Emily Atack - ‘I’ve forgiven people for unforgivable things’
From How To Fail With Elizabeth Day by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment
May 27, 2026 · 1h 1m · Season 20 · Episode 165
About this episode
Emily Atack discusses her journey through childhood trauma, forgiveness, and her career in acting.
*triggers: contains description of physical assault Emily Atack left school at 16, confident she wouldn’t need a GCSE for what she wanted to do: act. It turns out, she was correct. She starred as Charlotte Hinchcliffe in the smash-hit comedy The Inbetweeners when she was just 17 and is currently on our screens as Sarah Stratton in Disney+’s hit drama Rivals, as well as co-hosting a new ITV game show, Nobody’s Fool, with Danny Dyer. But it hasn’t always been easy: she faced sexual harassment and abuse from the age of 10. We talk about the impact this has had on how she now understands her own capabilities and about how her unbreakable bond with her sister, Martha, has helped her survive the toughest challenges. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Introduction to Emily 03:19 Learning Boundaries 05:33 Class and Growing Up 07:39 Paul McCartney Connection 10:00 Failing to Believe In Herself 14:58 Leaving Home at Sixteen 25:10 Inbetweeners Fame Fallout 30:18 Praise for Rivals 31:23 Earning Creative Trust 32:51 Emotional Regulation Struggles 35:40 Forgiveness and Loneliness 37:20 Childhood Trauma and Sex 41:35 Alistair and Finding Home 46:52 Motherhood and Body Image 55:19 Keeping Nice Things and…
People in this episode
Host: Elizabeth Day
Guest: Emily Atack
Topics covered
- forgiveness
- childhood trauma
- sexual harassment
- self-belief
- sibling relationships
- mental health
Keywords
- Emily Atack
- forgiveness
- childhood trauma
- The Inbetweeners
- Rivals
- sexual harassment
- self-belief
- sibling bond
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: ITV, Disney+
Books & works: The Inbetweeners, Rivals
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