Mhairi Black, Women's boxing, Helen Castor and Rosanna Pike on writing history

Woman's Hour

BBC

Society & Culture, Health & Fitness, Personal Journals

4.2 • 2.9K Ratings

🗓️ 7 March 2025

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In May 2015, 20 year-old Mhairi Black was the youngest person for more than a century to become a Member of Parliament – and she then remained a Westminster MP until standing down at the 2024 election. A new BBC documentary follows her last six months in that role and looks at what her future could hold in a new career as a stand-up comedian. Now 30, she joins Anita Rani to reflect on her years in Parliament and what she’d like to see change about the way it functions.

The Women’s Prize was founded thirty years ago and this year Woman’s Hour will be talking to longlisted writers along with previous winners. In our first discussion Anita is joined by Helen Castor, longlisted in the non-fiction category for 'The Eagle and the Hart', a psychologically gripping account of King Richard II and King Henry IV, and by Rosanna Pike, longlisted for her novel 'A Little Trickerie', which is set in 1500 and tells the story of an orphaned girl who attempts an audacious hoax.

Today at the Royal Albert Hall, Natasha Jonas and Lauren Price will be the first female headliners to box in what will be the venue’s first all-female card. Jonas, an experienced fighter, is taking on Price, a rising star who has never lost a round as a pro. With world titles on the line, British sports journalist and presenter Anna Woolhouse joins us to discuss a huge moment in British women’s boxing, which emphasises the progress of women in the sport.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Laura Northedge

Transcript

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0:00.0	He tells her that she will be sent to France as a secret agent, and if she's caught, she's going to be shot.
0:09.3	I'm Helen Obalam Carter, and this is history's secret heroes, where I shine a light on extraordinary stories from World War II.
0:17.6	What they wanted was someone to get themselves arrested and sent to Auschwitz.
0:22.0	Tales of deception, an incredible acts of resistance and courage.
0:26.3	She was a born soldier.
0:27.4	She's a freedom fighter in its widest sense.
0:29.9	The brand new series of History's secret heroes.
0:32.8	Listen first on BBC Sounds.
0:36.4	BBC Sounds, music, radio podcasts.
0:40.2	Hello, I'm Anita Rani and welcome to Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4.
0:45.2	Good morning and welcome to the programme.
0:48.1	At just 20 years old, Marie Black became a member of Parliament,
0:52.4	a seriously impressive young woman who had an ability to speak very clearly about what she believed in.
0:58.3	Only 10 years later, and she's left politics and is now about to be on tour with a stand-up show.
1:04.4	Mari will be here to tell us what happened.
1:06.8	The long list for the women's prize is out and we'll be going deep by speaking to some of the nominated authors over the next four weeks.
1:14.4	Today we're looking at what it takes to write about history from two very different perspectives, fiction and nonfiction.
1:20.3	Helen Castor and Rosanna Pike will be joining me.
1:23.2	And seconds out round one.
1:24.7	For the first time in history, there's an all-women's boxing match at the Royal Albert Hall.
1:29.2	We'll be bringing you up to speed.
1:30.8	And you can get in touch with the program in the usual way.
	...

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