Tuppence Middleton: When were you most embarrassed?

The question

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.

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

Congratulating Dua Lipa on managing to release a single in such a tough industry, because I thought she was a struggling indie artist. I Googled her the next day and realised that she has 88 million followers.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 May 2026 source ↗

Others on this question

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Andrew O’Hagan

My first holy communion, where my trousers were too big for me and fell down, a circumstance which earned me both the instant contempt of the girls and the heightened interest of the priests. That’s just how it was in 1975.

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

Kerry Godliman

Farting in front of Colin Firth.

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

Brandi Carlile

Leaving the stage from a panic attack in my 20s. Hearing the audience angry.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 22 November 2025 source ↗

Róisín Murphy

I recently had a dramatic fall on stage in Hungary. It was a massive stage – I was miles away from the audience – and I didn’t expect there to be two monitors in the middle of it. I went completely arse over tit and landed on my chin. First, I felt shock, pain, embarrassment, and then I felt lucky that I didn’t break any teeth or bite through my tongue. I asked for an ice pack for my chin, got up and finished the set.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 16 September 2023 source ↗