Charles Collingwood: What is the harshest thing anyone has said to you? — FLAPSS

The question

What is the harshest 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.

CC

Charles Collingwood

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

In an audition at the Royal Court, this man called out, “Were you trained?”

The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 March 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 122 →

Rita Wilson American actress, singer, and producer

I was opening in a play in my 20s, and my agent came on opening night, brought flowers, took me out to dinner and then told me she was no longer going to be representing me.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 April 2023 source ↗

Nikki Amuka-Bird

In a rehearsal just after graduating from drama college, I say my lines to an older actor. He pauses, turns to the director and says: “I’m sorry, but is she going to do it like that?”

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 3 May 2025 source ↗

Kevin Rowland British singer

My dad said, “You’re going nowhere.” I was seven or eight.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 August 2025 source ↗

Adam Kay British comedy writer, author, youtuber, comedian and former physician

A reviewer once called me “artistically bankrupt”, and it doesn’t feel like reviews can get much worse than that.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 3 June 2023 source ↗

More from Charles Collingwood

View profile →

Question What is the worst job you have ever had? Craft & work

Standing outside a pub in Acton on a freezing February day in a threadbare overcoat doing market research.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 March 2025 source ↗

Question Excluding property, what is the most expensive thing you have ever bought? Money & investment

My beautiful silver Jaguar XKR soft-top.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 March 2025 source ↗

Question How would you sum yourself up in three words? Identity & self

Glass half full.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 March 2025 source ↗

Question What most recently moved you to tears? Identity & self

Watching the Festival of Remembrance last autumn.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 March 2025 source ↗

Question What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy? Time & hindsight

My childhood. I was an only child, happy and secure, and there was always plenty of time to play cricket.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 March 2025 source ↗

Question Who deserves an apology from you, and for what? Failure & regret

My first wife – we were too young.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 March 2025 source ↗

More on failure & regret

Also answered this

Ben Okri, Melanie Blatt, Dervla Kirwan, Mariella Frostrup, Maggie O'Farrell, Clive Myrie

Search the directory for somebody in particular.

Explore further

All failure & regret questions
The The Q&A questionnaire — 25 questions from the same format
Explore the archive — by field, age, era, and subject

Report this answer