BBC journalist Naga Munchetty to deliver lecture at Uni of Leeds

Naga Munchetty, renowned BBC journalist and broadcaster, will be delivering a talk at the University of Leeds on 6 February 2025.

The University of Leeds alumni will discuss the medical misogyny and inequalities of the healthcare system in advance of her upcoming book, “It’s Probably Nothing: Critical Conversations on the Women’s Health Crisis”.

Naga will also speak about her own experiences with the contraceptive coil and adenomyosis, a gynecological condition with symptoms that affect one in ten women.

The English Literature and Language graduate has previously shared words on women’s health at the UK Commons Women’s and Equalities Commission, discussing the “woefully misunderstood, ignorance, stigma and shame” surrounding the topic.

Naga is most prominently known for her presenting role on BBC Breakfast but now also for her new show on BBC Radio 5 Live.

She has previously worked at the Evening Standard, The Observer newspapers and Reuters Financial Television. She has also worked as a producer for CNBC Europe and Channel 4 News, before taking on a role as an achor for Bloomberg Television.

This lecture will be the Alice Bacon Lecture of 2024-25, hosted by the Centre for Democratic Politics at the University of Leeds.

The lecture series, named after the Baroness, is held at the university every year to celebrate the achievements of pioneering women.

Baroness Bacon was known for her role as the Leeds Labour MP who battled for the improvement of education for working-class children.

“I am delighted to speak at this esteemed lecture series, to share my story, and hopefully empower other women to self-advocate for the care they are all too often denied”, Naga told the University of Leeds.

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Naga’s lecture comes after many others from inspirational women including MP Harriet Harman, Baroness Hale of Richmond, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Professor Mary Beard and Dame Sharon White.

These women have spoken on topics such as women in power, female leadership and women in the public eye.

Many of these women have broken records such as Harriet’s role as the House of Commons’ longest continuously serving female MP and the Baroness Hale of Richmond’s title as the first female President of the Supreme Court and the country’s most senior judge, until her retirement from the role in December 2019.

Rachel Reeves, current Chancellor of the Exchequer, partnered with the School of Politics and International studies at the university to establish these lectures.

She told the University of Leeds, “I am thrilled to announce Naga Munchetty as our speaker for this year’s Alice Bacon Lecture”.

“As a distinguished broadcaster, she has been a relentless advocate for women.

“Her efforts to challenge the limitations imposed on women’s healthcare and to make information on self-advocacy more accessible to the broader public resonates deeply with the pioneering spirit of Alice Bacon.

“Alice Bacon shattered political barriers for women, dedicating herself to enhancing opportunities for the people she served. Naga’s commitment to her cause makes her a fitting speaker for this lecture, continuing the legacy of empowerment and progress.”

The lecture will be held from 6.30pm to 7.30pm at the university’s Great Hall. Visit Eventbrite to book your free ticket.

Featured image via University of Leeds