Olivia Colman just got candid about wetting herself on stage –and her honesty is so refreshing

Olivia Colman isn't one to shy away from embarrassing topics and this revelation is perhaps her most personal yet!

Olivia Colman presenting an award
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Olivia Colman has revealed how she once wet herself not just in public, but on stage –and it was all Peepshow co-star David Mitchell's fault. 

The pair used to work together on hit UK TV show Peepshow and we imagine shared plenty of laughs behind the scenes while filming. 

Speaking with the National Theatre co-director Rufus Norris for the video series Life In Stages, Olivia recalled the fateful moment that her "entire bladder emptied" on stage. 

“It was his fault,” she said, referring to her co-star David Mitchell. 

She then added, “It is also a fear in the back of my head, that I could pee myself on stage. I did do it once, on a raked stage.

“My entire bladder emptied and it just went towards the audience in the front row. It made it worse. I just could not stop."

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She then continued to clarify that the audience knew what was going on and had to keep "moving away from little bits of wee."

We're sure you handled it like a pro, Olivia!

Olivia also revealed that not only was co-star David responsible for making her laugh on stage, he also penned the anecdote in his new book, revealing to the world her on-stage faux pas. Luckily, the Oscar-winning actress has a great sense of humor!

During the interview, Olivia surprisingly admitted that she suffers from stage fright, describing her "crippling anxiety" before going on stage.

"Being on stage I've developed a massive fear," she told Rufus, revealing that she's "terrified" of not living up to fans' expectations. 

“I worry that as I get older and slightly more recognizable, people will say: We went to see that person we have seen on the telly – not that good on stage."

She revealed that she turned to hypnotherapy to overcome her stage fright. 

From a woman who's starred in multiple Hollywood blockbusters, the most-watched TV shows in the world, and accepted numerous awards with millions watching, it's nice to know that nerves get the better of her sometimes, too!

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Lauren Hughes

Lauren is the former Deputy Digital Editor at woman&home and became a journalist mainly because she enjoys being nosy. With a background in features journalism, Lauren worked on the woman&home brand for four years before going freelance. Before woman&home Lauren worked across a variety of women's lifestyle titles, including GoodTo, Woman's Own, and Woman magazine.