‘It’s so distasteful, it’s really awful’: Zoe Ball and Jo Whiley debate the unfair scrutiny of female celebrities
The presenters discuss the poor treatment of some women currently in the public eye
During their Dig It podcast, Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball discuss a huge range of topics, and recently debated something very timely - the unfair treatment of women in the public eye.
Using the recent scrutiny of Claudia Winkleman and Holly Willoughby as examples, Jo says that being critical of others so openly is "an unpleasant facet of human nature," adding, "It's so distasteful, it's really awful."
Claudia Winkleman recently stepped away from her chat show, The Claudia Winkleman Show, after one season because she was "too nervous to enjoy it."
Jo says that in the run up to the first episode of Claudia's show, "Everyone was going, 'Is it going to be any good, is it going to bomb?' - there is a frenzied attack, as soon as somebody does something, people are just going to pull it apart."
Calling Claudia "hilarious" and "talented," Zoe says she was saddened that she walked away from her chat show. Although both Zoe and Jo praised her for standing up for what she wanted and recognising the pressure she came under, finding it "refreshing."
Zoe explains that what "breaks my heart" about Claudia's situation is that some very high profile male chat show hosts weren't "amazing" when they started out, saying it can take "years" to "hone your craft."
She appears to allude to the men being given time to improve, "bed in and be given a chance," and find their rhythm, where female celebrities doing the same jobs are not.
Speaking about Claudia, Zoe shares, "The scrutiny, I wonder whether if it hadn't been so bad, whether she would've carried on." Jo agrees, adding, "There is no doubt within my mind that she wouldn't have been a great chat show host."
Zoe then says, "I'm seeing the same for Holly Willoughby as well." The presenter recently began her own lifestyle show on YouTube named Together.
She continues to say of Holly, who took time away from the public eye following a terrifying kidnap plot against her, "She's built up her confidence and her strength and she's doing this show on YouTube, and all I read is the horrible negativity about it all."
Zoe adds, "Give her a chance - she's doing this on her terms, she's doing what she enjoys. I've seen her chatting to some great people [on the show]."
Weighing in, Jo says, "People are so mean," adding that Holly has been "taken down" and nobody is "giving her a chance."
"That's really cruel and really harsh," she says, directly. "It's no good saying, 'Give women a platform, give them all the opportunities,' to then tear them down immediately," she adds.
Speaking about women in the industry, she says, "Support them, nurture them, let them thrive - let them fail a little bit and then succeed brilliantly."
Zoe concludes with a message of support for her fellow presenters, sharing, "Claudia we love you, and Holly, keep being brilliant and being the brave, brilliant women that you are."
