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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

By: Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment
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Episodes
  • Bonnie Garmus - ‘Adoption Gave Us A Family’

    Bonnie Garmus - ‘Adoption Gave Us A Family’
    Oct 7 2026
    Bonnie Garmus was 64 when her debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry, was published. It went on to sell more than eight million copies, spend almost two years on the New York Times bestseller list, was translated into more than 40 languages and become an eight-part Apple TV+ series. At its centre was Elizabeth Zott, a fiercely intelligent, forthright chemist turned 1950s TV cooking star. Bonnie and I talk about the misogyny that inspired Lessons in Chemistry, her love of dogs, working through a stutter, adopting her two daughters from China and what it took to overcome years of rejection. Her new novel, Peck & Peck, is out in the UK on 13 October. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 03:41 Arts Versus Science 05:44 Sexism Sparks Novel 08:58 Greed And AI Warning 12:19 Dogs Behind Characters 16:30 Childhood Failures 30:26 Living With A Stutter 31:50 Letters And Workarounds 32:53 Adoption Journey To China 36:10 What Adoption Really Means 37:23 Family Bonds And Fate 39:17 Jeopardy Husband Spotlight 40:10 98 Rejections And Resilience 47:05 Finding An Agent And Writing Life 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: I’ve had a lot of dogs in my life, and not a single one has disappointed me. I never look back on my career and think I have regrets. I had a therapist who was a stutterer… he gave me the courage to embrace it, and then I got better. 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Bonnie’s new novel Peck & Peck is available to pre-order now: www.waterstones.com/book/peck-and-peck/bonnie-garmus/9781786588975 Join the How To Fail community: www.howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Elizabeth’s Substack: www.theelizabethday.substack.com 📚 WANT MORE? Alain De Botton - swap.fm/l/dnU4ieYPW7eCbesQFNSf Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - swap.fm/l/YiA3DPR1awzdCrHfEMfPv 💌 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: @howtofailpod Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Elizabeth and Bonnie answer listener questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: https://lnk.to/7i0moR Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: askhowtofail.com Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Shania Manderson Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Alex Lawless 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
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    59 mins
  • Russell T Davies - On Dr Who, Grief and Gay Representation on TV

    Russell T Davies - On Dr Who, Grief and Gay Representation on TV
    Sep 30 2026
    Russell T Davies has spent decades creating some of Britain’s most beloved and groundbreaking television. After studying English at Oxford, he went from writing for children’s programmes and Coronation Street to creating Queer As Folk in 1999 - a show that changed the conversation around gay representation on TV. Since then, he’s written hit after hit, from Bob & Rose and A Very English Scandal to Years and Years, It’s A Sin and his hugely successful revival of Doctor Who. He’s won four BAFTAs and was awarded an OBE in 2008. In this episode we talk about where his obsession and passion for TV came from, how his exceptionally busy mind works, losing his husband to a brain tumour, his love of Dr Who and…finding love again. His new memoir, The Queerest of Folk, is out on 8th October. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 02:35 TV Obsession Origins 03:24 Memoir and Andrew 08:35 AIDS and Its a Sin 10:36 Queer as Folk Shockwaves 12:37 Failure to Drive 16:45 Writing in Images 28:05 Early Illustration Gigs 28:54 Obsessed With Drawing 30:20 Losing the Habit 31:52 Comics and Story Beats 33:54 Writing Geniuses Doctor Who 37:13 Staying a Fan 41:41 Legacy and Family Roots 49:59 Aging Love and Goodbye 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: When I dream I invent people who don’t exist. I’ve saved for decades, I saved for a rainy day, and then one day it rained. Please never get rid of the Tardis. 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Russell’s memoir, The Queerest Of Folk is available to buy now: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-queerest-of-folk-a-life-in-television-russell-t-davies/a290496f474a1f8c Join the How To Fail community: www.howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Elizabeth’s Substack: www.theelizabethday.substack.com 📚 WANT MORE? Phoebe Waller-Bridge - swap.fm/l/gTCOCJUmXX9t22mTABSa Bernardine Evaristo - swap.fm/l/EH5cvO3uPdNCQN9tYyiJ 💌 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: @howtofailpod Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Elizabeth and Russell answer listener questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: https://lnk.to/7i0moR Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: askhowtofail.com Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Shania Manderson Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Alex Lawless 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
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    57 mins
  • Sir Paul Smith - ‘People In Fashion Are Insecure’

    Sir Paul Smith - ‘People In Fashion Are Insecure’
    Sep 23 2026
    Sir Paul Smith is one of Britain’s most iconic fashion designers, renowned for his sharp tailoring and his sartorial flair. His clothes have an innate sense of mischief: brightly coloured linings, unexpected stripes and a determination never to take themselves too seriously. His devoted clients include Gary Oldman, Bill Nighy and Matty Healy, who wore a Paul Smith suit for his recent wedding. Behind the stripes and the suits is a man with a simple life philosophy: stay humble, work hard, be kind. On this episode we talk about the cycling accident that set him on a path to fashion and how he’s kept his global business independent for 56 years. Plus, the secret to a long marriage, what tailoring teaches him about people’s insecurities - and why he wore a suit every day during the Covid lockdowns. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 03:40 Tailoring for Everyone 06:48 The Pink Wall Story 08:31 Stripes and Reinvention 10:20 Turning 80 11:33 Cycling Freedom and Family 18:20 Crash That Changed Everything 24:20 Pauline Sets The Standard 25:19 Keeping Love And Work Balanced 26:19 Step Parenting And Playfulness 27:28 The Trap Of Comparison 32:43 Brexit COVID And Staying Independent 36:02 Choosing The Right Collaborations 37:21 Believing Your Own Hype 42:47 Creativity Legacy And Farewell 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: Pauline [my wife] set the standard - it’s been very important for longevity. A successful relationship is about balance. Knowing when to talk, when to listen… and have both feet on the ground. The danger is losing your focus, and worrying too much about ‘them’. 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Sir Paul Smith’s Memoir ‘Threads’ is available to buy now: www.paulsmith.com/uk/threads-by-sir-paul-smith-special-edition-book Join the How To Fail community: www.howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Elizabeth’s Substack: www.theelizabethday.substack.com 📚 WANT MORE? Edward Enninful - swap.fm/l/NOAt5NDZeBTgX6qZUWpB Bella Freud - swap.fm/l/mQntNELQPRhZ9CjFQO77 💌 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: @howtofailpod Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Elizabeth and Sir Paul answer listener questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: https://lnk.to/7i0moR Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: askhowtofail.com Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Shania Manderson Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Alex Lawless 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
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    52 mins
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Well, she's a podcasters dream cos she talks so much but honest and eloquent with it. Elizabeth Day as ever, a dream. I hope I'm like her.

Probably the highest word count!

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Love love love this podcast! Elizabeth Day interviews with such understanding and sensitivity and is so in tune with her guests, it is a joy to listen to. The structure around failures means guests reveal their vulnerabilities, as does Elizabeth. I have binge listened to most episodes since discovering this podcast and now look forward to each new episode.

Love love love!

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such great podcasts with so many interesting people. changed my view on a few people. great questions and inspirational.

brilliant

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In a world where we always compare the outtakes im of our own story everyone else’s finished reel (not my quote, but I like it), I have found this podcast series utterly comforting and inspiring. People who have found incredible success have also encountered failure, setbacks. A notion that it’s never wasted, if you’ve learned something from it. I don’t believe that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but I do believe it gives you the permission to reflect and reassess in terms of what you really want from life. The Geena Davis episode was so enlightening, and Im now hooked! Thank you Elizabeth Day for your courage to bring this perspective to life.

Breaking down the illusion of the social media perfection

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