Being expelled from school for drugs hasn't stopped Emily Sheffield from having a prolific and impressive career in journalism, she was columnist at the guardian, the deputy editor of vogue, and of course she took over as editor of the evening standard in June 2020.
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions of anorexia and self-harm. Author and Journalist Hadley Freeman is no stranger to being difficult, having left the Guardian after 22 years in the midst of a gender critical row. She has, in the past, spoken openly about her drug addiction and has now written a courageous and unflinching memoir of anorexia, candidly talking about the honest truth of this destructive disorder.
Mary Watkins, Baroness Watkins, is a veritable legend in the world of nursing and there is no more qualified voice to address the current state of our NHS and the difficulties that come with being a nurse, than she.
Maggie Oliver is a former Detective Constable with the Greater Manchester police who made waves as the whistle-blower in the Rochdale grooming scandal. Exposing the flaws within her own team that lead to the mishandling of the case.
Television presenter, crafter, and national treasure Kirsty Allsopp is this week's difficult woman. Kirsty has never seen a row that she hasn't wanted to wade into, from Vaping to Homework she isn't afraid to have her opinion heard.
Two days after she informed her employer that she was pregnant with her first child, Joeli Brearley was sacked from her job by voicemail. Off the back of this she founded Pregnant then Screwed, a charity dedicated to ending the motherhood penalty.
On Halloween in 2010, Joanna Simpson was beaten to death by her estranged husband, Robert Brown. Prior to her death, the mum-of-two had filed for divorce after enduring years of abuse. In a first for the podcast, we are joined by not one but two difficult women; Her mother, Diana Parkes, and her best friend, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton. Together they have campaigned tirelessly for stricter prosecution for domestic violence.
This week's difficult woman is the Sunday Times' Chief Foreign Correspondent, Cristina Lamb, freshly back from investigating the stolen children of Ukraine. Having reported from Brazil, Washington, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to name but four. All of this goes without mentioning her Ghost-writing of "I am Malala".
Dr Emma Runswick is the BMA's Deputy Chair of Council. In the thick of it during this winter of discontent, not least as her union announced 3 days of strike action in a weeks' time. An activist and campaigner from a young age, Emma has never chosen the path of least resistance.
This weeks difficult woman is political journalist and ghostwriter Isabel Oakeshott. Though you may be more familiar with her recent involvement in the Lockdown Files. Isabel made the difficult decision to leak 100'000 private whatsapp messages between Matt Hancock and various members of government, a decision which has come with much controversy.
Abi Austen shot into the public eye after announcing her desire to transition from male to female whilst being an officer in the army. After being forced to resign her position in the army, she had to endure a lengthy and public legal battle to fight for her rights.
Rosie Duffield is the Labour MP for Canterbury since 2017 - the first Labour MP to hold that seat, the only Labour seat in Kent - and won on the slimmest of margins. Instead of being a poster girl for the party - she ticks so many boxes on backstory - she is treated like the black sheep.
Jennifer Robinson, the Australian human rights and media freedom barrister who graces Doughty Street chambers, is probably best known for her work representing Julian Assange “I did not expect it was going to become so big,” says Robinson. “And I certainly never expected I’d spend so much time visiting him in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.” Her new book, co-written with Keina Yoshida, could not be timelier as we record this the day after the sentencing of an armed officer, David Carrick, for ...
Even though Anne Glenconner has been royal adjacent all her life she is far more than a pawn on the chessboard moving nimbly between the Queen, Princess Margaret, the new King, and scions of the ancient British aristocracy. She endured an abusive marriage, the loss of two children, and plenty of tears to go along with the titles.
Amber Rudd had one of the most meteoric rises to power in recent political history. With just over a year between her first Cabinet appointment to her first day as home secretary, she became a well-established actor within Theresa May's government. Her parliamentary career was, however, halted in its tracks after a series of revelations amid the Windrush Deportation Scandal. She talks to Rachel about her idyllic childhood, her troublesome marriage, and her legacy in the home office.
This week’s difficult woman is Jess Phillips, self-described gobby daughter of brummie socialists and Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley. Jess is the voice of domestic and sexual violence in parliament and every year, reads out the names of women who have been killed by men. Less than a month after being elected and unhappy with the lack of female representation in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet she famously told Dianne Abbott to “F*** off”... the rest of her political career has been no less confrontati...
This week's difficult woman is classicist, scholar, and broadcaster Mary Beard. Described by the new yorker as a "Celebrity Historian" her distinct charm has set her apart in a world dominated by men often characterised by their dry mundanity. She talks the struggles she faced getting into the world of classics as well as her takes on the last few months of political chaos.
This week's difficult woman is the veteran journalist, author, broadcaster and campaigner Marjorie Wallace. Marjorie began her career in television, working on The Frost Programme as a trainee producer. She later moved into investigative journalism where she covered the Thalidomide scandal for the Sunday Times. She is the founder of the mental health charity SANE and the author of ‘The Silent Twins’, a book which has since been remade for the big screen premiering at 2022 Cannes Film Festival. S...
This week's difficult woman is the writer and activist Catherine Mayer. Catherine started her career as a journalist before going onto write a bestselling political biography of King Charles. In 2015 she co-founded the Women's Equality Party with the broadcaster Sandi Toksvig. She talks feminism, gender self-identification, Harry and Meghan and grieving for her late husband Andy Gill during the pandemic.
This week's difficult woman is the journalist and writer Sarah Standing. Sarah's career in writing began at 14 when she won a Vogue Young Writers competition. She has since written for Tatler magazine, the Telegraph and the Spectator where she became Travel and Lifestyle editor. For much of her life, Sarah has been surrounded by the glitz and glamour of the film industry. Her parents were the famous film director Bryan Forbes and the movie star Nanette Newman. She is now happily married to the a...
This week's difficult woman is the campaigner and writer Karen Ingala Smith. Karen has become a leading feminist voice, tackling male violence against women through research and her work at the East London charity nia, where she is Chief Executive. She is also Director of Woman’s Place UK, an organisation that has attracted controversy for its defence of women's only spaces. She talks male violence, the trans debate and reveals her most difficult moments as a working woman.
This week's difficult woman is the journalist and broadcaster Dame Jenni Murray. Dame Jenni has enjoyed success in both TV and Radio, presenting Newsnight, the Today programme and Woman’s Hour. She talks about what it means to be a working woman, her relationship with her mother, her decision to leave the BBC and the issue of impartiality.
This week's difficult woman is someone who has scarcely been in the public eye but who has always brought a storm of controversies when she does make the headlines. Her first taste of difficulties was when she published her bombshell account of Dianna's love affair with James Hewitt. Hounded and criticised by the mainstream press unwilling to believe the remarkable story, her vindication would come years later as the story was revealed. Her second major controversy has proven considerably more s...
This weeks difficult woman is notorious television critic and Sunday Times Columnist Camilla Long. A woman who by her own admission has embraced being difficult in the name of success. She talks everything from Michael Fassbender's manhood to her own struggles being visible in the cutthroat world of journalism.
This weeks difficult woman is Kate Bingham. The Chair of the UK's vaccine taskforce, charged with delivering this countries world beating covid vaccine response. From her rough and tumble beginnings in Wales, to a startling career in biotech, we hear about her expansive life!
This week's difficult woman is Baroness Sayeeda Warsi. Lawyer, Politician, Baroness, and former Co-Chair of the conservative party Baroness Warsi has never had a problem speaking up against her party when she feels it is not in line with her values. She talks new PM's, conservative islamophobia, and even some behind the scenes secrets about Alistair Campbell!
This week Rachel talks to Hilary McGrady, the Director General of the National Trust, founded to care for our countryside and Britain's many historic properties. McGrady is top dog at Europe's largest conservation charity -and therefore in charge of this nation’s nature, beauty, and history.
This week Rachel is joined by journalist and novelist Celia Walden. A woman who seems to have it all, Rachel dives into her imposter syndrome, her relationship with her husband Piers Morgan, and what its like being torn between two countries.
This week Rachel speaks to the longest serving Editor of British vogue, Alexandra Shulman
Rachel Johnson speaks to Journalist, broadcaster & LBC Presenter Sangita Myska about the moment a listener questioned her Britishness, and how she responded.
