Emma Barnett
Award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Emma has built a career centred on listening deeply.
This portrait is part of the Empowering Her Collection, featuring the women shaping Britain today.
A woman whose voice has shaped national conversation.
Emma never set out to be the voice of a generation's conversations. She just kept asking the questions other people were too afraid to ask.
Through six years on BBC Radio 5 Live, then as the youngest-ever host of Woman's Hour, and now as one of the presenters of BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Along the way, she's interviewed everyone from politicians to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and on her podcast, Ready to Talk, she goes even further, past the headlines and into the conversations that actually matter.
During the portrait sitting, Emma spoke about listening as the thing her career has been built on.
Her work reflects a rare kind of presence: the ability to hold space for someone else's story, and to ask the question that finally lets it be heard.
This portrait captures her in that state, not mid-sentence, but mid-listen. Something raw and still, caught in the moment of being fully present and open.
In Conversation: behind the portrait
An edited excerpt from the conversation between Caroline de Peyrecave and Emma Barnett, recorded during the portrait’s unveiling at the Private View.
Emma: That’s very nice. My parents are coming tomorrow and I’m very excited. I mean of course if my glasses aren’t on my face then I can’t see, but I like the idea it looks very nice together.
Caroline: Yeah. I love the glow that they bring.
Emma: Apparently glass is really hard to paint.
Caroline: People say that, I love painting them. This is what I love about painting faces as well.
Emma: It’s lovely to see.
Caroline: We’ll unveil the last one now.
Emma: Oh my gosh. Hello, Emma. Here you are. Yes, I do adopt that pose when I’m… quizzically… trying to talk to someone. Would you like to be interviewed by me? Does it look inviting? It’s lovely to see, it’s just interesting to see yourself being reflected back to you, isn’t it. Reflections on reflections. Normally I'm trying to read the other person, not read myself as a representative.
Caroline: This was very you. That’s what I like the capture, the real person behind the painting.
Emma: I don’t move very much, so I think I’m an ideal sitter. It’s good for the job I have. To listen. Oh well done Caroline, what an amazing project, to bring us together in the room. I feel very honoured to be part of this group of women.
Watch the full conversation with all eight sitters
Recorded at Green & Stone Gallery at the Private View of Empowering Her. This conversation features Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Emma Barnett, Sally Phillips, Lady Phyll, Daryl Fielding, Zoe Stratford and General Dame Sharon Nesmith.
Explore the collection
-
![Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe Portrait Thumbnail]()
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
A writer, mother and human rights advocate, Nazanin’s six years of unjust imprisonment demanded extraordinary resilience.
-
![]()
Sally Phillips
Comedian, actor and writer, Sally Phillips has built a career by telling the truth through humour.
-
![]()
General Dame Sharon Nesmith
The first female four-star general and the highest-ranking military officer in the British Army, General Nesmith's career has reshaped what's possible for women in the Army.
-
![]()
Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah
Co-founder of UK Black Pride and a global LGBTQ+ advocate, Lady Phyll has spent her life creating space for others to exist fully and safely.
-
![]()
Emma Barnett
Award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Emma has built a career centred on listening deeply.
-
![]()
Zoe Stratford
Captain of England’s Red Roses and World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, Zoe has become one of the defining leaders in women’s rugby.
-
![]()
Daryl Fielding
Marketing leader and creative force behind Dove’s Real Beauty campaign, Daryl Fielding helped transform how women and girls see themselves.
-
![]()
Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock
Space scientist, educator and broadcaster, Dr Maggie has spent her career opening up science to wider audiences who’ve never seen themselves reflected in STEM.
