Street-Porter turns spotlight on female high flyers
Street-Porter: is also fronting a forthcoming show on the monarchy for Sky One
The media's treatment of Cherie Blair and other high-profile women is to be put under the microscope by Janet Street-Porter for a new Channel 4 documentary.
Street-Porter, who is also fronting a forthcoming show on the monarchy for Sky One, will explore how some newspapers and TV shows portray women who are in the public eye.
She will focus on those who have been vilified for seemingly "having it all", particularly Mrs Blair.
Street-Porter herself was subjected to unsavoury comments in some tabloids about her image when she starred in ITV1's I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!.
She explained: "I'm going to do a documentary for Channel 4 about the images of women in the media. I've just started filming it.
"I filmed on election day and covered the leadership candidates' wives. I'm a big fan of Cherie Blair. She works very hard, she's a devoted mother, brings up her children and has stayed married for some years. It's very unfortunate [how she's been treated]."
One of Mrs Blair's biggest critics has been Richard Littlejohn, who recently left the Sun to join the Daily Mail.
Street-Porter admitted the Daily Mail's coverage of Mrs Blair will be one of the areas she covers, saying: "I will be taking on some of the newspapers over how they've portrayed her."
Prince Charles is also about to feel the wrath of Street-Porter, when she explores the future of the royal family in her forthcoming documentary, Janet Saves the Monarchy.
During the programme she argues that the only way to retain the crown is for Prince Charles to step down and pass it to Prince William.
It also features the first TV interview about the state of the royal family with Prince Charles' former press secretary, Mark Bolland.
Street-Porter said: "I'm really pleased we've got his first interview. He feels Prince Charles has got to rebuild bridges with the press - they're at an all-time low.
"Prince Charles should also stop giving his opinions on everything, from architecture to science. He's always sounding off and it's quite often considering he's not an elected representative. His views are given a lot of weight when they shouldn't be. He wants us to live in 1850.'
Street-Porter's I'm a Celebrity co-star, former royal butler Paul Burrell is also interviewed for Janet Saves the Monarchy, which airs on Sky One on June 13.
"Paul is also quite short about Prince Charles and thinks he has done things which are very detrimental to the royal family," said Street-Porter.
She said Prince Charles should "do the gracious thing" and step aside.
"It feels more appropriate. He's spoilt and he's a social cripple. Also in the programme we talk about the actual succession. It's arcane that it passes to the eldest male."
However, the journalist and presenter said she is a big fan of the Queen and admitted it was exciting to meet the monarch at a recent awards ceremony.
"It was a thrill to meet the Queen. There's an aura of mystique about her and that's what her successor needs to have too."
mediaguardian
