Richard Eyre: When were you most embarrassed?

The question

When were you most embarrassed?

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.

Richard Eyre

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

When I was doing a masterclass at a theatre and I had to leave the stage because I was about to shit my pants.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 February 2026 source ↗

Others on this question

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Paapa Essiedu British actor

In order to raise money to pay for myself to go to the National Youth Theatre, I performed a medley of my drama school speeches and some songs for my entire school. Considering I can’t sing, this was terrible. I did U Remind Me by Usher and Hey There Delilah by the Plain White T’s. They paid £2 each – basically, to laugh at me.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 18 November 2023 source ↗

Jared Harris

Where do I begin?

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

Romola Garai

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 ↗

Dervla Kirwan