Frances Ryan is an award-winning journalist and author. Named Commentator of the Year 2024 by the Society of Editors, her writing has been on the front pages of The Guardian, British Vogue, and the New York Times. It has changed government policy, been raised in the House of Commons, and helped shape the national conversation around disability.  

For the last decade, Frances has been a columnist and reporter at The Guardian, with a focus on politics and culture. Her work frequently features in television and radio, from Channel 4 News, BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, to BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine show. In 2021, her critically acclaimed debut book, Crippled, was developed into the BBC short drama Hen Night. Frances co-created the show and acted as a script consultant. 

Who Wants Normal? - a memoir, handbook, and call to action - was acquired by Fig Tree after a nine-publisher auction and is due for publication in spring 2025. It is thought to be the largest book deal for a disabled woman in U.K. publishing history. 

Frances has a PhD in political philosophy from the University of Nottingham. In 2022, she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.