Celeste Barber: the FUNNIEST woman on the internet

Celeste Barber: the FUNNIEST woman on the internet

Author: Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment April 30, 2025 Duration: 51:37
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 Witherspoon, Chelsea Handler and designer Tom Ford who ended up hiring her for a fashion campaign. We talk about imposter syndrome, ADHD, standing up to bullies and her Janet Jackson obsession. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 01:54 Journey to Fame 04:30 The Tom Ford Campaign 05:47 Creating Relatable Instagram Content 14:25 Challenges of ADHD 17:57 Touring and Family Life 20:34 The Importance of Purpose and Resilience 27:47 Self-Hatred and Imposter Syndrome 28:32 Failing to Fit In 30:10 Family Dynamics and Meeting Her Husband 33:39 Being a Stepparent 36:55 Raising Sons as Feminists 40:04 The Janet Jackson Obsession 41:03 Meeting Janet Jackson 48:37 Final Thoughts and Listener Questions Toxic relationships, dealing with a narcissist and how to come back from ‘rock bottom’ - Elizabeth and Celeste answer YOUR questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Have something to share of your own? I'd love to hear from you! Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com 🌎 Get an exclusive 15% discount on your first Saily data plans! Use code [howtofail] at checkout. Download Saily app or go to to https://saily.com/howtofail ⛵ Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Mix Engineer: Richie Lee Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Carly Maile Head of Marketing: Kieran Lancini 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 podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
Podcast Episodes
ON WRITING... With Salman Rushdie and Kazuo Ishiguro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:18
Welcome to another special edition of How to Fail, where I revisit conversations from the How to Fail archives. Each week, we shine a light on a particular theme, hopefully offering inspiration, perspective and comfort t…
ON GRIEF… With Mo Gawdat and Bonnie Tyler [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:28
Welcome to the newest evolution of How to Fail! Each week, I’ll be diving into the archives to spotlight key themes that have come up throughout my conversations with How to Fail guests. I’ll be sharing bite-sized takeaw…
Robin Wright on ageing, confidence and the myth of being ‘too late’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:50
‘I didn’t think I had that confidence, so I turned those roles down.’ Robin Wright is the legendary star of The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump, House of Cards, and Amazon’s gripping new thriller The Girlfriend. An Emmy-nom…
ON HEARTBREAK... With Alain de Botton and Jay Shetty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:17
Welcome to this brand-new concept for How to Fail – where I dive into the back catalogue of the How to Fail archives, highlighting specific themes each week to bring you bitesize takeaways! Hopefully these episodes can b…
Tom Ellis - Fatherhood, Surrogacy and Years of Therapy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:40
You may know Tom Ellis as the devilishly charming lead in Netflix’s Lucifer, or as the lovable Gary in the BBC sitcom Miranda. He's also made waves in the U.S., starring alongside Gina Rodriguez in Players, and appearing…
Failure Throwback: Jameela Jamil [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:34
Jameela Jamil is an actor, activist, and founder of the I Weigh movement. From teaching English to starring in The Good Place, Jameela shares the highs, lows, and radical honesty that define her journey. This episode fir…
Failure Throwback: Glennon Doyle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:01
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 b…
Failure Throwback: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:02
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 lo…
Sir Tony Robinson - ‘I learned comedy as a defence mechanism’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:45
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,…