Actor, writer and director Stephen Merchant joins How To Fail this week and is reflective, fascinating and - yes - even funny. We talk about what he learned from Ricky Gervais when co-writing The Office, on feeling rattled turning 50 and how it’s hard to fail as a stand-up comedian (but he got over it).
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Intro
17:16 Height and Hu ... Show More
Today
Bill Bailey - ‘Rejection Made Me A Better Performer’
Bill Bailey is a comedian, musician, writer, actor, director and presenter, known for his brilliant live tours and panel appearances on shows including Never Mind the Buzzcocks and QI. In this episode, Bill discusses being rejected from drama school, an Edinburgh Fringe show whic ... Show More
49m 11s
Oct 19
Bella Mackie - ‘I Will Never “Fix” My Mental Health’
Bella Mackie began her career as a journalist, writing for publications including the Guardian, Vice and Vogue, before writing her bestselling debut, Jog On. The book explored how running helped her rebuild her life after the end of her first marriage triggered debilitating anxie ... Show More
49m 41s
Jun 2025
Stephen Merchant
Neal Brennan interviews Stephen Merchant (‘The Office,’ ‘Extras,’ ‘An Idiot Abroad,’ ‘Life’s Too Short,’ ‘Hello, Ladies’ and more) about the things that make him feel lonely, isolated, and like something's wrong - and how he is persevering despite these blocks. ------------------ ... Show More
1h 20m
Aug 2025
Ed Helms on growing through failure
You may know Ed Helms from his roles on The Office or in The Hangover, but building his career as a successful comedian required many moments of failure and embarrassment. In this episode, Ed joins Adam live at the Authors@Wharton series to discuss his new book, SNAFU: The Defini ... Show More
27m 12s