Bookshelfie: Women’s Prize Podcast

Award-winning executive producer and broadcaster Kavita Puri on the importance of collecting untold stories, being an Elizabeth Strout groupie and why women always have been and continue to be complex characters. Kavita Puri is the creator, writer and presenter of the Three Million podcast on BBC Sounds, which won the Gold for Best New Podcast at the British Podcast Awards 2024, and the accompanying book - a "groundbreaking" investigation of the 1943 Bengal famine - is set to publish in 2026. Her Radio 4 docu-series Three Pounds in My Pocket is currently on its fifth season and has been described as “captivating and epic” by The Guardian. Kavita is also the author of the critically acclaimed book “Partition Voices: Untold British Stories”, which has been adapted for stage at the Donmar Warehouse.  Kavita is the chair of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction Judging panel. Kavita’s book choices are: ** The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak ** Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout  ** Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels ** A Woman in Berlin by Marta Hillers ** The Other Side of Silence by Urvashi Butalia Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Serious Readers are offering Bookshelfie listeners £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. To take advantage of our Serious Readers discount code, please visit seriousreaders.com/bookshelfie and use the code SHELFIE.  There’s a 30 day risk-free trial to return the lamp for free if you’re unhappy with it for whatever reason. 

Comedian Cariad Lloyd explains how she unexpectedly became part of the death community and why Half of a Yellow Sun should be part of the curriculum.  Cariad is an award-winning comedian, actor and writer. She is the creator and host of the award-winning podcast Griefcast and the smash-hit improv show Austentatious. She has starred in TV shows such as Alan Partridge, Peep Show, Inside No. 9 and featured on Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie to You and QI. Cariad’s first book You Are Not Alone was a New Statesman, The Times and Express book of the year in 2023. And her new children’s book, The Christmas Wish-Tastrophe, is out now. Cariad is no stranger to book chat, co-hosting a podcast with fellow comedian Sara Pascoe called Sara & Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club, where they discuss weird books with their famous friends. Cariad’s book choices are: ** Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson ** By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept by Elizabeth Smart  ** Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ** Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel  ** The Bay of Noon by Shirley Hazzard Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Serious Readers are offering Bookshelfie listeners £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. To take advantage of our Serious Readers discount code, please visit seriousreaders.com/bookshelfie and use the code SHELFIE.  There’s a 30 day risk-free trial to return the lamp for free if you’re unhappy with it for whatever reason. 

Space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock joins Vick to delve into her favourite science fiction books, tells us why dyslexic kids shouldn’t be pigeon-holed and explains why she encourages all children to reach for the stars.  Maggie is a space scientist and pioneering figure in communicating science, having spoken directly to over half a million people globally, 350,000 of whom are children.  She is committed to inspiring new generations of astronauts, engineers and scientists, and in 2009, was appointed an MBE for her services to science and education. She presents the new series of BBC’s The Sky at Night and Mini Stargazing for CBeebies. In 2016, she was nominated for a Children’s Presenter BAFTA and she recently won the Institute of Physics gold medal for ‘exceptional services to science education and physics communication’. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in March 2024, for her services to ‘science education and diversity’. She is the current President of the British Science Association. Maggie’s new book, Webb’s Universe: The Space Telescope Images that Reveal Our Cosmic History, is the definitive book on the James Webb Space Telescope, with a full array of stunning images.  Maggie’s book choices are: ** The Many-Coloured Land by Julian May ** The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris ** Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman ** The Little Snake by A. L. Kennedy  ** Letters to my Daughter by Dr Maya Angelou Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Serious Readers are offering Bookshelfie listeners £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. To take advantage of our Serious Readers discount code, please visit seriousreaders.com/bookshelfie and use the code SHELFIE.  There’s a 30 day risk-free trial to return the lamp for free if you’re unhappy with it for whatever reason. 

Irish novelist Cecelia Ahern joins Vick to chat about how books making us less lonely, what inspires her work and the art of being an introverted extrovert.    Cecelia's debut novel PS I Love You was published in 2004 and went on to become an international bestseller and was adapted into a film starring Hilary Swank. Her second novel, Where Rainbows End, was adapted into the film Love, Rosie starring Lily Collins. Her books have been published in over thirty-seven languages, and have sold over twenty-five million copies. In addition to her novels, she is also the author of a highly acclaimed collection of stories, Roar, which is now a series starring Nicole Kidman on Apple TV+. Her new novel Into the Storm follows the journey of GP Enya and her search for freedom after her life splinters in two. Cecelia’s book choices are: ** Under the Hawthorn Tree by Marita Conlon McKenna  ** The Hen who Dreamed She Could Fly by Hwang Seon-Mi ** The Color Master by Aimee Bender ** Quiet by Susan Cain ** Hey Zoey by Sarah Crossan Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Serious Readers are offering Bookshelfie listeners £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. To take advantage of our Serious Readers discount code, please visit seriousreaders.com/bookshelfie and use the code SHELFIE.  There’s a 30 day risk-free trial to return the lamp for free if you’re unhappy with it for whatever reason. 

Broadcaster Kate Humble explains the joy of living in the moment, the glory of nature and the importance of shunning the algorithms. Kate is a broadcaster specialising in wildlife and science programmes, including  Countryfile, Springwatch and Blue Planet Live. A champion of the environment, nature conservation and rural affairs, she is president of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and founded Humble by Nature, a rural skills centre on her farm in Wales. As well as starring in over 70 television programmes, Kate is the author of seven books, including A Year of Living Simply, Home Cooked, Where the Hearth Is and Thinking on My Feet, which was shortlisted for the 2019 Wainwright Prize. Kate’s latest book, Home Made: Recipes from the Countryside is a collection of over 60 simple, sustainable recipes from her very own kitchen table, alongside inspiring stories from 20 individuals who play a role in bringing food to us. Kate’s book choices are: ** I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith ** Travels in West Africa by Mary Kingsley ** Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton ** Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ** Station 11 by Emily St John Mandel Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Jodi Picoult is the number 1 New York Times bestselling author of 28 novels and short stories, and has also written several issues of Wonder Woman.  Approximately 40 million copies of her books are in print worldwide and have been translated into 34 languages.  Her book My Sister’s Keeper was made into a motion picture starring Cameron Diaz. Jodi is the recipient of many awards, including the 2003 New England Bookseller Award for Fiction, a lifetime achievement award for mainstream fiction from the Romance Writers of America, and the Sarah Josepha Hale Award. She holds honorary doctor of letters degrees from Dartmouth College and the University of New Haven. She is a patron of the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, which is awarded to female fiction writers in the States.  Her new book By Any Other Name tells the story of two women, centuries apart, who are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard. Jodi’s book choices are: ** Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell ** Out of Africa by Karen Blixen ** Beloved by Toni Morrison ** The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman ** The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

British actress Corinna Brown tells us why representation is so important to her and through the poetry of Rupi Kaur, explains why you are more than just pretty.  Corinna best known for her role as Tara Jones in Heartstopper, the multi-award-winning, BAFTA nominated Neftlix adaptation of Alice Osman’s LGBTQ+ graphic novels which rose to the top ten most-watched English series on Netflix within two days of the first season’s release. The series has assembled a surge of fans mesmerised by the show’s ability to create diverse, authentic storylines for fans around the world to relate to.   Corinna trained at East 15 drama school. She has worked across film, television and theatre, including making her television debut in the BBC Three film My Murder with John Boyega. In 2023, Corinna starred in Essex Girls, a coming-of-age short film directed by Yero-Timi Bie that explores Black-British girlhood and the magic of female friendship, nominated for Best Short Film at the 2023 London Film Festival.   The much anticipated third season of Heartstopper, released on Netflix this week, sees Tara face the trials of living as a lesbian from a young age and what it means to grow up and develop alongside a romantic partner. Corinna’s book choices are: ** Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater ** Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman  ** Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi ** Milk & Honey by Rupi Kaur ** Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner by Jasmine Lee Jones Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Food writer and bestselling author Rukmini Iyer shares how her recipes bring families together, the importance of flavours and the joy of finding a delicious, easy solution to dinner. Rukmini is the bestselling author of The Roasting Tin series, which in five years has sold over 1.75 million copies worldwide. They’ve transformed the cookery space in the UK, leading the one-tin, one-pot, and one-pan revolution, and remain firm favourites among cookbook buyers who love Rukmini’s minimum fuss, maximum flavour recipes. Rukmini makes regular appearances cooking live on morning television and is the newest weekly columnist for The Guardian’s ‘Feast’ magazine.  Her newest book, The Green Cookbook, a collection of delicious and simple planted-based recipes, is out now. When she’s not cooking for work, she loves gardening, reading, wandering around food markets with her border collie and toddler in tow, renovating the house with her husband and entertaining friends and family. Rukmini’s book choices are: ** Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë ** Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons  ** The Secret History by Donna Tartt ** The Power by Naomi Alderman ** The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Tracy Chevalier is an award-winning American-British novelist of 11 books, including the immensely popular Girl with a Pearl Earring, which has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and was adapted into a film, which was nominated for three Academy Awards.  Tracy has also edited anthologies such as Why Willows Weep, a collection of tales from the woods to raise money for the Woodland Trust, and Reader, I Married Him, a collection of short stories commissioned to mark the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Brontë. In addition to her writing, Tracy has been actively involved with various organisations including the Royal Literary Fund, Patron of the Dorchester Literary Festival and the Woodland Trust. Tracy’s latest novel, The Glassmaker, follows a family of Venetian glassmakers from the Renaissance to present day. Tracy’s book choices are: **Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder ** Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison ** Restoration by Rose Tremain ** Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood ** Life After Life by Kate Atkinson Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder was illustrated by Garth Williams. Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Glamour UK’s Editor-in-Chief Deborah Joseph joins Vick to discuss feminism through the lens of magazines, the importance of representation and the need for perfectly imperfect women.  Deborah is an award-winning editor and journalist. Over the past seven years, she has directed Glamour’s transition from a print to a digital-first, beauty-first brand. Prior to that, she spent six years working for fashion and celebrity tech start-ups, was a social media consultant for Jenny Packham, and edited the Daily Mail’s life and style section. She was on the launch team of Glamour over 20 years ago and has also edited two other Condé Nast titles, Easy Living and Brides.  Deborah speaks regularly on the topic of women’s empowerment and the challenges facing working mothers, and after experiencing burnout now chooses to live what she describes as her ‘best 70% life’.  Deborah’s book choices are: ** Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal ** Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë ** Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding ** This is Not a Pity Memoir by Abi Morgan ** Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now!

The former Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard joins Vick for a live recording in Bedford Square Gardens from the Women’s Prize Live Festival. Julia Gillard served as the 27th Prime Minister of Australia from 2010 to 2013 after serving as Deputy Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010. She was the first and only woman to have held either of these offices in Australian history. Following her retirement from politics, Julia has been a visiting professor at the University of Adelaide and is currently the chair of the Global Partnership for Education, the Wellcome Trust and Beyond Blue, an Australian mental health and wellbeing organisation. Julia has also written several books exploring themes of misogyny, leadership and politics. Her memoir, My Story, was shortlisted for Biography of the Year by the Australian Book Industry Awards and was the highest selling politics-related book in 2014.  Julia’s book choices are: ** Nancy Drew Mystery Stories by Carolyn Keene ** To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ** The Secret River by Kate Grenville ** The Sun Walks Down by Fiona MacFarlane ** Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now!

Rosie Jones joins Vick Hope in front of a live studio audience where they celebrate different kinds of love, discuss Rosie’s favourite reads on holiday and uncover why Rosie will never get over A Little Life.   Rosie is a must-see act on the UK comedy circuit. Having fronted two travelogue series’ of her own for Channel 4, Mission: Accessible and Trip Hazard. Rosie can also be seen on countless hit television shows including Live At The Apollo, The Jonathan Ross Show, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Cats Does Countdown and The Last Leg, to name a few! Rosie is also an established writer and actor, having written on hit Netflix series Sex Education, she also both wrote and starred in Disability Benefits which was commissioned by Channel 4 as part of their 2022 Comedy Blaps collection.  2022 saw the release of Rosie’s second children’s book, The Amazing Edie Eckhart: The Big Trip which tells the story of a little girl with cerebral palsy.  Rosie’s book choices are: ** The Color Purple by Alice Walker   ** The List by Yomi Adegoke ** A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara ** Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens ** The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid  Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now!

Miranda July is a multi-award-winning director, writer, filmmaker and artist and in this episode she opens up about ageing, reaching her creative limit and reading with every meal.   Miranda has written, directed and starred in three feature films as well as over a dozen short films. Her first major film production, Me and You and Everyone We Know, won six awards including the Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2016, she was invited to join the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences in acknowledgement as a writer. In addition to her work in films, Miranda is a talented writer whose work often explores slices of ordinary life and  has been described as ‘wry, smart’ and ‘painfully alive’.  Her collection of short vignettes, No One Belongs Here More Than You, won the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award.  Her new book, All Fours, has just been published and follows the journey of a perimenopausal woman who upends her life, following an extramarital affair.  Miranda’s book choices are: ** One! Hundred! Demons! By Lynda Barry ** Acts of Infidelity by Lena Andersson ** The IHOP Papers, by Ali Liebegott ** Daughter by Claudia Dey ** Trans Sex by Lucie Fielding  Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Television presenter and broadcaster, Ria Hebden discusses the importance of identity, how books can inspire massive career changes and why the sky's the limit for her. Ria is the official Entertainment presenter on ITV’s Lorraine, having interviewed  everyone from Robbie Williams to Harrison Ford, to Kim Cattrall, Shania Twain and John Boyega. Her infectious energy and iconic smile make her a TV regular and favourite among viewers, also having hosted shows including All Around Britain on ITV, Sunday Morning Live on BBC One and the BAFTA Film Awards red carpet. Passionate about telling stories that celebrate diversity, champion women and inspire the next generation, Ria founded Wonder Women TV, a women’s network that elevates diverse women who work in Television and the Creative Industries in 2017, and has achieved several National Diversity Award nominations for her work.  Last year, Ria competed as a contestant on ITV’s Dancing on Ice and raised £30K for Lupus UK as a contestant on Celebrity Catchphrase and Celebrity Chase. Ria’s book choices are: ** Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston ** Light is the New Black by Rebecca Campbell  ** The List by Yomi Adegoke ** Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez ** The Good Ally by Nova Reid Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Former swimmer and entrepreneur Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell discusses her career, details her love of the water, and lays bare the pressures within her former swimming world. Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell is a former elite athlete with a career spanning over 10 years, swimming for both Great Britain and Kenya. She is a former world number one and British champion, winning the 50m and 100m breaststroke in 2010.  She was the first Black woman to swim for the Great Britain team.  In 2023, she was honoured in Forbes 30 Under 30 for her work in Social Impact. Rebecca is also the CEO of the 10,000 Interns Foundation, a non-profit that champions underrepresented talent by creating paid internship opportunities. Prior to this, she founded and ran NKG, a creative strategy and media agency focused on social change projects.  Her first book These Heavy Black Bones is out in June. Rebecca’s book choices are: ** Tar Baby by Toni Morrison ** Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ** Educated by Tara Westover ** In The Wake by Christina Sharpe ** Animal by Lisa Taddeo Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Victoria Prew is an entrepreneur and CEO of fashion rental company HURR, in this episode she explains how she saw a gap in the market for rented luxury fashion and leaned in. Victoria Prew is the CEO and co-founder of HURR Collective, the global home for circular fashion, a community of first-movers, committed to environmental responsibility, setting the tone for the next generation to follow. From idea-in-head to multi-million pound fashion rental business, Victoria has trailblazed the way for young female entrepreneurs to build their businesses. Her accolades for entrepreneurship include Forbes 30 Under 30, and HURR ranks as one of the world’s 50 Top Startups, she’s also been featured in press around the world for her innovative business. Victoria is on a mission to remedy the bad habits of the fashion industry for a greener future without sacrificing quality and style.  Victoria’s book choices are: ** The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck by Beatrix Potter ** Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus ** Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld ** The Long Game by Dorie Clark ** Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Entrepreneur and pioneering businesswoman Edwina Dunn OBE discusses the need for role models, the perils of seeking perfection and the importance of female spending. Edwina leads The Female Lead, which is an active community of 8 million women, underpinned by an educational foundation, and focused on celebrating the achievements and diversity of women who shape our world. Using data to understand the challenges women face, Edwina works with businesses and the government to create new, mutually beneficial models and policies for the workplace. She has most recently presented  her manifesto in When She’s In the Room: How Empowering Women Empowers the World, a data-based guide that presents a road map for us all to the world we want to see and one that will make the world work better for women and men. Edwina’s book choices are: ** The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton ** The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo ** Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout ** The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell ** Burntcoat by Sarah Hall Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Ann Akinjirin is an actress, writer, director and producer working across screen and stage and is currently starring in the BBC’s new adaptation of Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five.  Ann is best known for her recurring roles in BBC 1 /HBO’s The Strike Series playing ‘DS Vanessa Ekwensi’ and ‘Dee’ in BBC Two’s Trigonometry. More recently, Ann played 'Bobbi' in Marvel Studios series Moon Knight on Disney+.  Ann set up her own theatre company Harts in 2010, of which she was Artistic Director until 2020. Ann is extremely passionate about creative accessibility within theatre and has worked as movement director for Deafinitely Theatre as well as with National Youth Theatre as a writer and director, creating shows for audiences inclusive of deaf and visually impaired members.  Ann’s book choices are: ** Secrets by Francine Pascal ** All About Love by bell hooks ** A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara ** Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner ** Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Award-winning British-Turkish novelist and 2022 Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted author Elif Shafak reveals the five books that have shaped her life and career. Elif has published 19 books, 12 of which are novels, including The Island of Missing Trees, shortlisted for the Costa Award, British Book Awards, RSL Ondaatje Prize and 2022 Women’s Prize for Fiction.  Elif holds a PhD in political science and she has taught at various universities in Turkey, the US and the UK, including St Anne's College, Oxford University, where she is an honorary fellow. She also holds a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Bard College and is a Fellow and a Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature and has done two Global TED talks, gaining millions of views. Elif has been chosen as one of the BBC’s 100 most inspiring and influential women and in 2016 she was a judge for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She is an advocate for women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of expression and her new book There are Rivers in the Sky is out in August.  Elif’s book choices are: ** Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier ** Orlando by Virginia Woolf ** A Gate At the Stairs by Lorrie Moore ** Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi ** A Woman Looking At Men Looking At Women by Siri Hustvedt Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Best-selling food writer, stylist, and author, Anna Jones explains how Nigella Lawson’s How to Be a Domestic Goddess gave her the confidence to just be herself in the kitchen.   Anna is the voice of modern vegetarian cooking and the author of the bestselling One: Pot, Pan, Planet, A Modern Way to Eat, A Modern Way to Cook and The Modern Cook’s Year. She’s a Sunday Times bestseller and the winner and nominee for multiple accolades for her work. A believer that vegetables should be put at the centre of every table along with the joy of food and its ability to affect change in our daily lives. Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.