How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

Author: Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Language: English Episodes: 100
There's a quiet revolution happening in how we think about success, and How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is right at the heart of it. This isn't about schadenfreude or wallowing in misfortune. Instead, Elizabeth Day has created a space where the most interesting conversations begin with a simple, radical premise: our lowest moments are often our greatest teachers. Each episode, a guest-from celebrated artists and thinkers to everyday people with extraordinary stories-sits down to examine three significant failures from their own life. The magic lies in the excavation, as Elizabeth guides the discussion toward the unexpected wisdom and resilience that emerged from those setbacks. You'll hear the raw honesty in their voices, the laughter that comes with hindsight, and the profound clarity that failure can uniquely provide. This podcast, presented by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment, digs into the messy, human stuff of life that connects us all, transforming shared vulnerability into a source of collective strength. It’s a reminder that the path to any meaningful achievement is rarely a straight line, but a series of instructive detours. The show actively invites listeners to reflect on their own stories, fostering a genuine community around the idea that we can all succeed better by understanding where we've previously stumbled. Tune in for conversations that are as comforting as they are challenging, and which might just change your perspective on what it means to live a well-lived life.
Episodes
ON AMBITION… With Gillian Anderson and Munroe Bergdorf [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:20
Ambition can be a powerful force: it propels us forward, sharpens our focus and pushes us to dream bigger. But it can also whisper that we are only as good as our latest achievement - and these two brilliant former How t…
Baz Luhrmann - ‘I self-medicate with creativity’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:25
Few filmmakers have a style as bold, romantic and unmistakable as Baz Luhrmann. From his breakout debut Strictly Ballroom to the glittering spectacle of The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and the fever-dream en…
ON SELF ACCEPTANCE... With Pamela Anderson and Rylan Clark [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:31
Welcome back to this How to Fail special where we revisit conversations from the archive to highlight particular themes and tap into the wisdom they contain. This week we look at two guests who have learned self acceptan…
Jennette McCurdy on Reclaiming Her Voice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:06
This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia. Listener discretion advised. This might be one of the most powerful conversations I’ve ever had on How To Fail. I don’t say that light…
ON FAMILY DYNAMICS… With Bella Freud and Danny Dyer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:48
Families are fascinating: how those first bonds shape our understanding of love, security and ourselves. In this episode, we revisit episodes with Bella Freud and Danny Dyer, who each open up about the simultaneous beaut…
Mo Gilligan - Fatherhood Is A Gift I Didn’t Know I Needed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:12
Mo Gilligan started out working in retail (think Jo Malone and Levi’s) but quit in 2018 when his online comedy videos went viral. The leap paid off - sell-out tours across the UK, a late-night entertainment show on Chann…
ON FINDING LOVE AT ANY AGE… With Luke Evans and Dolly Alderton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:20
We’re taught that love should happen early, and if it doesn’t, something’s gone wrong. But what if that’s not true? In this episode, we hear from past How to Fail guests who found love later, or in their own time. Luke E…
Shabaz Ali - ‘I’ll be a diversity quota as long as I get paid’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:02
A few years ago, Shabaz Ali was a chemistry teacher in Blackburn. Today, he’s one of the internet’s most beloved creators, best known as Shabaz Says, with millions of fans and a knack for skewering the most outrageous (a…
ON FINDING HOPE IN ADVERSITY… With Sir Chris Hoy and Michael Rosen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:44
This week we’re revisiting two deeply moving conversations that explore what it means to find hope in the face of profound adversity. First, we hear from the 11-time world champion and a six-time Olympic champion, Sir Ch…
Golda Rosheuvel - ‘I don’t see my dyslexia as a failure anymore’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:13
Best known for her role as Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton, Golda Rosheuvel is an acclaimed actor of stage and screen. Her career spans powerful theatrical roles including Romeo and Juliet, Jesus Christ Superstar and a gro…