Zack Polanski: Which moment embarrassed you most?

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 Zack Polanski said elsewhere, not written here

Being misrepresented by a Sun journalist 12 years ago.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

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David Ajala

Helen Mirren was in the elevator with me at the National Theatre. She pressed the button but it didn’t move. I said, “Fancy seeing you here and being stuck in an elevator.” And she said, “Was that meant to be funny?” I apologised, and she laughed. Even talking about it now, it feels so awkward and embarrassing.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 18 October 2025 source ↗

Bruce Dickinson English heavy metal singer

I once threw up on the shoes of one of my vocal heroes, the Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan. He sent me home in a taxi with a towel.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 July 2024 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 ↗

Sam Ryder

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.

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