This episode is sponsored by Lloyd's Banking Group, serving Britain's communities and households for more than 250 years.

Hello and welcome to Women with Balls, where I, Katie Balls, speak to today's Trailblazers.

My guest today wanted to be in broadcasting from the age of 12.

She went to Eisha College in Surrey before skipping university and starting at the BBC as a producer aged just 19.

There, she climbed the broadcaster's ranks and in 2001 became assistant editor of the news at 6, 10 and 1.

She moved into politics in 2014, becoming the BBC's editor for political news, working with

figures including Laura Coonsberg, John Pina and Norman Smith.

In that role, she produced the infamous kitchen interviews with Ed Miliband and David Cameron,

where the Labour leader showed off not one, but two kitchens.

And the Len Prime Minister said he would not stand for a re-election if he won in

2015. In 2017, she was promoted to head of BBC Westminster, and in October last year,

became the executive editor of politics for the broadcaster, managing all of their political

journalism. She has overseen political coverage of three different prime ministers and plenty

of blockbuster moments along the way, to referendums. My guest today is Katie Searle. Thank you very much for

coming on today. We really appreciate you finding the time. You're joining us remotely. Are you in

Westminster? Are you at the BBC? Yep, I'm in Westminster looking out over the lovely river and very happy to be here

in the sunshine. Lovely. So on this podcast, we like to begin by just talking about your early

life, what you did before your career, which is why I've asked you on today. But as a question

we ask everyone, I feel as in your senior role in Jan, as I, won't be really able to get much past you.

Some said it's a slightly leading question, but would you describe yours as a happy childhood?

Yeah, very happy, actually. I was definitely one that looked for fun, and I don't think I've

really changed since then. I remember lots of lovely times with my family, lots and lots of friends. I was quite

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