Today we're talking to Nicole Mennell about the three "H"s - horses, hawks and hounds - in Shakespeare and other early modern plays. Nicole's animal studies PhD untangles how these animals are represented in plays, and how this related to politics & sovereignty at the time.

We talk about Shakespeare's controversial coat of arms, why people faint while watching Titus Andronicus, and why, in the 21st century, Boris Johnson is often portrayed as a pig. We discuss widening participation and Nicole's co-founded academic journal, Brief Encounters (NB not the ITV drama!).

Nicole also shares her PhD tips, including defeating writers block, recognising when perfectionism is squashing productivity and avoiding isolation as a PhD student in the humanities.

Follow Nicole on twitter: @NicoleMennell