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Emma Barnett revealed she had a hysterectomy after suffering from endometriosis as she returned to the Today programme on Radio 4 following weeks recovering at home.

The presenter, 41, said she was taken to hospital shortly after she finished filming her documentary, Fighting Endometriosis, for BBC Two.

And by the time it was broadcast, she was in a hospital bed and only well enough to catch the final ten minutes after enduring a five-hour surgery in the days leading up to it.

Ms Barnett shared the news on air this morning, saying it was a case of 'life imitating work'.

Addressing her absence for several weeks, she said: 'Can I just say, on a personal note, I have missed this – being in the bosom of the Today programme – for quite a few weeks. I've had to listen from home – I say I've had to, but it's been a pleasure.

'In the spirit of honesty, as I always try to be with our listeners, I made a programme on the BBC on endometriosis on BBC 2 and ended up being in hospital for endometriosis. In a case of life imitating work, being held to account by my own film there.

'So yes, [I've] been recuperating, shall we say, from surgery for endometriosis and a hysterectomy to boot. So that's been less fun than the Today programme, but it is lovely to be back.'

Her co-host Justin Webb told her she was 'very welcome back'.

Emma Barnett revealed on air today that she had undergone a hysterectomy and had her gallbladder removed after suffering from endometriosis

Emma Barnett interviewed Wes Streeting, then-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the documentary Fighting Endometriosis on BBC Two

Writing in her Substack, Ms Barnett revealed that her condition started to get 'a lot worse' in the last two weeks of filming.

At the start of production seven months earlier, she remained adamant she would not have surgery again and wished to continue to control her condition with natural hormones.

She wrote: 'I didn’t want this procedure because it’s major surgery. It’s frightening and a hard recovery - something I am living now. I didn’t want it because I wanted there to have been medicine or treatment to help my endometriosis. It felt and feels too extreme.'

She had begun to experience new symptoms including severe nausea, a lack of appetite and an inability to eat.

The presenter also revealed that she had her gallbladder removed, which she jokingly nicknamed Charles – 'after Mr De Gaulle'.

Ms Barnett revealed she was having an ultrasound scan while she was being filmed for the last scene of the documentary, which revealed a mass in her gallbladder.

Having presented the Today programme the following Monday, she attended a screening of the film and a few days later answered questions from her colleague and fellow sufferer Naga Munchetty.

By the weekend, she 'practically crawled' into the hospital.

After 11 weeks of recovery, in which she was 'bed/sofa bound', she finally returned to Radio today.

Ms Barnett added: 'This period has been and continues to be one of the most humbling experiences of my life.'

The host said she is still healing from the surgery but said she feels grateful for the procedure, which she 'never wanted to have'.

She previously spoke about her gruelling IVF journey after her endometriosis diagnosis meant she couldn't conceive naturally.

She welcomed a son with her husband Jeremy Weil via IVF in 2018, before giving birth to a daughter in January 2023.

The couple endured six rounds of IVF fertility treatment in the lead up to their daughter's birth, after experiencing a heartbreaking miscarriage in early 2022.

In an emotional post in January 2023, Emma broke the news she had welcomed her daughter to fans.

She told followers on Instagram: 'She’s here. Last week we welcomed a daughter to the world. The embryo that took. The one that stayed. The shell that finally opened.'

Alongside the announcement, Emma posted a photo of her bump painted by pregnancy artist Emma Allen.

The artwork painted directly onto her pregnant belly showed an underwater scene featuring an oyster shell opened to reveal a pearl inside.

The journalist said in the article that she and her husband had decided their sixth attempt would be their last - describing it as 'eerily ironic' that it had then been successful.

She also said that, following the end of Covid restrictions, her husband was allowed in the room with her when the embryos had been inserted, following several lone trips to the fertility clinic during the pandemic.