Charles Collingwood: What is the harshest thing anyone has said to you? — FLAPSS

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.

CC

Charles Collingwood

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

In an audition at the Royal Court, this man called out, “Were you trained?”

The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 March 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 122 →

Liev Schreiber American actor

“Not interested.” Who? Many people.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 September 2024 source ↗

Johannes Radebe

I’ll never amount to anything. Who? He was my rival at dance school. It hurt and is something that I’ve always had in the back of my head to defy.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 March 2026 source ↗

Miriam Margolyes

Glenda Jackson said I was an amateur during rehearsal for The White Devil at the Old Vic. I called her a cow, but that was inadequate.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 July 2025 source ↗

Clive Myrie British journalist, newsreader, and presenter

The usual racist shit.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 June 2024 source ↗

More from Charles Collingwood

View profile →

Question How would you sum yourself up in three words? Identity & self

Glass half full.

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

Question What one change would most improve the quality of your daily life? Daily life

If you’d asked me last year, I would have said a knee replacement.

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

Question What most recently moved you to tears? Identity & self

Watching the Festival of Remembrance last autumn.

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

Question How would you want people to remember you? Death & what remains

As a man who tried his best to entertain.

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

Question Who deserves an apology from you, and for what? Failure & regret

My first wife – we were too young.

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

Question What trait do you most dislike in other people? Values & belief

Not listening to me.

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

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