The High Performance Podcast Emily Maitlis: What Really Happened Before the Prince Andrew Interview
Aug 22, 2025
Emily Maitlis, a renowned journalist and former BBC newsreader, shares behind-the-scenes insights from her iconic interview with Prince Andrew. She discusses the intricate preparation and mental strategies necessary for high-stakes interviews, emphasizing the balance between emotional resilience and thorough research. Emily reflects on the emotional toll of covering trauma, like the Bataclan attacks, and the challenges of navigating career transitions in journalism. She also highlights the importance of sleep, exercise, and composure for achieving personal and professional success.
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Five Minutes In The Palace Toilet
- Emily Maitlis hid in the Buckingham Palace toilet for five minutes to find calm before the interview.
- She used that silence to centre her purpose and remove performative social noise.
Be The Conduit, Not The Ego
- Maitlis aimed to be a conduit for questions women wanted answered, not to serve her ego.
- That single-purpose clarity transformed fear into a place of professional calm.
Treat Research Like A School Project
- Prepare like a school project: read everything, watch documentaries and map connections meticulously.
- Learn dates and facts to insulate yourself from mistakes and recalibrate quickly on new answers.
