Rachel Johnson's Difficult Women
Well-behaved women rarely make history – as someone once said – difficult women do. In this new LBC new podcast, Rachel Johnson's Difficult Women, Rachel will be talking to women who had to be a pain in the backside to get where they are today. Women who take the word difficult as a compliment not an insult. And women who had to fight, resist, insist, or otherwise be badly behaved in order to get things done. Listen and subscribe on Global Player, or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Rachel on Twitter: @RachelSJohnson For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com
Episodes
Deesha Dyer is a former White House Social Secretary under President Barack Obama whose journey from community college student to one of the most senior event planners in the U.S. government is anything but typical. Raised in modest circumstances and working multiple jobs, she applied for a White House internship at age 31—despite battling imposter syndrome and having no political connections. That bold move launched a career in pu...
Kate Muir is a bestselling author, campaigner, and documentary maker whose powerful work has helped spark the conversation around women's health. Formerly the chief film critic at The Times, Kate turned her sharp eye and storytelling skills toward a deeply personal subject after enduring a disastrous menopause experience. That struggle became the catalyst for her groundbreaking new book, Everything You Need to Know A...
Clare-Louise Knox is a leading feminist psychologist and founder of See Her Thrive, a consultancy dedicated to improving women's health and wellbeing at work. Specialising in the intersection of gender, mental health, and workplace culture, Clare-Louise advocates for inclusive policies around menstrual health, menopause, and reproductive wellbeing. Her work challenges outdated norms and empowers organisations to better support...
Sarah Pochin, the newly elected Reform UK MP for Runcorn and Helsby, made headlines with a shock by-election win—snatching the seat by just six votes from Labour. A former Conservative councillor and corporate exec, Pochin’s political rise has been marked by controversy, including a judicial reprimand and multiple party switches. Her Commons debut sparked national uproar after she called for a UK ban on the burqa, prompting backlas...
Penny Smith is a seasoned British television and radio presenter, journalist, and author, best known for co-hosting GMTV's News Hour from 1993 to 2010. She began her career in print journalism before moving into broadcasting with roles at Border TV, Thames News, and Sky News. Penny has also hosted shows on Classic FM, BBC Radio London, and Talkradio, and is a published author of two novels. A passionate advocate for the arts and we...
India Hicks resists definition. Famous for being Di’s bridesmaid, the King’s Goddaughter, and the granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten, murdered by the IRA,
Hicks - who has five sons- also combines roles as a designer, model, author, and activist and divides her time between the Bahamas, the UK and the Ukraine
Natasha Hausdorff is a British barrister and legal director of UK Lawyers for Israel. A passionate debater since her school days, she is the UK’s fiercest and most uncompromising advocate for Israel’s legal rights to exist and defend itself. With experience spanning the UK, Israel, and international courts, Natasha Hausdorff brings her legal chops to bear on the most controversial war in the world
Sarah Hoover is a writer and art historian whose hit debut memoir, The Motherload: Episodes from the Brink of Motherhood, delivers a raw and gripping counter punch to the “bliss of babies” narrative, detailing birth trauma, relationship difficulties, and postpartum depression while exposing the need for maternal healthcare both sides of the Atlantic
Rachel Kelly is a bestselling author and mental health advocate whose work shines a light on postpartum depression and the pressures faced by modern mothers. Drawing from her own experience of a severe depressive episode after the birth of her second child, Rachel has become a powerful voice for maternal mental health. Through books like Black Rainbow and her work with charities such as SANE and Rethink Mental Illness, sh...
Justine Roberts is the founder and CEO of Mumsnet, the UK’s largest online network for parents—and a surprising powerhouse in British political life. Since its launch in 2000, Mumsnet has grown from a niche forum into a digital force capable of shaping public debate, influencing party manifestos, and unnerving prime ministers. Politicians from across the spectrum have courted its users, recognising the site's unique reach into...
This week's difficult women is novice MP Katie Lam. You may have seen Katie this past month making waves for her bold advocacy on victim’s rights, especially when it comes to grooming gangs. Equipped with a history of defiant difficult and a trademark no-nonsense approach, she’s championing the fight for victims’ support while demanding accountability for perpetrators. Listen along to this novice MP who may well end up a household ...
This week's difficult woman is the author and historian Anne Sebba. Her works, including Les Parisiennes and That Woman (the story of Wallis Simpson), shine a light on the lives of women who defied the odds and shaped the world in their own unique ways. With a focus on resilience, complexity, and untold stories, Sebba’s books offer fresh perspectives on the women who often get lost in history.
Dr. Suzanne O’Sullivan is a neurologist and award-winning author. In her latest book, The Age of Diagnosis, she tackles the growing crisis of overdiagnosis—how modern medicine's obsession with labels may be doing more harm than good. Drawing from her front-line experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, O’Sullivan reflects on how uncertainty, fear, and the urge to explain the unexplainable shaped her thinking and deepened her underst...
Dr. Tessa Dunlop is a historian, author, and broadcaster known for bringing history to life. She’s the co-host of the new global podcast Where Politics Meets History with Iain Dale, blending big personalities with pivotal past events.
This week's Difficult Women is the award-winning Turkish author Elif Shafak. Known for her powerful storytelling that explores identity, cultural conflict, and feminism Shafak’s work resonates deeply with global audiences, especially in light of recent protests in Turkey. Her bestselling novels like The Bastard of Istanbul and 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, she has won numerous awards, including th...
Jude Kelly is a visionary British theatre director and producer, renowned for her bold, transformative approach to the arts. As the founder of the groundbreaking Watermill Theatre in Newbury, and later the artistic director of Southbank Centre, Kelly redefined the landscape of UK theatre with a focus on inclusivity, social change, and dynamic storytelling. Celebrated for championing female voices and championing diverse narratives,...
This week's difficult woman is a sorely underrepresented group amongst the difficult women Alumni - a female adventurer. When she was at her lowest moment, Elise found comfort in the great outdoors and has made it her mission to highlight those brave women who have been forgotten by history. She now travels the world, tracing their footsteps, wearing the gear that would have been used at the time.
Helen Pankhurst, born in 1960, is a British women's rights activist and the granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst, the renowned suffragette. Continuing her grandmother's legacy, Helen advocates for gender equality, women's empowerment, and social justice. She has worked with organizations like CARE International and has written and spoken widely on issues affecting women and girls globally. Through her activism, Helen ensures Emmelin...
This week's difficult woman is the leader of Ukraine's Golos party, Kira Rudik. For three years her country has been under attack from an invading Russian army. For three years, her country has stood firm. Now there is a new face in the White House and the future of her country hangs in the balance. Slava Ukraini!
This week I am joined by Welsh Labour MP and former international rugby star Tonia Antoniazzi. Before entering politics, her distinguished rugby career earned her nine caps for Wales and saw her compete in the 1998 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Elected as the first female MP for Gower in 2017, she has since championed everything from women's rights to medical cannabis. In 2024, she joined the Board of Directors for the Scarlets rugby tea...
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