The question

What disappointment has stayed with you longest?

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

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Annie Mac Irish broadcaster and DJ
Not getting into drama college in Dublin. I cut all my hair off as a sort of self-punishment for being crap.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 May 2010 source ↗
Olivia Colman British actress
As a child, I thought, "Once I am a grown-up, there will be no more fear, no more worries", and it turns out that's not true.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 May 2013 source ↗
My A-level results in 1998. I flunked my history A-level and lost my place at Cambridge. It broke my heart for years; now I’m really glad, because I pull out the whole “I went to a polytechnic” thing. But at the time for a teenager who was rather pleased with herself, it was absolutely devastating.
Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 March 2026 source ↗

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