Belief - Series 6 - Ann Widdecombe

Joan Bakewell explores areas of belief with artists, thinkers and other public figures. She talks to Conservative MP and novelist Ann Widdecombe, who was a life-long Anglican until the Church of England's decision to ordain women priests in the 1990s. She converted to Catholicism and has been a passionate supporter of Rome ever since. Ann sees a time when the Catholic Church will drop its demand for celibacy amongst its priests and believes Pope Benedict is a figure who could achieve such a reform. For her, such a change is possible within her lifetime. Ann is stepping down as an MP at the general election scheduled to take place in 2010 and says she would like to take up the post of Britain's ambassador to the Holy See which becomes vacant in the same year.