Erin O'Connor: What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?

What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?

Originally asked

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

A fixed Guardian Q&A prompt asked directly across respondents and years.

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

Recorded Erin O'Connor said elsewhere, not written here

'Excuse me, madam, you have a thong hanging out of your handbag.'

The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 March 2008 source ↗

Others on this question

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Ciarán Hinds

As a young actor, again at the Citizens theatre, I was making an exit and a theatregoer leaned over the balcony and said, “You’re terrible!”

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 July 2025 source ↗

Seann Walsh

“What is Seann Walsh and how do we make it die?” It was online, thankfully. It wasn’t in Sainsbury’s.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 31 January 2026 source ↗

Leona Lewis

It happened when I was younger, somewhere outside London. We were on bikes, and this older girl pulled up and said something racist that I won’t repeat. I will never forget that, because it was the first time, and I was like, “Oh, I am feeling different from everyone around me right now”.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 16 December 2023 source ↗

Michael Ball English singer, presenter and actor

“Unfortunately, Michael, I don’t think you’re ever going to work in the acting profession until you’re about 40, and then it’ll only be in minor character roles.” Drama teacher at Guildford School of Acting.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 May 2023 source ↗