🎤 How To Fail LIVE: Caitlin Moran on parenting failures, body image and big vaginas

Author of Untamed and fierce truth-teller Glennon Doyle joins me for a raw and revelatory episode, first recorded in July 2020. We dive into: Why we chase approval instead of trusting our inner voice Her struggles with body image, love, and emotional resilience The failures that shaped her—from family breakdowns to learning self-protection Every moment is unscripted and packed with wisdom. No edits. No filters. Just Glennon, exactly as she is. Listen when you're ready for honesty that hits like a lightning bolt. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 01:59 Glennon Doyle's Early Life and Struggles 02:11 The Journey to Sobriety 02:35 Meeting Abby Wambach and Life Transformation 03:01 The Impact of 'Untamed' and Pandemic Challenges 07:47 Writing 'Untamed' and Embracing Wildness 12:54 Personal Transformation 17:11 Redefining Success and Family Dynamics 35:52 Generational Differences and Parenting 36:38 A Mother's Transformation 38:04 Struggles with Thick Skin 38:58 Navigating Feedback as an Artist 51:10 The Scarcity Mindset Among Women 55:52 Body Image and Control 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: "If a cheetah can be tamed to forget who she is, so can a woman." "This life is mine alone, so I have stopped asking people for directions to places they’ve never been." "The point of being human is not to feel happy—it’s to feel everything." 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: ⁠https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content 📚 WANT MORE? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – On feminism, failure, and the power of storytelling to reshape identity: https://link.chtbl.com/wqGlGUPi Mo Gawdat – Former Google exec turned happiness expert, sharing his journey through grief and self-discovery: https://link.chtbl.com/fnA5IzTi 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories Share with someone exploring neurodiversity or recovering their voice 👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @elizabday TikTok: @howtofailpod Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we revisit one of my all-time favourite guests: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, recorded in July 2021. Best known for Americanah and her globally resonant TED Talks, Chimamanda opens up about the profound grief of losing both her parents within a year—and the raw journey of coping in its aftermath. We talk candidly about: Her essay Notes on Grief Being a daughter and the complexities of motherhood Fertility struggles and writing through pain Her cultural influence and, yes...Kim Kardashian It’s heartfelt, honest, and deeply moving. Listen when you're ready to feel. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 03:18 Chimamanda's Background and Family 04:39 Exploring Feminism and Dissatisfaction 06:09 Navigating Sexism and Racism 08:29 Cultural Observations and Gender Roles 14:52 Academic Journey and Career Shift 18:12 Grief, Guilt, and Family Memories 35:04 Delight in Simple Pleasures 35:54 A Mother's Determination 38:11 Medical Malpractice and Loss 41:10 Coping with Grief 42:51 Seeking Comfort in Faith 51:20 Struggles with Writing 53:51 Motherhood and Creativity 01:01:44 Fashion, Individuality, and Social Media 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: "I didn’t really intend to become this person who talks about feminism and political things… but my anger and my dissatisfaction just propels me." "It seems to me that I’ve always known… the world simply does not give women the same dignity it gives men." 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: ⁠https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content 📚 WANT MORE? Danny O’Donoghue on navigating grief: https://link.chtbl.com/Fvd4L7ei Julia Stiles on grief and her directorial debut: https://link.chtbl.com/0RdPCiip Dorinda Medley on grief, identity and The Real Housewives: https://link.chtbl.com/Lf44HTRS 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories Share with someone exploring neurodiversity or recovering their voice 👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @elizabday TikTok: @elizabday Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recorded with a live audience in Cambridge, this captivating conversation delves deep into the life and career of a cultural force of the last half-century. Known of course for his iconic role as Baldrick in Blackadder, Sir Tony's sharp intelligence and dry humour have had a formative influence on generations.  In this candid discussion, he opens up about the unexpected turns and profound challenges that have shaped his extraordinary journey as an actor, presenter, documentary maker and writer. You'll hear his deeply personal reflections on fatherhood, insights into the creative process behind his recently announced novel, and the powerful lessons learned from a lifetime of experiences, both public and private.  Prepare for an engaging, wise, and moving conversation that explores the transformative power of vulnerability and the importance of finding meaningful connection. This is a unique opportunity to hear a national treasure like never before. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 00:45 Tony Robinson's Early Life and Career 03:13 Fatherhood and Family 04:55 Writing and Publishing a Novel 10:50 The Impact of Blackadder 13:16 Challenges and Conflicts in Blackadder 16:33 Height and Personal Insecurities 20:42 Childhood and Adolescence Struggles 22:41 Growing Up in the Shadow of WWII 24:49 The Ups and Downs of Gambling 27:28 Early Career and Poker Lessons 29:29 Child Actor Earnings and Capitalism 34:23 Dealing with Alzheimer's in the Family 37:03 Reflecting on Personal Failures 44:56 Finding Meaningful Relationships 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: “The trick is to minimise when you’re losing.” “If someone gouges the oak tree when it's young, it's almost obscene. When you look at it, it's horrible. But gradually, as the oak grows older and wider and bigger, and the bark becomes more twisted and more sophisticated, that gouge becomes not only a thing of beauty, but probably the most beautiful and defining thing about that oak tree." 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Sir Tony’s new book: The House of Wolf Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: ⁠⁠https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day⁠ Elizabeth’s Substack: ⁠https://theelizabethday.substack.com/⁠ Join the How To Fail community: ⁠https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content 📚 WANT MORE? Stephen Merchant, on height, stand-up and turning 50 https://listen.sonymusic-podcasts.link/ighNsQn7 Richard Osman, on professional failure, food addiction and his fear of joining in https://link.chtbl.com/oo_ct3h3 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories 👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @elizabday TikTok: Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: ⁠www.elizabethday.org⁠ Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Elizabeth and Sir Tony Robinson answer YOUR questions live in Cambridge in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: ⁠howtofailpod.com⁠   Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: ⁠howtofailpod.com⁠  Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan   Live Show Engineer: Will Kontargyris Sound Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Carly Maile How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at ⁠sonymusic.com/podcasts⁠ To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email ⁠[email protected]⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠podcastchoices.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this searingly funny and deeply affecting live conversation, Elizabeth speaks to stand-up comedian, author and Taskmaster favourite Fern Brady about her autism diagnosis, her working-class roots, and the failures that shaped her award-winning memoir Strong Female Character. Fern opens up about late diagnosis, social masking, and stripping to fund her education - all delivered with the brutal honesty and whip-smart humour that’s made her one of the most exciting voices in comedy today. A powerful exploration of identity, feminism, and finding your voice. What stood out for you in this episode? Leave us a comment.  ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 01:58 Autism Diagnosis and Masking 04:40 Experiences on Taskmaster 11:40 University Struggles and Stripping 17:33 Challenges of Writing a Memoir 20:03 Reflections on Edinburgh 21:49 Struggles with Mental Health and Misdiagnosis 22:35 University Challenges and Autistic Shutdowns 23:25 Extreme Stress and Physical Symptoms 24:34 Breaking into Comedy and Facing Limitations 26:05 Overcoming Self-Limiting Beliefs 27:55 Navigating the Comedy Industry 34:02 Rejecting Mainstream Entertainment 37:21 Celebrity Bakeoff Experience 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: “Even when people don’t know you’re autistic, they know you’re autistic. They pick up on something different about you.”“Comedy radicalised me as a feminist. And so did working in a strip club.”“I was told I had the wrong energy for QI. I think that was a coded way to say I was too common.”“Autistic people are always learning to speak neurotypical. All we’re asking is for a bit of that in return.” 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Fern’s memoir Strong Female Character is out now! @fernfrombathgate Fern is a the Edinburgh Fringe: fernbrady.co.uk/gigs Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: ⁠https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day  Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content 📚 WANT MORE? Christine McGuinness on autism, calm and self-acceptance Caitlin Moran on feminism, girls and mental health Miriam Margolyes on difference, defiance and not caring what people think 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories Share with someone exploring neurodiversity or recovering their voice 👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @elizabday TikTok: Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Elizabeth and Fern answer YOUR questions live in Edinburgh in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here:  Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com  Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan   Live Show Engineer: Will Kontargyris Sound Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Carly Maile How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when the life you thought you’d built - the one with love, money, recognition - seems to slip away? This week, Elizabeth speaks to Dorinda Medley, author, TV personality and iconic former Real Housewife of New York, about reinvention, resilience and learning to be okay with not being liked by everyone. Dorinda opens up about the loss of her husband, the loneliness that followed fame, and why her departure from Housewives was both painful and necessary. This is a raw, funny, emotional conversation with a woman who’s lived many lives - and isn’t afraid to talk about all the ways they’ve fallen apart. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 02:12 Life After Reality TV 03:30 Authenticity and Public Perception 06:37 Dealing with Grief and Loss 14:06 Finding Strength in Vulnerability 19:14 The Impact of Fame 21:56 Housewives' First Visit to Blue Stone Manor 23:03 Behind the Scenes Drama 23:32 Staying Connected with Castmates 25:36 Dealing with Trolls and Haters 29:00 Coping with On-Screen Conflicts 31:19 Reflecting on the Housewives Experience 32:48 Blue Stone Manor Tag Sale 35:57 Life Lessons and Moving Forward 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: “A lot of people mourn by crying. I was angry. I was lost. I felt like I got cheated.” “If you want to love me, great. If you don’t, I’m okay with that.” “There’s a difference between missing Housewives and wanting to do it again.” 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com  Join Elizabeth at an upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: ⁠https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day  Watch How To Fail on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowToFailPodcast  Instagram: @howtofailpod / @elizabday TikTok: @howtofailpod / @elizabday Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe to How To Fail on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave us a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these conversations Share this episode with someone navigating grief or reinvention 📚 WANT MORE? Stanley Tucci on grief, identity and the taste of memory https://listen.sonymusic-podcasts.link/pbegMUD1?at=1010l396Y Miriam Margolyes on fame, failure and finally giving fewer f*cks https://listen.sonymusic-podcasts.link/PJdd42Bp?at=1010l396Y Mo Gawdat on how to solve for happiness https://listen.sonymusic-podcasts.link/RhEwJYA2?at=1010l396Y Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan   Studio Engineer: Sam Bair  Sound Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Carly Maile How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices