Jon Snow: What is the harshest thing anyone has said to you?

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.

Jon Snow

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

“You pinko!” by a Tory minister signing off at the end of an interview with me during the EU referendum campaign.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 March 2024 source ↗

Others on this question

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Richard Schiff

Hasn’t happened yet, it’s coming.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 April 2026 source ↗

Michael Ball English singer, presenter and actor

“Unfortunately, Michael, I don’t think you’re ever going to work in the acting profession until you’re about 40, and then it’ll only be in minor character roles.” Drama teacher at Guildford School of Acting.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 May 2023 source ↗

Rebecca Ferguson

It’s that bad, I’d never repeat it. I’ll just say it was particularly cruel and incredibly racist. It was somebody that I used to date, at the end of the relationship, and it hurt very deeply.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 December 2023 source ↗

Ally McCoist