Dame Elaine Paige On Why She Hid Her Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Ageism & Gifting The King.

From an unknown actress to the First Lady of Musical Theatre, Dame Elaine Paige's story is one of the great showbusiness journeys. Eighteen years of auditions, rejection, and near-quitting before one role changed her life overnight. In this chat with Josh, Elaine opens up about the chaos that happened when the world found out she'd been cast in Evita, how she escaped a pack of journalists who chased her down the street, and the moment she burst into tears telling her mum she didn't want the fame that came with it. She tells the extraordinary story of how she came to perform the iconic song Memory in Cats, and taking to the stage in Sunset Boulevard only a few hours after recovering from breast cancer surgery. She also reflects on meeting actress Rachel Zegler who took on Elaine’s famous role in Evita, the life-changing wisdom Stephen Sondheim passed on to her, and why she thinks music and arts in state schools should be everybody's urgent priority. Oh, and she has a copy of her 23rd solo album, Miscellaneous Paige on its way to Buckingham Palace for the King. 00:00 – Teaser 00:11 – Intro 01:12 – Greatest Chat: the final audition for Evita at Andrew Lloyd Webber's apartment 02:51 – Turning down the Jesus Christ Superstar understudy — and why she was thrown on stage in Hair 06:45 – Evita changed her life overnight 07:25 – Journalists on her doorstep & escaping them in disguise 09:40 – Bursting into tears telling her mum: "I don't want this" 10:27 – Dealing with sudden fame 12:05 – 18 years of auditions — nearly quitting before Evita changed everything 15:27 – Her dad's advice that kept her going: "Perseverance furthers" 17:10 – The magical, spooky story of how Memory came to her — the black cat, the midnight radio & the phone call 21:05 – Discovering the breast cancer lump during Sunset Boulevard 25:42 – Broadway, Sunset Boulevard & finally getting her moment in America 27:47 – The life-changing wisdom Stephen Sondheim passed on: "Less is more" 28:25 – Meeting Rachel Zegler backstage at Evita — two Evas, 48 years apart 29:43 – Ageism in the industry & why there aren't enough roles for older women 31:54 – Album 23: Miscellaneous Paige — and sending a copy to the King 34:15 – Music and arts in state schools — why it should be everybody's urgent priority 36:15 – Outro ______________________________________________ 🎙️ Listen to the full episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3sgT... 📸 Follow Great Chat Show - @joshsmithsgreatchatshow Josh Smith - @joshsmithhosts Guest- Dame Elaine Paige 🎥 Subscribe to the YouTube channel: @joshsmithsgreatchatshow 📩 Business enquiries – [email protected] ──────────────────────── About Josh Smith’s Great Chat Show Josh Smith’s Great Chat Show is a podcast built on one belief: connection comes first. After decades as a journalist interviewing some of the world’s most recognisable faces - from Jennifer Aniston to Timothée Chalamet - Josh has learned that great conversations don’t just happen. There’s an art to a truly great chat, and when you join the conversation, it might just spark something in your own life. Each week, Josh sits down with actors, musicians, athletes, creators and cultural voices for honest conversations about resilience, identity, ambition, advocacy, mental health and the moments that shape who we become. Guests drop their guard and open up about the setbacks, breakthroughs and defining experiences behind the public persona. If you’re looking for depth, vulnerability, reinvention and meaningful human connection, you’re in the right place. Fancy a chat? Hit subscribe and join us every week. Josh Smith’s Great Chat Show (@joshsmithsgreatchatshow) Brought to you by Next Chapter Studios (@theNextChapterStudios) Host: Josh Smith (@joshsmithhosts) Executive Producer: Carrie Rose Head of Production: Damy McConnell ──────────────────────── #JoshSmith #GreatChatShow #Podcast #CelebrityInterviews #RepresentationMatters #Identity #SelfDevelopment #CultureConversations #EntertainmentIndustry #SocietyAndCulture #PersonalGrowth