Arabella Weir: At nine my mum said, “I can’t bear the sight of you”

Full Disclosure with James O'Brien

Global

Society & Culture

4.6 • 3.5K Ratings

🗓️ 12 September 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Actor, comedian and bestselling author Arabella Weir grew up in a family that prized intellect and appearances but struggled to offer love. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she tells James O’Brien how an unsettled childhood shaped her fearless streak, her need to perform, and her instinct to turn pain into comedy.

From the brutal remarks of her mother to the liberating chaos of Camden School for Girls, Arabella charts the path that took her from rejection at drama schools to finding her voice on The Fast Show and beyond. She reflects on the role of therapy, the challenge of writing, and what it means to live alongside the little girl she once was.

Wry, fearless and full of heart, Arabella shares how survival became strength- and why she’s determined to live on her own terms.

Find out more about An Evening with The Fast Show here

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, babe, it's me.
0:02.3	Um, I'm really sorry for standing you up last night.
0:05.1	I went out for a few of the lads and, uh, I've woken up naked in Magaluff, I think.
0:12.0	Please, please do not check the joint account.
0:15.5	Oh, no, I'm on 1%.
0:17.2	I think the phone's about...
0:19.4	Will they walk away or will they work it out?
0:22.6	Olivia Atwood's bad boyfriend starts Sunday the 14th of September on ITV2 and ITVX.
0:30.6	Debbie was in a bit of a pickle.
0:33.6	A crisp and gurkin sandwiches just weren't selling.
0:36.6	Until she had the good idea to use Canver to design her logo, menus and social posts.
0:45.0	They looked good. Really, really good.
0:49.5	Turns out Crisp and Gurkin sandwiches are right up everyone's street.
0:53.7	Even if that street now smells of pickles.
0:56.9	Thanks, Canber.
1:02.1	This is a global player original podcast.
1:18.9	Hello and welcome to full disclosure, a podcast project conceived entirely to let me spend more time than I'd ever get on the radio with interesting people.
1:20.3	Arabella Weir welcome.
1:22.7	Hello. Gosh, I'm interesting, am I?
1:23.8	Well, we shall find out.
1:24.2	Yes.
1:25.5	And the course of the next hour.
	...

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