Kate Humble: 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.

Kate Humble

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

“We’d love you to be on the cover of our magazine and we’ll give you a makeover.”

The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 December 2023 source ↗

Others on this question

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Chris Bryant

The melanoma has returned in your lung.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 13 September 2025 source ↗

Bruce Dickinson English heavy metal singer

“What makes you think you are so special?”

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 July 2024 source ↗

Stephen K Amos

“Do you know what your problem is?” It was a dear friend of mine. They were referring to the fact that I’m impatient.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 September 2025 source ↗

Meghann Fahy

I had a casting director once stop me in the middle of an audition and tell me to go wash my face in the bathroom because she felt my makeup was too distracting, but I wasn’t wearing any. It was mortifying. It felt like a power play and I was so young, I didn’t know what to do.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 25 April 2026 source ↗