Sophie Willan - From Foster Care to Alma’s Not Normal
How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
Discipline, Routine and Two-Hour Rule
Sophie advises a practical writing routine: two focused hours daily and accepting imperfect days.
This episode contains very strong language and isn’t suitable for small ears.
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: https://crossedwires.live/podcast/how-to-fail
📚 WANT MORE?
Mae Martin - comedian, writer and actor on identity, anxiety and learning to trust yourself without external approval https://link.chtbl.com/F50L9kqQ
Adeel Akhtar - on self-doubt, feeling like an outsider and how success can change your sense of belonging swap.fm/l/eWxKBXUJZAAkfovquzwi
Fern Brady - the comedian and author on class, misogyny and neurodivergence. http://swap.fm/l/cmeompBv7EHK20enmwbS
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Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan
Engineer: Matias Torres
Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali
Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot
Executive Producer: Alex Lawless
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