35. Women Who Dare

Lucy Worsley, historian Professor Rosalind Crone and author and journalist Helen Lewis, explore the lives of four notorious Lady Swindlers.

They’ll be discussing underworld boss Tilly Devine, fake heiress Violet Charlesworth, queen of shoplifting Alice Diamond and fake Princess Mary Baker a.k.a. “Princess Caraboo”.

These women - through cunning and bravado - carve out notorious reputations and leave unforgettable legacies that we’re still talking about today.

Lucy and her guests imagine what our Lady Swindlers lives would look like now. Would they have become internet famous and built personal brands? Or would their audacity led to them being cancelled?

They also discuss how our swindlers manipulate perceptions and navigate their world to live the lives they dreamed of, unapologetically. From Princess Caraboo's elaborate cosplay and Violet Charlesworth’s audacious lifestyle to Tilly Devine's criminal empire, the series paints a vivid picture of women who dared.

Producer: Riham Moussa

Readers: Clare Corbett and Jonathan Keeble

Sound Design: Chris Maclean

Executive producer: Kirsty Hunter

A StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4