Daisy May Cooper: Escaping My Toxic Mentor, Night Cleaning & The Truth Behind ‘This Country’
October 22, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readDaisy May Cooper arrived at the Begin Again studio expecting a standard interview. Instead, she walked into a room with a video message from Paul Mescal, a stack of presents, and a letter from her own mother that left her in tears. The comedian, best known for co-creating and starring in the BBC mockumentary This Country, spent the conversation with Davina McCall unpacking the decade of near-constant failure that preceded her success, the toxic mentorship she endured at RADA, and the unlikely spiritual beliefs she developed along the way.
The RADA Years: A Masterclass in Toxic Mentorship
Cooper trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but she describes it as "the worst experience of my life." The problem was not the workload but a tyrannical teacher who created an environment of sustained humiliation. Students had to perform acting exercises in front of the class while the teacher watched, and mistakes were met with public shaming. The effect was perverse: when one student was being bullied, the others felt relief it was not them, which killed any sense of ensemble or safety. "You'd just be terrified for yourself," Cooper said. "You'd be thinking, please don't let that be me."
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
What if life's biggest setbacks are actually blessings in disguise?
In this hilarious episode of Begin Again, comedian, actress and writer Daisy May Cooper joins Davina McCall to share the extraordinary journey behind her success, and the personal struggles that have shaped her life.
Best known for creating the hit BBC comedy This Country with her brother Charlie Cooper, Daisy opens up about growing up with very little money, her difficult experience at drama school, and the years of rejection and self-doubt that nearly ended her career before it began.
She also reflects on her parents’ unexpected separation, her changing relationship with her mum, and how family heartbreak has brought surprising opportunities for healing, growth and new beginnings.
Davina and Daisy also explore their belief in the supernatural, experiences with psychics and spirituality, and why learning to trust your intuition can change your life.
This is a beautiful conversation about resilience, family, trusting yourself, finding hope and believing that even when life falls apart, something wonderful might still be waiting.
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(00:00) Intro
(00:51) A Surprise For Daisy
(02:47) Davina's Gift For Daisy
(03:13) Daisy's New Book 'What Took You So Long'
(06:15) Her Parents Divorce
(09:39) A Letter From Daisy's Mum
(14:19) Her Traumatic 3 Years At RADA Drama School
(19:00) Starting Writing With Charlie
(21:43) Monzo GBL Ad
(24:07) Creating 'This Country'
(33:00) The Reception To 'This Country'
(35:08) Working With Her Brother & Dad
(37:14) Monzo 90 Days Ad
(40:26) Experiences With The Supernatural
(45:11) Daisy Gives A Tarot Reading
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