In 2020, actress Cressida Bonas of Netflix’s White House Farm decided to start her podcast Fear Itself. 2020 was a year defined by fear: fear of illness, fear of financial denoument, fear of isolation, fear of climate disaster, fear of uncertainty. Fear submerged the globe.

Cressida Bonas was fascinated by the impulse to be afraid. Both a motivating and demotivating force, Cressida felt moved to understand this dynamic better. She would learn through conversations with a variety of celebrities, inspiring people, and academics that without rationalising and understanding fear, we are powerless to overcome it.

Cressida realised that articulate, thoughtful, extraordinary people were equally keen to interrogate the concept of fear. Guests included Ellie Goulding, Dynamo, Karl Lokko to name a few.

The podcast proved not only that fear was universal but humanity’s fascination with fear was universal also.