We look back on our favourite episodes including some of our biggest and best guests and what they taught us. Plus we say thanks to you, our amazing listeners, for the things you’ve taught us along the way! No, we’re not crying, you’re crying.
Oct 13, 2020•42 min
We’re hilarious, we’re resilient and we’re a force to be reckoned with, according to actor, dance studio boss and podcaster Kelechi Okafor. We talk about how pre-colonial Yoruba spirituality inspires how she sees herself, the misconceptions of black women in dance and twerk and why we get angry about people calling us angry when we aren’t. In my final solo episode, I wanted to celebrate all things black women!
Oct 06, 2020•40 min
I’ve never dated outside of my race and I wanted to hear stories from people who are. We chat about why interracial and interethnic dating isn’t the same thing, model and TV presenter Ayesha says that being British in LA actually makes more of a difference than her race and comedian Athena explains why colourism affects what we see on Instagram and the issues her parents faced in their own relationship.
Sep 29, 2020•37 min
Conversations about money should be really simple, so why don’t we talk more about it? Monty asks Bola Sol and Franklin Asante (aka The Urban Financier) what the receipts really are for drip culture, to share hacks for your bank balance and about their own journeys to getting better with money.
Sep 22, 2020•38 min
Life for people of colour varies hugely across Europe. We hear what growing up in the Netherlands was like for Dutch-Sudanese artist Gaidaa compared to living in the UK. We talk about outdated Christmas traditions, the Dutch response to Black Lives Matter, the creative scene in Sudan and how she uses her music and performances to highlight what’s happening in Sudan.
Sep 15, 2020•35 min
We rarely hear from strippers who are women of colour, so I wanted to find out how they feel about being eroticised for their race, what their families think of their jobs and why my preconceptions of their job are wrong. And I learned we have something surprising in common… with Samantha Sun and April Fiasco.
Sep 08, 2020•37 min
This Bank Holiday weekend in the UK marks the first in 61 years that we haven’t celebrated Notting Hill Carnival. Originally set up to ease race tensions between black and white Britons and to celebrate Caribbean culture, I wanted to take a deeper look at its roots and the impact its cancellation this year will have on the black British community’s economy, spirit and psyche. I speak to three guests, Lil’ C a queer dancehall DJ, Maxine Marshall a mas and Samba dancer and Portia Clarke a Music Ma...
Sep 01, 2020•54 min
Sasha and Kadeen Corbin are more than just sisters, they play Netball for England. I wanted to speak to this very talented duo to discuss the importance of sport and exercise for our mental wellbeing and to see what their experience has been like being Black and British and professional sportswomen.
Aug 25, 2020•53 min
Lockdown has had us all dreaming about holidays and wanting to get away. I wanted to speak to travel guru, journalist and the first black woman to travel to 195 countries, Jessica Nabongo, along with award-winning podcaster Tolani Shoneye (aka ‘Tolly T’ from the Receipts Podcast) to talk about what their experience is like travelling as a black female.
Aug 18, 2020•44 min
I wanted to speak to Nadine Batchelor-Hunt, a podcaster and journalist and black Jewish female who recently got caught up in Wiley’s latest Twitter rant in which he made some anti-Semitic comments. Nadine joins me to speak about what it’s like being both black and Jewish in the U.K.
Aug 11, 2020•53 min
Such A Fun Age is a novel which starts with a racist misunderstanding and kickstarts our chat about race and class, the “pet to threat” phenomenon in business and why we don’t need any more slave movies. With author Kiley Reid, journalist Sarah Shaffi and Natalie and Melissa of Black Girls Book Club.
Aug 04, 2020•34 min
Should we recategorise dance music to be more racially inclusive? How did it become disconnected from its black queer origins? And why are black and women of colour consistently underpaid in music? Aluna Francis joins us to talk about her open letter to the dance music industry, being a member of the Black Music Action Coalition and getting paid what you’re worth.
Jul 28, 2020•35 min
I'm often seen as a strong black woman, so how can I make space to heal? Grace F Victory and Coco Khan join me to discuss how going to a protest could be seen as self care, why Grace is training as a therapist and Coco explains how even the concept of the self is very different in some Asian communities.
Jul 21, 2020•32 min
I’m asking how you can make vegan food using recipes from your own culture, learning what intersectional veganism is and wondering if I should be better at cooking Indian food. Chef Tomi Makanjuola aka The Vegan Nigerian and Celebrity Masterchef contestant Riyadh Khalaf join me to talk all things plant-based…
Jul 14, 2020•34 min
I wanted to explore what it’s like for fat, black women navigating the treacherous world of sex and dating. Joining me to discuss this was Scotty Unfamous, one third of the sex positive Laid Bare podcast. We swapped stories about our dating experiences, getting in to kink and how to be more confident in the bedroom. I also revealed that the best way to win me over is via cup-cakes and eba, a traditional Nigerian dish. Send us your FAQs to NoCountryForYoungWomen@bbc.co.uk.
Jul 07, 2020•39 min
I wanted to explore privilege, specifically white women’s privilege, and was joined by the CEO of Chicken Shop Date Amelia Dimoldenberg and historian Dr Charlotte Riley from Southampton University. We talked about diversity in the media and academia and bonded about being followed by famous people on social media (spoiler alert Amelia wins). Charlotte provided us with an insight into the historic context for ‘Karens’ among many other things and we talked about stereotypes, feminism and FAQs too....
Jun 30, 2020•39 min
I talk to three generations of my family about life in Britain. My parents describe moving to an all-white area and facing down my headteacher, my brother talks about the realities of growing up as a black man and my 15 year old niece tells me her hopes for the future…
Jun 23, 2020•44 min
We chat all things outrage with the BBC Radio 1Xtra breakfast presenter who’s just written a book all about it. We also talk about ‘that’ Wiley interview, virtue signalling, activism, female rappers, lockdown and feminism. By the way, our interview with Dotty was recorded a few weeks ago before the death of George Floyd and everything that’s happened since. Before getting into it though there’s a chance for us to catch up about how we’re feeling right now.
Jun 16, 2020•43 min
Sadia’s first solo episode of the series, exploring the different ways to be British and Muslim with Mobeen Azhar and dating expert Thanna Alghabban. We chat fasting, dating experiences, generational and regional differences, secret relationships, safe spaces and social media. Send us your FAQs to NoCountryForYoungWomen@bbc.co.uk
Jun 09, 2020•41 min
Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall joins us in lockdown to talk about growing up mixed race in North East England. We ask her how her being bullied at school affected how she portrayed herself when she joined Little Mix, how she’s exploring her Arab heritage and why her DMs are so empty…
Jun 02, 2020•44 min
We’re so excited to be back for Series 4. We’re reunited lockdown-style to share our plans for this season – we have some big guests and exciting news to announce! As ever we want to hear from you this season – you can send us your FAQs to NoCountryForYoungWomen@bbc.co.uk
May 26, 2020•3 min
‘Let's say 400 people are offended by a joke… so?’ It’s our final episode of the season and our festive special! We pull some crackers with comedian Vir Das and find out what women want. Plus we ask how to have fun when you don't celebrate Christmas and share the love (eggs) with each other ;)
Dec 10, 2019•44 min
‘You have to be sensual, you have to sell sex… or they try to present you as the African queen’ We’re in different countries and different continents, but that won’t stop us from chatting with singer-songwriter Amaarae about cultural respect and African attitudes to androgyny.
Dec 03, 2019•31 min
"Literally, the day I started… it’s never been the same." We take a trip to the Brixton Soup Kitchen to meet some sofa surfers, rough sleepers and its founder Solomon Smith. He talks feeding the homeless with rice and peas, failing at school and making his dreams come true, and why we’re all only two pay cheques away from being homeless.
Nov 26, 2019•30 min
Cancelling dudes and sharing your pubes with Kym & Jay, who use their YouTube channel the Triple Cripples to talk being black, disabled women. Plus how men control our hymens: from T.I. and his daughter’s virginity, to our cherry popping.
Nov 19, 2019•44 min
Being punched in the face by gentrification with singer-songwriter Joy Crookes. How she stays humble and keeps control, plus who should we change for? Send your FAQs to NoCountryForYoungWomen@bbc.co.uk!
Nov 12, 2019•31 min
The très fantastique Rokhaya & Grace, aka Kiffe Ta Race podcasters, chat race and racism in France. Plus we hit the streets of Paris to talk burqa bans, yellow fever, and French men...
Nov 05, 2019•53 min
We go deep with comedian Ahir Shah on drinking and depression and force Asian Network presenter Emily Lloyd-Saini to share her worst dating story… and what she does when the comment section gets too hot to handle.
Oct 29, 2019•42 min
South London girl Ashley is over from Hollywood to talk about County Lines, her new film on child drug trafficking in Britain. Plus, what happened when we asked a therapist ‘why can’t I get dick?’
Oct 22, 2019•37 min
Icon alert! We’ve got Mr Ready Steady Cook himself, Ainsley Harriott on food as love, food as foreplay, and being one of the first black chefs on TV. Plus, are kids going to save the planet? Send us your FAQs to NoCountryForYoungWomen@bbc.co.uk
Oct 15, 2019•28 min