Woman's Hour

Rachael Watts, Danielle De Niese, Royal race row


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Rachael Watts has spent her life hiding a secret. Now 40, she was seven years old when Russell Bishop - known as the Babes in the Wood murderer - abducted, attacked and sexually assaulted her in 1990. It is a crime that should never have happened, as back in 1987, Russell Bishop had been charged with the murders of two nine-year-olds, Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway. But police were unable to secure a conviction when a series of prosecution blunders meant evidence and testimonies failed to stand up in court. Bishop was able to walk free and three years later he abducted and attacked Rachael, leaving her for dead. Miraculously she survived and it was her testimony which finally meant Bishop was convicted and put behind bars, despite him protesting his innocence. However, in 2018, forensic scientists presented new DNA evidence and Bishop received two life sentences for the murders of Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway. Ever since her attack, Rachael’s family have fought to protect her privacy, hoping she could lead as normal life as possible. Rachael has never done a broadcast interview about what happened to her. But since Russell Bishop’s death in January this year, she decided she wanted to tell her story.

Danielle de Niese has been hailed as 'opera’s coolest soprano' by New York Times Magazine. She has starred in the West End musical 'Man Of La Mancha' alongside Kelsey Grammar, hosted at the BBC Proms, performed on stage with LL Cool J, and sung in a Ridley Scott movie. She is now taking over the theatres in London in the build up to Christmas. She joins Emma to discuss her recent performance at the Royal Opera House in La Boheme, current role as the angel Clara in the new opera It’s A Wonderful Life at the ENO, and to perform a sneak preview from the forthcoming immersive experience of Handel’s Messiah.

'Where are you really from?' It's a question the black British charity boss Ngozi Fulani was asked repeatedly at an event earlier this week at Buckingham Palace, she's told the BBC the experience was 'abuse'. Lady Hussey has resigned since the incident. The Palace described the remarks as 'unacceptable and deeply regrettable'. A spokesperson for Prince William said 'racism has no place in our society'. We hear from Ngozi and Emma speaks to Professor Nicola Rollick, author of The Racial Code.

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