Russell Howard: What is the worst job you have done?

What is the worst job you have done?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

The Guardian's long-running Q&A repeatedly asks this standing question, with minor tense variation.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Recorded Russell Howard said elsewhere, not written here

Once, I was MC at a Christmas gig in Romford and a woman threw a dildo at my face.

The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 February 2020 source ↗

Others on this question

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Rose Tremain English writer

Working as the assistant to an agony aunt on a women’s magazine. When we didn’t get enough heartbreaking letters, we made them up.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 April 2022 source ↗

Marina Diamandis

Working at a petrol station.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 June 2025 source ↗

Ann Dowd American actress

Trying to sell frozen food over the phone for a company called American Frozen Foods. It lasted about half an hour. I found myself telling people not to buy too much of it because it could go bad, and my supervisor said, “This job is probably not for you.”

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 15 January 2022 source ↗

Jessica Raine British actress

A temp job at BT. I still have nightmares about ADSL lines. I still don’t know what one is. I would find myself on national conference calls being questioned about ADSL lines and told that the problem was in London. I would try not to breathe so they would forget I was there.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 March 2019 source ↗