Sally Phillips - ‘I saw Colin Firth and thought - he’s mine!’

2025-04-16

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This episode of How To Fail was recorded in front of a live audience at London’s Barbican Theatre. Sally Phillips has appeared in a string of the most influential and hilarious comedy series of all time - from Smack The Pony, Miranda, The Thick of It and Veep. Not forgetting, of course, her star turn as Bridget Jones’s best friend, Shazza, in the hugely popular movie franchise. Alongside her professional success, Phillips has also been an important voice in the neurodivergent community. Her eldest son, Olly, has Down syndrome and Sally is a tire...

This episode of How To Fail was recorded in front of a live audience at London’s Barbican Theatre.

Sally Phillips has appeared in a string of the most influential and hilarious comedy series of all time - from Smack The Pony, Miranda, The Thick of It and Veep. Not forgetting, of course, her star turn as Bridget Jones’s best friend, Shazza, in the hugely popular movie franchise. Alongside her professional success, Phillips has also been an important voice in the neurodivergent community. Her eldest son, Olly, has Down syndrome and Sally is a tireless campaigner for disability rights.

So why, then, does she never feel she’s made it as a ‘serious’ actress? And why is she so obsessed with Clown School? And - pressing question - why have she and Colin Firth never been a thing?

✨ IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Intro

02:39 Bridget Jones Memories

07:26 Veep and Women in Comedy

09:19 Smack the Pony: A Revolutionary Comedy

10:45 Clown School and Its Life Lessons

12:55 Failures of Courage

19:06 Reflections on Marriage and Divorce

22:55 Reflecting on Mutual Support

23:16 Aspirations of a Serious Actress

24:14 Comedy vs. Serious Roles

24:50 Auditioning for Terrence Davis

30:56 Embracing Weaknesses and Comedy

32:57 Ethical Review of NIPT

36:16 Ollie's Impact and Parenting

43:25 Ollie's Adventures and Lessons

Over on Failing with Friends, Sally answers questions from the live audience at the Barbican: they discuss red and green flags in partners, and what Hugh Grant is REALLY like and whether Sally and Renée Zellweger really are friends or whether she might just be making it up?

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Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan

Engineer: Matias Torres Sole & Gulliver Lawrence-Tickell

Live Engineer: Will Kontargyris

Producer: Hannah Talbot

Executive Producer: Carly Maile

Head of Marketing: Kieran Lancini

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

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