebe Waller-Bridge
3 november 2025 · 12 min
Welcome back to this How to Fail episode where we journey through the archive to revisit some of the best bits. This week we’re keeping it light and taking a look at some of the funniest and most entertaining embarrassing moments on How to Fail. Lees meer
You’ll hear from Phoebe Waller-Bridge, originally released in July 2018. Phoebe talks about trying to impress Meryl Streep and her body sort of malfunctioned… involving an apple crumble!
Then we hear from Dan Levy, from his original episode in January 2024. Dan talks about his birthday cake failure from his childhood and the humiliation at his knee-jerk response. I hope this episode brings some light to your day and reminds us that everyone experiences embarrassment at some point!
Listen to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/Xr_yQtIZ
Listen to Dan Levy’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://play.megaphone.fm/b0cje4y2thgpbbpms2q64w
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
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Jon Bon Jovi - Fame is a liar and a thief
29 oktober 2025 · 52 min
We have a bonafide legend on How To Fail: the American singer, songwriter, guitarist, actor and philanthropist who, along with his band, sold more than 130 million albums and performed in over 50 countries for more than 40 million fans before being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It’s ACTUAL Jon Bon Jovi - the frontman of the world-dominating rock band who released hits such as You Give Love A Bad Name, Blaze of Glory and Livin’ On A Prayer. Lees meer
In this conversation we talk about his life-changing vocal cord surgery, burnout, his faith, friendship with Bruce Springsteen and how being a father has taught him he’s ‘not the boss of anything anymore’. Plus: the key to a successful marriage from a rock star who has been with his childhood sweetheart, Dorethea, for 36 years! He’s charming, quick-witted and yes, that famous smile still lights up the room.
Bon Jovi is back with the album ‘Forever (Legendary Edition)’ featuring collaborations with Bruce Springsteen, Robbie Williams, Avril Lavigne, James Bay and many more. The band’s Forever Tour will kick off next year, with dates in America and Europe.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
07:01 The Making of 'Living on a Prayer'
11:29 Vocal Surgery and Recovery
20:50 Reflections on Faith and Philanthropy
27:41 Challenges of Touring
28:19 The Performance Experience
29:43 Reflections on Fame
30:54 A Long-lasting Marriage
34:19 Parenting and Family Life
36:17 Friendship with Bruce Springsteen
41:20 Fashionista Failures
46:21 Wisdom and Aging
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
‘Fame is a liar and a thief. It would be easy and understandable for many a person to have fallen victim to it... it doesn't care who you are. It can break you.’
Jon on his wife, Dorethea: ‘She's a complete sentence. She's a one word complete sentence: Everything.’
‘I’m not doing this for the fame, or for the money - but I would like to feel that joy and resonance - I don’t think I’m anywhere near a farewell tour.’
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Jon’s tour dates and…
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ON BODY IMAGE… With Martine Wright and Paloma Faith
27 oktober 2025 · 19 min
Body image is a common theme on How to Fail. It’s something everyone at some point has either struggled with personally, or knows someone who has. Lees meer
We hear from Paloma Faith on the topic - she speaks about being thrown out of ballet school aged 10, because she showed signs of becoming curvy, and that wasn’t the correct body for a ballet dancer.
Then we go to a part of my conversation with the incredible British sitting volleyball player, Martine Wright. Martine lost both of her legs in the 7/7 London bombings in 2005 and speaks so eloquently about how she actually wouldn’t change anything. She is now a mother, a wife, a charity ambassador, certified pilot and the recipient of an MBE.
I hope this episode offers comfort to anyone who’s ever struggled with body image and acts as a reminder that there’s beauty in every version of ourselves.
Listen to Martine Wright’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://play.megaphone.fm/c1ou6g8zq3ankh8y2boutg
Listen to Paloma Faith’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://play.megaphone.fm/zl1lqe-ht3mcpkqkbuo9ha
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
www.martinewright.co.uk
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Denise Welch - I Got Sober For Love
22 oktober 2025 · 59 min
You might know Denise from Coronation Street, Waterloo Road, or as the winner of Celebrity Big Brother in 2012 and a regular panelist on ITV’s flagship panel chat show, Loose Women, or remember when she won Celebrity Big Brother in 2012. Lees meer
But what you might not know is the extraordinary story that shaped the strong woman she is. It’s a story of addiction, depression, tabloid phone-hacking and the darker side of fame. It’s also the story of sobriety, recovery and the surreality of having survived post-natal psychosis to become the mother of one of the famous musical frontmen in the world: Matty Healy of The 1975.
In this beautifully candid conversation, Denise opens up about surviving the toughest times but knowing how to celebrate the good ones (and yes, she does give us the inside scoop on being a guest at Charli XCX’s wedding).
This episode is a testament to working-class grit and finding light at the end of the tunnel while never losing your sense of humour. I hope you take as much from it as I did. WE LOVE YOU, DENISE!
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
02:16 Being a 'Hun' and Social Media Fame
04:32 Family and The 1975
09:03 First Failure: Domestic Goddess
14:28 ADHD Diagnosis and Mental Health
18:34 Second Failure: Getting Sober
28:01 Hormonal Chaos and Early Struggles
28:55 Postnatal Depression
30:04 The Depths of Depression
31:15 Mental Health Advocacy
34:07 The Song 'She Lays Down'
38:43 Struggles with Alcoholism
42:21 Finding Sobriety and Love
48:31 A New Chapter in Acting
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
If someone said to me: “You need to lose a limb and if you do, you will never have depression again,” I would have offered both arms like that. And to be honest, I still would.
Depression is the inability to feel extreme sadness. You can't feel happiness, sadness…nothing. It depresses everything about your life.
Giving up alcohol didn't cure my depression, but it stopped compounding it.
I don't believe there is such a thing as a functioning alcoholic because y…
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ON SCHOOL… With Jamie Dornan and Bernie Sanders
20 oktober 2025 · 18 min
I’m diving into the back catalogue, bringing you moments of insight, laughter and truth from past guests. These themed episodes are a chance to reflect on the universal experiences that connect us all. Lees meer
This week we’re looking at school and those formative years that shape who we become. You’ll hear from actor Jamie Dornan, originally released in November 2020. Jamie and I went to the same school(!) and discuss what those years taught us.
Then we hear from Senator Bernie Sanders, from his original episode in March 2023. Bernie opens up about being rejected from his high school basketball team and how that early setback taught him resilience. I hope this episode reminds you that school isn’t just about exams or rules, it’s about the people, the lessons, and sometimes the failures that stay with us long after the bell rings.
Listen to Jamie Dornan’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://play.megaphone.fm/6_7a8c2otds3j72e9md4ea
Listen to Bernie Sanders’ full episode of How to Fail here: https://play.megaphone.fm/bwz0irc7qmiwmmsczajzew
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Charlotte Church - ‘I was totally exploited. I was a commodity’
15 oktober 2025 · 46 min
Charlotte Church is currently starring in the first ever series of BBC One’s Celebrity Traitors. But she first found global fame as the young classical singer with the voice of an angel. By 22, she had sold 10 million records and performed for popes, presidents and princes. The success came at a devastating personal cost - here, she tells us what really happened and how she found her way into what is arguably her most powerful iteration yet: her healing phase. Lees meer
This episode was recorded live in Bath earlier this year.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
06:33 Reconnecting with Nature
08:55 Psychedelic Experiences and Healing
10:31 Creative Struggles and Musical Journey
16:38 Reflections on the Music Industry
21:09 Family and Ambitions
21:33 Struggles with Patriarchy and Colonialism
22:30 The Symbolism of Tattoos
24:13 Understanding Patriarchy
29:57 Challenges in the Music Industry
31:28 Personal Identity
34:39 Embracing the Wild Woman Archetype
40:08 Balancing Fame and Personal Beliefs
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
There's no two ways about it: I was not looked after, I was not nurtured, I was just totally exploited. I was a commodity and the industry was incredibly razor sharp.
What makes us advance, is suffering.
I'm dreaming of a world where everybody can start to feel what balance truly feels like.
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Charlotte is starring in Celebrity Traitors on BBC One
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
📚 WANT MORE?
Tom Daley - discusses overcoming perfectionism, anxiety, and the fear of failure. He also shares how failure shaped his resilience and coping strategies - like knitting! https://play.megaphone.fm/deiztbmwsrw-vz5by9ajtw
Claudia Winkleman - talks hilariously about her dislike of perfectionism, her introversion, struggles with sleep and the challenges of living in the present. https://play.megaphone.fm/cszzpxoqqb6_jx2furt7ba
Paloma Faith - reflects …
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ON BABY LOSS… With Sara Pascoe and Trinny Woodall
13 oktober 2025 · 28 min
Welcome back to this How to Fail special, where we revisit powerful moments from the archive that offer insight, perspective and - hopefully - a sense of comfort during life’s more difficult chapters. Lees meer
This week, to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week (9th to 15th October) and Elizabeth’s new role as ambassador for The Miscarriage Association, we're reflecting on two deeply moving conversations that explore miscarriage, fertility struggles and the resilience required to endure them.
First, you'll hear from Sara Pascoe, who speaks openly about the heartbreak of miscarriage and the anxiety that followed during her IVF journey and eventual pregnancies.
Then we turn to Trinny Woodall, who shares her experience of multiple miscarriages and nine rounds of IVF before the birth of her daughter. Trinny’s story is one of extraordinary strength, persistence and hope.
Whether you're personally affected or simply listening with empathy, I hope these stories bring you comfort, connection or a new perspective.
Listen to Sara Pascoe’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://play.megaphone.fm/czmoofleqk6brln-hzfzqw
Listen to Trinny Woodall’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://play.megaphone.fm/cubcpqghs06qmd5_v64wgq
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
The Miscarriage Association: www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.c…
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Stephen Grosz - ‘Real love is going to hurt’
8 oktober 2025 · 52 min
Warning: this episode may contain MIND-BLOWING moments. Lees meer
Stephen Grosz is a practising psychoanalyst and a personal hero of mine. He has worked with patients for more than 45 years and his first book, The Examined Life, drew on these experiences. When it was published in 2013, it caused a sensation and went straight to number one in the Sunday Times bestseller list. Since then, hundreds of thousands of readers, including me, have taken it to our hearts.
Now 12 years on from his debut, Grosz is back with Love's Labour, which asks fundamental questions around how to love and be loved in return, drawing on his almost half a century of clinical expertise.
In this episode we discuss why real love causes suffering, why failed marriages are often the best kind, the difference between surrender and submission in relationships, why loss has to be part of being human and how we can be happy. Plus: a fascinating peek into what it’s like to be a psychoanalyst when I get to ask ‘are you ever annoyed by your clients?’
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
02:28 Understanding Attachment to Suffering
04:25 The Role of Denial in Our Lives
06:32 Failures and Self-Perception
07:23 Stephen's Childhood
21:46 The Power of Unconscious Signals
25:24 Navigating Change and Loss
26:25 The Anxiety of Letting Go
28:22 The Price of Love
29:23 Writing from the Heart
30:16 Support Systems
32:27 Family Dynamics and Psychoanalysis
36:51 Surrender vs. Submission
45:25 Understanding Pain and Grief
48:25 Final Thoughts and Farewell
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
The aim of life is to see oneself clearly, and the world clearly.
Psychoanalysis is two people not knowing - together. We have to figure it out together, and that means both of us will make mistakes and I will get it wrong.
These failures brought me embarrassment, unhappiness, and pain. I wouldn't wish them away.
Real love is going to hurt
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Stephen’s new book - Loves Labour: www.stephengrosz.com
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://th…
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Jilly Cooper: On Failure, Love and Literature
6 oktober 2025 · 38 min
Today, we remember and celebrate the extraordinary life of Jilly Cooper, who has sadly passed away at the age of 88. A literary icon, Jilly captured hearts and imaginations with her wit, warmth, and unmistakable voice. Her novels, especially beloved titles like Riders and Rivals, sold over 11 million copies in the UK alone and most recently inspired the hit Disney+ adaptation that introduced her work to a whole new generation. Lees meer
I had the immense privilege of speaking with Jilly just last October. She was everything I’d hoped she would be - funny, sharp, generous and inspiring. Today, in tribute to her legacy and the joy she brought to so many, I’m honoured to share the conversation with you again.
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Dame Jilly Cooper. What a legend. For the uninitiated (where have you been?) she’s a journalist and author most famous for her bestselling Rutshire Chronicle series which includes Riders, Polo and Rivals - the latter of which has now made into a hugely popular TV series starring David Tennant, Danny Dyer and Katherine Parkinson. In the past, Dame Jilly’s books have been unfairly dismissed as mere ‘bonkbusters’, charting the sex lives of the upper classes. But, as I discover, there’s much more to both her writing - and to her. We talk about her failures with technology, why she wishes she could throw more things away, as well as the terrifying time she lost an entire manuscript on the number 28 bus and had to rewrite it. Plus her experiences of interviewing Margaret Thatcher, her friendship with the Queen, her obsession with beautiful people and ‘macho men’ - and why she’d wholeheartedly recommend adoption to others.
Thank you Dame Jilly. A total sport (but we knew that).
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Remembering Dame Gili Cooper
03:43 Personal Reflections and Literary Success
07:37 Exploring Themes of Masculinity and Beauty
10:15 Family, Loss, and Resilience
11:28 Failures and Fertility Challenges
21…
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ON NAVIGATING YOUR 20s... With Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Lily Allen
6 oktober 2025 · 17 min
Welcome back to this How to Fail special where we journey through the archive to uncover insight and revisit powerful conversations. Each week, I hand-pick moments that speak to our shared challenges - hopefully offering comfort, clarity, and a renewed sense of perspective for whatever life might be throwing your way. Lees meer
Your 20s are notoriously a time of instability, during which you attempt to find yourself and figure out who you are. Which is why I wanted to bring you this episode! We hear from Phoebe Waller-Bridge who speaks about her rollercoaster 20s and the wisdom that hindsight has afforded her. Then the singer and actor Lily Allen shares her experiences of that decade which she lived out in the unforgiving glare of the public eye.
Whether you're navigating this chapter yourself or walking alongside someone who is, I hope this episode offers a sense of solidarity, understanding and light in the darker moments.
Listen to Phoebe Waller Bridge’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/Vmnz_IXz
Listen to Lily Allen full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/7f_TpEQ6
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learn mor… -
Jane Goodall on Optimism, Hope and Conservation
2 oktober 2025 · 1 uur
We said goodbye to Jane Goodall, who passed away yesterday at 91 after a life that inspired millions. I feel so grateful to have had the chance to speak with her back in July 2022, a conversation I’ll never forget. Today, in honour of her incredible legacy, I want to re-share it with you. Lees meer
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The legendary Jane Goodall is a scientist, conservationist and humanitarian, whose 60-year study of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania challenged and overturned much of the conventional scientific thinking at the time. Her tireless work over the years - she is now 88 - has won her a legion of admirers, including David Attenborough, Leonardo di Caprio, Prince Harry and Greta Thunberg who calls Goodall ‘a true hero’.
She joins me to talk about the resilience of hope, whether chimpanzees have a sense of failure, her own failures in language, correspondence and motherhood, and her belief in the next generation. This was one of the most enlightening podcast interviews I've ever had the privilege of doing. Please listen!
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction and Tribute to Jane Goodall
01:47 Early Life and Career
04:14 The Concept of Hope and Optimism
08:55 Groundbreaking Work with Chimpanzees
15:16 Challenges and Triumphs
20:22 Reflections on Failure and Success
29:18 The Power of Imagination and Early Influences
30:22 Exploring Animal Friendships
32:43 Roots and Shoots: A Movement for Change
37:37 Spiritual Experiences and Beliefs
44:58 Challenges and Failures
49:48 Reflections on Parenting and Influential Figures
54:26 Messages of Hope and Resilience
🔗 LINKS:
Jane Goodall Institute:
https://janegoodall.org/
https://www.janegoodall.org.uk/
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people di…
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Letitia Wright - ‘I was bullied… now I’m Black Panther’
1 oktober 2025 · 53 min
You’ll know Letitia Wright from her standout roles in Black Panther, Wakanda Forever, Black Mirror and Top Boy. She won the BAFTA Rising Star award in 2019 and is currently starring in Not Your Superwoman at The Bush Theatre, London. Lees meer
But Letitia’s journey hasn’t always been lined with red carpets. Born in Guyana and raised in Tottenham, North London, she’s faced her share of challenges including depression, anxiety and experiencing the pressure to fit in from a young age. In this episode, Letitia opens up about dealing with online bullying, rejection and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
She speaks powerfully about the importance of faith, friendship and resilience, sharing how those pillars helped shape the person she is today.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
02:36 Childhood Memories
11:44 Audition Failures
22:20 Online Bullying and Its Impact
24:40 Struggles with Acting Roles
25:53 Dealing with Negative Thoughts
26:51 Overcoming College Torment
28:59 Finding Purpose in Acting
30:12 Battling Depression
35:41 Directing Debut Challenges
43:36 Processing Grief and Moving Forward
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
"I had to decide: no matter what anyone says about me, whether they like something I do or whether they don’t, I have to do this for me because this is my dream, this is my talent. This is something God has given to me and I have to see it through."
“When it doesn’t go your way it tests your character. Who will you be after that point?”
“Something greater is on the other side of failure.”
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Letitia is starring in Not Your Superwoman at The Bush Theatre: https://www.bushtheatre.co.uk/event/not-your-superwoman/
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
📚 WANT MORE?
Matt Haig - on surviving depression and managing his own mental health: https://link.chtbl.com/u2XVtjE7
Dr Alex George - on grief, family and identity issues: https://link.chtbl.com/…
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ON ADDICTION... With Mae Martin and Marian Keyes
29 september 2025 · 16 min
Welcome back to this How to Fail special where we revisit conversations from the archive to highlight particular themes and tap into the wisdom they contain. Each week, I select moments that can offer perspective, comfort and encouragement for whatever you might be going through. Lees meer
Since September is National Recovery Month, we’re exploring the theme of addiction. First, we hear from comedian, writer and actor Mae Martin, who joined me in April this year. They spoke candidly about their experiences with addiction and recovery. Their honesty and humour shine through, reminding us that vulnerability can be a powerful force for change.
Then we hear from bestselling author Marian Keyes, who came on HTF just before lockdown, in February 2020. She shares her own journey with addiction and sobriety - her warmth and insight offer reassurance that recovery is possible and that life after addiction can be full of meaning and joy.
I hope this episode provides understanding, solidarity and light to anyone who may be struggling or supporting someone they love.
Listen to Mae Martin’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/F50L9kqQ
Listen to Marian Keyes’ full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/qHVhGxfP
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Dr Gabor Maté - His episode of How to Fail [https://link.chtbl.com/CDrr2-7_] and Recovery Resources: www.drgabormate.com
Mae Martin - linktr.ee/maemartin
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day …
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Joe Locke - ‘At 20, I Felt Like I Was Already 35’
24 september 2025 · 46 min
Joe Locke shot to global fame as Charlie Spring in Netflix’s Heartstopper, a role that catapulted him overnight from a schoolboy on the Isle of Man to an Emmy-nominated actor with millions of followers. In this candid conversation, the Heartstopper star reflects on the whirlwind of early success, the pressure of being seen as a role model and why he once felt like he was ‘already 35’ at just 20 years old. Lees meer
Joe opens up about the challenges of guarding his privacy while navigating fame, learning to embrace his youth and discovering the value of failure in both life and career. From Broadway and Marvel to his West End debut in Clarkston, the Netflix actor shares what it means to grow up in the spotlight, how being raised by strong women shaped him - and why believing in yourself can be the hardest lesson of all.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
01:43 Guarding Privacy in the Spotlight
04:21 Theater and Personal Passions
10:08 Heartstopper and Cast Dynamics
14:38 Navigating Fame and Personal Growth
16:04 Balancing Youth and Career
24:31 Reverse Misogyny and Comfort in Female Spaces
26:37 Future Aspirations
27:48 Imposter Syndrome in Acting
28:52 Heartstopper Casting Call Experience
32:00 The Struggle with Self-Belief
34:55 Embracing Failure and Personal Growth
40:59 Eyebrows and Acting
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
‘The only way I can be a role model is by being the true version of myself. I'm not aspiring to be a role model, and if that is something that people attribute to me, that's not my fault or my thing to worry about.’
‘I have a lot of growing to do still. And that's okay. I think because of my life, I felt like I've had to be perfect and done and fully ready as an adult, and I'm not there yet. And that's fine.’
‘I think the film industry [has] got a very strong relationship with the class system... And I think that open casting is a great way of making the industry more accessible.’
‘I’ve got reverse misogyny because of my upbringing… if I was choosing a team of p…
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ON WRITING... With Salman Rushdie and Kazuo Ishiguro
22 september 2025 · 24 min
Welcome to another special edition of How to Fail, where I revisit conversations from the How to Fail archives. Each week, we shine a light on a particular theme, hopefully offering inspiration, perspective and comfort through the words of past guests. Lees meer
This week’s theme is on writing - appropriately, because my new book ‘One of Us’ is out this week (25th September)! So it felt only fair that I re-shared a couple of my favourite authors who have guested on How to Fail in the past.
First up, you’ll hear from Nobel Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro, whose episode originally aired in March 2021. He shares thoughtful reflections on creativity, memory and the way stories help us explore both truth and imagination.
Then, we turn to Salman Rushdie, in an excerpt from our original conversation back in June 2024, where he discusses his extraordinary book ‘Knife’ and reflects on the role of stories in making sense of life’s most difficult moments.
I hope these highlights remind you of the power of storytelling, not only as a means of escape but also as a way to process, connect and endure
Listen to Salman Rushdie’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/OE63hsrn
Listen to Kazuo Ishiguro’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/zu0kLq-0
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
‘One of Us’ is out on 25th September: lnk.to/OneOfUsElizabethDay
Salman Rushdie’s books: www.salmanrushdie.com
Kazuo Ishiguro’s books: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/14137/kazuo-ishiguro/
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth …
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Mark Ronson - The Stories Behind ‘Uptown Funk,’ Amy Winehouse & ‘I’m Just Ken’
17 september 2025 · 51 min
Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of drug use. Lees meer
Mark Ronson is the hitmaker behind some of the most iconic music of the past two decades. A nine-time Grammy-winning producer, DJ, and Oscar-winning songwriter (yes - he wrote “I’m Just Ken”), Ronson has collaborated with legends like Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus and Duran Duran. He also produced Amy Winehouse’s era-defining album Back to Black, and his 2014 smash “Uptown Funk” is one of the best-selling singles in history.
In this revealing conversation, Mark shares the creative process behind “Uptown Funk,” his unforgettable first meeting with Amy Winehouse, the 90s New York club scene and how a song from Barbie became a global phenomenon.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Intro
02:45 The DJ Booth
04:00 Navigating Family Chaos and Emotional Sensitivity
06:56 The Night People: A Unique Subculture
09:06 Encounters with Celebrities and Substance Experimentation
12:11 The Jay-Z Approach Disaster
21:33 Creating Uptown Funk with Bruno Mars
24:04 The Journey of a Hit Song
25:50 The Concept of Cool
27:42 Guitar Dreams and DJ Realities
29:59 The Importance of Friendship
33:24 Therapy and Personal Growth
35:19 Meeting his wife During COVID
37:26 Industry Exile and a New Beginning
44:14 Creating the Barbie Soundtrack
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
"Creativity is almost like a newborn baby. That's just pure, and I'm not sure if that's really affected by esteem or not."
"There was something about the DJ booth, just like almost physically, it was this, that one man command center where I was just the captain. Nobody can get to me. This is my thing."
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Mark Ronson’s new memoir ‘Night People’ is out now linktr.ee/MarkRonson_NightPeople
Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.…
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ON GRIEF… With Mo Gawdat and Bonnie Tyler
15 september 2025 · 13 min
Welcome to the newest evolution of How to Fail! Each week, I’ll be diving into the archives to spotlight key themes that have come up throughout my conversations with How to Fail guests. I’ll be sharing bite-sized takeaways every Monday to support, inspire and help with whatever you might be going through. Lees meer
This week’s theme is a big one: we’re talking all about grief.
First, you’ll hear a moving excerpt from my 2019 conversation with Mo Gawdat, who offered deeply validating and helpful advice for anyone navigating the loss of a loved one. Then, we revisit a 2024 episode with Bonnie Tyler, who talks about losing her beloved mother..
I hope this episode brings comfort, clarity and a little light to those who need it most.
Listen to Mo Gawdat’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/fnA5IzTi
Listen to Bonnie Tyler’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/hR7kycoN
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com
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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices -
Robin Wright on ageing, confidence and the myth of being ‘too late’
10 september 2025 · 50 min
‘I didn’t think I had that confidence, so I turned those roles down.’ Lees meer
Robin Wright is the legendary star of The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump, House of Cards, and Amazon’s gripping new thriller The Girlfriend. An Emmy-nominated actress, Golden Globe winner and now an acclaimed director, Wright joins How To Fail to talk about fear, self-worth, womanhood, motherhood - and what it means to start over later in life.
She reflects on missed chances in her 20s, turning down roles due to self-doubt, and how playing Claire Underwood helped her channel her inner strength. We discuss ageing, perfectionism, directing while acting and the inequality still embedded in Hollywood. A masterclass in how to fail, get back up, and do it your own way.
Plus: her honest thoughts on working with Tom Hanks and the *worst* experience she’s had with a director.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
11.20 Overcoming fear and self-doubt
11.30 Reuniting with former co-stars - Tom Hanks!
21.31 Why she turned down roles in her 20s due to fear of failing
25.30 Self-love and personal growth
26.15 The journey to directing
35.20 Embracing new challenges later in life
39.45 Difficult experiences in the industry with a bullying director
43.00 Dealing with power imbalances
43.30 Her biggest wish for the youth of today (and how not to be controlled by social media)
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
"You take care of your babies and if something you see is perilous for your offspring, you will lie under an 18-wheeler truck before the baby's going to, you know what I mean?"
"I wasn't ready. And so I feel that it just takes time, experience... I learned from that by finally failing. Having the confidence to fail."
“You have to learn to fail in front of the camera. And then put your head up and try again.”
“Too old to do what? If you’ve got the energy and the want, do it.”
“I’d feel like a failure if I didn’t help the youth grow up in this chaotic world.”
“I didn’t feel confident enough to take those roles. Now I know -…
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ON HEARTBREAK... With Alain de Botton and Jay Shetty
8 september 2025 · 15 min
Welcome to this brand-new concept for How to Fail – where I dive into the back catalogue of the How to Fail archives, highlighting specific themes each week to bring you bitesize takeaways! Hopefully these episodes can bring some clarity on similar issues you’re facing or great stories that you might find comfort from. Lees meer
This week we’re looking at heartbreak. You’ll hear a highlight from my conversation with philosopher Alain de Botton, originally released in October 2019, who shares wise and insightful advice on how to process and understand heartbreak.
Secondly, we hear from Jay Shetty, whose episode originally broadcast in May 2023, and gives incredibly validating advice and support for anyone who might have experienced heartbreak of any kind. I hope that this episode will be a beacon of light to anyone who has been or is currently going through this!
Listen to Alain de Botton’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/RBaS4VUy
Listen to Jay Shetty’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/-nR18lfT
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Jay Shetty’s book – 8 Rules of Love www.8rulesoflove.com
Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts
Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories
👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:
Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday
TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday
Website: www.elizabethday.org
Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com
How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts
To bring your brand to life in this podc…
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Tom Ellis - Fatherhood, Surrogacy and Years of Therapy
3 september 2025 · 50 min
You may know Tom Ellis as the devilishly charming lead in Netflix’s Lucifer, or as the lovable Gary in the BBC sitcom Miranda. He's also made waves in the U.S., starring alongside Gina Rodriguez in Players, and appearing in Hulu’s Tell Me Lies, created by his wife, Meghan Oppenheimer. Lees meer
In 2023, Tom and Meghan welcomed a daughter via surrogate, adding to his role as a proud dad of four. Now, his next big project is the star-studded film adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestselling novel The Thursday Murder Club, alongside Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Richard E. Grant.
In this episode, Tom opens up about modern fatherhood, navigating surrogacy, his fear of needles and what it's really like working on a series about sexual toxicity - with his real-life partner at the helm.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Intro
01:25 From Cardiff to Hollywood
02:11 The Spiritual Journey
04:17 The Thursday Murder Club Experience
06:37 Personal Life and Surrogacy
10:20 Failures and Lessons in Sports
20:09 Discovering Acting
23:50 Being Recognised on the Street
24:04 Medical Green Card Failure
26:35 Discovering Vasovagal Condition
27:45 Becoming a US Citizen
27:54 Political Climate in the US
31:15 Working with his Wife
37:09 Financial Struggles as a Student
43:43 Cats and Family Life
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
"I've had to face things that have been really uncomfortable. But I'm glad that I have done, because then I get back to a place of - this is where I should be. Acknowledging when I've been in the wrong place has been hard, but it's something that I've got better at"
On therapy: "I've learned that you're just basically asking someone to ask you the questions that you're scared to ask yourself, because you probably know the answers already"
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Tom Ellis stars in The Thursday Murder Club, available to watch now on Netflix
Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day
Elizabet…
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Failure Throwback: Jameela Jamil
27 augustus 2025 · 59 min
Jameela Jamil is an actor, activist, and founder of the I Weigh movement. From teaching English to starring in The Good Place, Jameela shares the highs, lows, and radical honesty that define her journey. This episode first went out in February 2021. Lees meer
We talk about:
Her struggle to be a "good" celebrity
Body image battles and self-kindness
Financial missteps and learning to thrive
Calling out media hypocrisy and sparking global change
Packed with truth bombs and bold insight, this episode is for anyone navigating life, self-worth, and the pressure to fit in.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
02:35 Challenges and Criticisms
03:35 Embracing Failure and Progress
08:47 Navigating Public Criticism
15:14 The Pressure of Being a Female Celebrity
26:57 Mental Health
30:09 Empathy and Self-Reflection
30:25 Struggles with Body Image
31:21 The Impact of Diet Culture
32:26 Realisations and Recovery
36:55 Navigating Compliments and Criticisms
42:25 Financial Failures and Lessons
47:59 Life in Los Angeles
52:02 Future Plans and Activism
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
“I failed at being the kind of woman the media wanted me to be—and thank God for that.”
“I spent years trying to be kind to my body. Now I’m trying to be kind to myself.”
“If you’re not being criticised, you’re probably not saying anything worth hearing.”
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
📚 WANT MORE?
Phoebe Waller-Bridge – The Fleabag creator opens up about creative failure, imposter syndrome, and the messy beauty of storytelling: https://link.chtbl.com/Xr_yQtIZ
Dolly Alderton – Journalist and author who dives into romantic missteps, self-worth, and the chaos of growing up: https://link.chtbl.com/5pFApeKP
💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherev…