The Queen has described Woman’s Hour as a “friend, guide and advocate to women everywhere” in a message sent to the BBC Radio 4 programme in its 75th anniversary year.
In a statement read out by Emma Barnett on her first show as presenter after succeeding Jane Garvey and Dame Jenni Murray, the Queen – who was 20 years old when the Radio 4 mainstay was first broadcast in October 1946 – sent “best wishes to the listeners and all those associated with the show”. She added: “I wish you continued success in your important work.”
As well as the actual Queen, Barnett’s debut featured an interview with Imelda Staunton, who will play her in the next series of The Crown, as well as a cover of the Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun recorded for the show by the former Spice Girl Melanie C.
Staunton described the Queen as “an original Spice Girl”. She said: “The aspect that’s most important about her is her ability to just be there and be solid for everyone at all times.”
Also interviewed was Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been held in an Iranian prison since 2016 on allegations of plotting to overthrow the Tehran government.
He said: “Probably, as you say, she’s got nine weeks to go until the end of her sentence officially at the moment, although there’s a second court case hanging over her. But for her, she’s focusing on the hope and so counting down the days.”
The former Treasury aide Sonia Khan, who was marched out of Downing Street by armed police after being sacked by Dominic Cummings, was also interviewed by Barnett. She said she was never given a reason for her dismissal after she was fired as a special adviser to then chancellor, Sajid Javid, in August 2019.
Barnett, who also presents Newsnight on BBC Two, took up her new role having previously been a host on Radio 5 live’s mid-morning programme. She was replaced in that slot by Naga Munchetty on Monday.
