Falling flat on my face in Billy Elliot on Boxing Day when I was 14. I fell smack bang at the end of my number. I was mortified.
Which moment embarrassed you most?
Question
Who most deserves an apology from you, and why?
Failure & regret
Question
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Craft & work
Question
Which trait do you most dislike in yourself?
Identity & self
Question
What does love feel like?
Relationships
Question
What is the worst job you have done?
Craft & work
Question
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
Failure & regret
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.
Playing a pregnant woman, and not being able to find the padding - I shoved a cardie under my dress, and spent the whole play walking around with a sleeve dragging along the floor.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 17 January 2009 source ↗
Others on this question
View all 126 →I called Elizabeth McGovern Elizabeth Montgomery throughout a show. But, bless her, she didn’t say anything.
When I was 16, my dad got drunk at the Oval cricket ground and harangued Sir Garry Sobers, possibly the greatest cricketer of all time, because he didn’t agree with who he’d given as man of the match.
After the 2012 Olympics I hosted the parade. I had on a little skirt and when the prime minister came on everyone cheered. I thought: “Oh my God, they love David Cameron,” but they were cheering because my skirt had blown up, and I’d flashed my knickers at him.
More from Alison Steadman
View profile →I didn't go to a retirement party once for someone who had been special to me and he died shortly after.
Earning a living as an actor for 40 years.
I repeat stories (like my mum used to).
Friendly and warm.
Washing dishes when I was a student.
I would never have smoked - I gave up years ago.
More on failure & regret
- What has been your biggest disappointment? 372 answers
- Who most deserves an apology from you, and why? 210 answers
- If you could edit your past, what would you change? 208 answers
- What is the worst thing anyone has said to you? 126 answers
- How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a favourite failure? 80 answers
- What is the hardest thing that has happened to you, and what did you carry out of it? 40 answers
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