Emma Barnett is leaving Woman's Hour

[PuppetQueen]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68574142

I know she was a bit marmite when she first started at Woman's Hour, but I quite like her now.

I wonder who will be joining Anita on Woman's Hour, once Emma leaves in April?

[oldwhyno]

Is India Willoughby looking for work?

[MartineBIT]

That's a shame. I can't stand Anita- she trivialises everything (asking the female fast bowling coach of a men's cricket team for tips on how to throw a ball for the dog was a low point).

[determinedtomakethiswork]

@MartineBIT

That's a shame. I can't stand Anita- she trivialises everything (asking the female fast bowling coach of a men's cricket team for tips on how to throw a ball for the dog was a low point).

I wish I had the thank you button on my app. I feel exactly the same and don't listen to it when she's on

I love Emma Barnett and she was exactly what woman's hour needed.

Every now and again when I'm on a podcast then will be an advert for Fi and Jane and I thank God that Jane Garvey is no longer on woman's hour.

[ChillinwiththeVillains]

Really hoping Anita chooses to leave in a huff at not getting Today gig AND they lose Nuala's number. Any of the other fill in presenters are far preferable IMHO.
If it becomes fluffier I don't think it's as likely to last. I don't listen on Anita days already.

[sunandfog]

That's a shame but great for the Today prog where I think she will do really well.

[nauticant]

Depending on the replacement presenter, we might be getting something like Anita Rani's Fluffy Fridays every day of the week.

I feel faint.

[Resisterance]

I loathe WH these days. I used to adore it and was an avid listener for 30 years beforehand. Since they can't define what a woman actuallyis and seems devoid of an actually listening to women. So many men on the bloody programme these days.

I just knew EB would be a fleeting presence so not at all surprised by this. I cannot abide Anita Rani though. Lightweight narcissist drivel from her. I just cannot listen. I don't know what it would take for it to improve. The journalist Helen Lewis would be an amazing addition for it.

[PuppetQueen]

I like Anita! I'm from Yorkshire too, and I find her warm manner very attractive. She does have a different style to Emma, but I think they complement each other quite nicely and I enjoy the contrast.

[PuppetQueen]

I just knew EB would be a fleeting presence so not at all surprised by this. I cannot abide Anita Rani though. Lightweight narcissist drivel from her. I just cannot listen. I don't know what it would take for it to improve. The journalist Helen Lewis would be an amazing addition for it.

Ooh yes, Helen Lewis would be great!

[Madcats]

Emma should be great on Today. I suppose she's already getting up at the crack of dawn with a toddler.

I'm not so enthused about the future of Womens' Hour. I stopped listening for quite a while.

[Nonowt]

Emma Barnett should never have been allowed to air her personal issues especially by her constant demeaning of our very under funded police force.
Her own private education paid by the many years of her parents trafficking and exploitation of women culminating in prison sentences for them both is something few seem aware of.
I felt the programme seemed to turn into men v women which considering it is no longer these days aimed at housewives having a morning break means it has the potential to be very damaging to vulnerable groups.
Many listeners are retirees, men and women, unemployed many who are young people let down by their state schools, shift workers and so on.
Basically people who survive on poor pay and not all living in London.
I am not particularly keen on her moving to the Today programme but at least she will be less of a powerful voice there being one of many.

[nauticant]

Her own private education paid by the many years of her parents trafficking and exploitation of women culminating in prison sentences for them both is something few seem aware of.

How terrible for Emma Barnett as a child to have made her parents do this! Have you called the Police?

[BerfyTigot]

I really enjoyed listening to Clare McDonnell on Woman's Hour back in January. Especially the one on euthanasia. I thought she handled it really sensitively. Not fluffy at all!

Don't know where she stands on sex and gender.

[Nonowt]

I'm aware that she says that she should not pay for the sins of her parents and to an extent I agree but to front such a powerful programme she needed to be more impartial.
Police did find emails between her and her father referring to the trafficked women who believed they were coming for cleaning jobs as whores which puts a slightly different perspective on her claim of lack of knowledge of what her father actually known in Manchester as 'The Baron' did.
Her mother was sentenced for laundering the money made which provided a very luxurious life style.
She believes in forgiveness which is a bit like what we are now being told the £10 million pound donor to the Tory Party is supposed to be awarded for what he has previously said and still believes!
It was that she was so judgemental of others on the WH programme that I found rather difficult to swallow.
Her interview of Sinead O'Connor was unnecessary and hurtful.

[chamomilet]

I like Emma Barnett, I reeeally hope that it isn't ...Sara Cox

[GinForBreakfast]

Bring back Jenni and let her say what she likes.

[Catsfrontbum]

Hear hear for a return of Jenni!

[mids2019]

Do you think she has the same intellectual gravitas as Mishal Hussein?

It seems that the Oxbridge grip on the senior presenting roles on the today program is loosening a little? However state educated non Oxbridge is possibly a stretch?

[Agapornis]

I'm more of a Today listener than a WH one, but I'm not sure what she'll add to the Today programme. I'm a big Mishal Hussain fan though, any airtime that isn't Mishal is not as good

[nauticant]

She's joining to replace Martha Kearney, the bee correspondent.

[TheMarzipanDildo]

“Her own private education paid by the many years of her parents trafficking and exploitation of women culminating in prison sentences for them both is something few seem aware of.”

Not her fault that though is it? I’ve got a few dodgy older relatives, I’m not taking responsibility for them!

[Nonowt]

I found the constant barraging of the police on Woman's Hour started to seem a bit odd .
We have hidden psychopaths in many roles that have power and where vulnerable people are involved. They are very hard to spot. Lucy Letby a recent dangerous nurse was in plain sight but she was not mentioned weekly by Emma.

When I read about EB 's personal history I could see why she would have reasons for disliking the police. Manchester Constabulary were told to turn a blind eye to Emma's father's huge operation so long as under age girls were not involved or any drugs. This came from the Home Office. Really the police are very controlled by our government but then highly criticised when something goes wrong.
Cressida Dick was thrown under the bus in this way which seemed very unfair and as a woman actually getting the top job you'd have thought Emma Barnett would have been more fair in her interviews with her too.
A trafficked woman was finally able to speak out and then the police took action resulting in an investigation and prison for the couple.

I do not think that claims that 50% of the population ie. all women do not trust the police repeated several times on Woman's Hour is remotely acceptable.
Some people wrote to the programme making the same point that we still visit a GP despite Harold Shipman. Do not see all nurses as potential baby killers.
Most of all however I grew up in the days when sexism was far far more accepted and ingrained than today.
My sister studied medicine when only 6% of students were women.
I truly believe that many young men are feeling very unrepresented and they have not grown up in the world I remember.
Religions have admittedly in general been responsible for and continue to repress women. More worryingly social media has very sadly opened up further potential for badness to proliferate from some as well as good from others.

There is an element of Londoncentric to WH and presenters live in a world I personally feel is very far removed from the majority of listeners.
Presenters are successful women who employ a nanny, a cleaner and perhaps see themselves as achieving what every woman wants.
The comment Emma made recently regarding her part of the programme talking about a day in the year when women could propose to men was an example of how out of touch she seems.
She said that some listeners may decide to turn off the radio at that point of the programme clearly showing her view about this subject being included.
As it was she had a lot of feedback from listeners keen to tell their stories of often funny or romantic proposals.
We like discussions on important subjects but for goodness sake a bit of lighthearted discussion on matters of the heart should not be treated as demeaning women surely?
It will be interesting to see who replaces her and I look forward to achieving a lower blood pressure at 10 o clock from May 2024!

[Honks]

Another vote to bring back Jenni.
Woman’s hour has deteriorated since she left.

[Nonowt]

I really liked Martha Kearney.
It always came over that she was genuinely concerned about listeners problems and views.