Mary Berry and Angelina Jolie to guest edit BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour
The actress and the Bake Off judge are just two of five guest editors taking over the show in June
BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour will open its doors to a new host of guest editors this summer, including actress Angelina Jolie-Pitt and The Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry.
The two will join Scotland's makar (poet laureate) Jackie Kay, England and Chelsea footballer Eniola Aluko and Professor Sunetra Gupta for what has now become an annual Woman’s Hour Takeover.
From 13th to 17th June, the five guest editors will take charge of the show, discussing topics that they feel particularly passionate about.
Jolie-Pitt will tackle sexual violence in conflict and woman's health on the Friday show, while Berry will talk about gardening, beekeeping and the enduring legacy of the Guides on Monday 13th June.
“I have chosen subjects close to my heart. I still have my cooking badge and wonder how guiding has changed from my day,” said Berry. “Gardening as therapy – after a busy day recipe testing or filming inside, I cannot wait to get into the garden. And I’m thinking of keeping bees.”
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How to encourage young girls from deprived backgrounds to get into sport and develop their confidence is top of Aluko's agenda on Tuesday 14th June, but the lawyer and footballer will also be talking about getting the work/life balance right when your job is rather demanding.
Kay, meanwhile, will discuss the way in which writers have responded to the stories of refugees and also examine what it's like to live with a skin condition on the Wednesday edition.
Then on Thursday it's over to novelist and Professor of Theoretical Epidemiology, Sunetra Gupta, who will look at the impact of professional specialisation on women, the Stettheimer Doll’s House, women’s publishing houses and whether writing about food can be a high literary form.
Finally, on Friday 17th June, it's Jolie-Pitt's turn. The filmmaker and UNHCR Special Envoy will explore the refugee crisis through the prism of women's health in the lead-up to World Refugee Day, and tackling the stigmatisation of survivors of sexual violence in conflict.
Jane Garvey will be at the helm for Monday and Tuesday's offerings, while Jenni Murray takes the lead from Wednesday to Friday.
“I’m so pleased that for the third year we’ve been able to work with such a range of brilliant women to guest edit Woman’s Hour," said the show's editor Alice Feinstein. "Each day they will be bringing their own curiosity and unique insights, as well as sharing their personal experiences on a series of topics - from bee keeping to women’s health - with our listeners.”
