Emma Barnett

Award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Barnett 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.

Barnett 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.

Emma Barnet Head Shot.

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 Sally Phillips, recorded during the portrait’s unveiling at Caroline’s studio.

Nazanin: Wow, that is so beautiful. Oh my goodness! There's something special about the eyes. It’s absolutely amazing. You are incredible I think. The hands as well. I’ve got something about hands. Oh and the Origami. And the carpet. Thank you. That's really beautiful. It’s absolutely stunning.

Caroline: You're welcome. Thank you. Enjoy it and enjoy it with Richard.

Nazanin: No, it's really, really beautiful. Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Caroline: So it's called Held in Plain Sight. And this [the Origami still life] is called What Cannot Be Folded.

Nazanin: Oh, nice. Yeah, that does it again. What cannot be folded. Yeah. Really beautiful. Thank you.

Caroline: You’re welcome.

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.

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    — Sally Phillips

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.