As Belle de Jour, Dr Brooke Magnanti achieved global notoriety for years, writing a blog about her sexual encounters as a high-class escort girl working in London.

Now, after revealing herself to be an expert research scientist and no longer engaged in prostitution she is calling for prostitution to be decriminalised. She tells HARDtalk's Katya Adler she found the escort work empowering and would do it again.

You can watch the full interview on BBC World News on Thursday 11 October at 04:30, 09:30, 15:30 and 21:30 GMT and on the BBC News Channel on Monday 19 March at 04:30 GMT and Tuesday 20 March at 00:30 GMT.

Watch recent episodes online (UK only) or subscribe to our podcast. Find out who is coming up on the programme by following us on Twitter .