Arlene Phillips: 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.

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

In school, I was 11, and we had to paint a picture of family life. My painting was held up to the class and I was told it looked like a spider with ink on its feet had walked across the page. It was done so viciously – humiliating.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 June 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 ↗

Chris Bryant

The melanoma has returned in your lung.

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

Nuala McGovern

One time an engineer said, “I always forget your frequency is at the same level as a crying baby.” I think he was on to something, because I have been told to shush many times over the years.

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

Rebecca Ferguson

It’s that bad, I’d never repeat it. I’ll just say it was particularly cruel and incredibly racist. It was somebody that I used to date, at the end of the relationship, and it hurt very deeply.

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