Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett

They Weren't Ready for a Woman Like Me with Victoria Pendleton 29.05.2026 45min

Victoria Pendleton has suffered depression and grief since becoming an Olympic cycling champion. She's come out of it a stronger person, still on the lookout for a challenge.Having won her second Olympic gold medal at her home games in London in 2012, Victoria retired from cycling as a national hero. But she kept chasing sporting challenges, competing in horse racing then trying mountaineering. An unsuccessful attempt to climb Everest in 2019 - her first real failure - sent her into depression, but surviving that gave her the tools to cope with the loss of her twin brother and her father. She has now written a book, The Fear Opportunity, inspired by her experiences.In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

Long Covid Stole My Olympic Dream with Oonagh Cousins 22.05.2026 53min

Oonagh Cousins was one of Britain's best rowers, and was awarded a place on Team GB at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But after having Covid and being unable to fully recover, Oonagh lost her place in the squad.Oonagh now lives with Long Covid, which impacts roughly 2 million people in the UK. Having her Olympic dream taken from her by this illness has made her reflect on her own identity and the experience of sufferers of similar conditions.In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

News: Are We Really Going To Have That Brexit Fight Again? 21.05.2026 39min

As Labour leadership hopeful Wes Streeting vows to bring the UK back into the EU Emma asks - do we really want to have that fight again? Or is it fair enough if many of us have changed our minds? Would you dob your child in to the police? The Government is bringing in harsher penalties for the parents of children who commit crimes, saying it's time to remove the influence of "parents who can't parent". Is it all the fault of Mum and Dad? Plus as the makers of Married at First Sight face the consequences of rape allegations on set, do producers need to rethink the format - and have higher standards of care in reality TV? Ready to Talk News is a Long Form Audio production for BBC Sounds.

My Ex-Husband Controlled My Life with Ruth Dodsworth 15.05.2026 50min

Weather presenter Ruth Dodsworth's ex-husband was jailed in 2021 for coercive control and stalking her. Even though he is now free, he was given a lifetime restraining order stopping him from contacting Ruth or their two children.At times he would contact her up to 200 times a day while she was at work, but Ruth was unable to tell people the truth about her relationship. It took one extreme night for the police to become involved. Years on, Ruth is still learning to be fully free.In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

News: Is this chaos worth it? 14.05.2026 27min

We’re doing a new thing on Ready to Talk: News – a short series of three episodes where we find the news stories that really pique your interest and get us talking. On this episode - what the hell is going on in our politics - have we all become addicted to the psychodrama of leadership battles? As headlines ring out about 'basketcase Britain', one of those calling for Sir Keir Starmer to go tells us why the chaos of the week is all worth it. And there's a new TV trend we don't seem to be able to look away from - why smut is everywhere and will it help a sex-starved nation? Emma speaks to the writers behind the TV remake of Jilly Cooper's bonkbuster Rivals.With, as you might expect, some explicit language. Ready to Talk News is a Long Form Audio production for BBC Sounds.

Sobriety, Shame and Singledom with John Robins 08.05.2026 52min

Comedian John Robins talks about how he stopped drinking booze and why he’s happiest alone. He had his last drink in 2022 but only accepted he was an alcoholic after he had quit.John is known for his Edinburgh award-winning stand up shows and podcasts like How Do You Cope? and partnership with Elis James. He’s just written a book, Thirst: Twelve Drinks That Changed My Life, which chronicles his lifelong relationship with alcohol.In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

News: Why is Middle Class Britain on the rob? 07.05.2026 31min

We're doing a new thing on Ready to Talk: News - a short series of three episodes where we find the news stories that really pique your interest and get us all talking. On this episode - why are some in middle class Britain swiping things from supermarkets and then bragging about their five-fingered discounts? While the former New York Police Chief tells us crime is crime and should be tackled, the man who used to advise Jeremy Corbyn argues this is the consequence of rich corporations making spectacular profits while we all tighten our belts.And is Britney Spears worse off now she's free of the conservatorship that controlled her life? Does the #FreeBritney movement bear responsibility for her very public problems? We'll hear a defence of the fandom.Ready to Talk News is a Long Form Audio production for BBC Sounds.

Coming soon: Ready to Talk News 05.05.2026 1min

Emma has some exciting news about a special spin-off series, Ready to Talk News, publishing over the next three weeks on Thursdays.Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Prescription Drugs Made Me a Shopping Addict with Sally Gardner 01.05.2026 52min

Author Sally Gardner’s addiction to shopping has cost her £700k. She has only just discovered this compulsive behaviour is side effect of drugs she’s been prescribed for 20 years.Sally is a Carnegie Medal and Costa Children’s Book Award-winning writer who suffers from a debilitating condition called Restless Legs Syndrome. To combat it she has taken drugs called dopamine agonists for two decades. When her children heard a BBC radio investigation revealing the extent of compulsive behaviour the drugs can induce, they realised her extreme behaviour was linked to these drugs. Sally is talking publicly about her ordeal for the first time.In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.If you are affected by the issues raised in this programme, a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

I Was My Hero Husband’s Carer with Lindsey Burrow 24.04.2026 54min

Lindsey Burrow’s husband Rob was her childhood sweetheart before he became an England rugby league star. After he got motor neurone disease she became his carer for the final years of his life.Lindsey continued her work as a physiotherapist in the NHS, and looked after their three children, as Rob's condition deteriorated. She has now written a book, Take Care, chronicling her time caring for the husband she describes as "a hero".In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

I Don’t Speak to My Family with Shaheen Hashmat 17.04.2026 52min

Shaheen Hashmat left her family home aged 12 feeling she needed to escape, fearing a forced marriage. Initially she kept in touch, until deciding to become totally estranged in her twenties. By cutting contact, she lost the identity and sense of belonging that comes with family. She describes it as the worst kind of break up, one that left her questioning everything. Who am I without them? How do I trust my own decisions? And how do you rebuild when the people who shaped your life are no longer there?Over time, she began to build a life. Piece by piece, she carved out her own identity, focusing on defining her values, her relationships and the life she wanted to lead, on her own terms.In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.If you are affected by the issues raised in this programme, a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Life, Love and Sex in an Open Marriage with Deepa Paul 10.04.2026 49min

Deepa Paul grew up in the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country where she was expected to meet one partner and stay with them for life. She followed that path, entering a monogamous relationship with her husband. But a small moment shifted everything. While selling furniture on an online directory, Deepa found herself exposed to a world of different sexual preferences and lifestyles. It challenged what she had been taught about love and sex. What followed was a move to the Netherlands, where she became immersed in what she describes as a more liberal culture. Together with her husband, she began to question monogamy and explore what a different kind of relationship might look like. They navigated jealousy and difficult conversations, working out boundaries along the way. Over time, building an open marriage that works for them, while raising their daughter. In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

Escaping the Manosphere with Will Adolphy 03.04.2026 48min

Will Adolphy followed male influencers to figure out how a real man should look, feel and act. Now he helps men and boys escape the influence of the online manosphere. Throughout his teens Will Adolphy became increasingly isolated from his family, focussing his time on online gaming. Later he became more deeply drawn into the masculine digital culture that has become known as ‘the manosphere’, becoming so obsessed with one influencer that he hung a painting of him on his wall. But he was also suffering from panic attacks and severe depression. It all came to a head during lockdown when he lost his job and his relationship broke down. He has since retrained as a psychotherapist and now runs workshops to educate men about online harms. In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

AI Stripped My Clothes Off with Jess Davies 27.03.2026 47min

On New Year's Day, Jess Davies woke up to discover an image of her in a clingfilm bikini had been created by Elon Musk's AI tool Grok and posted to X. She discusses how she has gone from working as a glamour model to campaigning against online image abuse. Jess shares how her first experience as a victim of image abuse occurred when she was just 15 when a private photo of her was shared around her hometown. She explains how this led to her career in modelling. She now works as a writer and presenter, uncovering toxic, misogynist behaviour online. In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

From Prison to Playwriting with Ric Renton 20.03.2026 48min

Ric Renton shares how reading the dictionary in prison aided his writing career. Following a school life, he describes as “absent” and a violent childhood involving drugs, Ric requested a dictionary to read cover to cover while in prison. Twenty years later, he has written and starred in plays and is a writer and actor in the BBC drama Waiting For The Out. With the latest reoffending rates stating that over 40% of adult criminals in England and Wales go on to reoffend within a year of being let out of prison, Emma and Ric talk about Ric’s experiences in prison, staying out of prison and establishing a career, and the criminal justice system. In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

My Husband Died Alone at Dignitas with Lottie Clarke 13.03.2026 52min

Lottie Clarke shares her husband's story and explains why she thinks UK law on assisted dying should change. The couple were happily married for 19 years, but were apart at the moment he died. After being diagnosed with motor neurone disease, James Clarke wanted to retain control at the end of his life. He eventually travelled to Switzerland where assisted dying is legal. Lottie believes they could have had a bit more time together, along with their three children, if assisted dying was legal in the UK. James's last wish to her was that she do what she can to stop other couples having to be apart at very end. In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101. If you are affected by the issues raised in this programme, a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Fatphobia and Weight Loss Jabs with Billie Bhatia 06.03.2026 54min

Fashion writer Billie Bhatia talks about her experiences of living in a bigger body, fatphobia and the cultural, social and personal impact of weight loss jabs. Billie talks to Emma about dating, navigating the fashion industry and shares her thoughts on the body positivity movement as well as Serena William’s controversial weight loss drugs advert at Super Bowl 2026.A recent study by University College London researchers, estimated that 1.6 million adults in England, Wales and Scotland used drugs such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic to help lose weight between early 2024 and early 2025.In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101

Art, Pain, Womanhood with Tracey Emin 27.02.2026 52min

Dame Tracey Emin discusses love, feminism, and making art after losing her bladder to cancer, ahead of the opening of her largest ever exhibition. Emin is one of the UK’s foremost visual artists, having risen to fame in 1990s. In 2020, she was diagnosed with advanced squamous cell carcinoma on her bladder. One specialist gave her six months to live. Four weeks later, a seven-and-a-half-hour surgery removed her bladder, uterus, urethra, a portion of her colon, some lymph nodes, and half her vagina. She speaks to Emma Barnett about what has and hasn’t changed in her life and her work. In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

My Breast Cancer Surgeon Mutilated Me with Deborah Douglas 20.02.2026 49min

Deborah Douglas is one of the many victims of disgraced Birmingham surgeon Ian Paterson, who maimed many of his patients. After a breast cancer diagnosis in 2003, Deborah thought she was in the best hands possible. But Paterson subjected her to a mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, and extensive chemotherapy, all of which were entirely unnecessary. Paterson has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after carrying out unnecessary operations, while Deborah Douglas has campaigned for justice for his many victims. She recently published her account of her ordeal, The Cost of Trust. In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.

My Brain Surgery with Maribou State’s Chris Davids 13.02.2026 46min

Chris Davids of electronic duo Maribou State discusses suffering from a rare brain condition, how it affected his passion for making music and the surgery and experimental procedure that led to his recovery. Chris was experiencing extreme headaches while working on the group’s third album, Hallucinating Love, during lockdown. Eventually he was diagnosed with a Chiari malformation, meaning the lower part of his brain was pushing down into his spinal canal. He talks to Emma about a complex period which has now ended with a creative renewal. In Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, the award-winning interviewer speaks to people you will know and people you should know about the experiences that are shaping their lives. If you want to join the conversation you can email the team at readytotalk@bbc.co.uk, or you can send a WhatsApp message or voice note to 08000 556 101.