Being a parent.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Question
Which moment embarrassed you most?
Failure & regret
Question
What has been your biggest disappointment?
Failure & regret
Question
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Time & hindsight
Question
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Identity & self
Question
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Values & belief
Question
What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?
Failure & regret
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
Verbatim recurring item in The Guardian Q&A; two fully readable publisher-hosted respondent pages establish institutional recurrence.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Picking myself back up after very tricky times and trying again.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 March 2026 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 192 →
Marina Abramović
Performance artist
That performance art has become a part of mainstream art.
Francesca Martinez
British comedian
My relationship.
Elaine Paige
English singer and actress
To be working still.
More from Fearne Cotton
View profile →On radio, I once said “anal” instead of “angel”.
I assumed that once I reached some level of achievement, I would feel fixed.
The more you face shame and stare it in the eyes and talk about it, the less potent it is.
An air steward, because I loved airports. I wrote a letter to British Airways when I was seven and I’ve got the reply in the loft, which says, “You’re a bit young at seven but do stay in touch.” I was that kind of kid who was eager to start the ball rolling.
Superiority. I shrink when I’m around people who act superior, whether it’s due to authority or intellect. I almost become mute.
People have said, “I wish you would die.” That’s the stark truth of being in the public eye – people dehumanise you and say ghastly things.
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