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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day — Arts
How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

Every success story you’ve ever been told is incomplete. How To Fail with Elizabeth Day is the part they leave out.

Each week, Sunday Times #1 bestselling author Elizabeth Day sits down with someone extraordinary – and asks them about the moments that didn’t go according to plan and how these failures shaped them.

Kate Winslet on body image. Malala Yousafzai on rewriting her story. Pamela Anderson on refuting shame. Phoebe Waller-Bridge on creativity. Salman Rushdie on survival. Emilia Clarke on fame. What happens when the people you most admire stop performing and start telling the truth? Five hundred episodes in, we’re still finding out.

With sold-out nights at the London Palladium and Sydney Opera House, millions of listeners worldwide, and a British Podcast Award to its name, How To Fail is one of the UK’s most successful podcasts. And yes, we’re aware of the irony.

Pick an episode. Start anywhere.

An Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment production.

All guest booking is managed from an official Sony Music email address.

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcastsTo bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com

Copyright: © Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment

Latest Episodes:

S17, Ep1 Rylan Clark on fame, heartbreak and the long journey to self-acceptance May 03, 2023

Show notes

We're back with a brand new season (17 but who's counting? I AM!) and to open the series, I truly could not have asked for a better guest.
Rylan Clark is a familiar presence on TV and radio and one of the BBC's hosts for Eurovision 2023. But he started out as the X Factor 'joke' performer in 2012. So how did he manage the transition from national laughing stock to national treasure?
We talk about the failures that made him: not fitting in at school, the end of his marriage, his struggles with body image and how he survived 'hitting rock bottom'. We also have a fascinating conversation about the nature of fame, and how he feels his 'real' self is separate from his public persona.
I adored this chat because Rylan is super-smart and willing to go deep. But he's also hilarious and had me crying with laughter.
I hope you enjoy the episode. And if you do, I'd love it if you could give How To Fail a nice little five-star rating wherever you get your podcasts!
It's good to be back.
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
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Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Rylan @rylan

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BONUS EPISODE! Mel Schilling: the MAFS dating expert on confidence, relationships and the secret to finding true love Apr 05, 2023

Show notes

TW: fertility
Regular listeners will know I'm a devoted watcher of Married At First Sight, so I squealed with joy when the brilliant Mel Schilling agreed to come on the pod. Not only is she one of Australia's foremost dating experts, but as a former psychologist and a specialist in human behaviour and performance, she's the perfect person to ask about how to find true love in the dating wilderness, how to feel more confident and what it's really like filming MAFS behind the scenes. And rest assured, I asked ALL OF THIS AND MORE.
We also discuss how she only found the courage to pursue her passion later in life, why she dated 'all the emotionally unavailable men' in her 20s and 30s and her fertilty journey - please be aware, if you're currently going through a fertilty struggle yourself that you might find this part triggering (but you might also find it helpful - I know I did).
I love Mel so much and she's even better in person. I hope you enjoy the episode, and then enjoy catching up with all the latest MAFS episodes, of course...
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Mel's book, The C Word (Confidence): Make friends with fear and build confidence from the ground up, is available to buy here.
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My new book, FRIENDAHOLIC: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, is out now and available to purchase here.
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
--
Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Mel Schilling @mel_schilling1

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BONUS EPISODE! How To Fail x Happy Place: The Ultimate Podcast Collab Apr 03, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to a very special episode of How To Fail where we join forces with one of our favourite podcasts, Happy Place. The wonderful Fearne Cotton and I sit down to chat about three of our personal highlights from each of our respective back catalogues. You'll hear from Emily Ratajowski, Mo Gawdat, Roman Kemp, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and more. We'll talk about mental health, feminism, race, step-parenting and an unforgettable comedy encounter involving apple crumble and Meryl Streep...
This was such a joy to record. I met Fearne through podcasting and she's become a dear friend. She's been a trailblazer in opening up vulnerable spaces for others and I'm so grateful to her for leading the way. We hope you enjoy this very special chat!
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My new book, FRIENDAHOLIC: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, is out now and available to purchase here.
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
--
Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Fearne Cotton @fearnecotton
Happy Place @happyplaceofficial

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S16, BONUS EPISODE! FRIENDAHOLIC: Confessions of a Friendship Addict - an exclusive extract from my new book, Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

SURPRISE! I thought I'd treat you to another bonus episode - not a conventional How To Fail but an exclusive extract from the audio version of my new book, Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict which is published today. I hope you enjoy it - and if you do, feel free to order a copy here.
Thank you so much for listening to this season of How To Fail. I appreciate you!
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
--
Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod

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S16, BONUS EPISODE: Cody Rigsby on queerness, addiction and being Rishi Sunak's favourite Peloton instructor Mar 29, 2023

Show notes

TW: addiction
Regular listeners of How To Fail will know that I love Peloton: the one-stop fitness workout which offers cycling, strength, yoga and more. THIS IS NOT AN AD, JUST A GENUINE FEELING! Anyway, the undisputed King of Peloton is Cody Rigsby - an instructor who brings a combination of poptastic joy and savage sass to the bike. He is one of the most popular instructors on the platform, with over 1 million Instagram followers, and counts Prime Minister Rishi Sunak amongst his die-hard fans.
But Rigsby had a tough upbringing: his father died of a drug overdose when Cody was just four months old. Raised by a single mother who also had addiction issues, Rigsby endured spells of homelessness and financial instability. Growing up queer in North Carolina, he struggled to find role models or representation, which is why, on the Peloton bike, he uses it as 'a Trojan horse' of acceptance. Rigsby also talks movingly for the first time about losing his friend Oliver to addiction and his belief that he failed to intervene until it was too late.
Even if you've never stepped foot near a Peloton, I promise you this is an interview that will move and entertain you in equal measure.
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My new book, FRIENDAHOLIC: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, is published tomorrow and is available to order - at half price - here.
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
--
Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Cody Rigsby @codyrigsby

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S16, Ep11 How To Fail: Bernie Sanders on defeat, defiance and the struggles that shaped him (plus: the power of mittens) Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

PINCH ME, IS THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENING? Yes, yes it is. Ok. Deep breaths. For my season finale, I bring you the one and only Bernie Sanders: the longest-serving independent member of Congress in American history; unofficial leader of the US progressive movement and a two-time former Presidential candidate.
He joins me to talk about his failed attempts to win the Democratic Party nomination, his failure to make his high school basketball team and the time he unwittingly went viral for wearing a pair of mittens to President Biden's inauguration. It's a conversation that will make you think and possibly make you angry (but that, as he explains, can be a good thing).
It was an honour to meet Senator Sanders and although he doesn't much like talking about himself, I gave it my best shot. I think this is probably his most personal interview yet. I found his reflections on how his childhood shaped his political outlook really fascinating. And I posed so many questions about whether he cries and where he puts his disappointment that he actually asked me if it was a therapy session. My answer? 'Basically, yes.' He had the good grace to laugh.
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Bernie Sanders's new book, It's Ok To Be Angry About Capitalism is out now and available to order here.
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My new book, FRIENDAHOLIC: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, is published on 30th March and is now available to preorder - at half price - here.
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
--
Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Bernie Sanders @berniesanders

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S16, Ep10 How To Fail: Margaret Atwood on wisdom, witchcraft and womanhood Mar 08, 2023

Show notes

For International Women's Day, I bring you - NO BIG DEAL - Margaret Atwood. The Booker-Prize winning author of numerous works including The Blind Assassin, Cat's Eye and Alias Grace, has been a pioneer in the depiction of women in literature, redefining the dystopian novel with her revolutionary 1985 book, The Handmaid's Tale, which went on to sell eight million copies and been adapted into a hit TV show.
Atwood's work is visceral, wise and sharply intelligent, so it's safe to say I was ever so slightly intimidated by the prosepct of interviewing her. But oh my goodness, what an utter delight she was. We talked about everything from astrology to cults to witchcraft and the scapegoating of women over the millennia. And we discuss her failures in needlework, musicals and a failed novel that led, circuitously, to the conception of The Handmaid's Tale.
I was on a high after this conversation for days and I hope you will be too.
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Margaret Atwood's new collection of short stories, Old Babes in the Wood, is out now and available to order here.
I can also highly recommend subscribing to her excellent Substack. She recently wrote here about her experience of coming on this podcast - including the email she sent me outlining her failures prior to recording which is quite possibly one of the most lyrical emails I've ever been sent. Find that here.
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My new book, FRIENDAHOLIC: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, will be published next month and is now available to preorder - at half price - here.
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
--
Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Margaret Atwood @MargaretAtwood

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S16 Ep9 How To Fail: Greg James on radio, rebellion and failing to be a good at fame Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

One of the only times my friend Fran has been truly impressed by a podcast guest was when I sent her a picture of me recording with Greg James. During the pandemic, Fran and her family would listen to him on Radio 1 every morning and he helped them through those long lockdown days with a necessary a dose of good cheer.
Many people around the country will relate to that story: since 2018, Greg has hosted BBC Radio 1’s iconic breakfast show, attracting around five million listeners every day. He's got one of the most beloved and familiar voices in broadcasting, so it's a total joy to welcome him to How To Fail.
He joins me to talk about his failures in cricket, in fame and...dog ownership.
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Greg James's new Formula 1 podcast, The Fast and the Curious is available to listen wherever you get your podcasts, along with his cricketing podcast, Tailenders, and Teach Me A Lesson with Greg James and Bella Mackie.
His chldren's books, co-authored with Chris Smith, are avaialble to buy here.
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My new book, FRIENDAHOLIC: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, will be published next month and is now available to preorder - at half price - here.
--
How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
--
Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Greg James @gregjames

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S16, Ep8 How To Fail: Joan Bakewell - the legendary broadcaster on life, love and everything in between Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

For a long time, Joan Bakewell has been a professional inspiration to me: a broadcasting superstar whose professional longevity is a testament to her talent, curiosity and hard work. She is a few months shy of her 90th birthday but still as busy as ever, presenting Portrait and Landscape Artist of the Year for Sky Arts. She’s also a peer of the realm and the president of Birkbeck, University of London.
Baroness Bakewell joins me to talk about her extraordinary career interviewing everyone from Marcel Duchamp to Nelson Mandela. Plus: sexism, class, her failure to become an actress, her memories of the Blitz, her two divorces and her long-running affair with the esteemed playwright Harold Pinter.
It was such an amazing conversation and a real honour for me to talk to this thoroughly wonderful woman.
--
My new book, FRIENDAHOLIC: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, will be published next month and is now available to preorder - at half price - here.
--
How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
--
Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Joan Bakewell @JDBakewell

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S16, Ep7 How To Fail: Munroe Bergdorf on the beauty of transitions, breaking the rules and learning how forgive herself and others Feb 15, 2023

Show notes

TW: rape, racism and transphobia
I have admired this woman from afar for many years and was so honoured when she agreed to sit down with me for How To Fail. Munroe Bergdorf is impossible to summarise: she is an activist, model, writer and broadcaster but those words can't accurately convey how much she has done to shape our culture.
In her UTTERLY BRILLIANT new book, Transitional, Munroe draws on her own experience to reveal just how deeply ingrained transitioning is in human experience. It's a book that explores change and the fluidity of identity and relationships, sexuality and gender and it's so, so powerful.
She joins me to talk about the long journey to live her truth and how she overcame a lack of self-worth to understand she was worthy of healthy relationships. We talk about how she navigated PTSD, panic attacks and anxiety and about her refusal to play by the rules.
It is an extraordinary conversation, as befits an extraordinary person. But please do be aware that we cover some traumatic territory, including Munroe's violent rape at the hands of a stalker. I am so grateful to Munroe for her courage in talking about it. Such stories are urgently necessary to share in order to attack misplaced stigma and shame, and Munroe emerges from everything she talks about with strength, grace and integrity intact. This is not a story of being defined by trauma, but of overcoming it - and of continuing to fight for change.
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Transitional by Munroe Bergdorf is published tomorrow and availabe to order here.
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
--
Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Munroe Bergdorf @munroebergdorf

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