
How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
How To Fail with Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things in life that haven’t gone right and what we might learn from them along the way. Every week, Elizabeth’s guest explores three failures, and what these failures have taught them about how to grow and succeed, better.
We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Elizabeth to share your failures, problems or questions - anonymously or otherwise. She'll go through these each week with the help of her very special guests. And remember: a fail shared is a fail halved. https://forms.sonymusicfans.com/campaign/how-to-fail-uk-2023/
An Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Original Production.
Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts
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Latest episodes

Sep 28, 2022 • 1h 10min
S15, Ep5 How To Fail: Domenica Calarco, the star of Married At First Sight Australia on divorce, anxiety and reality TV
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).--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--How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com--Social Media:Elizabeth Day @elizabdayHow To Fail @howtofailpod Domenica Calarco @domenica.calarco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 21, 2022 • 1h 3min
S15, Ep4 How To Fail: Florence Given on shame, sexuality and finding her voice
TW: eating disordersFlorence 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.--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--Girl Crush by Florence Given is out now and available to order here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/girlcrush/florence-given/9781914240614--How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com--Social Media:Elizabeth Day @elizabdayHow To Fail @howtofailpod Florence Given @florencegiven Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 14, 2022 • 1h 10min
S15, Ep3 How To Fail: Melanie Chisholm on mental health, self-worth and the Spice Girls
TW: eating disorders; suicide; sexual assaultI 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.--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--How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com--Social Media:Elizabeth Day @elizabdayHow To Fail @howtofailpod Melanie Chisholm @melaniecmusic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 7, 2022 • 54min
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
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!--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--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--Social Media:Elizabeth Day @elizabdayHow To Fail @howtofailpod Edward Enninful @edward_enninful Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 31, 2022 • 1h 11min
S15, Ep1 How To Fail: Vanessa Feltz on divorce, body-shaming and Big Brother breakdowns
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).--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--Social Media:Elizabeth Day @elizabdayHow To Fail @howtofailpod Vanessa Feltz @vanessafeltzofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 20, 2022 • 59min
S14, BONUS EPISODE! How To Fail: Jane Goodall
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!--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--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--Social Media:Elizabeth Day @elizabdayHow To Fail @howtofailpod Jane Goodall @janegoodalluk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 13, 2022 • 1h 1min
S14, BONUS EPISODE! How To Fail: Kit de Waal
Kit de Waal, author of My Name Is Leon, talks about how reading saved her, being mixed race and working class, her failure to read enough women and adopt a child, and her failure to ride a bicycle. She also discusses her upcoming memoir about her childhood with a Caribbean father and an Irish Jehovah's Witness mother.

Jul 6, 2022 • 59min
S14, Ep9 How To Fail: Russell Kane
TW // descriptions of self-harmRussell Kane is a comedian, novelist, playwright, podcaster, memoirist and presenter. He's know for his sell-out stand-up gigs across and for his TV work, including Live At the Apollo and Celebrity Juice. Plus he has two -count 'em - podcasts, Evil Genius and Man Baggage.I think Russell is genuinely one of the smartest people I've ever interviewed and his mind functions at about three times the speed of everyone else's. It was a real honour to talk to him, especially because he's a fan of the podcast and came ready, willing and able to open up. His failures include his inability to relax, his 20s and his failure to be fully authentic. And, for the first time ever, he opens up about his experiences with self-harm, and how he finally sought help during one of the darkest episodes of his life.This is such a riveting and enlightening listen. Thank you so much, Russell.And this is the last episode of the season - but don't worry, you know me, we'll be back with a couple of brilliant bonuses before you know it.--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--Social Media:Elizabeth Day @elizabdayHow To Fail @howtofailpod Russell Kane @russell_kane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 29, 2022 • 1h 9min
S14, Ep8 How To Fail: Asim Chaudhry
As well as being a stone-cold legend, Asim Chaudhry is probably best known for co-creating the BAFTA-award-winning mockumentary sitcom People Just Do Nothing and if you’ve ever been on a British Airways flight and paid attention to the safety video, you’ll recognised him instantly as the inept director of a sketch involving national treasures Sir Michael Caine and Olivia Colman. He's an actor, writer, director and musician. And he's also hilarious.He joins me to chat about failing drama class and being kicked out of school with two GCSEs, the time he got deported from America (no, really) and a vicious mugging that left him questioning what life was all about. Along the way we discuss comedy as a defence mechanism, using his dad as creative inspiration and why he wasn't sure about the jeans he was wearing on the day he came to my house.--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--Social Media:Elizabeth Day @elizabdayHow To Fail @howtofailpod Asim Chaudhry @asimc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 22, 2022 • 1h 6min
S14, Ep7 How To Fail: Benjamin Zephaniah
Dr. Benjamin Zephaniah discusses his failure as a 'gangsta' and his prison sentence. He talks about his struggles with dyslexia and leaving mainstream education. The emotional conversation revolves around his failure to have children and male infertility. The chapter explores the Speaker's journey from a troubled childhood, their dreams, family dynamics, and the story of their mother as part of the Windrush generation. They also touch on chosen family, frustration with history education, institutional inequality, and the power of personal stories.