I was recently interviewed by James Preece for his podcast - the Love Machine. 

Have a listen to find out:

*A version of this article first appeared in the Independent on 30 August 2021

As I perch amongst a clump of Isoglossa stems I train my binoculars on a female samango monkey I’ve named Pica. I’ve followed her through the forest, a long way from the rest of her troop, and now...

If I asked you “what are the most important attributes to pay attention to when picking a partner?”, what would you say?

A great sense of humour maybe? Kindness? Honesty? A bulging bank-balance perhaps?

Whatever it is, it’s unlikely to be what gives you the hots for a guy when...

I meet so many women in midlife who are completely sorted. They’re gorgeous, they’re fit and healthy, they’ve got successful careers, they’re independent and know how to do all the things.

But they can’t find a man – at least not one that meets their standards....

We’ve all come across women who pretend to have the intellect of a 4 year-old child and have men eating out of their hand.

Just think of Marilyn Monroe. She was a highly intelligent woman, but still decided to sing “happy birthday Mr President” in her 1964 Madison Square Gardens...

I think you’ll agree – we women in our 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond are more sorted than ever.

We’ve got our careers and we’re usually earning our own money, often plenty of it. We know what we like and we know how to go and get it.

We’re independent, successful women.

...