Rachel Johnson's Difficult Women

This week’s difficult woman is the global health expert Devi Sridhar. She tells Rachel how she became committed to improving public health after losing her dad at a young age and seeing the ‘medieval process’ of chemotherapy he experienced. She also shares some secrets on how to live forever…

This week’s difficult woman is the athlete, Dame Denise Lewis. She won gold in the Heptathlon in the 2000 Olympics and has continued to light up our screens with her punditry ever since. Denise is now the president of UK Athletics and is fighting for people not to experience the injustices that she did. Rachel and Denise discuss her tumultuous journey through motherhood and how she carved out a ca...

This week’s difficult woman is activist Gina Martin. Gina fought to make upskirting a crime in 2017 after a man took a picture of her crotch at British Summertime festival. What followed was a long fight to make this a crime. In 2019, she achieved this goal, and the Voyeurism Offences Act was passed. Gina and Rachel reflect on this landmark victory and the urgent changes still needed to end the ha...

In this week’s episode of Difficult Women Rachel is joined by Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes. Kelly won double gold at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, racing to victory in both the 800 and 1500 meters at the age of 34. The conversation rarely stays on the track, however. Underpinning Kelly’s dazzling athletic achievements is a tumultuous childhood in which she spent 5 years in care and experienced ‘a fea...

This week’s Difficult Woman is the human rights barrister, author, and Rachel’s former sister-in-law, the very redoubtable Marina Wheeler KC, who has written an acute new book about how the UK should reset relations with the EU after Brexit. In a highly personal and at times confrontational conversation, the pair revisit this most painful and divisive period in British political history: the narro...

In this week's episode Rachel sits down with Sophy Ridge, an immensely talented Sky news presenter who achieved great success from early on in her career. She entered Westminster as a reporter for  The News of the World  at just 24 years old and was given her own Sky News show,  Sophy Ridge on Sunday  at 32.  Sophy is not a very difficult woman. Rachel observes that she is...

This week, Rachel chats with bestselling historian Hallie Rubenhold, the woman rewriting the stories behind Britain’s most famous crimes. Hallie’s hit book  The Five turned the Jack the Ripper story on its head by focusing on the women he killed, not the man himself. It won the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction and topped the Sunday Times bestseller list. Her new book,  Story of a Mu...

In this episode of Difficult Women, Rachel sits down with acclaimed author and historian Juliet Nicolson for an intimate and in-depth conversation about resilience, reinvention, and family legacy. Every family has secrets, but Juliet Nicolson’s antecedents had some pretty famous, if sometimes badly kept ones. In this episode, Rachel goes beyond Juliet’s distinguished ancestry to explore a problem...

Last year the Difficult Women team went to darkest Gloucestershire to record the one and only Dame Jilly Cooper, whose death, aged 88, was announced this week. We went to the Chantry, her house near Stroud, which is as bonkers and beautiful and brilliant as its owner. Jilly gave us an incredible, breathless interview full of jokes and laughter and then an even more liquid lunch in her kitchen. In...

In this episode Rachel speaks to a woman who has been thrust into unimaginably difficult circumstances. Hanan Khashoggi is the widow of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post journalist assassinated after being critical about the Saudi Arabian regime. She joins us from the US, where she has found a level of safety, but still fears assassination every day. She tells Rachel about the terrib...

Rachel sits down with Baroness Fall , former Deputy Chief of Staff to Prime Minister David Cameron, for an intimate and insightful conversation. She delves into Kate's unique journey from the heart of British politics to the House of Lords, exploring what it's really like behind the doors of Number 10. They discuss the pressures of power, the nuances of political loyalty, and the personal sacrific...

Rachel sits down with chef, author, and food campaigner Thomasina Miers. Best known as the winner of MasterChef and co-founder of the Mexican-inspired restaurant chain Wahaca, Thomasina shares her journey from passionate home cook to successful restaurateur and sustainability advocate. They discuss the challenges of running a food business in today’s climate, how the government can get Britain eat...

This week on Difficult Women , Rachel Johnson is joined by Michal Herzog, First Lady of Israel, in a rare and timely interview recorded during her official visit to London. With unflinching honesty and emotional depth, Herzog reflects on the profound trauma that Israel has endured since the October 7th attacks - an event she describes as a national wound that has yet to begin healing. Speaking as...

Rachel sits down with renowned shirt maker Emma Willis for an inspiring and insightful conversation. From crafting bespoke shirts for royalty and film stars to founding a charitable initiative supporting injured veterans, Emma shares her journey from starting out on London’s Jermyn Street to building an internationally respected brand rooted in craftsmanship, style, and purpose. Rachel delves into...

Rachel sits down with Polly Toynbee, one of The Guardian’s most respected columnists, for a wide-ranging conversation about politics, society, and the role of the press. Rachel draws out Toynbee’s reflections on her decades at the heart of political journalism, exploring how her upbringing, values, and career have shaped her perspective. Toynbee speaks candidly about inequality, social mobility, a...

Rachel sits down with Helen Whately MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary. They explore the challenges facing the NHS and social care sector, delve into the realities of policy-making, and discuss Helen’s journey through politics - from balancing motherhood with ministerial duties to navigating turbulent times in Westminster. A must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of politics, le...

In this lively and entertaining episode, Rachel Johnson sits down with author and journalist Sophia Money-Coutts for a sharp, funny, and refreshingly honest conversation. The two discuss Sophia’s transition from Tatler columnist to bestselling novelist, her hilarious takes on modern romance, and what it’s really like growing up among Britain’s aristocracy. With her trademark wit, Rachel draws out...

In this intimate episode, Rachel sits down with acclaimed author Emma Forrest for a candid conversation about the turning points that shaped her life. Emma reflects on the moment Nigella Lawson gave her a crucial early break, the raw challenges of becoming a mother, and her ongoing battle with mental health. She also opens up about her emotionally charged and complex relationship with actor Colin...

Sharon Gaffka shot to fame on Love Island, but she’s since traded villa drama for real-world impact. A former civil servant turned fierce activist, Sharon now champions women’s rights, digital safety, and diversity in public life. Whether she’s taking on online abuse or advocating for change in Parliament, she’s using her platform to make waves far beyond reality TV. Smart, driven, and refreshingl...

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. Tha...

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 boo...

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 empow...

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...

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 pass...

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