Experiences that have reshaped lives. Bold questions, unexpected truths, lots of tea... Emma Barnett invites you into her world for deeply human conversations.
Latest episodes
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51 min ↗
Endometriosis is a Silent Emergency with Eleanor Thom
Comedian Eleanor Thom struck up a friendship with Emma after they discussed their shared struggles with endometriosis. Eleanor has undergone 12 surgeries for the condition, and the…
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52 min ↗
My Bully Killed His Mum Then Came To My Door with Edd Hedges
Edd Hedges is a stand up comedian. He grew up in a small village, and was bullied throughout his childhood by a neighbour named Brett.Edd had come back to the village one evening t…
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46 min ↗
They Weren't Ready for a Woman Like Me with Victoria Pendleton
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…
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53 min ↗
Long Covid Stole My Olympic Dream with Oonagh Cousins
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 los…
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39 min ↗
News: Are We Really Going To Have That Brexit Fight Again?
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 cha…
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50 min ↗
My Ex-Husband Controlled My Life with Ruth Dodsworth
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 stoppi…
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27 min ↗
News: Is this chaos worth it?
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…
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52 min ↗
Sobriety, Shame and Singledom with John Robins
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.Jo…
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31 min ↗
News: Why is Middle Class Britain on the rob?
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 epi…
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1 min ↗
Coming soon: Ready to Talk News
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.
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52 min ↗
Prescription Drugs Made Me a Shopping Addict with Sally Gardner
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.S…
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54 min ↗
I Was My Hero Husband’s Carer with Lindsey Burrow
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…
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52 min ↗
I Don’t Speak to My Family with Shaheen Hashmat
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…
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49 min ↗
Life, Love and Sex in an Open Marriage with Deepa Paul
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 m…
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49 min ↗
Escaping the Manosphere with Will Adolphy
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 h…
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48 min ↗
AI Stripped My Clothes Off with Jess Davies
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 gon…
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48 min ↗
From Prison to Playwriting with Ric Renton
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 requ…
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53 min ↗
My Husband Died Alone at Dignitas with Lottie Clarke
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 mom…
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55 min ↗
Fatphobia and Weight Loss Jabs with Billie Bhatia
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 Emm…
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52 min ↗
Art, Pain, Womanhood with Tracey Emin
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…