Historian, author and broadcaster Suzannah Lipscomb shines the spotlight on women throughout history who are too often missed from books. A distinguished historian, Suzannah is Professor Emerita at the University of Roehampton, Senior Member at St Cross College, Oxford, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Society of Antiquaries. She has written and edited seven books, most recently, What is History, Now? with Helen Carr, and The Voices of Nîmes: Women, Sex, and Marriage in Refor...
Apr 09, 2024•46 min•Season 7Ep. 5
A New York Times bestselling author, Kristin Hannah’s books are beloved the world over and read by millions. Listen as she discusses the art of creating empathy with readers and the importance of putting women at the centre of stories. Kristin is the author of 25 novels, including historical fiction masterpiece The Nightingale , which has now sold millions of copies worldwide and has been translated into 45 languages. Kristin started her working life as a lawyer but decided to take writing serio...
Apr 02, 2024•52 min•Season 7Ep. 4
Bestselling author Kiley Reid delves into her favourite books with Vick and discusses motherhood, morals and money. Kiley’s debut novel Such A Fun Age was an instant hit making the New York Times Best Seller list, and probably more excitingly, Reece Witherspoon’s book club reading list. Despite this success, in her 20s Kiley had always thought of writing as just a hobby turning to other jobs such as nannying and sales. It wasn’t until she was accepted onto the Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop that she b...
Mar 26, 2024•42 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Award-winning writer, poet and performer Hollie McNish chats about becoming a feminist, swearing in french and why she’s bored of taboos. Hollie is the author of five poetry collections, a new adaptation of the Greek tragedy Antigone, and the co-writer of Offside , a play about the history of women’s football. She was the first poet ever to record an album at Abbey Road studios and she regularly tours the UK and Europe with sold out performances of her work, many of which have gone viral online....
Mar 19, 2024•51 min•Season 7Ep. 2
Iconic, beloved children’s author and national treasure Dame Jacqueline Wilson kicks off series 7 of Bookshelfie with Vick Hope. In her long and illustrious career Jacqueline has written over 100 books, sold over 40 million copies in the UK alone and been translated into 34 languages. She has been the children’s laureate, winner of many awards and for years was the most borrowed author from British libraries. Her work - including The Story of Tracy Beaker, which catapulted her to fame in 1991 - ...
Mar 12, 2024•44 min•Season 7Ep. 1
Bestselling writer Monica Ali, finishes off this season with an in-depth chat about the books that she loves, the responsibility she takes on as a writer and how she overcame a shattered self confidence. Monica Ali shot to fame with her literary phenomenon Brick Lane 20 years ago. She has since written four other books, Alentejo Blue, In the Kitchen, Untold Story and Love Marriage. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has been nominated for a long list of accolades including th...
Dec 07, 2023•53 min•Season 6Ep. 25
Designer Kit Kemp MBE takes Vick on a literary journey from 1490 to 2022 and explains how she’s built her signature style, and her confidence. Kit is a British interior designer and Founder and Creative Director of Firmdale Hotels and the Kit Kemp Design Studio. Kit’s signature style combines traditional elements with contemporary flair, resulting in spaces that are both inviting and visually striking. She is known for her blend of bold patterns, vibrant colours and carefully curated artwork and...
Nov 30, 2023•46 min•Season 6Ep. 24
Award-winning broadcaster Anita Rani tells Vick about finding a new confidence in her 40s, taking Woman's Hour to Glastonbury and why she needed to write her own story. Well known as one of the lead presenters on BBC One’s Countryfile, and a range of shows for both Channel 4 and the BBC, Anita has covered topics from family budgets and waste plastic, to Bollywood and the Partition of India. Anita is also a familiar voice on radio, having worked for the BBC Asian Network and Radio 6 Music and is ...
Nov 23, 2023•45 min•Season 6Ep. 23
Editor-in-Chief of ELLE UK Kenya Hunt discusses her love of the essay, the multiplicity of motherhood and the importance of blazing your own trail. Kenya is an award-winning American journalist who has now been working in the UK for a decade. Her career spans working for some of the most influential women's publications on both sides of the Atlantic, from her post-graduate days as an Assistant Editor at the seminal magazine, Jane, to her time as Deputy Editor of Grazia UK. Kenya is the author of...
Nov 16, 2023•44 min•Season 6Ep. 22
Actress Tanya Reynolds talks about why being an introvert is a superpower, her final Sex Education scenes and when books come into your life and act like medicine. Tanya is perhaps known best for her scene-stealing role as Lily Iglehart in the Emmy award-winning Netflix show Sex Education , but has been gracing our screens with roles in Outlander, Death in Paradise and more recently 2020’s film adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma , alongside Anya Taylor-Joy and Bill Nighy. Tanya was named as one of...
Nov 09, 2023•51 min•Season 6Ep. 21
Author, broadcaster, comedian and classicist Natalie Haynes joins Vick to chat about her love for Greek Mythology and why there’s an appetite for female-focused stories. Natalie is a Women’s Prize for Fiction 2020 shortlisted author for her novel In A Thousand Ships , which retells the story of the Trojan War from an all-female perspective. Her book Stone Blind tackles the story of Medusa through a feminist lens, and her latest book, Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth is a female-centred look...
Nov 01, 2023•53 min•Season 6Ep. 20
Scandal star Kerry Washington opens up about the revelations in her new memoir, why she’s ditching feelings of shame and how sharing your most vulnerable self is actually the most empowering thing you can do. Kerry Washington is a celebrated actor, director, producer, activist and a Shondaland superstar. Kerry received widespread public recognition for her role as Olivia Pope on the hit ABC drama Scandal, breaking barriers as the first Black woman since 1974 to headline a network TV drama. She’s...
Oct 25, 2023•39 min•Season 6Ep. 19
Award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Naomi Klein reveals how she had to write herself into her new book to rediscover her voice. Naomi Klein is a bestselling author, with nine critically acclaimed books which include The Shock Doctrine and This Changes Everything . In 2018 she was named the inaugural Gloria Steinem Endowed Chair at Rutgers University and is now Honorary Professor of Media and Climate at Rutgers. In September 2021 she joined the University of British Col...
Oct 18, 2023•51 min•Season 6Ep. 18
World famous classicist Prof Mary Beard covers ageism, feminism, university fees, the role of children’s books, why men are obsessed with the roman empire and of course, her favourite books. She is also a television and radio presenter, trustee of the British Museum and the author of more than 20 books on classical history, feminism and academic life, including the bestsellers Pompeii , SPQR and Women & Power . She was appointed a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2018. In 2022 she ret...
Oct 11, 2023•49 min•Season 6Ep. 17
Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell Horner discusses the history of girl power, Anne Boleyn and why her family are her proudest achievement. Geri is an accomplished singer, writer, producer and actress who is widely recognised for her iconic place in British pop culture as an original member of the record breaking girl group The Spice Girls. As ‘Ginger Spice’ Geri played a formative role in the band as they became one of the biggest selling girl groups of all time, with nine UK No 1 singles and mor...
Oct 04, 2023•49 min•Season 6Ep. 16
Comedian London Hughes joins Vick from LA to discuss her new memoir, how she tried to climb into a TV set aged five and why she’s found greater success in America than the UK. London is a stand up comedian, TV writer, presenter and now a rising star in Hollywood. You may have seen her as a guest on numerous TV panel shows, or in her Netflix special To Catch a Dick , which was based on her critically acclaimed Edinburgh show of the same name. London’s refreshingly outspoken attitude to her sexual...
Sep 27, 2023•58 min•Season 6Ep. 15
Nadiya Hussain joins Vick at The Women’s Prize Live Festival to talk about family values, fig trees and why she’s so open about her mental health. Nadiya Hussain is a renowned British TV chef, author, presenter, and baker. Of course she is known and loved as the winner of the sixth season of The Great British Bake Off in 2015. Since then, she has gone on to become a TV presenter, hosting her own cooking shows including Nadiya's British Food Adventure and Nadiya's Time to Eat. She is also a write...
Sep 20, 2023•57 min•Season 6Ep. 14
Barbara Kingsolver, winner of the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction discusses her winning novel, Demon Copperhead and also shares the books that have inspired her impressive career. Barbara Kingsolver is an American novelist, essayist, poet, and activist. She has published over a dozen critically acclaimed books, including the bestselling novels The Poisonwood Bible , The Lacuna , and Flight Behavior , and is the first author to win the Women’s Prize for Fiction twice - first in 2010 for The Lacuna...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 6Ep. 13
Alex Scott MBE joins Vick at The Women’s Prize Live Festival to talk about her journey to self-acceptance, dealing with online trolls and THAT World Cup moment in Qatar. Alex is a former professional footballer, presenter, and broadcaster. The former Arsenal Captain and England Centurion is also one of the nation’s most beloved presenters. In 2021, Alex began her new role as host of BBC’s Football Focus, the first permanent female host in its 47-year history. Earlier this week, she was the co-ho...
Jun 15, 2023•46 min•Season 6Ep. 12
Bestselling author Isabel Allende on her experiences of love, loss, gratitude and why we need to stay optimistic in uncertain times. Isabel Allende is an author, philanthropist and activist. She is one of the most widely-read authors in the world, having sold more than 77 million books internationally. Born in Peru to Chilean parents, Isabel won worldwide acclaim in 1982 with the publication of her first novel, The House of the Spirits , which began as a letter to her dying grandfather. Since th...
Jun 08, 2023•57 min•Season 6Ep. 11
From home cook to food journalist and eventually chef and restaurateur, Ravinder Bhogal reflects on her own experiences as an immigrant in London and how it influenced a ‘no borders’ kitchen in her own restaurant. Ravinder is a journalist, cook and owner of the incredible Jikoni restaurant in Marylebone, in west London. She started her career as a beauty writer for More magazine in the early noughties before a TV cooking competition completely changed her life. Ravinder beat off nine thousand ot...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 6Ep. 10
Live from Bailey’s HQ, Louise Minchin, former BBC Breakfast Presenter, endurance athlete, writer and podcaster reveals how she coping with her kids flying the nest, finding time to judge the Women’s Prize and she discusses her new book, Fearless: Adventures with Extraordinary Women. Louise is someone whose warmth, empathy and journalistic prowess will be familiar to millions of people across the UK, she presented BBC Breakfast for almost twenty years, lighting up TV screens across the nation and...
May 25, 2023•55 min•Season 6Ep. 9
Ruth Ozeki, winner of the 2022 Women’s Prize for Fiction discusses the power of meditation, the importance of writing beautiful lists and how novels eventually take on a life of their own. Not only an award winning writer, Ruth is also a filmmaker and Zen Buddhist priest. She is the author of five novels, The Book of Form and Emptiness , My Year of Meats, All Over Creation, A Tale for the Time Being , which was shortlisted for the 2013 Man Booker Prize and translated into 28 languages. She has a...
May 18, 2023•52 min•Season 6Ep. 8
In this very special bonus episode, Vick sits down with this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted authors, Jaqueline Crooks, Louise Kennedy, Barbara Kingsolver, Priscillla Morris, Maggie O’Farrell, and Laline Paull. The locations of their books span the globe, from Renaissance Italy and Northern Ireland during The Troubles, to opioid-infested Virginia and even an underwater world populated with extraordinary creatures, and we’ll be finding out more about these phenomenal books and why th...
May 11, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 6Ep. 7
Comedian Josie Long joins Vick to discuss internal monologues, her big move to Scotland and how ADHD is changing the way she sees the world and herself. She may be best known for her standup comedy but she is also a podcaster, playwright, co-founder of the education charity Arts Emergency , and now an author, with her very own debut book , Because I don't know what you mean and what you don't - a brilliant, richly-drawn collection of short stories. Josie started doing stand up at the tender age ...
May 04, 2023•51 min•Season 6Ep. 6
Author, journalist and powerlifter Poorna Bell discusses love, loss, the depiction of South India in literature and female representation in the male-dominated world of sports. Poorna Bell is an award-winning journalist, author and powerlifter(!) who writes across mental and physical wellbeing, women and diversity. Poorna has published three works of non-fiction: Chase The Rainbow, In Search of Silence and Stronger , which is part memoir, part manifesto about women's strength and fitness. In 201...
Apr 27, 2023•53 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Author, podcaster and multi-hyphenate Emma Gannon shares her wisdom, her books and explains why we need to reframe our definition of success. Emma Gannon is a Times bestselling author, broadcaster, speaker, novelist and host of the recently retired Ctrl Alt Delete podcast. She has been a columnist for The Times, Telegraph and Courier magazine and can now be found over on her Substack page The Hyphen . In 2018, she was selected in the Forbes 30 under 30 list in media and is an ambassador for The ...
Apr 20, 2023•49 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Join Vick Hope as she sits down with writer Irenosen Okojie to discuss wild imaginations and magical realism in literature and if imposter syndrome comes into play when you're a judge for the Women's Prize for Fiction. Irenosen’s intoxicating debut novel, Butterfly Fish , won the 2016 Betty Trask Award, and her highly acclaimed short story collections, Speak Gigantular and Nudibranc h have both been nominated for countless awards and received praise from Bernardine Evaristo and Margaret Atwood t...
Apr 13, 2023•53 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Mary Portas discusses books, poetry, her connection to nature and tells us what we can all do to help protect our planet and build our communities. Mary is one of the UK's most well-known and innovative people in business.She made her name turning Harvey Nichols into a global fashion destination, by the age of just 30 she was on the board of directors. At 37, she left corporate life to launch Portas, her own creative company, with the mission to turn businesses into brands, places and spaces peo...
Apr 06, 2023•54 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Dancer Motsi Mabuse kicks off season six with all the glamour, energy and determination you’d expect from a Strictly judge but she also shares the books that have helped her manifest the life she enjoys today. Mosti Mabuse is a world-class professional dancer and has been bringing fun to the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom as a Judge since 2019. Originally from South Africa, Motsi started dancing at a young age. She studied Law at university, until she decided to dedicate her life to dance and mo...
Mar 30, 2023•57 min•Season 6Ep. 1
