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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:

S15, Ep8 How To Fail: Malorie Blackman, the iconic Noughts and Crosses author on rejection, racism and the importance of representation Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

TW: miscarriage
Today's guest is one of our most beloved writers: the one and only Malorie Blackman. She joins me to talk about how her setbacks have helped her define who she is - from being evicted and made homeless as a child, to the early years of writing rejection when over 80 publishers turned her down and the devastating loss of her second pregnancy. Throughout it all, Malorie Blackman has survived and thrived. In 2013 she was appointed the Children’s Laureate and now, at the age of 60, her books (including her most famous YA novel series, Noughts & Crosses) are a staple of the GCSE curriculum. In this interview, she talks about the power of resilience. It's a must-listen.
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Malorie Blackman's memoir, Just Sayin', is out tomorrow and available to buy here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/441213/just-sayin-by-blackman-malorie/9781529118674
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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
Malorie Blackman @malorie_blackman

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S15, Ep7 How To Fail: Nihal Arthanayake on fatherhood, chicken bongs and the most difficult conversation he's ever had Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

Nihal Arthanayake is a broadcaster and author. He is the host of Radio 5 Live’s Afternoon Show and won interviewer of the year at the 2019 BBC Radio and Music Awards. His new book, Let’s Talk: How To Have Better Conversations, investigates the art of good dialogue - a skill that has served him handsomely in his chosen career.
He joins me to talk about his academic failures, his failures as a son, husband and father, and his failures in friendship. Plus he makes me burst out laughing with an anecdote involving Method Man and a chicken bong (not a typo). Listen to the full episode to find out more...
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Nihal's book, Let's Talk, is out now and available to purchase here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/lets-talk/nihal-arthanayake/9781398711464
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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
Nihal Arthanayake @therealnihal

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S15, Ep6 How To Fail: Jordan Stephens on male vulnerability, anger and getting naked Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

Jordan Stephens was formerly one-half of the band Rizzle Kicks, formed with his childhood friend while they were both at school. He is now an actor, a solo musician, a writer and - as if that weren't enough - a gifted artist too. He's also a super smart, funny and perceptive human. It's always a joy to talk to him and today's episode was no exception - we cover male vulnerability, sobriety, competitiveness, the challenges of fame (and dating a celebrity superstar but keeping it private), the dangers of reality TV and how the phrase 'toxic masculinity' has outlived its usefulness. Plus, his failure...to get naked. Not one we've ever had before on the pod, but well worth a listen!
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Jordan's children’s book, The Missing Piece, is out now and available to buy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-missing-piece/jordan-stephens/beth-suzanna/9781526618139
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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
Jordan Stephens @jordanfstephens

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S15, Ep5 How To Fail: Domenica Calarco, the star of Married At First Sight Australia on divorce, anxiety and reality TV Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

Well, you asked. And here she is. Domenica Calarco, the breakout star from the latest season of Married At First Sight Australia, is one of my most requested guests. On screen, we fell in love with her feisty Italian character, her brutal honesty and her friendship with fellow contestant Ella May Ding. Off screen, Domenica is an absolute treasure: hilarious, talkative and with plenty to say about the whole MAFS experience. Yes, we talk about Olivia. Yes, we talk about Jack. Yes, we talk about Mitch. But if you've never watched MAFS and you don't know what I'm on about, fear not - this is also a beautiful conversation about the shame she felt as a young divorcee and how her quest for love led her into a life-changing decision that ultimately brought her happiness (but not in the way you'd expect). Domenica talks openly about her struggles with anxiety, panic attacks, her feelings of failure and her experiences with internet trolling and becoming a public figure overnight. Listen to be moved and entertained (and to hear a surprise guest).
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If you would like to attend one of the first ever LIVE How To Fail recordings on 5th-8th October, you can book tickets here: https://www.fane.co.uk/how-to-fail
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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
Domenica Calarco @domenica.calarco

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S15, Ep4 How To Fail: Florence Given on shame, sexuality and finding her voice Sep 21, 2022

Show notes

TW: eating disorders
Florence Given is the ultimate feminist multi-hyphenate: an artist, a bestselling author, a podcaster and a social activist with a huge online following, especially among the young women who see her as the wise big sister they always wanted.
She wrote and illustrated her debut book, Women Don't Owe You Pretty, which spent 12 weeks in the Sunday Times top 10, making her the youngest author ever to achieve this goal. Last year, she launched her own podcast, Exactly with Florence Given, and last month she published her first novel which shot to Number One in the bestseller lists.
She joins me to talk about rejection, boundaries, anxiety, friendships, her struggles with disordered eating as a teenager, sexual exploration and hilariously recounts her mortifying first ever date with a woman.
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If you would like to attend one of the first ever LIVE How To Fail recordings on 5th-8th October, you can book tickets here: https://www.fane.co.uk/how-to-fail
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Girl Crush by Florence Given is out now and available to order here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/girlcrush/florence-given/9781914240614
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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
Florence Given @florencegiven

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S15, Ep3 How To Fail: Melanie Chisholm on mental health, self-worth and the Spice Girls Sep 14, 2022

Show notes

TW: eating disorders; suicide; sexual assault
I am so honoured to welcome my first ever Spice Girl to How To Fail! Today Melanie Chisholm - the artist formerly known as Mel C or even Sporty Spice - joins me in what is arguably her most open interview yet.
She tells me about the impact of her parents' divorce, the extreme lengths of her people-pleasing as one of the most famous stars of the 1990s and her own struggles with her body. She talks bravely about the toxic impact of media attention on her weight, and how she developed an eating disorder. This led her into a very dark mental space where she felt dishonest about the image she was portraying to the outside world. Melanie also opens up about a sexual assault she endured while on tour in Turkey and her thoughts of suicide at her lowest points.
And yet the extraordinary thing about Melanie is her resilience and her enduring gentleness. She is SO lovely, and we also have laugh-out-loud moments, including an unforgettable karaoke anecdote involving her and Baby Spice surprising some unsuspecting punters...
What. A. Woman.
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Who I Am by Melanie Chisholm is published on 15th September and is available to order here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/who-i-am/melanie-chisholm/9781802793598
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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
Melanie Chisholm @melaniecmusic

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S15, Ep2 How To Fail: Edward Enninful, the editor of British Vogue on body image, diversity and the joy of being friends with Naomi Campbell Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

This week I interview quite possibly the kindest man in fashion. I love him so much - and I know you will too. Edward Enninful is a pioneer: the first Black person and the first man to edit British Vogue, one of the most powerful magazines in the world. He was born in Ghana, emigrated with his family to the UK as a teenager and worked his way up through the fashion industry from model, to stylist and beyond.
His new memoir, A Visible Man, charts this extraordinary trajectory and today, on How To Fail, Edward reveals the challenges that made him who he is today: from failing at singing, to dropping out of higher education and a self-perceived failure at weight loss that takes us to the heart of the fashion industry's historic problem with diversity. This is a fascinating, open-hearted conversation. Thank you, Edward. And rush out to buy his memoir now!
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A Visible Man by Edward Enninful is out now and available to buy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-visible-man/edward-enninful/9781526657015
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted by Elizabeth Day, produced by Naomi Mantin and Chris Sharp. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
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Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Edward Enninful @edward_enninful

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S15, Ep1 How To Fail: Vanessa Feltz on divorce, body-shaming and Big Brother breakdowns Aug 31, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to Season 15 of How To Fail! And there could be no better woman for our first episode than the iconic Vanessa Feltz. I was so COMPLETELY blown away by her honesty, humour and her brilliance when we met that I knew straight away I had to make her the season opener.
She joins me to talk about the breakdown of her marriage, her shock at discovering her husband's infidelity and how she had to rebuild her life in the aftermath. She also discusses the failure of her chat-show, the toxic media attention paid to her weight and what enduring such challenges in public taught her about resilience. And - of course - she chats about THAT infamous moment on Celebrity Big Brother 2001.
I admire this woman so much and I can't wait for you all to listen to this powerful episode to have your preconceptions shattered. (Unless your preconception happens to be 'Vanessa is a total legend' in which case, it will be re-affirmed).
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted by Elizabeth Day, produced by Naomi Mantin and Chris Sharp. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
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Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Vanessa Feltz @vanessafeltzofficial

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S14, BONUS EPISODE! How To Fail: Jane Goodall Jul 20, 2022

Show notes

The legendary Jane Goodall is a scientist, convservationist 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!
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Jane Goodall's latest book, The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times, is out next week in paperback and is available to pre-order here https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/320237/the-book-of-hope-by-goodall-jane/9780241479469
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted by Elizabeth Day, produced by Naomi Mantin and Chris Sharp. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
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Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Jane Goodall @janegoodalluk

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S14, BONUS EPISODE! How To Fail: Kit de Waal Jul 13, 2022

Show notes

Our extra-special bonus guest today is the author Kit de Waal. Her debut 2016 novel, My Name Is Leon, told the story of a mixed-race nine-year-old boy and his quest to reunite his family after being taken into care. It won the Irish Book of the Year Award and has recently been adapted for TV starring Lenny Henry. Her second novel, The Trick to Time was longlisted for the 2018 Women’s Prize. A short story collection followed, and now de Waal has turned her gaze onto her own life. Her memoir, Without Warning and Only Sometimes, is out next month and tells the moving story of being raised by a Caribbean father and an Irish Jehovah's Witness mother who believed Armageddon was coming.
Kit joins me to talk about how reading became her salvation, the experiences of being mixed race and working class, her failure to read enough women and her failure to adopt a child. Plus - and here's the big one - her failure to ride a bicycle.
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Without Warning and Only Sometimes by Kit de Waal is available for pre-order here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/without-warning-and-only-sometimes/kit-de-waal/9781472284839
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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted by Elizabeth Day, produced by Naomi Mantin and Chris Sharp. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com
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Social Media:
Elizabeth Day @elizabday
How To Fail @howtofailpod
Kit de Waal @KitdeWaal

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