Emma Barnett named new host of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour
Jane Garvey and Dame Jenni Murray are both stepping down.
Emma Barnett will be one of the new presenters of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, it has been announced today.
The broadcaster is known for her roles on current affairs show Newsnight and BBC Radio 5 Live weekdays, as well as hosting a late night Woman's Hour spin-off.
Radio 4 have been on the lookout for a new presenter since the current hosts Jane Garvey and Woman's Hour's Dame Jenni Murray announced that they were both planning to leave the show.
For Dame Jenni, it's the end of a historic run that saw her become the station's longest-serving presenter, fronting Woman's Hour for 33 years in total.
"I’ve spent nearly half my life with Woman’s Hour and it’s been a privilege and delight to inform, educate and entertain a loyal and growing audience of women and men," she said in a statement.
"Saying goodbye will be very hard to do, but it’s time to move on."
BBC media editor Amol Rajan first reported the news and claims that "no decision" has been made just yet on a second presenter.
Launched in 1946, Woman's Hour tackles a wide range of topics and has featured prolific special guests, ranging from Fleabag's Phoebe Waller-Bridge to Auschwitz survivor Dr Edith Eger.
In a recent Twitter post, Barnett described Woman's Hour as her "new radio home" and revealed she would be there from January of next year.
Jane announced that she would be leaving Woman's Hour last week, saying: "It's been a real privilege to play a small part in the history of this very special radio programme.
"On one unforgettable day, I interviewed David Cameron in the morning, and Mary J Blige in the afternoon. There's no other job like it. But famous people are not the reason people engage with Woman's Hour.
"It's because the programme still talks about the subjects and challenges no one else goes near. I'm very proud of our relationship with the audience and the trust they place in us."
BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour is broadcast Monday-Thursday at 10am. If you're looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
