Alan Cumming: “I allow people to be abusive!” How to build self-worth and say no

Happy Place with Fearne Cotton

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Thursday, 28 May 2026 - 52 minutes

Alan Cumming's dad told him he was worthless, and his mum told him he was precious. Figuring out how he feels about himself has been a life’s work.In this chat with Fearne, Alan’s open about the ways he’s allowed people to treat him badly, and how he’s learnt to get comfortable with confrontation and setting boundaries. He also explains why the rage in the script of his new TV show triggered painful childhood memories.Fearne and Alan share their experiences of oscillating between relentless, excited creativity (constantly manifesting bigger and better jobs) and a desire to rest (Alan’s fantasies about becoming a tradwife...!)Plus, what really happens on the Traitors’ set and how on earth does Alan manage to keep that poker face all the time?Alan will be creatively involved in four different productions at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre this year, and you can watch Alan in Channel 4’s new show Tip Toe from May 31st.If you liked this episode of Happy Place, you might also like:Nicole LePeraShauna TiffanyZayn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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