Rory Stewart is a bestselling writer, podcaster, former politician, adventurer and charity boss. You might know him from his chart-topping podcast, The Rest is Politics, which features Stewart and Alastair Campbell disagreeing agreeably about issues of the day.
After Eton and Oxford, Stewart briefly joined the army and then the diplomatic service. In his 30s, he was elected as an MP, rising to become the Secretary of State for International Development. He stood - unsuccessfully - against Boris Johnson for leadership of the Conservative Party (a failure which haunts him still and which he discusses in this episode). Now, having resigned from politics entirely, he has published a book, Politics on the Edge, about his decade in parliament.
He joins me to talk about the failure of the political system, his own failure to solve it and I explain the rules of 'Shag, Marry, Kill' - never let it be said that I can't lower the tone, eh?

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Rory's new book, Politics on the Edge, is out now and available to order here.

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I'm going on tour! To AUSTRALIA, mate! You can now purchase tickets to see me live at Sydney Opera House on 26th February 2024 or the Arts Centre Melbourne on 28th February 2024.

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How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is hosted and produced by Elizabeth Day. To contact us, email howtofailpod@gmail.com

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Social Media:

Elizabeth Day @elizabday

How To Fail @howtofailpod

Rory Stewart @rorystewartuk
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S18, Ep3 Rory Stewart on why politics is broken - and what to do about it

How To Fail with Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things in life that haven’t gone right and what we might learn from them along the way. Every week, Elizabeth’s guest explores three failures, and what these failures have taught them about how to grow and succeed, better. We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with Elizabeth to share your failures, problems or questions - anonymously or otherwise. She'll go through these each week with the help of her very special guests. And remember: a fail shared is a fail halved. https://forms.sonymusicfans.com/campaign/how-to-fail-uk-2023/ An Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Original Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastsales@sonymusic.com

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

TW: miscarriage

This week, brace yourself for A TOTAL ECLIPSE… of all other podcast episodes, because this one’s a total banger. I could not have asked for a more open, hilarious, moving or riveting encounter than with the formidable Bonnie Tyler.

She grew up in a working-class Welsh family and answered a newspaper ad for a backing singer when she was 17. From there, she went on to be one of the most iconic recording artists of all time. Her hit singles include It’s A Heartache, Holding Out for a Hero and, of course, Total Eclipse of the Heart.

At 72, Bonnie is still hard at work, and managed to squeeze in an hour on How to Fail between gigs and the release of her new album, In Berlin. It’s also her first ever podcast interview. You might want to bring the tissues for this one, as we have a bit of a weep when Bonnie talks about losing her amazing mum.  We also touch on miscarriage and a childfree life. Plus: Bonnie’s failure at elocution lessons, the fascinating story behind her friendship with Tina Turner, performing for Putin (no, really), being a bit of a hoarder and the secret to a 50-year marriage.

As always, I’d LOVE to hear about your failures. Every week, my guest and I choose a selection to read out and answer on our special subscription offering, Failing with Friends. We’ll endeavour to give you advice, wisdom, some laughs and much, much more.

Have something to share of your own? I'd love to hear from you! Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com



Production & Post Production Manager: Lily Hambly

Studio and Mix Engineer: Gulliver Tickell and Josh Gibbs

Producer: Hannah Talbot

Executive Producer: Carly Maile



How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S20, Ep15 Bonnie Tyler - Her first ever podcast interview

TW: this episode contains discussion of sexual assault and suicide. 



In many ways, Will Young is the definition of resilience. As a child, he endured physical and psychological abuse at prep school. In his 20s, he found fame on a reality TV show and was forced to be public about his sexuality by a tabloid newspaper, after which he faced years of homophobia. In his 30s, he coped with extensive periods of depression as he struggled to understand his PTSD and tragically lost his twin brother, Rupert, to death by suicide. Now in his 40s, his survival is its own success.

And yet, professionally, he has also thrived, selling over 10 million albums worldwide, scooping two Brit Awards and an Ivor Novello along the way. Four of his albums have reached number one.

In person, Will is witty, smart and heartbreaking in equal measure. I think this is one of my favourite ever HTF episodes. We talk flunking his A-levels, dropping out of Strictly Come Dancing and relationship failures.

Despite once stating he never had confidence in himself as a pop star, Young is about to release his ninth studio album, Light It Up and a new single, Falling Deep, was released last week. 



As always, I’d LOVE to hear about your failures. Every week, my guest and I choose a selection to read out and answer on our special subscription offering, Failing with Friends. We’ll endeavour to give you advice, wisdom, some laughs and much, much more. 



Have something to share of your own? I'd love to hear from you! Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com



Production & Post Production Manager: Lily Hambly  

Studio and Mix Engineer: Josh Gibbs

Producer: Hannah Talbot

Executive Producer: Carly Maile

Head of Marketing: Kieran Lancini



How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.  

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S20, Ep14 Will Young - ‘I like to talk about it because I survived it’

I loved interviewing Richard Osman and can’t stop thinking about our conversation. I think it’s because his brain works at warp speed: I genuinely felt he was three steps ahead of every question I was about to ask. It became something of a personal challenge to ask a question he couldn’t guess beforehand and I *think* I managed it when I asked if he’d ever written to Jim’ll Fix It (he had, by the way).

His mind was formed by an early passion for television and the stories it created. He became an expert producer of winning formats and then, in his 40s, transferred his skill for knowing what people wanted to books. His debut, The Thursday Murder Club, became the fastest-selling crime novel of all time. The following three in the same series have sold over 10 million copies globally.

He joins me to talk about professional failure, his lifelong struggle with food addiction and his Fear Of Joining In (FOJI). Plus: cats and why being tall is a successful c**t radar.

Richard’s new novel - We Solve Murders is published on 12 September 2024.

As always, I’d LOVE to hear about your failures. Every week, my guest and I choose a selection to read out and answer on our special subscription offering, Failing with Friends. We’ll endeavour to give you advice, wisdom, some laughs and much, much more.



Have something to share of your own? I'd love to hear from you! Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com



Production & Post Production Manager: Lily Hambly

Studio and Mix Engineer: Josh Gibbs

Senior Producer: Selina Ream

Executive Producer: Carly Maile

Head of Marketing: Kieran Lancini



How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S20, Ep13 Richard Osman on cats, crime and c**ts

TW: infant loss and birth trauma

Dr Jen Gunter is an obstetrician-gynaecologist, pain medicine physician and bestselling author. She’s most well-known to many of us as Twitter’s resident OB-GYN, the woman who took on Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop with claims of medical misinformation and one of the fiercest advocates for women’s health the world over.

She had premature triplet boys in 2003 and tragically, one of her sons died at birth. To this day, Dr Gunter says her two boys ‘keep me so honest it hurts’. We discuss everything from first periods, failed marriages, failure to exercise to a failure to say no - sound familiar?!

As always, I’d LOVE to hear about your failures. Every week, my guest and I choose a selection to read out and answer on our special subscription offering, Failing with Friends. We’ll endeavour to give you advice, wisdom, some laughs and much, much more.



Have something to share of your own? I'd love to hear from you! Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com



Production & Post Production Manager: Lily Hambly

Studio and Mix Engineer: Josh Gibbs

Producer: Hannah Talbot

Executive Producer: Carly Maile

Head of Marketing: Kieran Lancini



How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S20, Ep12 Dr. Jen Gunter - Patriarchy, periods and penile failure

My guest today has a nickname in showbiz circles: he’s called ‘Ideal Actor’ because of his scene-stealing talent and his ability to get under the skin of what it is to be human. If you’ve watched Netflix’s monster hit, Fool Me Once,  or seen Sherwood or Back To Life or The Night Manager or if you’ve watched the movies Four Lions or Murder Mystery 2, the chances are you will remember his performances. He’s a brilliant actor, but he’s also, as it happens, a wonderful guest - funny, moving and a deep thinker.

He joins me to talk about his acting failures, his failure to work hard at school, an upbringing where he was forced to question the nature of his own identity and his failure to keep things in perspective. Also: karaoke.



As always, I’d LOVE to hear about your failures. Every week, my guest and I choose a selection to read out and answer on our special subscription offering, Failing with Friends. We’ll endeavour to give you advice, wisdom, some laughs and much, much more.

Have something to share of your own? I'd love to hear from you! Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com



Production & Post Production Manager: Lily Hambly

Studio Engineer: Gulli Lawrence-Tickle

Mix Engineer: Josh Gibbs

Senior Producer: Selina Ream

Executive Producer: Carly Maile

Head of Marketing: Kieran Lancini



How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production.

Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts

To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

S18, Ep3 Rory Stewart on why politics is broken - and what to do about it

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