TV presenter, executive and author June Sarpong tells Zawe Ashton how storytelling has played a central role in her life.    June must be one of the most well known faces on TV - but more recently she’s become known as an opinion maker and author who’s not afraid to engage in politics, and speak her mind. Alongside being a key voice in the Remain campaign, an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust and co-founder of the business platform, Women: Inspiration and Enterprise, she’s also written three books, and her memoir, The Only One in the Room, is due for release in 2022. In addition to this, June is Director of Creative Diversity for the BBC, ensuring diversity is embedded in the organisation, both in front of and behind the camera.    June’s book choices are: ** Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ** I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Doctor Maya Angelou ** Women Who Run With The Wolves: Contacting the Power of the Wild Woman by Clarissa Pinkola Estes (with an honourable mention for Sacred Contracts by Caroline Myss) ** Until Today by Iyanla Vanzant  ** White Teeth by Zadie Smith   Zawe Ashton, acclaimed actress, director, playwright and author, hosts Season Four of the chart-topping Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. The new Women’s Prize Podcast season continues to celebrate the best fiction written by women, by interviewing inspirational women about the books that have most influenced their life and career.   Make sure you listen and subscribe now, you definitely don’t want to miss the rest of Season Four.   This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Radio DJ and TV presenter Edith Bowman talks to Zawe Ashton about their shared teenage obsession with Marilyn Monroe, being part of the early days of MTV UK, and how Alice Walker’s The Colour Purple changed her life.  Over her long and impressive career in broadcasting, Edith has acted as a touchstone and a guide into music, cinema and the media world for so many people. From her early days on Hit List UK for MTV,  to bringing the nation together for huge communal events like Glastonbury or The Baftas - and now through her music and film podcast, Soundtracking.   Edith’s book choices are:    ** The Marilyn Scandal by Sandra Shevey ** The Colour Purple by Alice Walker ** Sarah by JT Leroy (Laura Albert) ** Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid ** This is Not a Pity Memoir by Abi Morgan   Zawe Ashton, acclaimed actress, director, playwright and author, hosts Season Four of the chart-topping Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. The new Women’s Prize Podcast season continues to celebrate the best fiction written by women, by interviewing inspirational women about the books that have most influenced their life and career.   Make sure you listen and subscribe now, you definitely don’t want to miss the rest of Season Four.   This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iconic actor Claire Danes talks to our new host Zawe Ashton about the messy female protagonists that have had a positive impact on her life.   Claire Danes is one of the most celebrated actors working today - and the winner of multiple Golden Globes, Emmys and an Oscar. From her portrayal of a totally fresh and cool Juliet in Baz Luhrmann’s legendary adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, to her Emmy-winning performance in the 2009 film Temple Grandin, or her 9 year run as CIA agent Carrie Mathison on HBO’s Homeland. The range of work that Claire has produced is nothing short of exceptional - every single performance a reflection of her talent, intelligence and complexity. Claire’s book choices are:  ** Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown ** A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle ** Anagrams by Lorrie Moore ** Autobiography of a face  by Lucy Grealy … and... Truth and Beauty  by Ann Patchet ** The Journalist and the Murderer by Janet Malcolm Zawe Ashton, acclaimed actress, director, playwright and author, will host the new season of the chart-topping Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast, launching with a double episode release: a conversation with award-winning actress Claire Danes, and a conversation with bestselling novelist Candice Carty-Williams. The new Women’s Prize podcast season continues to celebrate the best books written by women, by interviewing inspirational women about the books that have most influenced their life and career.   Make sure you listen and subscribe now, you definitely don’t want to miss the rest of Season Four.   This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Candice Carty-Williams, bestselling author of Queenie, talks to our new host Zawe Ashton about how groundbreaking fiction can help decolonize British literature.  Candice and her debut novel Queenie made history smashing every glass ceiling going when it was published back in 2019. The novel was conceived when Candice was just twenty-six. It went on to win Blackwell’s Debut Book of the Year 2019, was shortlisted for Book of the Year by Waterstones, Foyles and Goodreads - and longlisted for the Women’s Prize. It also won Book of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2020, making Candice the first black British woman to win the prize in its history. Candice's latest novel Empress and Aniya is out now and can be purchased here.   Candice’s book choices are:  ** Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison ** Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman ** Character Breakdown by Zawe Ashton  ** Citizen by Claudia Rankine ** Keisha the Sket by Jade LB   Zawe Ashton, acclaimed actress, director, playwright and author, will host the new season of the chart-topping Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast, launching with a double episode release: a conversation with Emmy award-winning actress Claire Danes, and a conversation with bestselling novelist Candice Carty-Williams. The new Women’s Prize podcast season continues to celebrate the best books written by women, by interviewing inspirational women about the books that have most influenced their life and career.   Make sure you listen and subscribe now, you definitely don’t want to miss the rest of Season Four.   This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in front of a live audience at Latitude festival, comedian and writer Katherine Ryan tells Yomi why no-one should be scared to be disliked.    Katherine is a stalwart of all the big TV comedy panel shows, she’s presented numerous other programmes, and last year she wrote, starred in and executive produced her own sitcom, The Duchess, about a single mum living in London, which leapt to the top of the Netflix charts.  She’s also toured sold out venues across the world with her stand-up shows, she hosts the chart-topping candid conversation podcast, Telling Everybody Everything AND she’s also found time to write her first book - The Audacity - a hilarious autobiography where she details her journey from a naïve ex-Hooters waitress fresh off the boat from Canada to comedy megastar. It’s out on September 30th and you can pre-order it here: https://bit.ly/KRAudacity.   Katherine’s book choices are:  ** How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran ** Bossypants by Tina Fey ** Yes Please by Amy Poehler  ** Everybody Died So I Got a Dog by Emily Dean  ** Jessica Simpson‘s autobiography Open Book Every week, join journalist and author Yomi Agedoke, and inspirational guests, including Elizabeth Day, Sara Pascoe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as they celebrate the best books written by women. The Women’s Prize for Fiction is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and has been running for over 25 years, and this series will offer unique access to the shortlisted authors and the 2021 Prize winner.  This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded in front of a live audience with guest presenter Pandora Sykes, 2021 Women's Prize Chair of Judges Bernardine Evaristo shares the five books that have shaped her as a person and as a writer.   Bernardine Evaristo is an award-winning, number one bestselling writer, a Professor of Creative Writing and also an activist who endlessly campaigns for inclusivity within the publishing industry.   In 2019, she became the first Black woman to win the Booker Prize with her eighth book, Girl, Woman, Other. The same novel also earned her a spot on the Women’s Prize shortlist, and this year, she’s on the other side of the fence as Chair of Judges. Bernardine’s next book, Manifesto: On Never Giving Up, an urgent and powerful account of staying true to yourself and to your vision, comes out in October – pre-order it here. Pandora Sykes is a journalist, broadcaster and writer, plus the co-creator and co-host of the No.1 women’s podcast, The High Low. Pandora also hosts Doing It Right and the 8-part BBC Radio 4 docu-series, Pieces of Britney.   Bernardine’s book choices are:  ** The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison ** Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde ** The Bone People by Keri Hulme ** The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta ** Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Every week, join journalist and author Yomi Agedoke, and inspirational guests, including Elizabeth Day, Sara Pascoe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as they celebrate the best books written by women. The Women’s Prize for Fiction is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and has been running for over 25 years, and this series will offer unique access to the shortlisted authors and the 2021 Prize winner.  Produced by Bird Lime Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yomi speaks to the six incredible authors who have been shortlisted for the 2021 Prize - Brit Bennett, Patricia Lockwood, Claire Fuller, Cherie Jones, Susanna Clarke and Yaa Gyasi. The winner of this year’s prize will be announced on September 8th.    The 2021 shortlist:  ** The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett ** Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller ** No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood ** How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones  ** Piranesi by Susanna Clarke  ** Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi   Every week, join journalist and author Yomi Agedoke, and inspirational guests including Elizabeth Day, Sara Pascoe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as they celebrate the best books written by women. The Women’s Prize for Fiction is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and has been running for over 25 years, and this series will offer unique access to the shortlisted authors and the 2021 Prize winner.    This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bella Mackie, Okechukwu Nzelu and Nell Frizzell join Yomi to dive into the final two books from the 2021 shortlist, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke and How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones.   Bella Mackie is a journalist and the author of Jog On and her new book, How to Kill Your Family is out on July 22nd, Okechukwu Nzelu is a teacher and the award winning author of The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney and Nell Frizzell is a journalist whose work has appeared everywhere from Vice to the Telegraph and who this year released her book,The Panic Years. Listen as they delve into the two incredible books from the 2021 Women’s Prize shortlist - in our very own book club where you can learn more about the six titles selected for this year’s prize.    Please note, this episode includes references to domestic violence and sexual assault.   Every week, join journalist and author Yomi Agedoke, and inspirational guests including Elizabeth Day, Sara Pascoe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as they celebrate the best books written by women. The Women’s Prize for Fiction is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and has been running for over 25 years, and this series will offer unique access to the shortlisted authors and the 2021 Prize winner.      This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Outspoken Labour MP Jess Phillips tells Yomi why she was always destined for a life helping others, and how her favourite book helped her realise she was pregnant.  Jess has represented Birmingham Yardley in parliament since 2015, and currently serves in Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet on the front bench as Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding. She’s never been afraid to be outspoken - be it about her dislike of Jeremy Corbyn, critiquing current domestic violence legislation, or revealing the mass of abuse, trolling and death threats  she receives simply by virtue of being a female Member of Parliament who’s not afraid to speak her mind.    Jess’s book choices are ** Wild Swans by Jung Chang  ** How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran ** Heartburn by Nora Ephron ** Peepo by Janet and Alan Aalberg  ** The Color Purple by Alice Walker   Every week, join journalist and author Yomi Agedoke, and inspirational guests, including Elizabeth Day, Sara Pascoe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as they celebrate the best books written by women. The Women’s Prize for Fiction is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and has been running for over 25 years, and this series will offer unique access to the shortlisted authors and the 2021 Prize winner.  This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Candice Brathwaite, Michelle Elman and Caleb Azumah Nelson join Yomi to compare and contrast two books from this year's Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist, Yaa Gyasi’s Transcendent Kingdom and Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller.   Michelle Elman is an author, speaker and life coach who’s the force behind the Scarred not Scared campaign, Candice Brathwaite is the author of The Joy of Being Selfish; a journalist, TV presenter and founder of Make Motherhood Diverse and Caleb Azumah Nelson is a writer and photographer whose recent debut Open Water is both a beautiful love story and a meditation on race and masculinity.   Listen as they delve into two of the incredible books from the 2021 Women’s Prize shortlist - in our very own book club where you can learn more about the six titles selected for this year’s prize.   Every week, join journalist and author Yomi Agedoke, and inspirational guests including Elizabeth Day, Sara Pascoe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie as they celebrate the best books written by women. The Women’s Prize for Fiction is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and has been running for over 25 years, and this series will offer unique access to the shortlisted authors and the 2021 Prize winner.      This podcast is produced by Bird Lime Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.