Paralympian Ellie Simmonds to guest-edit BBC’S Women’s Hour

Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds and Fresh Meat actress Zawe Ashton have signed up to guest-edit Woman’s Hour next week.

The pair are two of five women who are following in the footsteps of JK Rowling, Dame Kelly Holmes and Mary Berry, by taking over an edition of the BBC Radio 4 show from Monday.

Five-time Paralympic champion Simmonds, who is returning to “full-time training” after taking a year out, will talk about travelling, the importance of ocean conservation and her experience of 0 Ellie Simmonds is to guest-edit Woman’s Hour volunteering with the Brownies.

Writer and director Ashton, best known for her role as Vod in Fresh Meat, will discuss the anxiety she experiences as an actress about starting her period on stage, in front of an audience, among other topics.

Shirley Hughes, the children’s book writer and illustrator, Dame Ann Dowling, president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and Karen Blackett, chair of media agency Mediacom, have also signed up this year.

The programme’s editor, Karen Dalziel, said: “I’m excited that once again we have five remarkable women to guestedit Woman’s Hour. Each has chosen issues they care about deeply, from ocean conservation to costume design, and I’m sure they’ll connect with our listeners in a warm and meaningful way.”