Elizabeth Day is an award-winning author, journalist and broadcaster.
Elizabeth’s support of Samaritans has seen her raise significant awareness and funds across many of our key campaigns and projects.
Launching our Feel Good Book Club, her best-selling book How to Fail featured in the box together with a personal note and some well-being tips. Elizabeth then promoted this on her Instagram as well as including it in her You magazine feature.
Elizabeth then went on to set up an Emergency Appeal via Just Giving, talking about Samaritans services being needed more than ever during the Coronavirus pandemic and asking her How to Fail podcast listeners to donate. The appeal has so far raised £4,250.
Further to signposting to Samaritans on key calendar dates such as World Mental Health Day and World Suicide Prevention Day, Elizabeth's support in 2020 culminated in her being the wonderful presenter of our BBC Radio 4 Appeal. A huge awareness opportunity with a potential listening audience of over 1 million, our appeal first aired Sunday 20th December, linking to our Christmas campaign.
I believe one of the most important things we can do for each other is to listen and to forge connection. Samaritans have been there at the lowest point of many people’s lives
In January 2021, Elizabeth helped us share our Brew Monday campaign with a video message that had over 24,000 views and some lovely feedback from her followers, sharing how they were going to join in with Brew Monday and check in with friends, family and loved ones. She also trailed Samaritans Online Harms content on How to Fail.
In 2022, Elizabeth visited our Central London Samaritans branch, our founding branch, to hear first hand about the history of Samaritans and meet some of our listening volunteers.
In support of our fundraising, Elizabeth filmed some short ads for Facebook to engage people in our work and highlighting our pin badges and support cards, which has raised thousands to date.
In 2023, to help mark our 70th Anniversary, we showcased Samaritans Listening Garden at Chelsea Flower Show, with Elizabeth attending and taking part in the press photocall alongside fellow Ambassadors Laura Adlington and Jason Flemyng. You can watch Elizabeth's reel about the day here.
Elizabeth continues to be a wonderful advocate for Samaritans, always signposting to our services on her channels and supporting our campaigns.
Career
Elizabeth’s chart topping podcast, How To Fail With Elizabeth Day, is a celebration of all of the things that haven’t gone right and has reached number 1 in the overall iTunes chart. Every week, in a one-on-one interview, a guest discusses what they have learned from failure. Interviewees have included Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Malcolm Gladwell, Mabel, Jamie Dornan, Gloria Steinem, Andrew Scott, Adam Buxton and Nadiya Hussain. In 2020, Elizabeth was given a prestigious Harper’s Bazaar ‘Women of the Year’ award for ‘bringing solace to the nation with her sensitivity and wit.’
Elizabeth has written two books off the back of the Podcast: How To Fail: Everything I’ve Ever Learned From Things Going Wrong, is part-memoir, part-manifesto. It is also a Sunday Times top 5 bestseller. Failosophy: A Handbook For When Things Go Wrong was described by Alain de Botton as ‘beautiful, timely and humane.’
To date, Elizabeth has written six novels and has recently launched a new podcast with Dan Jones - https://www.instagram.com/thisishistorypod/.