Writer, critic, broadcaster and stand-up comedian Viv Groskop has joined the line-up for the Phenomenal Women series of talks staged by The Gainsborough Bath Spa hotel.
Now in its second year, the series aims to celebrate, support and inspire. Each event is delivered by a high-profile woman who has innovated in her field and achieved widespread recognition. 
So far this year journalist, author and broadcaster Bel Mooney, Master of Emmanuel College Cambridge and former director-general of the National Trust Dame Fiona Reynolds, and, most recently, social and business entrepreneur Jaya Chakrabarti MBE have spoken at the events, which are supported by the University of the West of England’s Business School and Business West, the organisation that runs Bath Chamber of Commerce.
Viv Groskop, pictured, whose talk will be on October 2, has presented Front Row and Saturday Review on BBC Radio 4, is a regular on BBC1’s This Week and has hosted book tours for Graham Norton, Jo Brand and Jennifer Saunders.
Her books include The Anna Karenina Fix: Life Lessons from Russian Literature, and How to Own the Room: Women and the Art of Brilliant Speaking. She is currently writing a self-help memoir titled Au Revoir, Tristesse: Lessons in Happiness from French Literature due out next year.
Viv will be sharing her insights on the art of public speaking, inspired by How to Own the Room, and touching on dealing with anxiety over performance, what to do when you open your mouth and nothing comes out and ultimately, how to own the room.
The following month – on November 14 – head of production at HungryGap TV Productions and author of Spice Yourself Slim Kalpna Woolf will bring this year’s series to a close.
Kalpna, pictured, is a major influencer for change – both at senior board level and at grassroots level. Following an award-winning career in the BBC, as head of production overseeing £100m global business including the BBC’s jewel in the crown, the Natural History Unit, Kalpna now works extensively with the creative sector in both an advisory and consultancy capacity and is currently head of production at HungryGap TV Productions.
She has written a best-selling food book Spice Yourself Slim and, in 2015, founded 91 Ways to Build A Global City – an initiative which reaches out to all the 91 language communities in Bristol to bring greater understanding, break down barriers and build a more cohesive city.
Tickets for each event are £15. Attendees will be welcomed with prosecco and canapés, giving them the chance to network with one another before hearing from one of the ‘Phenomenal Women’. The talks will be followed by a guided discussion from a member of the University West of England’s Bristol Business School.
The series takes its name from the poem Phenomenal Woman by US poet Maya Angelou.
The multi award-winning five-star, 99-room Gainsborough Hotel opened three years ago. It was the first UK hotel to be opened by YTL Hotels, part of the giant Malaysian YTL conglomerate that also owns Bath-based Wessex Water.
To book for Viv Groskop click here
To book for Kalpna Woolf click here
