Sam Ryder: When were you most embarrassed?

The question

Originally asked

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

A verbatim recurring question in The Guardian's Q&A series.

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

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

I once did a record store signing in LA, which I had no business doing. No one was there – just staff. They were getting ready to close the shop and sweeping up.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 August 2023 source ↗

Others on this question

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Lemn Sissay

Also my most triumphant: 2017 at the Royal Court. Julie Hesmondhalgh reads my psychologist’s report over two hours. Every excruciating intimate word of it. Extreme verbatim theatre. One night only.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 October 2023 source ↗

Johannes Radebe

When my trousers split on stage in Burn the Floor in Australia. I had always been warned to wear my flesh underwear and I did not that day.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 March 2026 source ↗

Kate Humble

The very first day that I was filming Top Gear, for which I was so unqualified because I’d only ever driven a Fiat Uno. I got into a DB7 Vantage Volante outside the Aston Martin factory, put my foot on the accelerator and bunny-hopped across the gravel because I’d forgotten to take the handbrake off.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 December 2023 source ↗

Shaznay Lewis English singer

A gazillion years ago I was in Gucci with Melanie Blatt, and I attempted to sit down on a chair that wasn’t there. I did a full-on stuntwoman backward roll, landed in a ball of the floor and laughed so hard I wet myself. Everybody in the shop moved to a different section.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 June 2024 source ↗

More from Sam Ryder

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Question What trait do you most dislike in other people? Values & belief

Probably the same thing.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 August 2023 source ↗

Question What accomplishment matters most to you? Craft & work

People told us Eurovision was like a poisoned chalice – to have been part of an amazing team that worked on changing the attitudes around that is really cool.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 August 2023 source ↗