[1] She studied English literature at Newnham College and Cambridge University, before embarking upon a career as a print and radio journalist.
She then worked on Woman's Hour, BBC2's Public Eye and Channel 4's Dispatches, as well as writing articles for The Independent and The Guardian before moving to the BBC Radio current affairs team in Manchester where she hosted the Seven Days series.
She regularly produces reports for BBC File on 4, having joined it under the editorship of Helen Boaden.
[3][4] She also presented a three-part series in 2003 about social workers, The Pariah Profession, which received a Sony Silver award for Best News Programme of the Year in 2004.
[5][6] She has interviewed prominent and often controversial public figures such as Vanessa Redgrave,[7] Dr. Marietta Higgs[8] and Dr. Helena Daly.