Which moment embarrassed you most?

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 Seann Walsh said elsewhere, not written here
At school, I got my head stuck in a balustrade on the stairs at lunchtime. I had pupils laughing at me, parents laughing at me, teachers laughing at me and eventually, at the end of the day, the fire brigade laughing at me.

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

Others on this question

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I have a deep-rooted fear of being in trouble. I once tried to sneak into the back of a photography exhibition with my husband when one of our kids was in a pushchair. We’d arrived late and he suggested we go in through the gift shop and see the last room. As we poked our heads round the door, the security guard noticed us. I shouted, “That man’s trying to get in!”, then ran away.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 21 September 2024 source ↗
Omid Djalili British stand-up comedian and actor
Sending a text meant for my wife to Dara O'Briain by mistake, revealing myself to be a control freak.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 August 2010 source ↗
Years ago in a safari park in South Africa, and getting all dressed up for dinner. Walking across the lawn, I didn’t realise there was a swimming pool that hadn’t been lit and walked straight into the shallow end fully clothed. It still haunts me. I remember trying to get out as if no one would notice.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 September 2024 source ↗
Having somebody pull my judo trousers down at a competition when I was seven. And finding I wasn’t wearing any pants.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 17 January 2026 source ↗

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