For many of us who grew up in the the 90s, Julia Stiles was an integral part of our coming of age. Her portrayal of the clever, acerbic Kat in 10 Things I Hate About You was a radical reinvention of the blonde teenage female rom-com lead. Her roles in Save The Last Dance and Mona Lisa Smile spoke to our adolescent feminist awakenings and catapulted Stiles to stardom. And, just like the heroines she played, Stiles chose to do things a bit differently. At the height of her teenage fame, she went t...
May 21, 2025•53 min•Season 20Ep. 79
John Bishop has been a hugely successful stand-up comedian for 25 years. Yet that wasn’t his first dream, which was to play football. We discuss his failure to do so professionally, his challenges at school, the working-class upbringing that shaped him and how comedy saved his marriage when he and his wife were at the ‘decree nisi stage’ of divorce. Plus: skincare tips and why making people laugh is like stripping. Yes, really. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 01:48 The Art of Standup Comedy 06:52...
May 14, 2025•55 min•Season 20Ep. 78
Simon Cowell has built an entertainment empire on his ability to say exactly what he thinks and an uncanny ability to judge the public mood. From launching Pop Idol in 2001, The X Factor in 2004 and the cultural behemoth Britain’s Got Talent in 2007, he has been at the helm of primetime around the world for over a quarter of a century. His TV shows and Syco record label have shaped the careers of everyone from One Direction to Little Mix, Susan Boyle and Leona Lewis. But his success hasn’t come ...
May 07, 2025•1 hr•Season 20Ep. 77
My guest today has been an integral part of my feminist awakening. Celeste Barber’s instagram posts - which parody the unattainable standards of the fashion and beauty industry - are both hilarious and revolutionary. Her work has helped a generation of women to feel better about their bodies - and made her a star in the process. (Plus she’s been blocked by a few celebrities. Lol.) Barber began her account in 2015 as a jobbing actor. She now has almost 10 million followers, including Reese Wither...
Apr 30, 2025•52 min•Season 20Ep. 76
This episode of How To Fail was recorded in front of a live audience at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy theatre. Emma Dabiri is a broadcaster, historian, and bestselling author whose work delves into the complexities of identity, culture, and race through art history and current affairs. She's now written a number of books - culture shifting works which are a radical re-imagining of what we consider to be beauty. Her first book was an Irish Times bestseller and inspired a conversation around race that...
Apr 23, 2025•43 min•Season 20Ep. 75
This episode of How To Fail was recorded in front of a live audience at London’s Barbican Theatre. Sally Phillips has appeared in a string of the most influential and hilarious comedy series of all time - from Smack The Pony, Miranda, The Thick of It and Veep. Not forgetting, of course, her star turn as Bridget Jones’s best friend, Shazza, in the hugely popular movie franchise. Alongside her professional success, Phillips has also been an important voice in the neurodivergent community. Her elde...
Apr 16, 2025•50 min•Season 20Ep. 74
Over on Failing with Friends this week, Mae Martin talks about self-care, how to stop pushing people away and we tackle a listener’s failure to be messy in their twenties. To hear Mae Martin's brilliant advice, join our community of subscribers: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Canadian comedian, writer, producer and singer/songwriter Mae Martin joins Elizabeth to talk about making music, the importance of pronouns and being diagnosed with ADHD. We also discuss their hit Netflix show...
Apr 09, 2025•51 min•Season 20Ep. 73
Over on Failing with Friends this week, JVN and I get into relationship therapy and the perfect length of shorts on a man. To hear JVN tackling your failures, join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Jonathan Van Ness, one fifth of Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, three-times New York Times bestseller, podcaster, business magnate and all-round icon is on the pod this week. JVN joins us to talk about TV show cancellations, almost getting cancelled, busines...
Apr 02, 2025•48 min•Season 20Ep. 72
For this bonus episode, Elizabeth and Mel open up the post bag to answer the burning questions YOU have when it comes to dating… And, let’s just say, we cover A LOT of ground. After you’ve listened, you can get all the resources and worksheets discussed at www.thepodclass.co.uk Mel and Elizabeth are on a mission to revolutionise the world of dating! We want to make it a safe, fun and rewarding experience for everyone. If you’d like to join us, we’ve put together our very own How To Date Good Dat...
Mar 31, 2025•40 min•Season 20Ep. 71
Over on Failing with Friends - Sam Ryder talks about panic attacks, how to forgive, and (in a How To Fail first) why he likes to cut his toenails outdoors. To hear Sam tackling your failures join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Sam Ryder is a British singer-songwriter who started posting covers on TikTok during the pandemic that ended up catching the eye of Sia, Elton John and Justin Bieber. He represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2...
Mar 26, 2025•53 min•Season 20Ep. 70
For the final episode of How To Date (sob!) Mel and Elizabeth look at the most important relationships any of us can have in our lives: the one with ourselves. We unpack what this means in practical terms. How do we nurture a healthy sense of self-respect - and why can this sometimes feel so challenging? How can we ensure interdependence rather than co-dependence? We explore why being clear about your own worth is a fundamental building block in any sustainable relationship with another person. ...
Mar 24, 2025•58 min•Season 20Ep. 69
Olivia Attwood first appeared on our TV screens in 2017 as a contestant in the third series of Love Island, and instantly became a star due to her dry humour and gobby relatability. You might also know her as a regular panellist on Loose Women or from her hit documentaries for ITV. Last year, she launched her podcast, Olivia Attwood’s So Wrong It’s Right, which promptly went to Number 1 in the UK charts. On today’s episode, we talk about everything from reality tv to her diagnosis with ADHD; fro...
Mar 19, 2025•49 min•Season 20Ep. 68
Elizabeth and Mel face one of the most challenging parts of dating: heartbreak and rejection. We are joined by life coach and author Michelle Elman who went through a devastating, public break-up after being notified via an Instagram DM that her fiance of 24-hours had been cheating on her. Michelle, Mel and Elizabeth explore the impact an experience like this can have and how best to cope with it. We discuss surviving rejection and the lessons that heartbreak can teach us, in time. Plus: how to ...
Mar 17, 2025•45 min•Season 20Ep. 67
To hear more of Erin offering advice on listener failures, join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Erin Doherty’s big break came playing Princess Anne in The Crown. She’s now back on our screens as Mary Carr, the leader of a real-life Victorian female crime gang, in A Thousand Blows (written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight). Erin talks about acting rejections, struggling with social anxiety, her approach to friendships, how she was *almost* a ...
Mar 12, 2025•46 min•Season 20Ep. 66
Things are going well… So Elizabeth and Mel are taking it to the next level where they are getting just that little bit more serious. In this episode, Mel and Elizabeth look at exclusivity and commitment and what it takes to build a strong foundation for a lasting relationship. Plus: how a partner’s past plays into your future together. After you’ve listened, you can get all the resources and worksheets discussed at www.thepodclass.co.uk Mel and Elizabeth are on a mission to revolutionise the wo...
Mar 10, 2025•49 min•Season 20Ep. 65
Friendship advice: ‘Are you a radiator or a drain?’ To hear more from Gugu tackling your failures join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Gugu Mbatha-Raw is an actor who firmly resists typecasting: her West End debut was as Ophelia in Hamlet; while on-screen she has tackled everything from Belle, to a victim of sexual assault in the hit drama The Morning Show. Her co-stars have included Jennifer Aniston, Matthew McConaughey, Kiefer Sutherland and Will...
Mar 05, 2025•46 min•Season 20Ep. 64
Mel and Elizabeth look at the subtle (and not-so-subtle) signs that can help us understand whether a potential partner is right for us. That’s right, we’re exploring the red flags that should have us running for the hills, the green flags that signpost a healthy relationship and the amber or pink ones that lie somewhere in-between. We are joined by an expert in the field - social worker and bestselling author, LalalaLetMeExplain - to discuss how to spot these flags, what they really mean in the ...
Mar 03, 2025•57 min•Season 20Ep. 63
Kate Hudson’s comedic turn in How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days made that movie one of the greatest romantic comedies of the noughties, and her performances in everything from Bride Wars to Glass Onion have each been totally scene-stealing. This month, she stars in Running Point, a new Netflix comedy from Mindy Kaling, and she has just released her first album, Glorious. Her failures are open, honest and so very wise. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 03:20 The Empathy Discussion 04:51 Navigating Fame a...
Feb 26, 2025•59 min•Season 20Ep. 62
The first date has gone well for Elizabeth and Mel (the chemistry was sizzling, quite frankly) so now we turn our attention to the murky waters of early-stage communication in dating. Psychotherapist, author and podcaster Emma Reed-Turrell joins Elizabeth and Mel this week to break down how to communicate with clarity and kindness, without ever losing our power. We explore why self-esteem plays a crucial role in shaping the way we communicate, the pitfalls of people-pleasing and how blind spots ...
Feb 25, 2025•53 min•Season 20Ep. 61
Simon Callow is a critically acclaimed actor, director, author and star of classic movies such as Room with a View, Shakespeare in Love and Howards End. However, it’s his part as Gareth in Four Weddings and a Funeral that many took to their hearts. Callow’s failures include a childhood rejection that still haunts him, a play he directed which was savaged by the critics, painting and how he was ‘very annoyed’ not to get the movie part of Amadeus despite having played it on stage. ✨ IN THIS EPISOD...
Feb 19, 2025•41 min•Season 20Ep. 60
Mel and Elizabeth continue their dating journey and today, we’ve reached one of the most nerve-wracking, yet potentially thrilling, milestones: the first date. Our guest is the fabulous Ryan Lanji, cultural producer, winner of Netflix’s Big Flower Fight and all-round icon. Ryan joins us to break down everything from the lead-up to the date, how to navigate the date itself and the immediate aftermath, as well as dating in the queer community. He also shares his own first-date stories, tips, and l...
Feb 17, 2025•52 min•Season 20Ep. 59
Jessel Taank is the first South Asian housewife and the breakout star of her debut season of The Real Housewives of New York in 2023. In this episode we speak openly about the challenges of conceiving her twin sons through IVF and the misplaced shame she felt at not being able to have children naturally. Her failures include failing to overcome Indian beauty ideals, a failure to balance motherhood with personal ambition, and a failure to understand the mechanisms of reality TV (and yes…we get IN...
Feb 12, 2025•51 min•Season 20Ep. 58
Elizabeth and Mel get into the exciting, terrifying and sometimes overwhelming world of how on earth to meet someone. We discuss online dating and IRL encounters and how to navigate it all without losing our self-esteem. Our guest this week is the brilliant Sharmaine Lovegrove, whom many of you might already know as one of the hosts of our previous podclass, How To Write A Book. Sharmaine went through a marital separation in her early 40s and threw herself into the apps. She joins us to share he...
Feb 10, 2025•52 min•Season 20Ep. 57
Broadcaster and author Nick Grimshaw joins Elizabeth to talk about failing his maths GCSE, failing his business and communications degree, his failure to be present, and failing at New Year’s resolutions. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 01:25 Rising to Fame at BBC Radio 1 02:47 The Importance of Authenticity 03:58 Struggles with Sexuality and Acceptance 08:38 Family Dynamics and Parental Expectations 11:23 University Challenges and Career Aspirations 15:09 Balancing Creativity and Academic Pressu...
Feb 05, 2025•51 min•Season 20Ep. 56
Elizabeth and Mel look at one of the most important yet daunting questions: “Am I ready to date?” Whether you’re returning to the dating world after divorce, heartbreak, loss or simply wondering if it’s the right time to put yourself out there, this episode explores what it really means to be ‘date ready’. After you’ve listened, you can get all the resources and worksheets discussed at www.thepodclass.co.uk Mel and Elizabeth are on a mission to revolutionise the world of dating! We want to make ...
Feb 03, 2025•50 min•Season 20Ep. 55
Olivier and Emmy-award-winning Dame Harriet Walter must have acting in her blood: her uncle is the legendary horror star Christopher Lee, she turned down a place at Oxford in favour of drama school, and began her career at the Royal Shakespeare Company. On screen you’ll know her from Killing Eve, Ted Lasso, The Crown or as Lady Caroline in Succession - plus films including Sense and Sensibility, Atonement and The Last Duel. On stage she’s embodied everyone from Prospero to Elizabeth I. Her failu...
Jan 29, 2025•54 min•Season 20Ep. 54
Sharon Horgan is a writer, actor and director. She has an uncanny ability to craft complex, compelling and heartfelt characters who find comedy even in the darkest of situations: just like in her hit series Bad Sisters - which has won a Peabody Award and four Emmy nominations. You’ll also know her from the BAFTA-nominated show Pulling, plus starring and writing in the critically-acclaimed shows Catastrophe and Motherland. Her failures include dropping out of art college and drama school, a faile...
Jan 22, 2025•47 min•Season 20Ep. 53
Actor, writer and director Stephen Merchant joins How To Fail this week and is reflective, fascinating and - yes - even funny. We talk about what he learned from Ricky Gervais when co-writing The Office, on feeling rattled turning 50 and how it’s hard to fail as a stand-up comedian (but he got over it). ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 17:16 Height and Humor 17:50 Reflections on Failure and Success 22:12 Stephen Career Journey 30:50 The Office and Ordinary Lives 32:46 The Comfort of Rewatchable Co...
Jan 15, 2025•49 min•Season 20Ep. 52
The final episode in our run of throwback episodes is the one and only Geena Davis - this one went out on 9th November 2022. This is what I wrote at the time: I am obsessed with today's guest and I'm not even going to pretend otherwise. Geena Davis, the star of such seminal movies as Tootsie, Beetlejuice, Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own and the underrated classic, The Long Kiss Goodnight, TURNED UP AT MY ACTUAL HOUSE to record a witty, warm and fascinating conversation.* We talk about...
Jan 08, 2025•1 hr•Season 20Ep. 51
I’m revisiting some of my favourite episodes this Christmas. This week it’s Jamie Dornan, whose episode went out when we were in deepest, darkest lockdown, on 24th November 2020. This is what I wrote at the time: You’ll know Jamie from starring on our screens in The Fall, Fifty Shades of Grey, and more recently The Tourist. He joins me to talk about failures in acting, failures at school and a failure to sit still. We also discuss growing up in Northern Ireland at the height of The Troubles, mal...
Jan 01, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 20Ep. 50
