Emma Barnett will not be underestimated

Should I Delete That?

Alex Light & Em Clarkson

Society & Culture, Unknown

4.8 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Emma Barnett is a broadcaster, journalist and author who we admire hugely. She is one of the BBC’s most high-profile journalists who is currently part of the presenting team on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme - as well as previously hosting Women’s Hour and Newsnight.

Alongside her incredible broadcasting career, Emma has also become a powerful advocate for women’s health - having chosen to speak up about her very difficult IVF journey as well as struggling with both endometriosis and adenomyosis. Emma told us about why she chose to bring her private reality into light to advocate for women’s health and to disrupt the assumptions that we may hold about ‘serious’ news presenters.

We also spoke to Emma about interviewing Kate Bush, what happened when she called out Rory Stewart for lying on air and why she is concerned about women feeling the need to be liked all the time.

Experiences that have reshaped lives. Bold questions, unexpected truths, lots of tea... Emma Barnett invites you into her world for deeply human conversations. You can listen to episodes on BBC Sounds HERE. New episodes of Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett are available every Friday on BBC Sounds.

Follow @emmabarnett on Instagram

If you want to get in touch you can email us on [email protected]

@shouldideletethat

@em_clarkson

@alexlight_ldn

Should I Delete That is produced by Faye Lawrence

Studio Manager: Elliott Mckay

Video Editor: Celia Gomez

Social Media Manager: Sarah English

Music: Alex Andrew

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	What I've always been intrigued by, um, is to disrupt what is A, expected of women and be what's expected of me in serious news and politics with a capital P.
0:12.8	And I think women's lives and women's health are just as important as what we deem to be the news.
0:21.5	Hello and welcome back to you. Should I Delete that? I'm Im Clarkson. I'm Alex Light.
0:25.1	And I am so excited for today's guest. We are speaking to a journalist who I have loved
0:32.1	and listened to for so long. And this was one of the surrealest things when you meet a woman or a
0:40.2	person who you have heard speaking for years speaking to you. I felt like I'd ordered a cameo.
0:49.7	It was incredible. I could see the fan girl in your eyes. I was so happy for you.
0:54.9	I obviously love this industry.
0:57.7	I love the media.
0:58.7	I love news.
0:59.9	And I am particularly admiring of female journalists in this space
1:05.6	because I do think they operate in a man's world.
1:08.0	And I think what Emma Barnett has done has been so remarkable in that
1:12.0	she has spoken very publicly recently about her IVF, her endometriosis, about maternity leave.
1:19.4	She has spoken about, quote, unquote, women's issues, while simultaneously maintaining her
1:25.8	incredibly impressive career.
1:29.0	And it's been really cool to watch it not be detrimental necessarily
1:32.8	to the political side of what she does, rather, I don't know,
1:39.7	sort of an extra string to the bow.
1:41.9	And it was really cool to talk to her about that.
1:43.9	And I just feel I
1:44.6	could have actually done this for hours you literally I was like and we've got it wrap up
	...

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