Sir Tony Robinson - ‘I learned comedy as a defence mechanism’

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

Sony Music

Society & Culture

4.7 • 9.6K Ratings

🗓️ 6 August 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Recorded with a live audience in Cambridge, this captivating conversation delves deep into the life and career of a cultural force of the last half-century. Known of course for his iconic role as Baldrick in Blackadder, Sir Tony's sharp intelligence and dry humour have had a formative influence on generations. In this candid discussion, he opens up about the unexpected turns and profound challenges that have shaped his extraordinary journey as an actor, presenter, documentary maker and writer. You'll hear his deeply personal reflections on fatherhood, insights into the creative process behind his recently announced novel, and the powerful lessons learned from a lifetime of experiences, both public and private. Prepare for an engaging, wise, and moving conversation that explores the transformative power of vulnerability and the importance of finding meaningful connection. This is a unique opportunity to hear a national treasure like never before. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 00:45 Tony Robinson's Early Life and Career 03:13 Fatherhood and Family 04:55 Writing and Publishing a Novel 10:50 The Impact of Blackadder 13:16 Challenges and Conflicts in Blackadder 16:33 Height and Personal Insecurities 20:42 Childhood and Adolescence Struggles 22:41 Growing Up in the Shadow of WWII 24:49 The Ups and Downs of Gambling 27:28 Early Career and Poker Lessons 29:29 Child Actor Earnings and Capitalism 34:23 Dealing with Alzheimer's in the Family 37:03 Reflecting on Personal Failures 44:56 Finding Meaningful Relationships 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: “The trick is to minimise when you’re losing.” “If someone gouges the oak tree when it's young, it's almost obscene. When you look at it, it's horrible. But gradually, as the oak grows older and wider and bigger, and the bark becomes more twisted and more sophisticated, that gouge becomes not only a thing of beauty, but probably the most beautiful and defining thing about that oak tree." 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Sir Tony’s new book: The House of Wolf Elizabeth’s upcoming one-off show at Cadogan Hall on 21 Sep for her new novel One of Us: ⁠⁠https://www.fane.co.uk/elizabeth-day⁠ Elizabeth’s Substack: ⁠https://theelizabethday.substack.com/⁠ Join the How To Fail community: ⁠https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content 📚 WANT MORE? Stephen Merchant, on height, stand-up and turning 50 https://listen.sonymusic-podcasts.link/ighNsQn7 Richard Osman, on professional failure, food addiction and his fear of joining in https://link.chtbl.com/oo_ct3h3 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories 👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @elizabday TikTok: Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: ⁠www.elizabethday.org⁠ Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Elizabeth and Sir Tony Robinson answer YOUR questions live in Cambridge in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: ⁠howtofailpod.com⁠ Have 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 Live Show Engineer: Will Kontargyris Sound Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali Senior 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Sanjeeves just received a decent bonus.
0:22.6	Nice work, Sanjeeve. He knows he could invest all of the money, but he's seen a new watch he likes. He's not worried. With his HSBC Premier bank account and access to their financial advice service, he can get a personalised plan for the future and know how much you can spend a day. Everything's Premier when your bank account is. Search HSBC Premier. HSBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity.
0:25.1	For financial advice, you need minimum £100,000.
0:26.8	Other criteria and fees apply.
0:29.9	Financial and other eligibility criteria apply for HSBC Premier. Welcome to this super special episode with Living Legend Sir Tony Robinson.
0:45.5	This was recorded with a live audience from the Corn Exchange in Cambridge.
0:49.6	Enjoy.
0:50.9	Oh my goodness, it's so amazing to be in Cambridge in the corn exchange.
0:57.0	The last time I was in this building, I was sitting my finals,
1:01.0	and the corn exchange still appears in all of my stress dreams.
1:06.0	So I'm so thrilled that you're here and we can reclaim the memories together. Thank you, thank you,
1:12.0	thank you for turning up. So my guest tonight has had a remarkably varied career as an actor,
1:20.5	presenter, documentary maker, public educator, writer and political activist. I'm pretty sure that his sharp intelligence and wry humor
1:30.7	have had a formative influence on almost everyone in this auditorium. Whether it was as
1:37.5	Baldrick, the comedy stooge in Blackadder who always claimed to have a cunning plan, or fronting the archaeological hit Time Team
1:46.0	on Channel 4 for some 20 years,
1:49.0	or creating, writing and starring in the children's TV show
1:53.0	Made Marion and her Merry Men, which I personally loved.
1:57.0	Sir Tony Robinson has been an integral cultural force over the last half century.
2:03.6	Born the year after the Second World War ended, Sir Tony grew up as an only child in North East London.
2:10.6	His first part, age 13, was as a member of Fagan's Gang in the original production of the musical Oliver.
2:19.3	After drama school, he spent years as a jobbing actor before being cast alongside Rowan
	...

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