Women With Balls, from the archives: Jo Coburn

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🗓️ 24 May 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

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Summary

Broadcaster Jo Coburn stepped down from Politics Live this week and has left the BBC after 28 years. To mark the occasion, here’s a special edition of Women With Balls – from the archives – where Jo joined the Spectator's former political editor Katy Balls in 2019, shortly after launching Politics Live.

On the podcast, Jo tells Katy about starting her career through multi-ethnic radio, being poached by the BBC and what it was like to be a political correspondent during the Blair era. They also discuss rows over the BBC gender pay gap, viral moments on social media and what it was like working with infamous 'wallflower' Andrew Neil.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Spectator magazine is home to wonderful writing, insightful analysis and unrivaled books and
0:05.2	arts reviews. Subscribe today for just £12 and receive a 12-week subscription in print and online,
0:11.7	along with a free £20 £10 £1.wis or Waitrose voucher. Go to spectator.com.uk emphasised
0:16.7	£1.org.4.4.4. Hello and welcome to this special archived edition of Women with Balls.
0:23.5	This week, Joe Coburn stepped down from Politics Live and is leaving the BBC after 28 years.
0:29.8	In 2019, Joe joined Katie Balls, formerly of this Spectator Parish, on her podcast, Women
0:35.4	With Balls, so he thought this would be a good time to revisit that interview.
0:42.6	Hello and welcome to Women with Balls, where I, Katie Balls, speak to today's trailblazers.
0:48.0	Today I'm delighted to be joined by Joe Coven.
0:50.7	Coben is the lead presenter of Politics Live.
0:53.3	Prior to this, she co-presented daily politics for Andrew Neal
0:56.3	and served as the BBC's political correspondent for London.
1:00.3	Coben now spends her days chairing often role
1:02.4	argumentative politicians and pundits on the BBC's Daily flagship politics show
1:07.0	and dealing with the odd death stare.
1:10.0	But what of the host herself? Well, let's find out
1:12.4	because Joe is now with me in a BBC studio. Yes. Having managed to take some time out
1:17.8	of your rather hectic daily routine. It is hectic. It's particularly hectic leading up to lunchtime.
1:23.5	It feels like you're sort of galloping towards 12, 15, from the moment you arrive.
1:28.5	There isn't a spare moment.
1:31.0	But it has been a fantastic experience launching the programme.
1:35.2	I do actually like launches.
	...

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