*triggers: contains description of physical assault Katherine Parkinson is the two‑time BAFTA‑winning actor beloved for The IT Crowd, Doc Martin, Humans and most recently, Rivals, the hit Jilly Cooper adaptation that became an international Emmy winner. Fresh from her latest BAFTA win, she joins Elizabeth to reflect on the unexpected turns that shaped her life – from Surbiton to Oxford, from comedy to chaos, and from self‑doubt to a hard‑won sense of confidence.In this episode, we talk about her childhood dreams of becoming an astronaut, how her brothers are convinced she’s in MI5 (we will never know), the class anxieties that coloured her university years, her lifelong battle with disorganisation and the pressure she put on herself to “earn her place”. Katherine also opens up – for the first time – about a violent assault she minimised for years, the shame she carried and how motherhood has reframed her understanding of fear, safety and resilience.We also explore the joy she found in acting, the liberation of embracing her own contradictions, the friendships that sustained her and the work that goes into rebuilding after trauma.✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro03:48 Northern Ireland Roots04:06 Why Rivals Works05:34 Class and Oxford08:08 Lizzie and Fred Fred10:51 Jilly Cooper Loss14:03 Failure One Disorganised15:46 Exam Breakdown Story19:14 Fear of Winning20:52 MI5 and Astronaut Dreams22:07 Academia vs Acting23:07 Pressure and Perfectionism23:59 Choosing the Actor Path25:23 Facing Unprocessed Trauma26:04 Assault 30:03 Shame and Cultural Context33:45 Anxiety and Motherhood38:56 Anger and Survival Instincts40:08 Oboe Failure and Braces42:21 Failing Freely as an Actor43:49 Happiness and Goodbye💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:“My mum has always said to me, ‘You’re not afraid to fail’”“I don’t think I’ve ever been in a company [as Rivals] where everybody makes me laugh so much, and that is literally all I care about.” “I used to want to be an astronaut.” 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:All episodes of Rivals are now available to stream on Disney+ in the UK and internationally, with new episodes dropping weekly and a second instalment arriving later in the year. In the US, the series is available exclusively on Hulu.Join the How To Fail community: www.howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#contentElizabeth’s Substack: www.theelizabethday.substack.com📚 WANT MORE?Danny Dyer – the actor and national treasure on identity, anger, vulnerability and learning to break the patterns you were born into: swap.fm/l/L192dU5DZHQnCUjFWuX8 Miranda Hart – the beloved comedian and writer on anxiety, belonging, people-pleasing and finding the courage to take up space: swap.fm/l/oTScN30b80GflJtO4rgu 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcastsLeave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth:Instagram: @elizabdayTikTok: @howtofailpodPodcast Instagram: @howtofailpodWebsite: www.elizabethday.orgGuest bookings for How To Fail only come from official @sonymusic.com emailsElizabeth answers listener questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: www.howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#contentHave a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Engineer: Matias TorresAssistant Producer: Shania MandersonSenior Producer: Hannah TalbotExecutive Producer: Alex LawlessHow to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcastsTo bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com_________________________________________________________________________Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
