I’ve presented two documentaries for BBC Radio 4. The first, Mad About The Boy investigates the psychology of the female girl pop music fan. The second was The Lost Genius of Judee Sill.
The Guardian radio review:
‘…this was an unashamedly pro-girl show that pointed out the advantages of young ladies going through a ridiculous pop fan stage. First, you get to practise being in love with someone who will never let you down (he won’t grab for your bits in the bus shelter; he won’t snog your best friend. He won’t, because you’ll never even meet him), and second, you get to practise being in a big group of girls. This doesn’t happen very often in life, and it can be liberating and powerful. Plus, all that screaming is very good for the respiratory system. I liked the presentation style. Rogers and Barnes simply had a chat with each other, and relevant interviewees, including Rogers’s mother-in-law, on the topic. Much warmer than sticking to a carefully crafted script.’
The Independent radio review:
‘If the tone of Barnes’s documentary was sad, it was never less than respectful. It was a prime example of radio doing what it does best: shining a light on the shadowy corners of human experience. It was about playing songs and telling stories. It was a revelation.’