Comedy Agent to Novelist: Hannah Begbie with 3 Hard Truths About Switching Sides
What happens when the person behind the scenes decides to step into the spotlight? In this episode, Hannah Begbie—former comedy agent turned award-winning novelist—shares the emotional and professional recalibrations required to move from representing creatives to becoming one. Through three hard-won truths, she reveals the identity shifts, mindset traps, and unexpected freedoms that come with switching sides. From near-missed opportunities to the myth of innate talent, Hannah’s journey offers a candid, resonant roadmap for anyone considering a creative pivot later in life.
Hannah Begbie Bio:
Hannah Begbie studied Art History at Cambridge University before working as a talent agent representing award-winning television writers and comedians for more than a decade. While developing her debut novel Mother, she won the City University’s Novel Studio Prize for New Writing. Published by HarperCollins in 2018, Mother went on to win the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon Award for New Writing. It was Book of the Month on Mumsnet and a pick for Fern Britton’s inaugural Book Club for Tesco. Hannah’s second novel Blurred Lines was published in July 2020. It was a Clare Mackintosh Book Club pick and won Woman and Home’s prize for Best Psychological Drama of 2020.
Hannah is currently adapting Mother with Tom Edge and Clerkenwell Films as a television drama for the BBC. She has worked in writers’ rooms and is developing several comedy dramas with leading TV producers.
The Last Weekend published on 10 April and is Hannah’s third novel. ‘
She lives in London with her husband and their two sons.
Episode Chapters:
- 00:17 - Intro
- 01:59 - Creative news in The Edge
- 05:57 - The Journey of Creativity: From Agent to Novelist
- 16:38 - The Transition to Writing
- 26:11 - Becoming a Published Author
- 39:21 - Fostering a Creative Mindset
- 45:00 - Navigating Creative Challenges
- 47:00 - Creative Adventures
Four Creative Nuggets:
“I grew up believing that creativity was something you were gifted before birth… like blue eyes or brown eyes.” —Hannah Begbie
“The only thing that can really keep you going in a situation like that is just grit and faith—getting up and failing and getting up again.” —Hannah Begbie
“I was in a silent room with a blank page… and it was an immense cultural shift for me.” —Hannah Begbie
“You’re not going to be able to do this unless you back yourself—because no one else is going to do it.” —Hannah Begbie
Links:
Hannah Begbie
https://www.hannahbegbie.com/
https://www.instagram/hannahbegbie/
The Edge
Rediscovering Creativity in the Age of Generative AI | Psychology Today United Kingdom
AI for Enhancing—Not Replacing—Human Creativity | Psychology Today
What is creativity without sweat and tears? — Harvard Gazette
Creative Adventures
Lorna Gibson Episode
Mentions
Radio 4 Desert Island Discs - Hilary Mantel
The eight "Wealth Profiles" in Wealth Dynamics
Nikki Vallance
https://nikkivallance.com/the-creative-switch-podcast/
https://www.nikkivallance.com/
https://www.instagram.com/nikki_vallance/
https://podchaser.com/TheCreativeSwitch/
Afflliate Links
Alitu: https://alitu.com?fp_ref=nikki-53
Captivate: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=njg4ytq
