Joan Bakewell

Joan was born in Stockport, and grew up in Hazel Grove, Cheshire. She was educated at Norbury Primary School, Stockport High School for Girls and Newnham College Cambridge, where she graduated with a Part I degree in Economics and Part II in History. She has lived in London since 1954.

She is divorced, with two children and six grand children.

Joan was made a CBE is 1999 and Dame in 2008. In January 2011 she took her seat in the House of Lords as Baroness Bakewell of Stockport. In April 2013, she became President of Birkbeck College.