Imogen Poots: 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

People give me a hard time about my hats. Over Christmas, this drunk woman shouted something about me having a shit hat because I had a red beanie on. Last week at a party, someone gave me a hard time for wearing a cap. I just think about melting ice caps when this happens.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 March 2024 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 122 →

Mark Radcliffe

This was said about me in a Radio 1 focus group: “I don’t pay my licence fee to hear scummy northerners.”

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 August 2025 source ↗

Lemn Sissay

When I was a child, a member of staff at Wood End Assessment Centre [a former children’s home in Wigan] bellowed: “He copies them poems off of Bob Marley records.”

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 October 2023 source ↗

Rose Ayling-Ellis British actress

“I’ll tell you later.” They never do.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 24 August 2024 source ↗

Tom Fletcher

“You’re not in Busted any more.” I successfully auditioned to be in Busted and then a couple of days later I got a phone call to say that I was no longer needed as they were going to keep it as the three of them. But it ended up being OK.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 November 2025 source ↗