Sisters of Defiance is a podcast hosted by Anita Rani that celebrates women who have challenged expectations and refused to play safe. Through raw, honest conversations, Anita sits down with some of the most courageous, groundbreaking women of our time, exploring ambition, identity, resilience, and the moments of defiance that shaped their lives. The show features brilliant women from across culture, business, entertainment, and beyond, and is nourished by Ancient & Brave.
Episodes
Nikita Gill on Leaving India, Surviving Abuse & Becoming a Bestselling Poet
Nikita Gill has become one of the most influential poets and writers of her generation. Through her bestselling books, she's built a global community of millions, using words to help women reclaim their voices, rewrite old stories, and rediscover the power that's always been within them. But it hasn’t been an easy path to success…In this episode, Nikita joins Anita to talk about leaving In
Deborah Meaden on Making Millions, Choosing Not to Have Children & Why Women Belong in the Boardroom
Deborah Meaden is one of Britain’s most formidable businesswomen - a hugely successful entrepreneur, investor and the longest-serving female Dragon on Dragons’ Den. From starting her first business at just 19 to building and selling a multimillion-pound company, Deborah has spent decades breaking glass ceilings and taking up space in boardrooms.But the road to millions was anything but straightfor
Maxine Peake on Being Doubted as an Actor, Underestimated for Being Northern & Standing Up for Her Politics
Maxine Peake has never been particularly interested in fitting in, or taking no for an answer.From refusing to leave drama school when she was told she wasn’t cut out to be an actor, to securing her RADA scholarship with a bold promise to “rob a bank” if she couldn’t afford it, Maxine has always followed her own path. In this episode, she joins Anita to talk about growing up working class in the N
Sindhu Vee on Refusing An Arranged Marriage, Giving Up Everything For Motherhood & Going From A Stammer to Stand-Up
Sindhu Vee has one of the most impressive but unexpected CVs in British comedy - she’s been an academic at Oxford University, an investment banker at a global company, became an award-winning standup after having 3 children and has even pivoted into acting. One thing is true; she has never wanted to fit into a box.In this episode, Sindhu joins Anita to talk about the importance of culture, growing
Sisters of Defiance is BACK for Series 2!
Sisters, we are so back! Sisters of Defiance, nourished by Ancient + Brave, returns for Series 2, with 10 more extraordinary women joining Anita in her home for honest, funny and emotional conversations about the moments of defiance that have shaped their lives.There are some very special Sisters lined up for this series, with plenty of stories of courage, rejection, reinvention, resilience and fi
Zandra Rhodes: Before You Go Out, Put Your Makeup On
Dame Zandra Rhodes is one of Britain’s most iconic designers, who has shaped the worlds of fashion, art and culture for more than six decades.In this week's episode, Anita sits down with the woman who's dressed everyone from Freddie Mercury, Diana Ross and Lauren Bacall to British royalty. Zandra reflects on risking everything to chase her dream in America when nobody believed in her, open
Davina McCall: Accepting Death Was An Amazing Gift
Davina McCall has spent decades in the nation's living rooms. From Big Brother to becoming one of Britain's most trusted voices on menopause and women's health, she's built a career on warmth, honesty, and an extraordinary ability to share and make people feel less alone.Recorded live at Love Supreme Festival, Davina joins Anita for a deeply personal conversation about what happens
Rose Ayling-Ellis: I’m Not Broken, The World Isn’t Built Right
Rose Ayling-Ellis has become one of the most influential voices for disability and inclusion in Britain. After rising to fame playing Frankie Lewis in EastEnders–the soap's first deaf character to use British Sign Language–she became a household name after winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, where her silent dance with Giovanni Pernice became a huge cultural moment. Since then she's tak
Paris Paloma: Patriarchy Is The Crack Running Through Our Lives
Paris Paloma has cemented herself as one of the most exciting new voices in music. Her breakout hit Labour became a global feminist anthem, giving millions of women a language for experiences they'd struggled to put into words. Now, after touring with Florence + The Machine and building a devoted worldwide fanbase, she's showing that the most powerful protest songs don't always have to
Anoushka Shankar: People Called Me A Traitor
Anoushka Shankar is one of the most celebrated musicians of her generation. Born into musical royalty as the daughter of legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar, she has spent more than three decades carving out her artistic identity; pushing the boundaries of Indian classical music, being nominated for 13 Grammy awards, collaborating with artists including Sting, Gorillaz and Lenny Kravitz, and perfo
Clare Waight Keller: You Live One Life, Live It For Yourself
Clare Waight Keller has spent her career at the very top of fashion. From starting out at Calvin Klein in the 90s and working alongside Tom Ford at Gucci, to leading Chloé and Givenchy, designing Meghan Markle's wedding dress, and now serving as Global Creative Director at Uniqlo, Clare has helped shape the way generations of women dress.So how does a girl from Birmingham end up becoming one o
Beverley Knight: I Always Bet On Myself
Singer, songwriter, and performer Beverley Knight is one of Britain's most celebrated artists and a woman who has spent her career breaking boundaries on her own terms.Beverley and Anita talk about the ambition and determination that have carried her through more than three decades in the music industry. From a life-changing trip to see Prince in concert that would eventually lead to an extrao
Fatiha El-Ghorri: I’m Self-Made, Nobody Gave Me Sh*t
Fatiha El-Ghorri has taken the British comedy scene by storm over the past few years. Her wit, candour and fierce sense of self have made her one of the most distinctive voices in British comedy.In this week's episode, Fatiha reflects on the defining acts of defiance that have shaped her life. She talks about leaving an arranged marriage she knew wasn't right for her, rebuilding her life a
Gisèle Pelicot: I Don’t Want To Be Destroyed By Hate
Gisèle Pelicot has emerged as one of the most influential feminist voices of current times. Her extraordinary courage has sparked conversations around the world about justice, dignity, and the treatment of survivors of sexual violence.After becoming the central figure in a landmark French rape trial, Gisèle made the remarkable decision to waive her anonymity, choosing instead to speak openly about
Emma Grede: Other People’s Opinions Are Not My Business
Emma Grede has built some of the most influential brands of the modern era, but behind the businesses and boardroom is a woman who has never been afraid to question who gets to lead, who’s allowed to speak openly about ambition, or to take up space.In this episode of Sisters of Defiance, Anita sits down with Emma to talk about power, money, motherhood, resilience, and the defining moments that sha
Meera Syal: The Thing That Made Me Lonely IS My Superpower
Dame Meera Syal has graced our screens, bookshelves, and stages for decades - but behind the wit, brilliance, and groundbreaking work is a woman who has spent her life quietly and powerfully defying expectations.In the very first episode of Sisters of Defiance, Anita sits down with Meera to talk about identity, ambition, belonging, and what it meant to grow up feeling caught between cultures while
Introducing Sisters of Defiance, with Anita Rani
What happens when women stop playing safe? In Sisters of Defiance nourished by Ancient + Brave, Anita Rani sits down with extraordinary women who have challenged expectations, broken rules, taken risks and refused to live according to anybody else’s idea of who they should be.Through honest, joyful conversations, guests reflect on the moments that made them: the first acts of defiance, the failure
