Emma Barnett to host BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour

BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Emma Barnett will be the main host of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour from January 2021, replacing Jane Garvey.

Emma will present the programme from Monday to Thursday each week, leaving her mid-morning 5 Live show at the end of the year. she’ll also continue in her role at Newsnight.

Jane continues to present Woman’s Hour until the end of the year. Between October and December a number of other presenters will guest host in place of Jenni Murray whose last programme is on 1 October.

Emma presented Woman’s Hour alongside Jane Garvey and Jenni Murray during the 2017 and 2019 General Elections and interviewed Jeremy Corbyn and Jo Swinson during that time. She anchored the overnight BBC Radio 2019 election programme with James Naughtie that was simulcast across Radio 4 and 5 Live.

She was the first chair of the Woman’s Hour Power List which celebrated the 100 most powerful women in Britain and has been a regular guest presenter of the programme since 2013.

Emma Barnett said: “I can’t wait to get to know the many listeners of Woman’s Hour a lot, lot better. What adventures we are going to have together – all starting in the year that this BBC institution, the radio mothership, turns 75. I have a long love of Woman’s Hour and live radio and know that this is a very special and rare opportunity.”

Controller of Radio 4, Mohit Bakaya, said: “I am delighted that Emma is joining Woman’s Hour. She started her BBC broadcasting career on Radio 4 and has continued to be closely involved with the network in general, and Woman’s Hour in particular, ever since.

“She brings a terrific combination of intellectual inquiry, robust journalism and curiosity about the human condition; I can’t think of anyone better to carry on the important job of identifying and exploring the issues that matter most to women.”