Emma Barnett's last Woman's Hour

[WinterTrees]

A moment to acknowledge the role she played in ending the era of No Debate. Before she took over Jenni Murray was wearing a scold's bridle while Jane Garvey tittered on about shoes and made jokes about hot flushes, and the elephant remained undisturbed in the middle of the room.

Woman's Hour hasn't always been great at fulfilling its remit but Emma Barnett poked the elephant and facilitated discussion about it, often handling extraordinary conversations and walking the BBC impartiality tightrope with great professional skill. (Who can forget the interview with Grace Lavery, in which 'her' penis featured heavily?) In this way she must have made the scales fall from the eyes of many unaware listeners, to whom the findings of the Cass report will now have more context and make more sense.

If she reads these boards (I have a feeling she does!) Thank you Emma.

She did some great interviews. Thank you Emma!

In her first interview since resigning, Kathleen Stock talks to Emma Barnett about her experiences at the University of Sussex, including weeks of protest on campus by students who objected to her ‘gender critical’ views, and called for her removal."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0b3ch0k

I'll definitely miss her. I'll be surprised if her replacement(s) make such a contribution.

Thank you Emma, and so fitting that her last lead interview is with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, I'm always extremely moved to hear her speak and remember what she's been through and come out the other side of seemingly strong and undefeated.

She reading out comments about women’s rights. No obvious comments…

Singer on now (live) has a nice cover. Macy Gray vibes.

I remember listening to many of her interviews with GC women and thinking, bloody hell Emma - bit harsh, why are you giving her such a hard time? And the answer was, because she knew that those women could stand the scrutiny. They had the arguments to come back with and she was giving them an opportunity to fight their corner. It was a great strategy.

She emphasised to listeners she's taking a woman's lens to the Today programme and that it's needed more than ever. I'd love to be be a fly on the wall when she's having a chat with Justin Webb.
Thank you, Emma. I'll be tuning in.

I actually welled up a bit during her final speech. She was exactly what was needed at WH after Jane simpering "pick me" Garvey and I am sorry to see her go.

It was heartening that she said she felt that a woman's lense on the world was needed more than ever, and that she would be taking that with her to the Today programme.

Thank you Emma for daring to go there, and Good luck for the future👏

Emma was like a breath of fresh air — incisive, clever and determined. I listened to WH regularly for 30+ years but only ever listened recently when Emma was on. Very sad she's leaving. R4 used to be a central to my life, now it will become even more peripheral. I listen to a few carefully chosen podcasts and that's it.

Justin Webb? Really?

Justin Webb?? Do you mean someone else?

Justin Webb?

Not my experience.

I think you mean Evan Davies

Funny how that was the first name that sprang to my mind.

Evan Davies would make sense.

I love Emma Barnett and think she did a brilliant job on WH.

As for Jane Garvey - before I listened to a lot of other podcasts, I used to listen to her with Fi Glover. I can't do that now - they're absolutely awful. Jane Garvey has to be the most self-centred, dozy woman on the radio.

I'll put up my hand and say I didn't rate her when she first started.

But she's really pushed difficult issues - like women's rights - and asked the difficult questions. Brava to her

I spent years giving Jane Garvey the benefit of the doubt, assuming that she had been brownbeaten into avoiding the gender debate and the harder edge of women's rights/ issues. I even (forgive me, everyone) followed her over to the syrupy Fortunately podcast, where it finally dawned on me that all she is genuinely interested in is housework and sport. My god, the hours she used to pad out Fortunately with tales of cleaning and cooking...

I’ve loved having a strong intelligent woman at the centre of Woman’s hour, she’s the first WH presenter that I felt was truly representative of the women I know. I suspect she’s well aware of all sides of this issue and has been fantastic at presenting the issue in a non biased way. You only have to apply common sense and facts to truly shine light on how Women and impressionable young people have been affected.

I'm really pleased you posted this, Wintertrees. Emma has done a great job at Woman's Hour. To me, she embodies proper journalism, ensuring balance and not being afraid to raise difficult topics.

I'd add a word of praise for Anita Rani too. She is definitely in the 'Be kind' gang but Emma never seems to have been constrained in the way that Jane Garvey seems to have constrained what Jenni Murray wanted to cover.

I'll happily add to the praise for Emma. She's done excellent work on Women's Hour and I'm looking forward to listening to what she does next!

Yes, well done Emma.

I can’t wait for the day the veils are lifted and we find out who some people on here are 🤣.

I can’t believe they read and don’t comment.

And her fucking cat.

I appreciate Emma too, and am now far more likely to listen to Today, but just want to put in a word for Jane Garvey - she did stand up for equal pay at the bbc and got a lot of flack for it.