Woman's Hour

Comedian Katherine Ryan’s new memoir explores the impact being a Firstborn Daughter has had on her approach to life. From becoming the family’s ‘Head of Emotional Operations’ at a young age, to her thoughts on marriage, motherhood, fertility and facelifts, Katherine joins Anita to discuss her take on what it means to be woman in modern society.

New research has found that female scientists are 'largely absent' from exam boards’ compulsory learning material for GCSE pupils. The study by the University of Cambridge found only one of 86 scientists featured in the main Key Stage 4 exam specifications for science, was a woman – Rosalind Franklin - she did ground-breaking work on DNA. Skyla White is one of the researchers on the study.

There has been a rise in demand for the shingles vaccine, and this may be because recent studies suggest it could reduce the risk of dementia. Women are at greater risk of developing dementia in their lifetime, and around twice as many women as men have Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia. Nuala hears from two women, Eva and Sally, who are getting the shingles vaccine this winter, in part because of a family history of dementia, and from Lucy Devendra, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Society.

Author Helen Fielding is launching a competition to find new comedy writers from the North of England. The Bridget Jones Prize will be managed by Newcastle-based writing charity New Writing North. From Yorkshire herself, Helen is looking for first-person stand-alone prose, not unlike the diary entries of her fictional heroine, first published anonymously in The Independent newspaper in 1995. Helen explains why she wants more to be made of the northern humour she grew up with.

It was World Menopause Day yesterday, the last before employers of more than 250 people in England, Scotland and Wales are mandated to have a Menopause Action Plan in place. This new legal duty begins in April 2027. What does it actually mean and how will it be enforced? Nuala McGovern is joined by the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson

For decades, Delia Smith taught us how to cook with confidence through her bestselling books and popular television programmes. She sold more than 20 million books, such was her influence that ingredients and kitchen utensils she featured would often sell out, a phenomenon that became known as the Delia Effect. In her latest book, Us: Nine Ingredients to Change Our World, she argues that party politics and top-down leadership are no longer working and calls for a different approach that puts people at the heart of politics. She explores what it means to be human through themes including democracy, climate responsibility and the importance of community.

New analysis that has found inequalities in breast cancer diagnosis. Women in England from ethnic minority backgrounds alongside those from deprived backgrounds are almost a third less likely to have the disease detected through routine screening. They are more likely to be diagnosed after an urgent referral or emergency admission. The research was funded by the charity Breast Cancer Now. Nuala discusses with Dr Robert Kerrison, co-author of the study and co-lead for cancer care at the University of Surrey.

First Chance, a new initiative encouraging major employers to offer more opportunities to young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Jenny Hall from Royal Mail, one of the first employers to sign up, joins Nuala, along with Katharine Sacks-Jones from Young Women’s Trust, to discuss the particular barriers facing young women.

Rachel Newton is an award-winning Scottish harpist and singer, named BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year in 2017. Known for blending traditional and contemporary folk music, she performs on both acoustic and electric harp and is a member of the acclaimed Spell Songs collective. Rachel performs her song A Life Begun from the album In Thin Air, and explains how it gained new personal meaning following her experience of Pregnancy Associated Osteoporosis after the birth of her child.

Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

Raye has just won the Mercury Prize 2026 with her album This Music May Contain Hope. Anita Rani talks to music journalist Sophie Williams, who was one of the judges this year.

New figures from the Care Quality Commission show children and young people are being hit hardest by delays in the NHS. Anita is joined by Dr Ronny Cheung, Consultant Paediatricition and officer for Health Services at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Comedian Katherine Ryan’s new memoir explores the impact being a Firstborn Daughter has had on her approach to life. From becoming the family’s ‘Head of Emotional Operations’ at a young age, to her thoughts on marriage, motherhood, fertility and facelifts, Katherine joins Anita to discuss her take on what it means to be woman in modern society.

Spoken language will be given equal status with reading and writing in an updated curriculum and assessment for schools, the Education Secretary has announced. Anita speaks to Becca Dean, founder of The Girls Network, and poet Kirsty Taylor to discuss what effect this policy will have on girls' ability to speak up for themselves. Anna Byrne is a women's health journalist who recently went viral on Instagram for her song A Musical Guide to Perimenopause which explores the complex, and sometime frustrating, symptoms many perimenopausal women face. The video has had more than eight million views, and Anna tells Anita how she is on a mission to 'write a hormonal song a day'.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

When the writer E L James first self-published Fifty Shades of Grey as an e-book in 2011, she had no idea that her erotic novel would go on to become a publishing phenomenon. Since then, Erika has written eight bestsellers, sold more than 150 million books, and produced three Fifty Shades film adaptations. Few contemporary writers can claim to have changed the conversation around women, sex and popular romance quite so much. E L James has a new novel out – and it’s entirely different to what has gone before. A paranormal romance called Land of Ghosts, the main character is a 17-year old girl. E L James joins Anita Rani to talk about her stellar career and how despite enormous success, she loves anonymity.

The government has announced that pregnant workers and new mothers will have stronger safeguards to protect them from unfair dismissal. From October 2027, employers must consider all reasonable alternatives to dismissal before pursuing it. This comes as part of the Employment Rights Act, and protections will also be extended to employees taking adoption leave, shared parental leave, neonatal care leave and bereaved partner’s paternity leave. Anita speaks to the Minister for the Future of Work, Kate Dearden.

The comedian Russell Brand is in court facing three charges of rape, three charges of sexual assault and one charge of indecent assault against six women – he denies all charges. The allegations span 10 years from 1999 to 2009. He has said he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity. The trial at Southwark Crown Court in London began last week on 14th October. Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty has been covering the trial and is the BBC presenter of the podcast Fame Under Fire: The Russell Brand Trial. This discussion contains graphic sexual references.

New research has found that female scientists are 'largely absent' from exam boards’ compulsory learning material for GCSE pupils. The study by the University of Cambridge found only one of 86 scientists featured in the main Key Stage 4 exam specifications for science, was a woman – Rosalind Franklin - she did ground-breaking work on DNA. Skyla White is one of the researchers on the study.

Award-winning Irish comedian, writer and actor Catherine Bohart is a debating champion, an Edinburgh Festival favourite, and a familiar face on television, with appearances on Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, QI and LOL: Last One Laughing Ireland. Also a regular voice on BBC Radio 4, her credits include The Now Show, The News Quiz and her own six-part topical series, Too Long; Didn’t Read. She joins Anita to talk about her latest stand-up show, Borrowing Trouble.

A government review into antisemitism in schools and colleges in England will publish its recommendations today. The report from former Ofsted inspector Sir David Bell makes 27 recommendations to help schools tackle antisemitism. The review found that three out of five Jewish children had experienced prejudice at school and that leaders in some Jewish schools were spending more time on security than on education. Nuala hears from the BBC's Special Correspondent Judith Moritz, who has been covering the story, and writer and broadcaster Angela Epstein, host of the Jewish Mother Me podcast, who has spoken about Jewish identity and raising children in Britain.

There has been a rise in demand for the shingles vaccine, and this may be because recent studies suggest it could reduce the risk of dementia. Women are at greater risk of developing dementia in their lifetime, and around twice as many women as men have Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia. Nuala hears from two women, Eva and Sally, who are getting the shingles vaccine this winter, in part because of a family history of dementia, and from Lucy Devendra, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Society.

BAFTA-nominated Lolly Adefope reprises her role as Kitty, the endearingly innocent Georgian noblewoman, in the film Ghosts: The Possession of Button House. She's also making her West End debut as Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary!, the Olivier Award-winning play. Set in 1865, the dark comedy imagines the former First Lady of the United States, wife of then-President Abraham Lincoln, as a frustrated cabaret performer trapped in the gilded cage of the White House. Lolly joins Nuala to discuss resurrecting Kitty and taking on the mantle of Mary.

Women's health businesses, such as those in the fem tech sector, can face barriers to accessing financial and commercial services, including banking, insurance, payment processing and e-commerce platforms, according to advocacy organisation CensHERship. Today, the group is launching a new accreditation initiative called FemTick, aimed at recognising organisations that support the growth of the women's health sector. Nuala hears from one of CensHERship's co-founders, Clio Wood, and BBC Senior Reporter Ashitha Nagesh, who has been hearing from women's health creators who say their content has been removed, filtered or suppressed online, a practice known as shadowbanning.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

Campaigners deliver a petition to Downing Street calling for parents of children with SEND to be exempt from being fined if their children miss school. Currently they risk a criminal record and possible jail sentence if the child is off school three or more times within the same period. Alex Stafford, a Senior Solicitor from IPSEA, an independent provider of special education advice, joins Nuala McGovern to discuss the impact on parents.

Author Helen Fielding is launching a competition to find new comedy writers from the North of England. The Bridget Jones Prize will be managed by Newcastle-based writing charity New Writing North. From Yorkshire herself, Helen is looking for first-person stand-alone prose, not unlike the diary entries of her fictional heroine, first published anonymously in The Independent newspaper in 1995. Helen explains why she wants more to be made of the northern humour she grew up with.

The British and Irish Lions Rugby Union team will play a historic first ever women's fixture when they face France at Cardiff's Principality Stadium next August, ahead of their 2027 tour to New Zealand in September. It will bring together leading players from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales and will see the team play five matches in New Zealand, including three Test matches against the six-time world champion Black Ferns. Nuala is joined by Maggie Alphonsi - England Rugby World Cup winner - and Ruby Tui, New Zealand Rugby World Cup winner and Olympic Gold medallist, who are both ambassadors for this first women’s tour.

A new survey for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize of over 2,000 young people across the UK helps to build a picture of teenage girls in Britain in 2026 and indicates how their lives differ from the experience of boys.  A broadcast live from Newcastle upon Tyne on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Bitesize will bring together an audience of 50 teenagers for the 2026 BBC Teen Summit to discuss teenagers' concerns about their future job prospects, the growing influence of AI, and the impact of online life. BBC Radio 5 Live and Woman’s Hour presenter Clare McDonnell explains the findings.

We’ll be celebrating the creativity of children behind the camera to mark the opening of a new exhibition in London: Snap Happy! How Children Became Photographers.  It looks back at the photos children have been taking since the Victorian era. The Cottingley Fairies were the most famous but curator Annebella Pollen has found other examples. She joins us along with photographer Lillian Spibey.

PRESENTER: Nuala McGovern PRODUCER: Melanie Abbott

It was World Menopause Day yesterday, the last before employers of more than 250 people in England, Scotland and Wales are mandated to have a Menopause Action Plan in place. This new legal duty begins in April 2027. What does it actually mean and how will it be enforced? Nuala McGovern is joined by the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s revival of Phyllida Lloyd’s all-female Julius Caesar set in a woman’s prison, which originally ran at the Donmar Warehouse in 2012, is now touring secondary schools. Female prisoners from HMP New Hall in Wakefield and their resident drama group have worked alongside the production. Dame Harriet Walter, who plays Brutus, and Rachel Frank, a criminal justice associate, discuss their collaboration and what the young people and the women from the prison gain from the experience.

For decades married couples have feared the seven-year itch. But the latest divorce statistics for England and Wales show opposite sex couples are now more likely to get divorced after 20 years of marriage. Just over a quarter of divorces last year happened after two decades - or more - of marriage, according to the Office for National statistics. Nuala speaks to break up and divorce coach, Sara Davison, to find out what's behind this trend and the implications for women.

What if, for half of every month, you felt like a different person? That's the reality for many women living with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, or PMDD. Laura Elizabeth Woollett is author of Hell Days, which blends her personal experience of the condition with research and cultural analysis. Dr Georgina Standen is, a GP and PMDD specialist on what latest research tells us about the condition and what treatments are available.

Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

Navanetham 'Navi' Pillay, a former International Criminal Court judge and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. She is the 21st female to win the award, and the first South African woman. Navi speaks to Nuala McGovern.

In the programme's 80th year, we’re reflecting on how women’s lives have changed in the last eight decades, and today, Nuala digs into the Woman’s Hour archive to find out how technological advancements have impacted women’s lives over the years. Nuala talks to Zoe Kleinman, the BBC’s Technology Editor and Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE, an entrepreneur and champion of women’s visibility in the UK technology industry and author of book 404: Women Not Found.

Esmée Gummer recently completed her own Guinness World Record challenge, having run between every city in the UK, hosting free 5km clubs in each. An incredible achievement because when she was aged 18, Esmée woke up paralysed following complications during surgery - and she had to relearn how to walk and eventually run. Esmee tells Anita Rani about her passion to encourage people to connect through running, not racing.

How well do we know our mothers? The novelist Laleh Khadivi’s latest book Female Life on Planet Earth is about a woman who discovers her dead mother had a secret Iranian revolutionary past. Laleh joins Nuala to talk about her inspiration for the book.

Caroline Hirons has built a career in the beauty industry spanning more than three decades, from working on skincare counters to becoming a bestselling author, social media personality and founder of her own skincare brand. Now she's published a new book, Skin Rules, and joins Anita in the studio.

Nigella Lawson is back on our screens as a judge on The Great British Bake Off but has hit the headlines for taking big bites. So why are some people commenting on a woman actively enjoying food... on a baking show? Nuala is joined by body confidence activist and author Alex Light and personal trainer Laura Ghiacy.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

Last night, architects gathered to celebrate some of Britain’s most acclaimed buildings as the RIBA Stirling Prize marked its 30th anniversary. The prize is considered the UK’s most prestigious award for architecture and recognises a building that has made a significant contribution to the evolution of the built environment. And at last night’s anniversary ceremony, Lion Green Road, a council-commissioned housing scheme in Coulsdon, South London, was declared the winner. It was designed by Mary Duggan Architects and delivered by the practice Ruff Architects. Mary Duggan joins Anita Rani in the studio.

New NHS England guidance says trans patients should be cared for on single-sex hospital wards or bays that align with their biological sex rather than their gender identity. The BBC's Social Affairs Editor Alison Holt joins Anita to explain the guidance.

Social media has lit up in recent days after comedian Shane Gillis made a controversial joke on the US show Saturday Night Live. In his opening monologue, Gillis said he “didn’t know women just dress like whores now” at the gym. There was an immediate backlash, particularly from women online, from gym goers and athletes to celebrities, calling his comments misogynistic, even dangerous towards women. But many have chosen to see the funny side, poking fun at Gillis as a means of fighting back. Comedian Rachel Parris and Lifestyle Editor at The Metro, Kristina Beanland, give us their reaction.

Have you ever stood at the skincare counter and felt baffled at the vast array of options? Caroline Hirons has made it her mission to help. She's built a career in the beauty industry spanning more than three decades, from working on skincare counters to becoming a bestselling author, social media personality and founder of her own skincare brand, Skin Rocks. She's attracted a large following for her outspoken views on skincare products, beauty trends and the cosmetics industry. Now she's published a new book, Skin Rules, offering advice on navigating the increasingly crowded skincare market. Caroline joins Anita in the studio.

This month sees Britten Sinfonia, Ancient Greek Meze tour- the story of three powerful women of Greek myth through music. The event marks 50 years since the death of composer Benjamin Britten, with the Britten Sinfonia and stand-up classicist Natalie Haynes, alongside the sublime mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston, who is the soloist in his late micro-opera Phaedra. Helen joins Anita to discuss these mythical women.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson

An estimated three million deepfake images were non-consensually requested from Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok around Christmas of last year, mostly of women and children. Since then, UK investigations have been unable to find or charge any of the users who made those requests. Jess Davies, a presenter targeted by this image abuse, reported it to the police at the time but is now pursuing her own civil action. She joins Anita Rani, alongside BBC Technology reporter Laura Cress, to discuss the developments.

After more headlines today about shortages of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), clinicians are urging women to seek advice if their medication has been affected. The warning follows official confirmation from the Department of Health that supplies of major HRT patch brands have been disrupted. Anita is joined by Dr Paula Briggs, Consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health at Liverpool Woman’s NHS Foundation Trust, and Roisin Hillman, co-founder of Menopause Together, the first menopause charity in Northern Ireland.

Shabana Basij-Rasikh is a leading advocate for girls' education in Afghanistan. In 2001, when she was still a teenager, she co-founded a boarding school in Kabul called the School of Leadership (SOLA) to enable girls to learn. Last month Shabana was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 world’s most influential rising stars. She joins Anita to talk about her campaigning career and decision to create a post-graduate scholarship for a woman like her to attend the University of Oxford.

Esmée Gummer recently completed her own Guinness World Record challenge, having run between every city in the UK, hosting free 5km clubs in each. An incredible achievement because when she was aged 18, Esmée woke up paralysed following complications during surgery - and she had to re-learn how to walk, and eventually run. Esmée didn't want to make the challenge just about her own achievement, so the record is for the most amount of run clubs held in different cities and those who attended any can apply for a certificate. Esmee tells Anita about her passion to encourage people to connect through running, not racing.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

1 in 10 women of reproductive age suffer from endometriosis. A new report on the condition, just published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis and supported by Endometriosis UK, has found that the condition is having a significant impact on women's finances and careers. Nearly half of those surveyed said they'd lost income because of their symptoms, more than a quarter had left a job. Nuala discusses the implications with the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Endometriosis Labour MP Kirsteen Sullvan and Alice Cooper who has endometriosis.

In the programme's 80th year we’re reflecting on how women’s lives have changed in the last eight decades and today Nuala digs into the Woman’s Hour archive, to find out how technological advancements have impacted women’s lives over the years. Joining Nuala to discuss Women in Tech is Zoe Kleinman, the BBC’s Technology Editor and Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE, an entrepreneur and champion of women’s visibility in the UK technology industry who has just authored the book 404: Women Not Found.

Britain may have reached "peak bedbug". Experts say infestations are on the rise, with some evidence that the insects are becoming increasingly resistant to common pesticides. It is a job that's still overwhelmingly done by men - 94% of the workforce is male. Nuala finds out more from Leah Darby, founder of Complete Bed Bug Solutions.

Why are men less concerned about climate change than women? Nuala explores the research behind the gender gap and how traditional ideas of masculinity shape environmental attitudes, with political scientist Ingvild Zinober and Tom Hornbrook from MenEngage Alliance.

Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

A new study suggests that women going to the doctor with symptoms of auto-immune conditions are up to 74% more likely than men to be told their symptoms are psychological or psychosomatic. The research, published in the Lancet eClinicalMedicine journal, and led by the University of Cambridge and University of East Anglia, also found that women were more likely to face delays in getting a correct diagnosis, and hence the right treatment. Lead author, Dr Melanie Sloan, joins presenter Nuala McGovern. How well do we know our mothers? The novelist Laleh Khadivi’s latest book is about a woman who discovers her dead mother had a secret Iranian revolutionary past. In ‘Female Life on Planet Earth,’ she tells the story of Heti, an Iranian mother of two teenage girls who works in an accountancy firm in Los Angeles – and whose life is upended when an anonymous parcel arrives which contains evidence that her mother had had a secret life. Laleh joins Nuala to talk about her inspiration for the book, the complexity of uncovering and sharing secrets and comparing life for women in America with that of those in Iran. Women’s football is growing rapidly around the world, but many professional players are still dealing with low pay and insecure working conditions, according to a new survey. The players’ union FIFPRO spoke to more than 800 footballers playing in the top tier of their countries. Only 78% said they had a written contract, while just 57% said their pay was enough to cover the costs of playing football. Financial pressures and psychological stress were also among the reasons players gave for potentially leaving the game early. BBC Senior journalist Sally Freedman and former England International player Lucy Staniforth, now FIFPRO Women’s Football Officer, join Nuala to discuss.

Have you ever thought about going back to school? Older learners are more likely to have caring responsibilties, come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and also be female. We spoke to listener Sue Goldsmith and fellow recent graduate Rahat Ismail about deciding to study in later life. Sue, 71, had graduated from the University of Essex with a first in criminology, and Rahat, 53, has a first-class degree in Global Politics and International Relations from Birkbeck, University of London. They share their experiences of mature student life. Presented by: Nuala McGovern Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths

Navanetham 'Navi' Pillay, a former International Criminal Court judge and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. In a statement announcing the award, the Nobel Committee praised Pillay's 'efforts to promote peace and international law'. She is the first South African woman to receive the award, and dedicated her win to 'all the survivors of international crime'. In her first interview to be broadcast with the BBC, Navi speaks to Nuala McGovern.

How can medical misinformation harm women, and how do we combat dangerous myths? Nuala is joined by former consultant breast surgeon and cancer survivor Liz O'Riordan and Dr Rachael Kent, whose academic research focuses on the impact of digital technology on mental and physical health.

Women’s groups have called for an emergency demonstration in Glasgow this Monday evening over concerns about women’s safety, following a rise in reported sexual crimes. We speak to Nicola Love, Communications Manager for Rape Crisis Scotland which is taking part and Beth Templeton, a journalist from local news outlet The Bell.

Nigella Lawson is back on our screens as a judge on The Great British Bake Off, but something about her approach has got people talking online… it's the way she eats the cakes - taking big bites, with gusto. So why are some people commenting on a woman actively enjoying food...on a baking show? Nuala is joined by body confidence activist and author, Alex Light, and personal trainer Laura Ghiacy to discuss.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

To mark our 80th anniversary, Woman's Hour commissioned a survey of 2,000 women across the UK to explore how women feel about using their voice in different areas of their lives. One of the questions we asked was: How many times, if any, have you felt unable to say no in a sexual encounter? Anita Rani is joined by Faustine Petron of the Make It Mandatory campaign; Ellie Softley, of the charity Everyone's Invited; and psychotherapist Dr Paula Hall of Pivotal Recovery.

To mark 80 years on air, we delve into the Woman's Hour archive, with voices including suffragette Mary Richardson from 1957, Margaret Thatcher talking about childcare in 1990 and Rose McGowan talking in 2018 on reigniting the #metoo movement.

Monica Dolan is starring in a new film, The Lost Children of Tuam. In it, she plays Catherine Corless, whose relentless pursuit of the truth helped to expose the story of hundreds of babies from an Irish mother and baby home being disposed of in a disused sewage tank. Monica joins Nuala McGovern, along with journalist Alison O’Reilly, to discuss this powerful tale of community activism.

Extreme heat affects pregnancies, newborns and maternity services around the world, according to new research. Anita speaks to Julia Gillard, Chair of Wellcome and former Prime Minister of Australia and Dr Amy Mizen, Co-Principal Investigator for the MAGENTA project, funded by Wellcome.

The Party is an ITV drama based on the acclaimed novel by Elizabeth Day and adapted by award-winning writer and actor Sarah Solemani. Elizabeth and Sarah join Kylie Pentelow to discuss this story of class, power, betrayal and secrets.

And to celebrate 80 years of Woman's Hour we asked the poet Hollie McNish to write us a birthday poem.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty McQuire

A new review into autism, ADHD and mental health provision by the NHS in England has warned there has been a substantial increase in mental health distress, particularly in young people. The review - led by leading doctors in the field - says the NHS is struggling to cope with the rising demand for services in England. So what does this mean for women and girls? Anita Rani is joined by Professor Gillian Baird, vice chair of the review.

A study has found that gender biases seen in the workplace could also be replicated in our interactions with AI. Researchers placed people in a virtual reality office and found that they allocated more money to male AI assistants than female ones, despite using the same technology. Anita is joined by Mary Hausfeld, Assistant Professor in Management at Kemmy Business School at the University of Limerick, and one of the study's co-authors, to discuss the findings.

Extreme heat affects pregnancies, newborns and maternity services around the world, according to new research. In a survey of 1,000 maternal healthcare professionals across the UK, Australia, India, Brazil and Zimbabwe, nearly three-quarters said they had seen an increase in heat-related complications affecting pregnant women over the past five years. Anita speaks to Julia Gillard, Chair of Wellcome and former Prime Minister of Australia and Dr Amy Mizen, Co-Principal Investigator for the MAGENTA project, funded by Wellcome.

As part of our series 'When My Body Surprised Me' listener Katharine talks about how after a mastectomy and emergency surgery, her body amazed her by not only recovering but going on to achieve a multitude of incredible feats, including a black belt in karate.

The latest series of Celebrity Traitors may only be a few episodes in but it’s already making the headlines - for its fashion. Claudia Winkleman’s style choices have always been a talking point, but it seems that this year all the Celebrities - the broadcaster and entrepreneur Maya Jama, mathematician Hannah Fry, actors Myha'la and Miranda Hart, the model Jerry Hall amongst others - are taking their fashion to another level. Are they using their fashion choices as part of their game playing? Anita speaks to Ella Alexander, a fashion journalist and author.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

To mark our 80th anniversary, Woman's Hour commissioned a survey of 2,000 women across the UK to explore how women feel about using their voice in different areas of their lives, from the most public to the most private spaces. One of the questions we asked was: How many times, if any, have you felt unable to say no in a sexual encounter? More than one in three women surveyed said this had happened to them, and over a quarter said it had happened more than once. The figures were even higher among younger women. Anita Rani is joined by Faustine Petron, who founded the Make It Mandatory campaign five years ago and has been campaigning for the government to extend Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) to all 16 to 18-year-olds; Ellie Softley, a founding member of the charity Everyone's Invited, she created the organisation's education programme and has discussed consent with young people in schools across the UK; and Dr Paula Hall, founder of Pivotal Recovery and a psychotherapist with more than 30 years' experience specialising in porn addiction.

At the peak of her fame, Julianna Glasse had a successful career as a Christian pop singer, a high-profile marriage and a respected place within the evangelical community in which she was raised. She even sang at President Trump's first National Prayer Breakfast. Then she started reading certain books that opened her eyes and changed the course of her life. She left her church, her marriage and eventually became CEO of This Is What Happens When Women Read, a global movement supporting four million women in 67 countries as they seek greater autonomy. She joins Anita to discuss the movement and her memoir of the same name.

There aren't many sports in which men and women compete directly against each other, but drag racing is one of them. In Europe, women aren't just competing in the world's fastest motorsport, they're dominating it. Top Fuel drag racing sees two vehicles race from a standing start over 1,000 feet, reaching speeds of up to 300mph in just three to four seconds. Sweden's Susanne Callin is a two-time European Top Fuel Champion and joins Anita. Susanne's story is available to watch on BBC iPlayer by searching Global Women, or on the BBC World Service YouTube channel.

Olivia Colman has joined the growing ranks of women embracing grey hair and ditching the dye. Freelance journalist Kate Spicer discusses the appeal.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

Launching the theme of our 80th birthday year: "Use Your Voice", we celebrate live from the Glasgow Women's Library in Scotland, the sole accredited museum of women’s history in the UK.

Nuala McGovern is joined by guests: Women's Health Champion for Scotland Dr Anna Glasier, social media influencer and campaigner Fats Timbo, professor of private law Jane Mair and poet and writer and former Makar, Jackie Kay.

We hear from some of the Woman's Hour archive including suffragette Mary Richardson from 1957, a woman on breast cancer from 1969, a woman called Candida talking about coming out in the mid 1980s, Margaret Thatcher talking about childcare in 1990, Tracey Emin's reflections on her abortion from 2011 and Rose McGowan talking in 2018 about reigniting the #metoo movement.

Our guests reflect on archive from Nancy Astor on being the first female MP in the House of Commons, on a woman talking about the progression of family planning and reactions to the conviction of Sarah Everard's murderer.

To mark our 80th birthday we commissioned a poll to ask a nationally representative sample of 2,000 women how they feel about using their voices for themselves – how able do they feel to ask for what they want? Where in life do they feel most able to speak out, and what is most likely to stop them? Nuala talks to Anita Rani who is in the studio in London to find out more.

Hollie McNish is the author of five collections of poetry. She was the first poet to record at Abbey Road Studios, in London, and won the 'Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry'. To celebrate our 80th birthday we asked Hollie to write us a birthday poem, and she performs it live on the programme.

Then we hear from our listeners - we recently asked you if something you'd heard on the programme over the years had inspired you to use your voice. We hear from listeners Rachel, Barbara, Veronica and Angela.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Corinna Jones

Hundreds of schools in France have closed after clashes between police and student protestors. Chloe Quesnel is a high school teacher in Nice in France. She's been watching her students take to the streets to protest over classroom conditions, lack of resources and the number of teaching staff. Chloe and Paris-based journalist Lisa Louis tell Kylie about the student protest of the last week, and what can be expected from today.

The Party is a five-part ITV series based on the acclaimed novel by Elizabeth Day and adapted by award-winning writer and actor Sarah Solemani. At the centre are two men, Ben, a wealthy politician, and Martin, a political journalist, whose life has been shaped by their relationship. While the men drive the central plot of class obsession and co-dependency, the female characters serve as the moral anchors, truth-tellers, and catalysts for the story's climax. Elizabeth Day and Sarah Solemani join Kylie to discuss this tale of class, sex, shame, power, betrayal and secrets.

A File on Four investigation has found that one in every 118 children in England who are under 1 years old, are subject to care proceedings - that’s a rise of over 60% in the last two decades. Experts believe that with intensive support many of the 3,000 children who are adopted each year could be cared for or remain in contact with their birth parents. BBC special correspondent Judith Moritz discusses what she's discovered, and Kylie speaks to Prof Karen Broadhurst, co-director of the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research.

Artist and poet Cecilia Vicuña is regarded as one of the most important Latin American artists living today - she is often described as an eco-feminist drawing connections between the exploitation of nature and the marginalisation of women. She'll be talking about her new solo exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in East London.

Presenter: Kylie Pentalow Producer: Cerys Maidment

Monica Dolan is starring in a new film, The Lost Children of Tuam, co-produced by Liam Neeson. In it, she plays the extraordinary amateur historian, Catherine Corless, whose relentless pursuit of the truth helped to bring the story of hundreds of babies from an Irish mother and baby home being disposed of in a disused sewage tank to the world in 2014. She joins Nuala McGovern along with journalist Alison O’Reilly to discuss this powerful tale of community activism and how it led to an ongoing mass exhumation.

Kemistry is what Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative party leader, is calling her personal brand of conservatism. Almost two years into her tenureship, she has set out her core principles in a 95-page essay. And at their conference in Birmingham yesterday, Badenoch also pledged to scrap the £100,000 earning limit for parents to claim 30 hours a week of free childcare, if her party is elected. Kitty Donaldson, Chief Political commentator at the i Paper gives her thoughts.

Broadcaster Ashley James has gone public about the lasting effects of birth complications – including incontinence – and why she believes we need to speak more openly about it. To discuss, Ashley joins Nuala alongside NHS GP Dr Ellie Cannon, who specialises in women’s health.

As the weather turns a little more chilly this week, you may be thinking about swapping cereal for something more warming, like porridge. Gina Saarberg has won the coveted Golden Spurtle at the World Porridge Making Championship, which took place in Carrbridge in the Highlands on Saturday. She tells Nuala her tips for a delicious bowl.

Stage and screen actor Jane Asher, and Laura Main - best known for Call the Midwife - play The Queen and her dresser in By Royal Appointment, Daisy Goodwin’s play about the quiet power behind the monarch’s public image. It reveals how the Queen expressed what she couldn’t say — through colour, coats and the occasional hat — and how her dresser rose from lipstick advice to real influence. The play is currently on a UK tour – this week they’ll be at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham.

A group of school children have set up a petition calling on the government to ban the use of school uniforms in porn. They say they want to abolish the sexualisation of children through the inappropriate use of school uniform. Kylie Pentelow is joined by two of the campaigners Aylin and Mae, both 15. Kylie also hears from Professor Clare McGlynn, Professor of Law at Durham University and author of Exposed: The problem of Extreme Porn.

Helen Rebanks believes the unsung heroes of rural life are often the wives whose behind-the-scenes efforts keep both the family and the business afloat. Descended from generations of Cumbrian farmers, she still lives in the Lake District. Her bestselling 2023 book, The Farmer's Wife, has inspired a play by the same name, running at the Theatre By The Lake in Keswick until 10 October. Helen joins Anita Rani along with playwright Hannah Khalil to discuss the often-overlooked role of farmers wives.

A social media-driven resurgence in the popularity of sunbeds is said to be fuelling a rise in cases of skin cancer, particularly among young people, according to some experts. Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is now one of the most common cancers in people aged 15 to 34, according to Cancer Research UK. Meanwhile research by the Teenage Cancer Trust found around 48% of 18 to 34-year-olds in the UK use sunbeds – the highest proportion of any age group. Observer journalist Marine Saint has been looking into this, along with Rosie Vare from the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The Women’s Art Collection at Murray Edwards College in Cambridge is marking 40 years since its inception in 1986, with a new exhibition inspired by its very first artwork and two new acquisitions. Joining Kylie to discuss putting women in the frame are Harriet Loffler, Director of the Women’s Art Collection, the artist Professor Dame Sonia Boyce and the art historian and author of The Story of Art Without Men, Katy Hessel.

Many parents will have just experienced the departure of their children from the family home as they head for university, turning once-bustling households into so-called 'empty nests'. It can leave those left behind feeling unsettled and cut adrift. Denise Turner, Professor of Social Work at the University of Hertfordshire, is researching the impact this life transition has on parents. They are joined by parenting author and journalist Lorraine Candy to discuss her findings.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

Multiple protests have been taking place in Delhi over the past week. Hundreds of women have come together in India's capital to protest against a series of sexual assaults - most recently the alleged gang-rape of a 17-year-old near Delhi university's campus. Anita speaks to the BBC's South Asia correspondent Azadeh Moshiri.

The manufacturers of a new weight loss drug are warning women to beware of dangerous fakes being offered. The new medication is called Retatrutide. Although you can find it for sale on websites, it's not approved and is still in clinical trials. Dr Emily Pegg the UK medical director of the drug company Eli Lilley, the makers of Retatrutide and Dr Alison Cave, the chief safety officer of the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority join Anita Rani to discuss the issues.

A photography exhibition starts at the Vagina Museum in London next week called Just Because We Smile, Doesn’t Mean We’re Over It. The images are of more than 100 people who have experienced miscarriage, baby loss or infertility. It is the passion project of Bex Gunn, who along with Laura Buckingham runs The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation. Bex and Laura join Anita to explain why they founded their charity and the community that are reflected in these photos.

The fourth part of our listener series 'When My Body Surprised Me'. Saba describes the impact weight training for the first time in her 60s has had on her life.

Helen Rebanks believes the unsung heroes of rural life are often the wives whose behind-the-scenes efforts keep both the family and the business afloat. Descended from generations of Cumbrian farmers, she still lives in the Lake District. Her bestselling 2023 book, The Farmer's Wife, has inspired a play by the same name, running at the Theatre By The Lake in Keswick until 10 October. Helen joins Anita along with playwright Hannah Khalil to discuss the often-overlooked role of farmers wives.

Presented by: Anita Rani. Producer: Louise Corley

New York state prosecutors say they will reopen a criminal inquiry into the alleged rape of a woman at Cornell University in 2024. The woman, referred to in court documents as Jane Doe, alleges in her lawsuit that seven men from Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity chapter assaulted her in an incident involving alcohol and the drug ketamine. The case was investigated by university police but will now go before a grand jury. The case has been discussed widely online, with many including actress Florence Pugh reacting with fury over the reported disciplinary actions taken by the university. Nada Tawfik, BBC North American correspondent, and Tracey Vitchers, Executive Director of It's On Us, a non-profit programme dedicated to college sexual assault prevention, join Anita Rani to discuss.

The broadcaster, campaigner and charity founder Dame Esther Rantzen has died at the age of 86. She will be best remembered for presenting the BBC TV Programme That’s Life. She also set up Childline – the telephone helpline for children suffering abuse or neglect – and spent a lot of time campaigning for older people and for assisted dying. Guardian journalist Zoe Williams remembers her and her impact on women's lives.

Australia has launched its Endometriosis Management Plan, which gives GPs and patients a much greater role in the management of their endo. Professor Danielle Mazza from Monash University in Melbourne has been instrumental in designing and delivering the plan. She discusses how the UK might benefit from something like this with Dr Sylvia Kama-Kieghe, a GP in Sheffield, and Vice President of Membership and Workforce at the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.

A social media-driven resurgence in the popularity of sunbeds is said to be fuelling a rise in cases of skin cancer, particularly among young people, according to some experts. Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is now one of the most common cancers in people aged 15 to 34, according to Cancer Research UK. Meanwhile research by the Teenage Cancer Trust found around 48% of 18 to 34-year-olds in the UK use sunbeds – the highest proportion of any age group. Observer journalist Marine Saint has been looking into this, along with Rosie Vare from the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Producer: Melanie Abbott Presenter: Anita Rani

The Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced an end to the triple lock for the state pension from 2030, and it’s thought that women could be most affected by the proposed changes. Kylie Pentalow is joined by consumer finance expert Sarah Pennells to explain what the news could mean for women’s pensions.

The Women’s Art Collection at Murray Edwards College in Cambridge is marking 40 years since its inception in 1986, with a new exhibition inspired by its very first artwork and two new acquisitions. Joining Kylie Pentelow to discuss putting women in the frame are Harriet Loffler, Director of the Women’s Art Collection, the artist Professor Dame Sonia Boyce and the art historian and author of The Story of Art Without Men, Katy Hessel.

A group of school children have set up a petition calling on the government to ban the use of school uniforms in porn. They say they want to abolish the sexualisation of children through the inappropriate use of school uniform. Kylie is joined by two of the campaigners Aylin and Mae, both 15. Kylie also hears from Professor Clare McGlynn, Professor of Law at Durham University and author of Exposed: The problem of Extreme Porn.

The cultural historian Mineke Schipper was reading proverbs from around the world, when she stumbled upon an idea for a new research project, into what she describes as the last feminist taboo - what happens to women after their husbands die. The research has now become a book called Widows and Mineke joins Kylie to talk about what she's learnt.

Have you ever thought about the ways your body has surprised you? Our bodies carry us through every day, and they vary not only between people, but change hugely over the course of our own lives. We’re exploring the question through the experiences of our Woman's Hour listeners. Today we hear from Rebecca, sharing the story of her recovery from breast cancer, and how her body made it through gruelling cancer treatment to find community and joy in the ocean.

Presenter: Kylie Pentalow Producer: Olivia Skinner

Many parents will have just experienced the departure of their children from the family home as they head for university, turning once-bustling households into so-called 'empty nests'. It can leave those left behind feeling unsettled and cut adrift. Denise Turner, Professor of Social Work at the University of Hertfordshire, is researching the impact this life transition has on parents. She joins Kylie Pentelow along with parenting author and journalist Lorraine Candy to discuss her findings.

Almost half of electronic tags used to track offenders' movements are not fitted on time, with significant delays putting victims in England and Wales at risk, according to a report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation. It found only 55% of GPS and radio frequency tags were fitted on time, and some criminals are waiting up to five months to be fitted with a tag. Thousands more prisoners will be released from Thursday as part of the new law. Most will require tagging. Farah Nazeer, CEO of Women's Aid, and Andrea Coomber KC, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, discuss.

A new fund has been launched to create 'unstoppable momentum' to end female genital mutilation (FGM). The United Nations has set a goal of elimination by 2030, but progress is not on track as funding declines and legal protections are challenged. This new fund, called Her Horizon Fund, set up by the US-based Wallace Global Fund, seeks to pool $100m from donors to reach a 'tipping point' towards ending FGM within a generation. But Nimco Ali, an FGM survivor and activist, has concerns about this fund. She joins Susan Gibbs, the Wallace Global Fund's senior adviser on women's rights and FGM.

The Mexican-American comedian, actor and writer Lara Ricote grew up in Miami before moving to the Netherlands to study politics, where she began performing improv and stand-up comedy. She won the Best Newcomer award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2022 for her debut show GRL/LATNX/DEF. She joins Kylie to discuss her role in the romantic comedy series Break Clause, which starts on 1 October.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Ten NHS staff have been removed from duty or suspended after accessing the medical records of three-year-old Noah Woods, without authorisation. A major search for Noah was carried out in the village of Brantham, Suffolk, after the child went missing on 15 September. His body was found the next day in a nearby pond by police divers. An urgent investigation has been launched by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which says any unauthorised access to patient data is 'completely unacceptable.' BBC Health Correspondent Jim Read joins Kylie Pentelow to discuss the case and the issues it raises, along with Sam Smith, from the organisation Med Confidential, which campaigns for confidentiality in healthcare.

South Africa also has one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world, and calls are intensifying for more to be done to protect women after the bodies of 10 women have been discovered in Ekurhuleni, east Johannesburg in South Africa in the past two months. It has triggered an outpouring of national grief and outrage, and it's brought the issue of femicide and gender-based violence to the forefront of national discussions. The BBC's Southern Africa correspondent Pumza Fihlani gives an update on developments.

What happens when retirement doesn't mean giving up work? Joanne, who is 72, and Karen, who is 66, discuss their experiences of working after retirement.

Serenity Falls is the latest thriller novel by C. J. Tudor. The story centres on a British father and daughter who unexpectedly inherit a luxurious house in a seemingly idyllic, crime-free town, Serenity Falls, in the US. Dan and Sadie seize the opportunity for a fresh start and emigrate, but on day one a corpse dressed in an armadillo suit turns up in their swimming pool, and that's just the start of a series of freakish events. C. J. joins Kylie to talk about writing thrillers and her passion for tattoos.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Dianne McGregor

Hollywood star Catherine Zeta-Jones joined Nuala McGovern to talk about her new action thriller series, Kill Jackie and taking on one of her most formidable roles yet, not least because she's finally on screen speaking in a Welsh accent.

For months Lucy Godley documented the abuse she suffered at the hands of her former partner. Secretly, she photographed injuries, gathered evidence and sent it to the one person she trusted to keep it safe: her mum, Sharon. The evidence would ultimately help secure his conviction and a 23-year prison sentence. For the first time, Lucy Godley and her mother Sharon spoke to Nuala, together.

Morcheeba emerged in the mid 1990s alongside groups like Massive Attack and Portishead, and became pioneers of the British trip-hop scene with hits including Rome Wasn't Built in a Day, The Sea, and Trigger Hippie. They are currently on an international tour, and upcoming dates include the Troxy as part of EFG London Jazz Festival on 13 November. Anita talked to singer Skye about her life and career, and she performs live with bandmate Ross Godfrey, from their album Escape The Chaos.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells

What is the impact of the Durham breast cancer scandal on the women affected? It's been announced that 4,500 patients will have their medical records reviewed. There has been a range of issues including some women who had unnecessary mastectomies. Health correspondent Sharon Barbour and Denise Howarth from the Pink Justice Campaign join Anita Rani to discuss.

‘Donate to charity shops as if you’re giving to a friend’ - that was the advice from author Tansy Hoskins when she joined us on the programme earlier this month. But what can you do with those items in your home that aren’t in good enough condition for a charity shop? From worn-out socks to knickers where the elastic has gone, Laura de Barra, author of Garment Goddess, and Anna Turns, senior environment editor at The Conversation, share what we can do with these items.

The leading Dutch dictionary, Dikke van Dale, is adding a new word for the labia to its online edition. Alongside the traditional term schaamlippen, which translates as "shame lips", it will now include vulvalippen or "vulva lips". Campaigners across Europe have spent years challenging language they say reinforces shame and stigma around women's bodies. So why do the words we use for female anatomy matter? Communication researcher Dr Beth Mallory and Shari Klein, co-founder of the Dutch campaign Schaamteloos, which pushed for the change, discuss.

It has been 50 years since the groundbreaking play by Ntozake Shange, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf premiered on Broadway. Now, it has a major London run in a production directed by Diane Page for The Yard Theatre's reopening. Blending poetry, music, dance and storytelling, the play follows women, identified only by the colour they are wearing, as they share stories of love, loss, joy and trauma. Diane Page discusses this landmark in African American feminist theatre which celebrates black women's voices while exploring themes of identity, sisterhood and survival.

Presented by Anita Rani Produced by Melanie Abbott

Naomi Alderman is an award-winning novelist, broadcaster, TV producer and videogames creator. Her latest novel The Strangers blends memoir and speculative fiction to explore grief, identity and our search for meaning when our lives are uprooted by events out of our control. Naomi joins Anita to discuss why stories can sometimes help us navigate loss more powerfully than facts, and whether the mysteries we cannot explain reveal something essential about what it means to be human.

A Scottish nurse has told an employment tribunal she did not believe her union representative took her objections to sharing female changing rooms with a transgender colleague as seriously as she did. It's the second employment tribunal Sandie Peggie has brought over the dispute with Dr Beth Upton – a transgender woman who was born biologically male. And whilst employment tribunals seldom make headlines, this one is about gender-critical beliefs in the country that has been at the forefront of testing these beliefs in policy and law. Anita speaks to Lorna Gordon who is covering this story for BBC Scotland.

Morcheeba emerged in the mid 1990s alongside groups like Massive Attack and Portishead, and became pioneers of the British trip-hop scene with hits including Rome Wasn't Built in a Day, The Sea, and Trigger Hippie. They are currently on an international tour, and upcoming dates include the Troxy as part of EFG London Jazz Festival on 13 November. Anita talks to singer Skye Edwards about her life and career, and she performs live with bandmate Ross Godfrey, from their album Escape The Chaos.

Why are women waiting months, and sometimes more than a year, for a procedure that can take just minutes? The College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare says access to hormonal coils has become a postcode lottery, with women seeking treatment for heavy periods, endometriosis and perimenopause facing long delays. It launches a campaign today called Why are Women Waiting? Nuala hears from Hattie Simpson, who waited nearly seven months for treatment, and Dr Zara Haider, President of the College.

Hollywood star Catherine Zeta-Jones joins Nuala McGovern to talk about her new action thriller series, Kill Jackie and taking on one of her most formidable roles yet, not least because she's finally on screen speaking in a Welsh accent. She joins Nuala live in the studio.

Nearly 30 years after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, 'Swan Song: Diana, My Sister' Earl Spencer recounts his life with his sister and the traumatic days following her death. Does his account help us better understand Diana, the woman who was also a global icon? Nuala discusses with Anne McElvoy, executive editor at Politico and co-host of the Politics at Sam and Anne’s podcast, and Justine Picardie – Social historian and author of Fashioning the Crown: A Story of Power, Conflict and Couture and author of memoir If the Spirit Moves You.

The shortlist for the Booker Prize has been announced, and while female writers formed a majority of the 2026 longlist, the final selection includes four male and two female authors. Pulp frontman and Booker Prize judge Jarvis Cocker said that it was a 'surprise' that four books written by men ended up on the shortlist, 'because generally speaking, the male-written books weren't as good as the ones written by women'. Nuala is joined by Gaby Wood, Chief Executive of the Booker Prize Foundation. Good morning Gaby!

Hair they say is a woman’s crown. Some 63% of women in the UK have wavy, curly or coily hair. Despite this, it can often be difficult to find a hairdresser who can comfortably style their hair. Paris Tyrell posted a video on social media about her experience, which provoked a lot of discussion. Nuala hears from Paris and Anita Ramshini, Director of Avesta Hair and Academy based in Salford.

Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

Author Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel Big Little Lies followed the lives of a group of women in the affluent Sydney suburbs, exploring some dark themes beneath the suburban façade. It was made into a popular TV drama starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Zoë Kravitz. Now Liane has written a sequel, Big Little Truths, which rejoins the women 10 years later. She talks to presenter Nuala McGovern about reimagining her characters in midlife and grappling with the challenges of parenting teens. For years, organised gangs of abusers, mostly of Pakistani heritage, preyed on young girls in Oxford while it's claimed the authorities looked the other way. BBC’s Panorama examines the devastating legacy of this neglect for three survivors, revealing the extent of the abuse they suffered, the enduring impact it has had on their lives and the questions they still have. Producer and director Leanne Hayman tells us about the film.

Are girls and boys born looking at the world in different ways? Yumnah Khan is a Doctoral Scientist at The University of Cambridge's Autism Research Centre and she's been investigating sex differences in babies' brain structure and cognition. Previous research has shown that girls, on average, learn to talk earlier and develop social skills faster than boys. This new study suggests that some differences in development may begin before birth, shaped by prenatal biology as well as later life experiences. So what should parents take from these findings? And how much do they actually tell us about the early experiences of girls and boys? Has your body ever surprised you? Perhaps you overcame a difficult health challenge, started a new sport, or maybe you just noticed some of the incredible everyday things our bodies do for us? Listeners have been telling us the different ways their bodies have surprised them. First, we hear from Gail, a nurse who decided to donate a kidney to someone in need. From chicken fillets to padded ‘bum shorts’ and even stick on nipples, women are constantly being marketed products which promise to change how we look. The latest to hit the high street are hip-padding bodysuits, which users say can minimise ‘hip dips’ to create a Kim Kardashian-style silhouette. Susie Orbach, a psychotherapist, psychoanalyst and the author of books including Bodies and Fat Is a Feminist Issue, joins Nuala to discuss the trend along with Ali Bodley, a heritage specialist who has curated exhibitions looking at women's fashion through the ages. Presented by: Nuala McGovern Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths

For months Lucy Godley documented the abuse she suffered at the hands of her former partner. Secretly, she photographed injuries, gathered evidence and sent it to the one person she trusted to keep it safe: her mum, Sharon. The evidence would ultimately help secure his conviction and a 23-year prison sentence. For the first time, Lucy Godley and her mother Sharon join Nuala McGovern to tell their story together.

The Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing calls to set a national waiting-time target for dementia care in England. A proposal for an 18‑week referral‑to‑treatment target has been backed by Baroness Louise Casey, who's leading a major review of adult social care. Women account for roughly two thirds of dementia cases. Baroness Casey joins Nuala to talk about what needs to change.

The play Tits Up! follows four very different women who bond while being treated for breast cancer. Set in an oncology waiting room, the play begins a 23 day UK tour in October. One of the writers, Leah Bell who also stars with actor and comedian Crissy Rock join Nuala to discuss the play, friendships and using humour as a way to get through difficult times.

Specialist courts to handle cases of rape and other sexual offences will be introduced across England and Wales over the next two years. Each crown court will have at least one courtroom set up to hear such cases, while alleged victims will be able to view proceedings remotely and give evidence from a separate room via video link. Nuala gets reaction from Chief Executive of Rape Crisis England & Wales, Ciara Bergman.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

Dame Meera Syal is a multi-award winning writer and actor, and a name and face very familiar to many of us having graced our screens for decades now. She's just published her first memoir and is also currently on stage in The Children at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in London. With her trademark warmth and humour she joined Anita Rani in the studio.

More than 1,000 children have died in a measles outbreak in Bangladesh. Government figures show there have been at least 194,000 cases since March, and around 1,000 new cases are being reported everyday. The World Health Organisation says this makes Bangladesh the country with the highest number of cases in the world right now. The government is responding with an emergency vaccination campaign. Anita talked to Dr Zakiul Hassan, a medical doctor who works at an international research institute in Bangladesh and is currently completing a PhD at the University of Oxford's Pandemic Sciences Institute.

Elite rock climber Shauna Coxsey has become the first woman to complete the UK's hardest deep-water solo climb. Shauna scaled The Olympiad, an overhanging cliff route above the sea in Pembrokeshire. Deep-water solo climbing involves scaling coastal routes without ropes or a harness, with climbers falling into the sea if they come off. Nuala McGovern spoke to Shauna, who is Britain's most successful competitive climber and the UK's first Bouldering World Champion.

One in 10 people in the UK are thought to be currently using GLP-1 weight-loss medication, and their rise is changing the way many people eat, shop, dress and even talk. Nuala spoke to two women exploring the impact the GLP-1 phenomenon is having on body image and the way we think about weight and diet culture. Journalist Rose Stokes hosts new podcast A Matter of Fat, while Dr Kat Schneider is a researcher on body image, weight bias and weight stigma, based at the Centre for Appearance Research at University of the West of England in Bristol.

Have you ever said you were ‘triggered’, or casually described a repetitive behaviour as a bit ‘OCD’? Psychiatrist Dr Suzanne Garfinkle-Crowell joined Nuala to discuss her new book Girlhood, Translated, and her concerns about the growing use of ‘therapy speak’ and self-diagnosis among girls and young women.

And Jordyn with a Why, the R&B neo-soul singer songwriter of Māori heritage, has found a whole new global audience after going viral with her cover of Olivia Dean's Man I Need, hitting two million views on Instagram. Known for her ethereal sound and strong connection to her culture, she has a particular passion for Te Reo Māori and is currently in London to record a project at Abbey Road Studios. She joined us to perform live and dicuss what it means to represent te reo Māori on an international stage.

Presented by: Anita Rani Produced by: Mora Morrison

Georgia Hunter Bell rediscovered her teenage love of running during lockdown, and two years later won Team GB a Bronze medal in the 1,500m at the Paris Olympics, at the age of 30. This year she's won gold medals at the World Indoor Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships - and tonight she's competing in Athlos, a brand new all-female track and field event taking place in London for the first time. Designed by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanion, it's aiming to reshape women’s athletics by giving them a financial stake in their own sport. Georgia tells presenter Anita Rani about her unusual path, and whether she thinks an event of this kind can change the public perception of women’s track and field events, or even the future of the sport.

More than 1,000 children have died in a measles outbreak in Bangladesh. Government figures show there have been at least 194,000 cases since March, and around 1,000 new cases are being reported everyday. The World Health Organisation says this makes Bangladesh the country with the highest number of cases in the world right now. The government is responding with an emergency vaccination campaign. Presenter Anita Rani talks to Dr Zakiul Hassan, a medical doctor who works at an international research institute in Bangladesh and is currently completing a PhD at the University of Oxford's Pandemic Sciences Institute.

Seven months after MPs called for tougher safeguards around cosmetic procedures, from liquid Brazilian Butt Lifts or BBLs to breast augmentations, the Women and Equalities Committee says key recommendations remain unanswered. Christine Jardine, Interim Chair of the Committee, and Nora Nugent, President of BAAPS join Anita to discuss how patient safety is being put at risk.

Candy Sangare has just become both the first woman and the first black person to win the French Wine Tasting Championship, held annually by a wine magazine, La Revue du Vin de France. Candy isn't a sommelier, but a former air steward turned entrepreneur and now has her eyes set on the world title.

Jordyn with a Why, the R&B neo-soul singer songwriter of Māori heritage, has found a whole new global audience after going viral with her cover of Olivia Dean's Man I Need, hitting two million views on Instagram. Known for her ethereal sound and strong connection to her culture, she has a particular passion for Te Reo Māori and is currently in London to record a project at Abbey Road Studios. She joins us to perform live and dicuss what it means to represent te reo Māori on an international stage.

Presented by: Anita Rani Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths

Dame Meera Syal is a multi-award winning writer and actor, and a name and face very familiar to many of us having graced our screens for decades now. She's just published her first memoir and is also currently on stage in The Children at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in London. With her trademark warmth and humour she joins Anita Rani in the studio.

A breakthrough breast cancer drug, Enhertu, has been approved for NHS use in England. Charities and patients have campaigned for it to be more widely available since 2024, when the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said Enhertu was not good value for money. The drug can give patients almost seven extra months to live on average - with some living up to three years longer. Women in Scotland have had access to the drug on the NHS since 2023, and it is available in 26 other European countries. Anita is joined by campaigner Sophie Blake who has stage 4 breast cancer and Dr Simon Vincent, Chief Scientific Officer at Breast Cancer Now.

In our recent series of features about Daddy Issues, reporter Jo Morris has been speaking to listeners exploring the impact of paternal absence. Here, Anita is joined by Emma and her father Arthur, who share their story. Emma bonded with her father over sport, as she was a competitive swimmer, and Arthur was a British four time World Powerlifting Champion. But then Arthur became addicted to drugs and left the family home. They discuss the impact of paternal absence and describe how through their Christian faith they came to forgiveness and reconciliation.

Founded two years ago by four Black SEND mothers, the Black Child Down Syndrome Project was created to address the lack of representation and support for Black families raising children with Down Syndrome. Earlier this year, their Reflecting Radiance exhibition in London showcased portraits of children supported by the project. Photographed by photographer and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Misan Harriman, the exhibition featured a takeover of the Piccadilly Lights. The organisation has since been nominated for a BBC Make a Difference Award and a National Diversity Award. Co-founders Danise Bartlett-Grant and Oneness Sankara join Anita.

And Bonnie Greer, the playwright, novelist and cultural commentator, who died this week, is remembered.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

A new film adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility will be released in cinemas on Friday 25 September. Austen's first published novel tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, who are forced to leave their family estate after their father's death and move to a cottage in rural Devonshire. More than 200 years after its original publication, the story is returning to the big screen. The production stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor and Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne. Screenwriter Diana Reid and director Georgia Oakley join Nuala McGovern to discuss the film.

A new report from Amnesty International names 87 Iranian officials it says should be criminally investigated for crimes against humanity during the crackdown following the death of young Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, four years ago today. Raha Bahreini, a human rights lawyer and Amnesty International's Iran researcher, outlines the report and its call for action. BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet discusses what life is like for women in Iran today.

Elite rock climber Shauna Coxsey has become the first woman to complete the UK's hardest deep-water solo climb. Shauna scaled The Olympiad, an overhanging cliff route above the sea in Pembrokeshire. Deep-water solo climbing involves scaling coastal routes without ropes or a harness, with climbers falling into the sea if they come off. Nuala speaks to Shauna, who is Britain's most successful competitive climber and the UK's first Bouldering World Champion.

Rebecca F Kuang, author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed novel Yellowface, discusses her latest book, Taipei Story. It follows Lily, a Yale student who leaves America for an intensive summer language course in Taiwan's capital. Food, language, identity, grief and humour are all part of the story as Lily navigates translation, miscommunication and her family's cultural heritage.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

A new advert featuring the American actress Sydney Sweeney has sparked a backlash from some female athletes for sexualising women’s sport. The advert, for the sports betting company Novig - a company in which Sweeney has a financial stake - shows her in revealing poses with a series of sporting props. So does the advert undermine the progress women’s sport has made in moving away from the sexualisation of female athletes – or should women be free to present themselves however they choose? Harriet Walker is the fashion editor of The Times. She's been writing about this and joins Nuala McGovern.

One in 10 people in the UK are thought to be currently using GLP-1 weight-loss medication, and their rise is changing the way many people eat, shop, dress and even talk. We speak to two women exploring the impact the GLP-1 phenomenon is having on body image and the way we think about weight and diet culture. Journalist Rose Stokes hosts new podcast A Matter of Fat, while Dr Kat Schneider is a researcher on body image, weight bias and weight stigma, based at the Centre for Appearance Research at University of the West of England in Bristol.

We hear the final part of Daddy Issues, our series that has been exploring paternal absence in different forms. What happens when you lose your dad as a young woman on the cusp of adulthood? Woman’s Hour listener Donya contacted us on Instagram to tell us about her beloved dad Hussain, who died of cancer when Donya was only 18 and had just finished her A levels. She met reporter Jo Morris to discuss their close relationship - performing in amateur dramatics, cycling and hiking together, his absence, their Iranian culture, and how she’s navigating life without him.

British singer-songwriter Sarah Jane Morris rose to international fame with The Communards iconic song Don’t Leave Me This Way in 1986. Over the last four decades she has built an eclectic solo career all over Europe and earlier this year released an album Sisterhood 2. It is the second in a series of albums in which songs are written in the style of other famous female singers to pay tribute to their influence on Morris. Tracy Chapman and Dolly Parton are just two of the artists who appear on the album. Morris and her band join Nuala in the studio to perform a song from the album - Longing To Be Free, a song dedicated to American folk singer songwriter, Peggy Seeger.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Is artificial intelligence more likely to disadvantage women at work? Women make up more than 60% of the UK’s administrative workforce – jobs considered among those most exposed to AI. As unions debate how the technology could affect women’s employment, Nuala McGovern hears from AI consultant Ella Wicks and Bethan, who was replaced in a previous administrative role by an AI tool, about what AI could mean for women at work.

Have you ever said you were ‘triggered’, or casually described a repetitive behaviour as a bit ‘OCD’? Psychiatrist Dr Suzanne Garfinkle-Crowell joins Nuala to discuss her new book Girlhood, Translated, and her concerns about the growing use of ‘therapy speak’ and self-diagnosis among girls and young women.

Céline Dion has returned to the stage in Paris after a six-year hiatus. Superfan Frankie Jackson-Spence and culture writer Beatrice Hazlehurst discuss her comeback and what she means to her fans.

Spain’s football governing body has announced it will offer egg freezing to its top female players. Supporters say it could give athletes more choice over when to have children, while critics question whether it risks encouraging women to put their careers before motherhood. Former Chelsea goalkeeper Carly Telford and sports physiotherapist Michelle Lyons join Nuala to discuss fertility and female footballers' careers.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson

The government has announced plans to require smartphones and tablets to block people from taking, sharing or viewing nude images by default, with adults able to switch the protection off after verifying their age. BBC Senior Technology Reporter Chris Vallance explains how it could work, while Soma Sara, founder of sexual violence campaign group, Everyone’s Invited, tells us if it could protect young people from pressure, coercion and abuse.

Callie Khouri won an Oscar for her first screenplay for the film Thelma & Louise. Now she has rewritten the script for a new musical version that has just premiered in London, 35 years after the original film aired. Callie joined Kylie Pentelow to talk about adapting the original and how the story is still painfully relevant.

Journalist Rachel Hosie is expecting her first baby in France, where she’s been struck by how much attention and consideration pregnancy receives. Sarah Seror has had babies in both France and Britain and went on to found The Motherhood Practice, which provides private midwifery care in the UK. Nuala McGovern hears from them about the differences in cultural attitudes to pregnancy in the two countries.

England Rugby’s Red Roses will be taking part in a major international tournament throughout September and October. But one of the biggest conversations ahead of the WXV Global series is around changes to the size of the equipment. World Rugby will be trialling a smaller ball throughout the tournament. This ball is 3% smaller than the standard size used at elite level for men and women. The changes have had mixed reviews with some saying they are better designed for women to use, while others are concerned about the harm this could do to the image of the Women's game. Rochelle ‘Rocky’ Clark, former Rugby Union player and world cup winning Red Rose and CEO of Women in Sport, Stephanie Hilborne, discuss the impact both on and off the pitch.

The latest artwork for London's iconic Fourth Plinth has been revealed. Lady in Blue, by New York artist Tschabalala Self, is a striking ten-foot-tall tribute to a young metropolitan woman inspired by today's London. The figure is the latest in a series of high-profile commissions that have transformed one of the world's most famous public art spaces. Tschabalala joined Kylie to discuss what it means to see her work take centre stage in the heart of the capital.

Presenter: Kylie Pentlow Producer: Annette Wells

More than 50 children's charities and parent organisations have written to the Prime Minister, warning that disabled children are being overlooked in the Government's planned reforms to social care. Kylie Pentelow is joined by Anna Bird, Chair of the Disabled Children's Partnership and Chief Executive of the charity Contact to tell us more.

The latest artwork for London's iconic Fourth Plinth has been revealed. Lady in Blue, by New York artist Tschabalala Self, is a striking ten-foot-tall tribute to a young metropolitan woman inspired by today's London. The figure is the latest in a series of high-profile commissions that have transformed one of the world's most famous public art spaces. Tschabalala joins Kylie to discuss what it means to see her work take centre stage in the heart of the capital.

River Ahmad made history in May when she became the first Afghan woman to climb Mount Everest. She had always dreamed of climbing the mountain with her 20-year-old brother who later took his own life. As a teenager in Afghanistan, she survived a Taliban attack on her bus. River now lives in Australia and she spoke to the BBC's Sodaba Haidare about her inspiration to climb the mountain:

The third part in our series "Daddy Issues" where we explore the impact of fathers on daughters. Woman’s Hour listener Carmen grew up on the North Yorkshire coast. Her father was a retired fisherman. When Carmen was eight, her mum was taken into psychiatric care. Her dad looked after Carmen and her sister, and provided a safe haven for them. But things later became more complex. Reporter Jo Morris met Carmen at the beach, where she explained losing him twice, and the impact of this on her relationships.

Dutch writer Doortje Smithuijsen joins Kylie to discuss her book, Capitalism is Sexism, exploring everything from work to childcare and the things mothers buy. Doortje asks how free those choices really are and why they still often produce familiar inequalities.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Corinna Jones

The number of high earning parents turning down pay rises in order to keep free childcare is on the rise. Research from the University of Warwick and the London School of Economics estimates that by 2030, 12,000 parents will tactically keep their income below £100,000 in order to avoid the 'tax trap.' Kylie Pentelow speaks to Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor at the Financial Times.

Emily McBride’s debut novel Queen Mab follows new mother Madeleine as she becomes concerned that her newborn is in fact a changeling. As real life continues around her, Madeleine slips into disturbing visions as she suspects her daughter was swapped by fairies. Kylie is joined by Emily to talk about her fictional exploration of postpartum psychosis and by Dr Jessica Heron, Chief Executive of the national charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis.

Lucy Robinson was told she couldn’t go on a work trip abroad to deliver the keynote speech of her career because, despite being disabled, she wasn’t allowed to take her support workers with her. Kylie talks to Lucy about how she fought back and also to her lawyer, Anne-Marie Irwin from Rook Irwin Sweeney and the BBC's Carolyn Atkinson.

Callie Khouri won an Oscar for her first screenplay for the film Thelma & Louise. Now she has rewritten the script for a new musical version that has just premiered in London, 35 years after the original film aired. Callie joins Kylie to talk about adapting the original and how the story is still painfully relevant.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Rebecca Myatt

The government has announced plans to require smartphones and tablets to block people from taking, sharing or viewing nude images by default, with adults able to switch the protection off after verifying their age. BBC Senior Technology Reporter Chris Vallance explains how it could work, while Soma Sara, founder of sexual violence campaign group, Everyone’s Invited, tells us if it could protect young people from pressure, coercion and abuse.

England Rugby’s Red Roses will be taking part in a major international tournament throughout September and October. But one of the biggest conversations ahead of the WXV Global series is around changes to the size of the equipment. World Rugby will be trialling a smaller ball throughout the tournament. This ball is 3% smaller than the standard size used at elite level for men and women. The changes have had mixed reviews with some saying they are better designed for women to use, while others are concerned about the harm this could do to the image of the Women's game. Rocky Clark, former Rugby Union player and world cup winning red rose and CEO of Women in Sport, Stephanie Hilborne discuss the impact both on and off the pitch.

The second in our series Daddy Issues where we look at the impact on women of having an absent father in their lives. On Monday we heard from Julie who didn’t know her father’s identity throughout her life. But what if your father has been present throughout your life - but then became absent due to an illness like dementia. How to navigate that? Hayley was the apple of her father’s eye: “We were joined at the hip.” Her father Tony was formally diagnosed three years ago and lives with Hayley, her partner and their blended family. She has been documenting their journey on Instagram as a way of finding support for herself and helping other carers. Reporter Jo Morris went to meet them at the family home in Somerset.

Singer songwriter Phoebe Bridgers made her Venice Film Festival debut this week. The topic of conversation around her red carpet appearance was not her role as an actor or her Gucci skirt but her visible leg hair. Body hair on the red carpet is often a hot topic - many will remember the furore over Julia Roberts’s armpit hair at the premier of Notting Hill in 1999. But why are we still so bothered when a woman chooses not to wax or shave? Journalist Eilidh Doran has written about not always shaving herself and joins Nuala to discuss.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson

High-profile Reform UK member and former cabinet minister Nadine Dorris was alerted by the police that a deepfake pornographic image had been made of her. She joins Nuala to discuss the impact this has had on her and her work on the Online Safety Act when she was in Government, as well as her thoughts on the recent row over funding for Reform.

It’s Radio 2 in the Park this weekend, and Nuala speaks to award-winning singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé who will be gracing the main stage at City Park in Stirling. She is a prolific writer and collaborator with a hugely distinctive voice and many awards to her name, plus an MBE for her services to music. Emeli will soon be embarking on a UK tour to celebrate 15 years since her first hit album, Our Version of Events.

Journalist Rachel Hosie is expecting her first baby in France, where she’s been struck by how much attention and consideration pregnancy receives. Sarah Seror has had babies in both France and Britain and went on to found The Motherhood Practice, which provides private midwifery care in the UK. Nuala hears from them about the differences in cultural attitudes to pregnancy in the two countries.

Beau Greaves is a woman of firsts: the first to beat Luke Littler, the first woman to win a Professional Darts Corporation PDC ranking, the first woman to hit a nine-darter, which is a perfect score, in the PDC Pro Tour, and as of Friday, the first woman to win a match on the PDC European Tour. She speaks to Nuala about her rising success and what it’s like competing as a woman in a male-dominated sport.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Cerys Maidment

The Irish boxer Katie Taylor sold out Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday night. More than eighty thousand people turned out to see Katie perform one last spectacular time before she retires. Katie is considered by many as Ireland's greatest athlete and one of the greatest female boxers of all time. Nuala McGovern discusses Katie's career with Ireland's first female world boxing champion Deidre Gogarty - now a coach - and an inspiration to Katie as a child, and the sports writer, broadcaster, and boxing pundit Steve Bunce.

Baroness Margaret Hodge's memoir is called Battleaxe - reclaiming a label once used against her by critics. The Labour life peer looks back on her 50 years as an elected representative; and her life from being born in Alexandria to Jewish parents, to arriving in post war Britain stateless, becoming the first Children's Minister and the first woman to chair the Public Accounts Committee, to arguing with Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism. Now aged 81 and a member of the House of Lords, Baroness Hodge argues that politics can still be a force for good.

Woman’s Hour has a new series about the impact of having an absent father. The phrase 'daddy issues' is often used as a soundbite, but the reality behind it can be deeply complex. What can it mean when a father is missing from a daughter's life? We asked you for your stories. Julie wanted to tell us about the secret she had to keep for many years. She met her dad only a handful of times. He became a mystery that has absorbed her for as long as she can remember. She speaks to reporter Jo Morris.

Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

The award-winning singer-songwriter and actress Natalie Imbruglia first hit our screens in the early 1990s, playing the role of Beth Brennan in the Australian soap Neighbours. Her 1997 debut single Torn quickly became a worldwide hit, and she’s sold more than 10 million albums. Her latest album, Algorithm, is out now. Natalie joins Nuala McGovern to discuss some of its themes, including doom scrolling on our phones to shame in perimenopause.

Whilst the vast majority of nurseries provide safe and caring environments, there have been a number of highly distressing cases in recent years where children have been abused or come to harm. From 1st September this year, strengthened welfare and safeguarding requirements have come into effect for early years providers in England, with the changes designed to help keep babies and young children safe. Clare McDonnell is joined by Jonathan Broadbery from the National Day Nurseries Association and Zoe Raven, Chief Executive of the Acorn Early Years Foundation.

As part of a our programme on women and water, we meet Ivana-Maria Carrioni-Burnett, a former Royal Navy officer who now works as a sea pilot on the Thames. She describes climbing aboard huge vessels and taking control of their navigation.

Journalist Tansy Hoskins has spent more than a decade investigating the fashion industry, from garment factories to global supply chains. In her new book Charity Shop World she looks into where unwanted clothes end up, volunteering in a charity shop to reveal the hidden stories behind people's donations. Tansy joins Clare to discuss.

Divorced. Beheaded. Died. Divorced. Beheaded. Survived. Words familiar to most of us, and perhaps what you learned at school. But what do we really know, in depth, about Henry VIII's wives? There's a campaign to ensure that children learn more about the queens than those six words. Tracy Borman, Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces, explains more about their project.

Dr Louise Willcott is an NHS doctor and lifelong car enthusiast who recently launched a business, the Women’s Auto Academy, running women-only workshops teaching basic car maintenance. We talk to her and motoring journalist Maria McCarthy about the many benefits of women better understanding how our cars work.

Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Dianne McGregor

Tomorrow the Sussex Maternity Review will launch in Brighton to examine more than 1,000 cases spanning over a decade. The independent review's chair, the former midwife Donna Ockenden, will meet with families who have been affected by poor maternity care in the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. Bereaved mothers, Hannah Robotham and Katie Fowler join presenter Clare McDonnell to share their stories, along with BBC Social Affairs Correspondent Michael Buchanan.

Journalist Tansy Hoskins has spent more than a decade investigating the fashion industry, from garment factories to global supply chains. In her new book Charity Shop World she looks into where unwanted clothes end up, volunteering in a charity shop to reveal the hidden stories behind people's donations. Tansy joins us to discuss over-consumption, textile waste, and the hidden workforce - mainly women - who are dealing with the consequences of fashion industry excess.

We hear about the life and work of American feminist icon and journalist Gloria Steinem, who passed away in New York City this week. Feminists Beatrix Campbell and Sarah Ditum reflect on her long-lasting global legacy, from her beginnings as a freelance writer to her life-long battle for women’s rights.

The new Women's Super League (WSL) season kicks-off tonight as London City Lionesses play Manchester United. So what exactly can we expect to see this season and what do we need to know? Clare speaks to Helen Hardy, the founder of Foudy's, which she says is the first and only dedicated women’s football retailer in the world. She appeared on our Woman's Hour Power List back in 2023 for her work amplifying the sport.

Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Rebecca Myatt

Whilst the vast majority of nurseries provide safe and caring environments, there have been a number of highly distressing cases in recent years where children have been abused or come to harm. From 1st September this year, strengthened welfare and safeguarding requirements have come into effect for early years providers in England, with the changes designed to help keep babies and young children safe. Joining Clare McDonnell to discuss are BBC investigative reporter Hayley Hassall, Jonathan Broadbery from the National Day Nurseries Association and Zoe Raven, Chief Executive of the Acorn Early Years Foundation.

On Radio 4's Norman Day, we ask what it was like to live through one of the most dramatic turning points in British history and its aftermath. Historian Dr Emily A Winkler, author of Pocket Bayeux Tapestry, and author Claire Fuge whose novel The Siren's Daughter tells the extraordinary story of real-life Welsh princess Nest ferch Rhys, tell Clare what was like to be a woman in Norman Britain.

Dr Louise Willcott is an NHS doctor and lifelong car enthusiast who recently launched a business, the Women’s Auto Academy, running women-only workshops teaching basic car maintenance. We talk to her and motoring journalist Maria McCarthy about the many benefits of women better understanding how our cars work.

Women are being squeezed out of the film industry as they progress beyond their first films -that's according to the director of the BFI London Film Festival, Kristy Matheson. Women have directed just two of its 21 high-profile gala films this year. So what can be done to help female directors go beyond being 'one hit wonders'?

Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Corinna Jones

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the body that represents NHS paediatricians, has warned of a sharp rise in the number of children aged 6 to 17 turning up at A&E units in England in a state of mental health crisis. The RCPCH's Officer for Health Services, Dr Ronny Cheung, a consultant paediatrician based in London, joins Nuala McGovern to discuss the issue. He is joined by Kate Silverton, child therapist and parenting author.

Siobhan Daniels joined Woman's Hour a couple of years ago as part of Listener Week to talk about her alternative lifestyle, getting rid of her possessions and living nomadically while travelling the country in a motorhome. Now she's back with a new book, Retire and Refire, which chronicles her 4,000-mile solo RV adventure from Canada to Alaska along the Alaska Highway.

The number of babies born in Scotland last year was the lowest on record. Records began in 1855. Esther Roughsedge, Head of Demographic Statistics at National Records of Scotland, explains more.

A menopause specialist has said that she is aware of women posing as men to buy testosterone from online pharmacies because of difficulties obtaining NHS prescriptions in Wales. Jenny Rees, BBC Wales Health Correspondent, joins Nuala to discuss the issue.

This summer, Woman's Hour has been hearing from some of the academics who have been working with Radio 4 on their research. Professor Nandini Das, Professor of Early Modern Literature and Culture at the University of Oxford, highlights the artist Levina Teerlinc from her new book, This Little World: A New History of Tudor and Stuart England.

Divorced. Beheaded. Died. Divorced. Beheaded. Survived. Words familiar to most of us, and perhaps what you learned at school. But what do we really know, in depth, about Henry VIII's wives? There's a campaign to ensure that children learn more about the queens than those six words. Tracy Borman, Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces, explains more about their project.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

The award-winning singer-songwriter and actress Natalie Imbruglia first hit our screens in the early 1990s, playing the role of Beth Brennan in the Australian soap Neighbours. Her 1997 debut single Torn quickly became a worldwide hit, and she’s sold more than 10 million albums. Her latest album, Algorithm, is out later this week. Natalie joins Nuala McGovern to discuss some of its themes – relationship breakups, perfectionism and perimenopause, and what it feels like to be championed by the new generation of pop stars.

A new definition of heart attacks could help transform the way women are diagnosed and treated. Experts in the field say women have been 'deprioritised' for decades, but this new global guidance has a new focus on the types of heart attacks experienced by women, and the criteria used to detect them. Professor Nick Mills, British Heart Foundation Professor of Cardiology at the University of Edinburgh, joins Nuala to explain along with Allison Lawson, who had a heart attack two years ago.

Between 1949 and 1976, an estimated 250,000 mothers in the UK had their new-born children taken from them through a system involving the state, social workers and religious organisations. A landmark BBC documentary, available now on iPlayer, Stolen Babies, tells the story of those women and the children who were taken from them. In July, the outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a formal apology. Judy Baker, who features in the documentary talks about her own experience of giving up a baby.

Bestselling author Adele Parks joins us to talk about her new book Eyes On You which follows the story of Amy who, at fifteen, witnessed her father brutally murder his mistress. She tells Nuala why she wanted to explore the effect of such a crime on the perpetrator's family, and how she has tried to make each of her 26 books better than the last.

After a summer when hot weather has drawn many of us towards the water, we explore its pull as a place of freedom, adventure and friendship, as well as the risks it can pose.

Writer and wild swimmer Brigid Lowe tells us how swimming in Scotland’s lochs gave her a sense of freedom, a journey she charts in her new memoir, Shiver: The Lessons of the Lochs. Musician Tricia Duffy explains how rivers and the sea flow through her songwriting, including her recent EP, River Stories.

Seren Jones, co-founder of the Black Swimming Association, joins us to discuss who feels able to enjoy the water, why some communities face greater barriers to swimming and how we can all enjoy open water more safely.

We also meet some of the women whose working lives depend on water. Ivana-Maria Carrioni-Burnett, a former Royal Navy officer who now works as a sea pilot on the Thames, describes climbing aboard huge vessels and taking control of their navigation. Plus Sara Barsley and Hayley Garrod from the Canal and River Trust reveal the work that goes into keeping Britain’s waterways flowing.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson

Women who have missed a cervical screening appointment in England are to be offered HPV self-testing kits by the NHS. Over the next year, nearly four million women will receive invites on the NHS App or via text message, email or letter to order a free kit to use at home. The aim is to encourage more women to complete their potentially lifesaving screening to detect HPV, which can increase the risk of cervical cancer. Dr Sue Mann, National Clinical Director for Women's Health in England and a consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health, joined Nuala McGovern.

For more than a decade, armed gangs in northern Nigeria have repeatedly targeted schools, kidnapping children for ransom and forcing some educational establishments to close. BBC journalist Yemisi Adegoke has recently returned from the state of Zamfara, where ongoing insecurity has left many girls unable to attend school, threatening their futures. She talks to Anita about her experience.

After the death of both her parents, best-selling novelist Louise Doughty made a startling discovery whilst clearing out the family home. Inside a black suitcase, she stumbled upon a treasure trove of letters that revealed the origins of her parents' love affair. She joined Nuala to discuss her first memoir On This Spot Fell One Tear of Love described as a portrait of grief and loss and family – and a love story.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells

Hormone replacement therapy may reduce the risk of dementia, a new study has found. Researchers tracked more than 180,000 postmenopausal women and their analysis suggests that those who had used HRT appeared to be less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and the greatest reduction was seen in women who had undergone surgical menopause. Anita Rani talks to Anne-Marie Minihane, Professor of Nutrigenetics at Norwich medical school at the University of East Anglia and lead author of the study, asking her whether any conclusions can be drawn from these findings.

Five time Tony Award-winning musical Kimberly Akimbo has its European premiere this evening at the Hampstead Theatre in North London. Jeanine Tesori wrote the music for the production and joins Anita to explain why she wanted to set the original play to music and song.

The latest of our series where our academic researchers in residence talk about something that’s caught their eye this summer. Beth Malory is Associate Professor of English Linguistics and Health Communication at University College London. She’s been troubled by a phrase we’ve discussed a few times on Woman’s Hour: medical misogyny.

As the ongoing cost of living crisis keeps food bills soaring, Amy Sheppard has made it her mission to show people interesting, budget-friendly ways to cook with what they’ve got. What started as a personal challenge to feed her own family has grown into several Sunday Times bestselling cookbooks and a community of more than a million followers on Instagram. Amy joins Anita.

Cosplay, short for 'costume play', involves elaborate design with fans crafting outfits and dressing up as characters from the world of video games, comic books and films. Live from one of the world's biggest gaming conventions, Anita speaks to Rosie, aka valentinemoon, who is one of the leading cosplayers and a judge on an all-female panel for the competition, and the BBC's Laura Cress, who is attending this year.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

People who were sexually abused as children and later seek help for mental health problems are being failed by the NHS, according to The Royal College of Psychiatrists. The RCOP has issued a public apology, saying decades of mismanagement and misdiagnosis have left many survivors without the support they need. Anita Rani is joined by Caroline Thompson, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and Dr Jo Stubley, a consultant psychiatrist and clinical lead of the Tavistock Trauma Service, who are co-authors of the RCOP's position statement.

Today in towns and cities across the country, parents are being encouraged to go on strike to raise awareness about, what the strike's organisers say are the rising costs of raising children and the impossible demands this puts on parents. Anna Whitehouse, the founder of Flex Appeal, and George Gabriel, who co-founded The Dad Shift, discuss the flexible working and parental leave policies that they are calling for with The Parent Strike and how the Government is responding.

For more than a decade, armed gangs in northern Nigeria have repeatedly targeted schools, kidnapping children for ransom and forcing some educational establishments to close. BBC journalist Yemisi Adegoke has recently returned from the state of Zamfara, where ongoing insecurity has left many girls unable to attend school, threatening their futures.

Bella Mackie's third novel, Claws Out!, is published this week. It's a witty crime caper about an ageing ‘gold-digger,’ who is rumoured to have murdered three husbands and has a new suitor in sight. Bella - whose debut How to Kill Your Family is currently being turned into a Netflix series starring Anya Taylor-Joy - tells Anita why she loves exploring the British class system in her books and why she’s determined to use her platform to talk openly about mental health.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

Singer-songwriter, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died aged 80. She was a feminist icon, although she denied the former. Known as The Queen of Country, she paved the way for many women in music. To remember her, Nuala is joined by Country singer-songwriter Kezia Gill and music journalist Jude Rogers.

The Ministry of Justice has announced the introduction of “restriction zones” for serious sexual and violent offenders that would confine them to areas just a few miles wide after leaving prison. Government ministers say the scheme is designed to give victims greater freedom but some campaigners want more detail about how they will work . To discuss further Nuala is joined by advocate on domestic abuse and stalking, Rhianon Bragg.

Broadcaster and former footballer Karen Carney OBE has been awarded the Professional Footballers' Association's merit award for her contribution to football. She joins Nuala to explain what winning the prestigious award means to her.

Currently it’s illegal to import a sex doll that looks like a child but not to manufacture, sell or own one. Munira Wilson MP explains why she wants to change the law and close a “dangerous loophole”, and Nuala also hears from Dr Alex Bailey from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation – an organisation that works to prevent child sexual abuse.

'Poetry is everywhere’ - that’s according to spoken word poet Georgie Jones. Her honest takes on the realities of womanhood, friendship, body image, love and self-doubt have struck a chord with audiences and seen her shoot to fame on social media. Georgie joins Nuala to discuss why spoken word poetry is striking such a chord with women online.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Olivia Skinner

Women who have missed a cervical screening appointment in England are to be offered HPV self-testing kits by the NHS. Over the next year, nearly four million women will receive invites on the NHS App or via text message, email or letter to order a free kit to use at home. The aim is to encourage more women to complete their potentially lifesaving screening to detect HPV, which can increase the risk of cervical cancer. Figures show that around a third of women who are eligible for cervical cancer screening have not taken up the offer recently. Dr Sue Mann, National Clinical Director for Women's Health in England and a consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health, joins Nuala McGovern to discuss.

Chef Sally Abe, who owns the restaurant The Pem, and Kayla Lawrie, a producer with social media food influencers TopJaw, have launched a map of women-owned hospitality businesses. What began with 350 restaurants, pubs, cafés and bakeries has now grown to more than 1,000 venues across the UK. They explain to Nuala what they hope to achieve.

Around 7,500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, with the majority aged over 50. But around 120 of those women are between 15 and 24. Enlli Thompson was just 19 when a growth was found on one of her ovaries. Since then, she's undergone chemotherapy, egg freezing, a hysterectomy and medically induced menopause. Enlli joins Nuala, alongside GP Charlotte Badescu, who was also diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021 when she was 31.

Stephanie Brown from the University of Hull has spent the past year as Woman's Hour's researcher in residence on the scheme that Radio 4 runs with the Arts and Humanities Research Council. She studies the history of crime and, as part of our summer series exploring some of the latest research into women's lives past and present, she shares new findings about the punishment of women in medieval England.

Is your wardrobe a clutter-free haven of beautifully coordinated outfits? Or is it more a chaotic jumble of jumpers, jeans and everything in between? Could an app be the answer? Some apps allow users to catalogue what they own, visualise outfits and experiment with their style. Nuala is joined by Nicole Glennon, Deputy Editor of the Irish Examiner Weekend magazine, and Dion Terrelonge, fashion psychologist and practitioner.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

After the death of both her parents best-selling novelist Louise Doughty made a startling discovery whilst clearing out the family home. Inside a black suitcase, she stumbled upon a treasure trove of letters that revealed the origins of her parents' love affair. She joins Nuala McGovern to discuss her first memoir On This Spot Fell One Tear of Love described as a portrait of grief and loss and family – and a love story.

More information has been released about the crash that happened on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of Saturday morning - when a car travelling in the wrong direction crashed into a police vehicle, killing two officers and the 5 teenage boys in the other car. This after a similar incident last week in County Kildare in Ireland. There's a growing concern that social media trends are encouraging young people to drive dangerously and stream risk-taking videos online. We hear from Dr Paula Bradbury - who's a senior research fellow at University of East London. Paula has spent last 2 decades working in online harms, specialising in adolescent behaviour.

Skin cancer rates have been rising steadily in the UK and, while men are slightly more likely to be diagnosed overall, younger women face a higher risk than men of the same age. One woman is calling on the government to scrap VAT on sunscreen after being diagnosed with skin cancer at the age of 26. Jessica Zbinden-Webster explains more while on her way to Downing street with her petition.

Scotland’s overcrowded prison system is facing a deepening crisis, but a different approach to custody for women is showing early signs of cutting reoffending. The Lilias community custody unit in Glasgow is designed for women who require lower levels of supervision. Paula Arnold, Governor of HMP & Youth Offenders Institute Stirling, and responsible for the unit explains what these units offer.

British boxer Chantelle Cameron is Britain’s first female undisputed boxing champion of the four-belt era, and the current WBO super-welterweight world champion. Next Saturday she’ll meet American Mikaela Mayer for a unification fight to win three super-welterweight world titles in Birmingham. She joins Nuala to talk about why she believes women should be fighting three-minute rounds, and why this weekend could be one of the most important nights of her career.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Are GCSE's working for all children? Figures show resits in Maths and English are dragging down the overall results in those subjects. Whilst post 16 education has evolved with A levels, BTECs and T levels, GCSE's have remained largely unchanged since they were introduced in 1988. Chloe Tilly talks to Vanessa Clarke, BBC education correspondent.

The CEO of Travelodge Jo Boydell has resigned following a string of security lapses in which unauthorised room access has been granted without the guest's permission. Chloe speaks to Sharon Thompson who made contact with the BBC, reporting that a man accessed her hotel room at 2am, frightening her and her daughter. We'll also hear from Carolyn Pearson, CEO of a travel security company on how women can keep themselves safe while staying in hotels.

Parents are taking on debt, cutting maternity leave short and some say they've even resorted to unsafe feeding practices because of the cost of infant formula. New research shows the profits that baby formula companies are making and the impact on family finances, mental health and babies' wellbeing. Chloe is joined by Professor Amy Brown, who led the study and mum Ruth Kenfield.

The latest of our series where our academic researchers in residence talk about something that’s caught their eye this summer. Ashleigh Percival-Borley served in the British Army in Afghanistan, but now she’s close to completing a doctorate in history at the University of Durham looking at women in the Special Operations Executive. That’s the organisation responsible for espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance behind enemy lines during the Second World War. But Ashleigh thinks it’s time for us to reconsider one particular set of women who worked at the Special Operations Executive such as June Darton Kerr. This weekend, one of Britain's brightest young female motorsport talents will be racing in the Netherlands. Alisha Palmowski won at Silverstone last month. It was the first time what's known as the F1 academy, which promotes female drivers, has raced there. Alisha is one of a new generation of female drivers hoping to prove that women belong at the very highest levels of motorsport. She joins Chloe.

Presenter: Chloe Tilley Producer: Corinna Jones

Doctors are warning that vaping could be harming children's health and say more needs to be done to make vapes less attractive and accessible to young people. The warning comes from experts from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, which has reviewed around 80 studies and said it is linked to higher rates of breathing problems and evidence of harm in babies whose mothers used vapes while pregnant. Anita Rani speaks to Will Carroll, Professor of Child Health at Staffordshire Children’s hospital and co-author of the study.

With over 1 million 16-24 year olds out of work, education or some form of training, internet personality Amelia Dimoldenberg - creator of Chicken Shop Date - has launched her own creative academy. Amelia joins Anita to discuss the importance of making the online and media sectors more accessible for the next generation and how best to combat youth unemployment in this country.

30,000 people have been tried for bigamy over the past 400 years, many harshly punished, according to a new study from the University of Exeter. Rebecca Probert is Professor of Law there, and a leading expert in the history and current law of marriage, cohabitation, bigamy and divorce. She has been looking at how the law has evolved since 1604 and joins Anita to discuss some of the incredible stories she uncovered, included in her new books Double Trouble and Double Lives.

Sarah Smyth from the University of Essex has been delving into archives in America to look at the screenplays of the writer and director Nora Ephron. Before her death in 2012 Ephron won numerous awards, including a Bafta, a Golden Globe – she was nominated for Academy Awards… but has her feminist reputation been watered down?

The Grammy award-winning African American soprano Angel Blue will perform at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall this Saturday. She joins Anita to look back on winning a Grammy for her role in Porgy and Bess, how she funded her music studies by entering beauty pageants, and how a recent health diagnosis has affected her.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

A senior French civil servant stands accused of drugging hundreds of women. Police say Christian Nègre kept a spreadsheet documenting what he described as his ‘experiments’ in which he forced them to wet themselves. They believe he drugged as many as 248 women. But more than seven years after Nègre was formally charged, no trial date has been set. For Woman’s Hour and BBC Global Women, Nuala McGovern spoke to one of the women affected, who says the delays to justice have left her feeling victimised for a second time.

Within months of what was to be her last Olympic Games, double Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones decided it was time to take her career in a new direction. Last year, despite having never thrown a punch, she turned to boxing and, after just eight weeks of training, set herself the ambitious goal of becoming a world champion in another sport. She discusses her career pivot, what prompted her to start again, and how it feels to go from reaching the pinnacle of one sport to starting all over again in another.

Queen Camilla has spoken for the first time about the pressure of keeping King Charles' cancer diagnosis secret in the early stages of treatment. In a video to mark the 30th anniversary of Maggie's cancer charity, the Queen, who is president of the charity, shared how difficult it was to avoid discussing her husband's treatment while on an official engagement with cancer patients and their families. Karen Verrill, Centre Head of Maggie's in Newcastle, who is also a specialist cancer nurse, advises how to navigate conversations about cancer, or - if you're supporting a partner - feeling that it isn't your story to tell.

Renowned for its night clubs and rave culture - during the 1990s there was one party famous for being the wildest in Ibiza – Manumission. Created by a British couple who forged their life on the island, while promoting and performing in the events, they’ve now written a book to immortalise this time in Ibiza’s club history, and their lives. The book is called The Motel: High Times in 90s Ibiza and the club’s promoter, performer and mastermind, Claire Manumission, joins Nuala.

Young children whose lung development has been stunted by pollution can recover when pollution levels drop, according to a new research study. Campaigner Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah’s daughter Ella was the first person in the UK to have pollution listed as a cause of death after she died from an asthma attack. She explains what the research means to her and what she still wants to see when it comes to cleaner air for children.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

The revelation that a paedophile had changed his name more than 20 times to hide his past has renewed pressure on the government to change the law. Jason Brown was first convicted 12 years ago and has now pleaded guilty to a further offence. There's been campaigning for many years for it to be illegal for sex offenders to change their name, as many use their new identities to avoid being monitored. Nuala McGovern speaks to Sarah Champion, the Labour MP for Rotherham and one of those calling for this legal change.

Millions of Filipinos work overseas to help raise money for their families back home. And of these millions more than half are women. Here in the UK tens of thousands of Filipinos work in the NHS, they are one of the most common non-UK nationalities for nurses and health visitors in our health system. But what is life like for those who are left behind? Poet and nurse Romalyn Ante’s debut novel, the Left Behind Child, explores the teenage years of Neneng, who is eleven when her mother, Rosa, leaves to work as a nurse abroad. Romalyn tells Nuala McGovern how her true story of being a ‘left behind child’ influenced her writing.

The parents of 30 children have told the BBC they fear they were given the wrong sperm or egg donors, during IVF treatments, in northern Cyprus. Fertility clinics in the Turkish-occupied territory are loosely regulated and are popular with British people who need medical help to have a baby. A small team of journalists first exposed this IVF scandal earlier this year - which led to many more people coming forwards. The BBC has now found the majority of cases are linked to one clinic and a small group of staff. Nuala hears from one of those families, a woman called Rachel, who was given the wrong sperm donor. She is joined by Investigative Journalist Anna Collinson and fertility lawyer, Natalie Gamble.

From Dua Lipa to Zendaya, the bandana is the 90's accessory that's making a come back. In the heatwaves it has proved practical as well as stylish. But the simple square or triangle of fabric with the paisley design has a history with a range of meanings and cultural references, from workwear and protest movements to fashion and self-expression. Amber Butchart, Fashion & textile historian, and the author and broadcaster Emma Dabiri discuss the history behind the comeback. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

Amy Hunt became the first athlete in the 92-year history of the European Championships to win four gold medals in a single event, claiming titles in the 100m, 200m, women's 4x100m relay and the new mixed 4x100m relay. She had stated that her intention was to become "iconic". She joins Nuala McGovern to discuss her sporting achievements. BBC Sport correspondent Jane Dougall also joins Nuala to discuss the other female successes of the championships, including Dina Asher-Smith, who is now the most decorated athlete in European Championships history.

In tonight's BBC Panorama, reporter Krupa Padhy has been investigating the Child Maintenance Service. For separated parents, child maintenance payments can help cover essential expenses, from childcare costs to the weekly food shop. But BBC Panorama has spoken to parents who say they are missing out on thousands of pounds they are owed. Some say mistakes within the system have pushed them to breaking point. Krupa joins Nuala to discuss the findings, alongside Katy, who shares her experience of the service.

From child classical singing sensation to pop artist, founder of the Arwen Project, an alternative education model, and now wellness retreat owner, Charlotte Church has spent her career continually evolving. Most recently, she appeared as a Faithful on Celebrity Traitors. She tells us about her latest musical project, End Time Pop Dungeon and more.

Lucy Porter has been touring as a stand-up comedian for more than 20 years. She is a sought-after comedy writer for television, theatre and film, a regular on television panel shows, and a familiar voice on Radio 4 programmes including The News Quiz and The Now Show. Next year, she will celebrate 30 years in comedy. She discusses her new book, Middle-Aged Women Get Sht Done*, a love letter to middle-aged women.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

Five years after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, we hear how it has changed women’s lives in the country and beyond. Anita Rani speaks to 21-year-old Purvin Juma who fled to the UK from Afghanistan in 2021 and the human rights activist Shaharzad Akbar.

The Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz won three Grammys for her 2024 album Revolución diamantina, and this week saw the work's UK premiere at the BBC Proms. Gabriela joined Nuala McGovern to discuss how this work was inspired by Mexico’s 2019 Glitter Revolution, the nationwide feminist protests sparked by the rape of a teenage girl by four police officers, during which activists covered Mexico City’s security chief in pink glitter.

Dr Amanda Cole found out she had Tourette syndrome in her twenties. Now a professor of sociolinguistics at the University of Cambridge, Dr Cole joins Nuala to discuss her decision to share her diagnosis with her students.

A serial sex attacker who had a 'morbid fascination' with sex has been jailed for the rest of his life after he was found guilty of murdering two women and raping a third. His sentence comes after police and the Crown Prosecution Service apologised over a series of disastrous decisions that left him free to roam the streets. To discuss the implications of this case, Anita was joined by Helen Millichap, the deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and director of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection, and the author and journalist Joan Smith.

Kelly Latimer, flight test pilot and aeronautical engineer, is retiring this year after decades spent flying the world's most advanced planes, and even going into space. She reflects on a truly remarkable career.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty McQuire

Five years on since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, we hear how it has changed women’s lives in the country and beyond. Anita Rani speaks to BBC World Service journalist Mahjooba Nowrouzi in Kabul, and human rights activist Shaharzad Akbar. We’ll also hear from 21-year-old Purvin Juma who left Afghanistan in 2021 and fled to the UK.

Pregnancy, motherhood, fertility treatment: why are some female entrepreneurs keeping major life events secret? The founder Eshita Kabra joins us to discuss the culture of life editing and whether women still feel they have to choose between business success and family life. We also hear from Emmie Faust from Female Founders Rise, which supports female entrepreneurs.

A chance discovery in an attic has revealed that the Booker Prize-winning novelist Iris Murdoch also had an artistic side. More than 80 of her artworks have been found in a secret room in the attic of her former home, where they had been lying for decades. They include the only self-portrait she is known to have painted, four surrealist landscapes and three sketches of female nudes. Dr Miles Leeson, who made the discovery and is Director of the Iris Murdoch Research Centre at the University of Chichester, and Professor Anne Rowe join us to discuss the importance of the art.

The Hundred has brought a new audience to cricket with its fast-paced 100-ball format, star players and family-friendly atmosphere. Uniquely, women's and men’s matches are played as double headers at the same venue on the same day, giving equal prominence to both competitions. With this season's finals taking place at Lord's on Sunday, Anita is joined by BBC cricket commentator Alison Mitchell to discuss the growth of The Hundred, the impact it has had on the women's game, and the teams and players to watch as the tournament reaches its climax.

PRESENTER: Anita Rani PRODUCER: Melanie Abbott

A serial sex attacker who had a 'morbid fascination' with sex has been jailed for the rest of his life after he was found guilty of murdering two women and raping a third. 40-year-old Simon Levy killed Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo in March 2025 and Sheryl Wilkins five months later. Earlier that year, he raped a third woman in the same Tottenham car park where Wilkins was later found dead. Levy will never be released but his sentence comes after police and the Crown Prosecution Service apologised over a series of disastrous decisions that left him free to roam the streets. To discuss the implications of this case, Anita Rani is joined by deputy assistant commissioner Helen Millichap, director of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection, and author and journalist Joan Smith.

Events of the past are often recounted through facts and dates but how do those legacies play out in the years, decades and generations that follow? Fauzia Musa joins Anita to discuss her debut novel, The Strangling Fig, why her own anxieties around motherhood inspired its inception and how the three generations of women it follows navigate the legacy of Partition.

Why are Black American women spending thousands of dollars to fly halfway across the world to access healthcare in South Korea? Why has it become synonymous not only with beauty innovation but comprehensive healthcare? We speak to US journalist Brianna Holt and Meike Schleiff, associate professor at UCL’s Global Business School for Health.

Lara Maiklem has been appointed - what's believed to be - Britain’s first 'mudlark-in-residence' after 20 years of finding lost treasures. Lara Maiklem, 55, says she fell in love with the activity when she moved to Greenwich, south-east London. Since then, she has found thousands of objects, most of which she stores in her guest bedroom as a mini museum. Standouts include a Tudor child’s shoes from the late 1500s, a Tudor dagger, Roman game counters, a complete Roman pot and an early 18th-century wine bottle. She joins us in the studio to share how mudlarking has changed her perspective on London - and life.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson

One of the most spectacular solar eclipses the UK has seen for decades is taking place this evening. The extraordinary celestial event will see the Moon move across the face of the Sun, creating a partial solar eclipse across the UK. Dr Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford, and Zara Gray, an amateur eclipse chaser discuss the phenomenon.

There are now 30 million more men than women in China due to China's one-child policy and that has led to many single men desperate to find a wife. But desperation can also make people vulnerable to exploitation. The authorities in China are warning of a rise in marriage fraud as scammers target those single men. Nuala is joined by the BBC China Correspondent Laura Bicker and Times columnist and author of the Chinese Whispers Substack Cindy Yu

Britain's star athlete Keely Hodgkinson is competing in the women's 800m at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. She is in the semi-finals tomorrow, with the final taking place on Friday. Team GB are hoping for gold. It has been called the race of the year, but the record has remained unbroken for 43 years despite huge advances in training, nutrition and technology. BBC sports journalist Emma Middleton explains more.

Women climbers have defied altitude, expectations and convention. Journalist and author Rosemary J. Brown joins Nuala to discuss her new book, Moving Mountains, which uncovers the extraordinary stories of pioneering female mountaineers and the peaks named in their honour.

When Dr Amanda Cole found out she had Tourette syndrome in her twenties, she thought it would destroy her life. Now a professor of sociolinguistics at the University of Cambridge, she is the subject of a new BBC documentary about her experiences with the neurological condition. Having previously kept her Tourette syndrome hidden, Dr Cole joins Nuala to discuss sharing her diagnosis with students at Cambridge and how being diagnosed has influenced both her personal and professional life.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz won three Grammys for her 2024 album Revolución diamantina, and this week sees the work's UK premiere at the BBC Proms, when conductor Gustavo Dudamel leads the second of two LA Philharmonic Proms on Wednesday. Gabriela joins Nuala in the studio to discuss her career and how this work was inspired by Mexico’s 2019 Glitter Revolution, the nationwide feminist protests sparked after the rape of a teenage girl by four police officers, during which activists famously covered Mexico City’s security chief in pink glitter.

A hospital in a rural area of England has suspended its maternity services from today because of unsafe levels of staffing. Instead of going to the North Devon District hospital in Barnstaple, women in labour will have to travel more than 50 miles to Exeter. More than 15,000 people have signed a petition against the plans that was initiated by the Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon, Ian Roome. He joins presenter Nuala McGovern along with Jemima Knight who is currently pregnant with her third baby and lives in the area.

Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences – or IPPs - were brought in by the Labour government in 2005, resulting in many prisoners not being given a fixed release date. One woman given a two year sentence spent sixteen years behind bars, with no idea of when she would eventually be released. They were abolished in 2012, but figures show more than 2,000 people are still impacted. As Prime Minister Andy Burnham looks into how they will play a part in his plan to reduce the prison population, we hear from Dr Muin Boase, the barrister who led the recent complaint to the UN on the continued use of this sentencing and how it's impacted women.

How can we get children to read more over the summer? It's officially the National Year of Reading and evidence suggests that reading more over the holidays can help children hit the ground running in September when schools go back. But for many busy parents, getting children engaged in books and actively choosing reading over the lure of a tablet, TV or anything else can be a challenge. Liberty Venn, founder of the Children’s Book Project, and award-winning author and former primary school teacher Luan Goldie join us to discuss the benefits and share their tips for getting children reading more.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Sarah Jane Griffiths

New York congresswoman and Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has revealed she has decided to freeze her eggs and will be documenting the process on social media - despite what she called a “political risk” for sharing her decision. She also confirmed over the weekend that she had not "ruled out the possibility" of running for president. Dr Emma Long Associate Professor of American History and Politics at the University of East Anglia joins Nuala McGovern.

Actor, Tamzin Outhwaite talks about her latest role as the iconic Beverly in Mike Leigh’s ferocious black comedy, Abigail’s Party. Opening in London’s West End next week they’ll be discussing suburban life, social class, materialism and sexual tension in 1970s England.

For those who don’t know - the luteal phase refers to the second part of the menstrual cycle. Dr Nighat Arif & Charlotte Dodds discuss why so-called ‘luteal uglies’ are going viral - videos of women sharing the physical and emotional changes they experience during this time.

Nuala is joined by Bethany Bell, Germany reporter for the BBC, to shine a light on surrogacy laws there after a recent story involving a high-profile German politician, a baby born through surrogacy, and accusations of hypocrisy.

And Kelly Latimer, flight test pilot and aeronautical engineer, is retiring this year after decades spent launching satellites, flying the world's most advanced planes, and even going into space. She reflects on a truly remarkable career.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Listener 'Sarah' tells us about the burden and resentment she feels at caring for a parent who is in her 90s, when she is a pensioner too. This is the time she thought she would have for herself. Clare Jefferies, who co-runs care companies and has written the book: I’m Your Daughter, Not Your Carer, and Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, discuss the problem with Kylie Pentelow.

Have you ever considered working in boat building? We were contacted by Women in Boat Building, a community of women working hands-on in the industry, who wanted to tell us about their experiences and raise the profile of a trade that's largely male-dominated. Abbey Molyneux, a traditional boat builder who runs her own boatyard in Norfolk and is a director of Women in Boat Building, and Vanessa Larmond, who's just starting out in the industry in Southwold, Suffolk, tell us what it is like.

Do you ever use dialect when you speak? Do you think of yourself as having an accent? How do you feel about the way you sound? A listener in Yorkshire, Christina Longden, has got in touch with a request to hear from women like herself who are actively keeping regional dialect alive, an endeavour which she says has traditionally been the preserve of men. Christina would also like to discuss accent and dialect bias and why, she says, men have always been more permitted to speak in dialect than women. To discuss why what you say and how you say it still matters and how it’s influenced by gender, presenter Chloe is joined from Yorkshire by Christina Longden, a council member of the Yorkshire Dialect Society; by Diana Rackham, chair of Friends of Norfolk Dialect; and by Rob Drummond, professor of sociolinguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University.

In two weeks’ time, thousands of young people will open their GCSE results - but what about those who don’t get the grade 4 they need in maths and English? 41% of pupils in maths and 29% in English won’t reach that benchmark, and 82% fail their resits, blocking their path to A levels, T Levels and BTECs. Listener Hannah Gee highlights a hidden alternative: Functional Skills, which have a 60–80% pass rate. Chloe Tilley talks to Hannah and her son Joe, and Claire Green from the Association of School and College leaders.

Do men make more noise than women? One of our listeners thinks so and wrote: ‘It seems like a bit of frivolity, maybe, but it is blooming annoying, and I started to wonder if there is something psychological behind it: the noise men make when there is no need to make a noise at all. The coughing, sniffing, ‘ahhing’ as they get up and down, the belching, farting etc. It seems to get worse as they get older; or is it that women become less tolerant? Women seem to be silent in a room, but their other half is constantly making some sort of noise.’ Janet Street-Porter and Tim Dowling discuss.

Presenter: Chloe Tilley Producer: Annette Wells

Listener Week on Woman's Hour is where we bring your stories, ideas and the issues you want to hear about to air.

A father has written to us about his daughter's experience of domestic abuse. He says that while she suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her partner in a small town, the harm didn't end when the relationship did. He says that despite knowing the circumstances, many of her friends and those in their community have encouraged her to 'let it go' and they now maintain happy relationships with him. We'll speak with psychologist Dr Jessica Taylor, about our listener's daughter's experience.

Do you ever use dialect when you speak? Do you think of yourself as having an accent? How do you feel about the way you sound? A listener in Yorkshire, Christina Longden, has got in touch with a request to hear from women like herself who are actively keeping regional dialect alive, an endeavour which she says has traditionally been the preserve of men. Christina would also like to discuss accent and dialect bias and why, she says, men have always been more permitted to speak in dialect than women. To discuss why what you say and how you say it still matters and how it’s influenced by gender, presenter Chloe Tilly is joined down the line from Yorkshire by Christina Longden, a council member of the Yorkshire Dialect Society; by Diana Rackham, chair of Friends of Norfolk Dialect; and by Professor Rob Drummond, professor of sociolinguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University.

'Most people expect to lose their parents much later in life, often when they're middle-aged or older. But what happens when it happens in your thirties instead?’ Those are the words of Becky Tanswell, who contacted us wanting to share her experience of losing both of her parents before the age of 40. Becky says it changed not only her experience of grief, but also motherhood and her sense of identity. She also wants to explore an aspect of bereavement that's rarely talked about: how grief can coexist with unexpected feelings of freedom, resilience and hope.

Granny pants, thongs, shorts, high-legs, bikini briefs. We wear them every single day, but do we spend enough time and money choosing our gussets? And what do you do when your go-to knicker is decommissioned? This is what listener Christine Stainer wanted us to get into, so she joins Chloe along with Kim Hawley, chief wellness tester at Good Housekeeping.

Presenter: Chloe Tilly Producer: Simon Richardson

In two weeks’ time, thousands of young people will open their GCSE results — but what about those who don’t get the grade 4 they need in Maths and English? 41% of pupils in Maths and 29% in English won’t reach that benchmark, and 82% fail their resits, blocking their path to A levels, T Levels and BTECs. Listener Hannah Gee highlights a hidden alternative: Functional Skills, which have a 60–80% pass rate. We hear from Hannah and her son Joe, and from Claire Green from the Association of School and College leaders.

Do you have an idea that you’ve been mulling over for a while, but you don’t know how to start? Listener Sue will be 60 this year. After building a fulfilling life and career, she wants the next chapter to be just as rewarding. Sue joins Chloe Tilley to discuss ageing, purpose and her podcast idea. They're also joined by Candace Wilson, founder of Your Podcast Producer, to talk about taking the first steps towards making a creative idea happen.

For some people, blushing is more than a moment of embarrassment - it can become a debilitating form of social anxiety. Chloe hears from two women about how it's affected their lives and ask clinical psychologist Professor Emma Warnock-Parkes from the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma at the University of Oxford why it happens and what helps.

Are single women treated differently to single men? Woman’s Hour listener Ellie says that people always act as though she has no agency as a single 25 year old woman, whereas she feels that single men are the ones calling the shots in their lives. Ellie asks: ‘Why is it so inconceivable that I'm choosing to be single?’ Chloe is joined by Ellie and author and content creator Milly Goldsmith, who received thousands of comments from women admitting they'd never had a boyfriend, after she posted a viral TikTok describing herself as ‘chronically single’.

Presented by Chloe Tilley Producer: Louise Corley

Listener Week on Woman's Hour is where we bring your stories, ideas and the issues you want to hear about to air.

Why isn’t more known about Lipoedema? One listener wants to know why there are so few treatment options available, and so little awareness of a medical condition that affects around ten percent of women, and very rarely men. Lipoedema causes a build-up of fat in the hips, buttocks and legs, and sometimes the arms. It causes a disproportionate body shape which can be distressing for women, and can also cause extreme pain and immobility. Kylie Pentelow speaks to Emily Blake, who documents her experiences of Lipoedema on social media, and by Guido Köhler, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital and Spire Norwich Hospital.

Do men make more noise than women? One of our listeners thinks so and wrote: ‘I am a big fan of Woman's Hour, and I wanted to run this by you. It seems like a bit of frivolity, maybe, but it is blooming annoying, and I started to wonder if there is something psychological behind it: the noise men make when there is no need to make a noise at all. The coughing, sniffing, ‘ahhing’ as they get up and down, the belching, farting etc. It seems to get worse as they get older; or is it that women become less tolerant? Women seem to be silent in a room, but their other half is constantly making some sort of noise.’ Janet Street-Porter and Tim Dowling discuss.

We’ll also be hearing about the experiences of “Third Culture Kids” those who have been raised in cultures that are different to their parents, often educated at international schools, and what it means to their identity. One listener who is a teacher at an international school, has raised her children around the world but now worries about what this means for their sense of home.

Also, where are all the female sprinters? Kylie is joined by a Woman’s Hour listener who is keen to get more women interested in sprinting competitively. She speaks to sprint coach Kerry Dixon, and former Olympian Dr Jessica Piasecki, who is an associate Professor of Female Physiology at Nottingham Trent University, to explore the health benefits of sprinting and how midlife women can benefit from competitive training. Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

Listener Week on Woman's Hour is where we bring your stories, ideas and the issues you want to hear about to air.

Sarah tells us about the burden and resentment she feels at caring for a parent who is in her 90s, when she is a pensioner too. This is the time she thought she would have for herself. Clare Jefferies, who co-runs care companies and has written the book: I’m Your Daughter, Not Your Carer; and Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK. discuss the problem with Kylie Pentelow.

How hard is to get a job in midlife? Age 52, Stacey Duguid is a columnist and former fashion editor, who once held positions at some of the world's top fashion brands; Prada, Harrods, Net-a-Porter and Paul Smith. However for the past 16 months Stacey has been unemployed and actively applying for jobs. She estimates she has sent over 150 applications out and received very few replies and not a single job interview. Stacey posted about this on her social media account and received a tsunami of responses from other women. With decades of experience and perspective under their belts, why are so many midlife women struggling to find employment? Stacey joins Kylie with Ingrid Fawcett from Midlife 360, which advises women returning to work.

Have you ever considered working in boat building? We were contacted by Women in Boat Building, a community of women working hands-on in the industry, who wanted to tell us about their experiences and raise the profile of a trade that's largely male-dominated. Abbey Molyneux, a traditional boat builder who runs her own boatyard in Norfolk and is a director of Women in Boat Building, and Vanessa Larmond, who's just starting out in the industry in Southwold, Suffolk, tell us what it is like.

How many people can call themselves a fashion/style influencer in their 80s? A listener suggested we interview Viv the Carer about timeless fashion as women get older. She adds I love her energy. Viv Truran is 82 and shares her morning outfit-of-the-day posts with more than 800,000 followers online.

PRESENTER: Kylie Pentelow PRODUCER: Melanie Abbott

Listener Week on Woman's Hour is where we bring your stories, ideas and the issues you want to hear about to air.

How much of the detail about your marriage or long-term relationship do you share with your best friends? One listener says her husband is unwilling to discuss any of their issues, or go to therapy, but that she feels she can’t talk to friends honestly about their relationship either. To discuss, Kylie Pentelow is joined by psychotherapist Julia Samuel and Natasha Lunn, author of Conversations on Love, a bestselling book.

Are library closures misogynistic? Woman’s Hour listener Kirsten thinks so. She believes that libraries help women in a whole range of ways - from providing employment to toddler groups - and so closing them disproportionately affects them. She'll join Isobel Hunter, Chief Executive of Libraries Connected, to discuss.

Over 70,000 babies each year require specialist care on a neonatal unit (NICU). Parents of these babies feel the impact on their mental health from time spent in NICU is overlooked. With one in seven babies spending time in NICU, listeners Lorna Tallowin and Lottie King contacted the programme to highlight the long-term impact on the families affected.

Judith got in touch to share the benefits of intergenerational friendships and the difference they can make to our lives. Judith and Iona are best friends. She’s 76 and Iona is 22. They join Kylie to discuss.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Last month, two reports into maternity services in England were published. Donna Ockenden’s review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Baroness Valerie Amos’s investigation into maternity and neonatal services in England. These reports raised important issues about maternity services in England, but what impact have they had on the morale of those working in this area - particularly midwives? Nuala McGovern was joined by author and midwife Leah Hazard, Claire, a midwife practising in Wales, and Safia Saad, a student midwife and founder of Fund Future Midwives UK.

Prenups are popular amongst the rich and famous, but research suggests that prenuptial agreements are on the rise for younger couples in the UK. Nuala spoke to Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor at the Financial Times, and Woman’s Hour listener Bethan, who has a prenup with her husband, to discuss why more couples are drawing up legal contracts with their partners before they tie the knot.

New analysis on mummies of Egyptian princesses shows they were warriors not just pampered queens with the signs pointing to them being highly skilled archers. They even carried wounds consistent with those made by daggers at close combat. It's an intriguing finding but perhaps an even bigger question is why discoveries like this still have the power to surprise us. We delve into how much of history is shaped not just by the evidence itself but by the assumptions we bring to it. Historian, broadcaster and author Bettany Hughes, whose new children's book explores the lives of people in Ancient Egypt, joined Kylie Pentelow along with Professor of History Olivette Otele.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Annette Wells

There's been a lot of opposition to FIFA's plans to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors. UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, have said they would boycott Fifa events if the plans go ahead. The Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf, which governs football in North and Central America, have also opposed the plans. BBC sports correspondent Patrick Gearey explains how this might affect women's football.

A new study is investigating why autistic women are less likely to attend cervical screening. Many report pain, anxiety, sensory sensitivities and feeling dismissed during smear tests. Willow Holloway, who is autistic, joins Kylie Pentelow to describe her experience. Researcher Dr Aimee Grant, explains the barriers autistic women face, and why alternatives, like at-home HPV testing, could help improve access to life-saving screening.

Do you remember your first kiss? Or perhaps your worst kiss? And what was your last kiss - a smacker, a snog, a pash - or rather a quick peck on the cheek? Maybe just an air kiss? Or perhaps you would rather keep your lips to yourself - and wish others would too. Professor Katie Barclay, a historian of emotions based at Macquarie University in Sydney, has taken a deep dive into a thousand years’ worth of kisses for her new book The Kiss: A History of Passion & Power. She joins Kylie to explain why our ancestors had a kiss for almost every occasion but kissing is now in decline.

In the 1990s the work of the young British playwright Sarah Kane caused controversy with its groundbreaking, unflinching portrayal of violence on stage. Almost 30 years after it was first performed, a revival of Kane’s play Cleansed has opened at The Almeida, directed by the theatre’s outgoing, Olivier award-winning Associate Director, Rebecca Frecknall. Now accompanied by content warnings, a self-care guide and a decompression space, how might today’s audiences approach this confrontational work - and how does it feel to perform it? Kylie discusses with the director Rebecca Frecknall and actor Pearl Chanda, who plays Grace in this production.

The UK’s only all-women chess team has been crowned champions of the second division of the national league, winning them a historic promotion to the top tier. It is the first time an all-female team has reached the top division in the 33 years of the UK’s national league and a big achievement by the She Plays To Win Lionesses, but because of league rules they may have to lose their all-women status, and include a man in the team to be allowed to play in Division 1. Kylie discusses the issue with Anusha Subramanian and Alisha Vyas - two members of the winning team.

Presented by Kylie Pentelow Producer: Louise Corley

Last week, the government announced a 20% cut in business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues from April. These spaces are increasingly used for coffee mornings, parent and toddler groups, book clubs etc. - the new church hall for many - and they've become a really important "third space" for communities especially for groups that support women. The government has said it wants to protect these venues that are the beating heart of many communities. But is this announcement enough to save an industry that has taken a big economic battering in recent years? Joining Kylie Pentelow, Beverley Whitrick, Chief Executive of the Music Venues Trust, sociologist Dr Lisa McKenzie and 22-year-old pub landlady Elsa Mckenna, who's trying to make exactly this model work.

Actor Vicky Krieps is known best to UK audiences for acclaimed performances in films including Corsage and the Academy Award winning film Phantom Thread. She has also appeared in many European films including Hanna, Two Lives, and The Chambermaid Lynn. Vicky joins Kylie Pentelow to discuss her latest film, Love Me Tender, a moving and powerful drama about a mother forced to fight for her relationship with her son after choosing to live openly as a gay woman. The film, directed by Anna Cazenave Cambet and based on Constance Debré's novel, is out in UK cinemas early next month.

Campaigners who work with women to encourage them to report crime are concerned that the Early Release Scheme proposed by the government could put them off engaging with the justice system altogether.  Andy Burnham has since announced a pause and a review of the scheme, which would have seen around 700 prisoners released from September. Today we hear from a campaigner, herself a survivor of sexual abuse, who fears the policy and the current uncertainty. 'Sam' (not her real name) reported and helped secure the conviction of the man who violently attacked and raped her 23 years ago. A month ago, before the scheme was paused, she received a letter from the Ministry of Justice warning that her attacker would be released early. She joins us alongside Harriet Wistrich, Director of the Centre for Women's Justice.

New analysis on mummies of Egyptian princesses shows they were warriors not just pampered queens with the signs pointing to them being highly skilled archers. They even carried wounds consistent with those made by daggers at close combat. It's an intriguing finding but perhaps an even bigger question is why discoveries like this still have the power to surprise us. We delve into how much of history is shaped not just by the evidence itself but by the assumptions we bring to it. Historian, broadcaster and author Bettany Hughes, whose new children's book explores the lives of people in Ancient Egypt, joins Kylie along with Professor of History Olivette Otele.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Simon Richardson

A BBC investigation has uncovered allegations of sexual assault against the Hollywood star and musician Jared Leto. Four women who've spoken to the BBC were all teenagers at the time of the alleged offences, between 2002 and 2014. Nuala McGovern speaks to one of them about her experience and asks director Alice McShane about the process of making her film, Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret. Some of the details of this story are graphic and the subject matter is distressing.

Bestselling author Scarlett Thomas has entered the world of ultra marathons and crypto-crime in her latest novel The Runner. She joins us to discuss writing a male protagonist and turning her hand to standup comedy.

Prenups are popular amongst the rich and famous, but research suggests that prenuptial agreements are on the rise for younger couples in the UK. Nuala speaks to Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor at the Financial Times, and Woman’s Hour listener Bethan, who has a prenup with her husband, to discuss why more couples are drawing up legal contracts with their partners before they tie the knot.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

Academy Award-winning actor Helen Hunt is currently performing in the RSC’s production of The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov. She joins Nuala McGovern to discuss what it’s like being back on a UK stage in her latest role as Russian aristocrat and matriarch Madame Ranevskaya.

A rape trial has collapsed after the alleged victim used AI to help prepare for her answers in court. The case at Lewes Crown Court was called off after the complainant, referred to only as C, admitted using an AI chatbot. The barrister acting for the accused, argued that a fair trial was impossible. The Court of Appeal ruled that such practices amount to 'witness coaching' which is prohibited in the UK. Barrister Harriet Johnson, specialising in violence against women and girls, discusses the significance of the case.

Last month, two reports into maternity services in England were published. Donna Ockenden’s review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Baroness Valerie Amos’s investigation into maternity and neonatal services in England. These reports raised important issues about maternity services in England but what impact have they had on the morale of those working in this area - particularly midwives? Nuala is joined by author and midwife Leah Hazard, Claire, a midwife practising in Wales, and Safia Saad, a student midwife and founder of Fund Future Midwives UK.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to bring in emergency legislation to stop the early release of hundreds of prisoners. She held a press conference while we were on air, along with rape survivors who are concerned their perpetrators could be let out early. The BBC's home and legal correspondent Dominic Casciani joins Nuala.

Labour MP Samantha Niblett wants sex education to continue throughout our lives, not just at school. She discusses her campaign and the controversy over displaying sex toys in Parliament.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

The new Reform police and crime commissioner for Norfolk, former detective Colin Sutton, has said that releasing women from prison ‘would be a kind of a radical, outside-the-box way of creating more prison space’. He joins Nuala McGovern along with Andrea Coomber, the chief executive of The Howard League for Penal Reform.

We follow up with BBC Journalist Catrin Nye whose podcast, Swingers, highlighted the story of Ruth, a woman who said she had been pressured into having sex with over 100 strangers. Since its release, 50 women have come forward with their own stories. Catrin tells us the latest.

Author Wendy Jones recently observed that seven of the top ten fiction paperback novels on the Sunday Times bestsellers list featured a woman who had been murdered. Nuala talks to authors Saima Mir and Lesley McEvoy about why dead women are a central theme in fiction, and why those books are so popular.

A new cycling app "Sofa to Saddle" wants to get one million more Brits peddling by 2028. Olympian and world medallist cyclist Lizzie Deignan and Cicely Lloyd, from Brighton’s Multicultural Women’s Cycle Club, discuss how the barriers to more women cycling can be overcome.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Melanie Abbott

Actor, writer and director Lena Headey is best known for playing Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones. She has created and stars in Intimacy, a new BBC Sounds audio drama and podcast which follows intimacy coordinator Liza Simmons, whose professional life revolves around creating safe spaces and navigating consent on film sets. When a dream job on a big movie production takes her to a Greek island, long-buried secrets resurface and force her to confront a troubled past. Lena talks about this new series and life after Game of Thrones.

As the US and Iran continue exchanging fire, Anita Rani talks to global affairs journalist Tara Kangarlou and researcher at King's College London Dr Ahou Koutchesfahani to ask how life for women in the country has changed since the war.

How can we explore distant stars, buried water on Mars, or witness the first moments after the Big Bang? And what can we see without having to leave our back garden? Dr Emma Chapman an award-winning radio astronomer based at the University of Nottingham, and a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin research fellow, is joined by Clare McDonnell to discuss the radio universe, the upcoming Perseid Meteor Shower and a partial solar eclipse.

Could using conscious sedation transform the experience of hysteroscopy? Around 70,000 women undergo this womb procedure every year, but campaigners say many are still left in severe pain with too few options for pain relief. Clare talked to Dawn Lord who says her hysteroscopy left her traumatised, and to Irina Stankeviciute, a hysteroscopy nurse who has helped pioneer a new conscious sedation service aimed at giving women more choice and control.

The Commonwealth Games began this week in Glasgow, and Clare was joined by wheelchair racer Melanie Woods who will be competing.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells

As an immersive version of Grease opens for the summer in London, Anita Rani welcomes Didi Conn, who played 'Beauty School Dropout' Frenchy in the original 1978 film.

Can you imagine running an entire country on just a few hours of sleep? Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, who has referred to herself as 'Japan’s Iron Lady', says she often functions on zero to three hours a night. Whether it's long work hours, caring responsibilities, new born babies, pain, anxiety or hormones, women can struggle to get sleep, so we wanted to look at how much is enough? And does it differ between men and women? Anita is joined by Dr Kat Lederle, sleep scientist and chronobiologist.

The Church of England's Interim Commissioner for Independent Reviews, which investigates cases of historic sex abuse, has published their first report and it's about one woman’s experience and how her case was handled, or rather mishandled, by those in charge at the time. Jane Chevous has waived her anonymity to speak to Woman's Hour. She alleges that she experienced rape, plus spiritual and psychological abuse by two clergymen. Anita speaks to Jane and the BBC’s Religion Editor, Aleem Maqbool.

The Commonwealth Games netball tournament gets underway next week, with all four UK nations set to be involved. England will be hoping to challenge for the medals once again, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will all be looking to make their mark on one of the sport's biggest stages. Anna Carter, a former player and coach for England, who now runs Elite Netball Academy, gives Anita her take.

This weekend, all around the world, thousands will congregate to recreate Kate Bush's iconic debut single music video. Known as The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, for those who take part, it's a truly special occasion. But how did it start and why is it so important for those who take part? Anita speaks to Georgie Sworder, one of the women who originally inspired the event, and Belinda Burton, who will be organising her own 'mass wuther' in Sydney.

A BBC investigation has revealed that a police officer, Alan Greer, who took his own life in May was a violent rapist who carried out a spate of sexual attacks and attempted murders of women over at least 14 years. To find out more about women's confidence in the police, Anita Rani speaks to former Met Detective Superintendent Shabnam Chaudhri and Janaya Walker, interim director of the End Violence Against Women coalition.

As the US and Iran continue exchanging fire, Anita talks to global affairs journalist Tara Kangarlou and researcher at King's College London Dr Ahou Koutchesfahani to ask how life for women in the country has changed since the war.

Georgia Hall won the Women’s Open back in 2018 - one of the four British women to have ever won a golf major championship. She has since gone on to compete around the world, winning countless titles and cups and was awarded an MBE in 2019. Georgia recently returned to professional golf after giving birth in February, and now sets her sights on another win at the AIG Women’s Open, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, right here in the UK.

What started as documenting the transformation of her own mouldy rental flat has turned into an award-winning mission to help some of the most vulnerable people. Content creator Bea Elton, known as Clean with Bea, has gained millions of followers by documenting her free extreme cleans in homes affected by poor mental health and financial hardship. She restores properties that could otherwise cost thousands of pounds to clean and discusses the link between our living environments and wellbeing. Anita talks to Bea about why her videos have become such a social media phenomenon and the lives she's helping to change.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

According to experts at Imperial College London, England is seeing a "worrying increase" in young women in their 20s developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is serious and can lead to severe complications such as heart attacks and strokes. Lead researcher Dr Shivani Misra joins Anita Rani to unpick why this is happening.

Actor, writer and director Lena Headey is best known for playing Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones. She has created and stars in Intimacy, a new BBC Sounds audio drama and podcast which follows intimacy coordinator Liza Simmons, whose professional life revolves around creating safe spaces and navigating consent on film sets. Her personal life is far less under control. When a dream job on a big movie production takes her to a Greek island, long-buried secrets resurface and force her to confront a troubled past. Lena talks about this new series and life after Game of Thrones.

Women in the armed forces and veterans say they are still being issued ill-fitting kit that doesn’t fit their body shape. A 2021 review called for urgent improvements, but current and former service women have told the BBC key problems remain. Investigative journalist, Rebecca Ricks and Erin Grieve from NP Aerospace which makes female-adapted body armour systems discuss.

When the Taliban first ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s, Zahra Joya bravely disguised herself as a boy so that she could attend school. After the US-led invasion, girls were granted access to education and opportunities and Zahra went on to become a journalist, setting up Rukhshana Media to tell the stories of Afghan women. When the Taliban returned in 2021, women’s freedoms and opportunities vanished overnight, and Zahra was one of many forced to flee their homeland, forging a new life in the UK. She discusses her memoir, The Vanishing Girl of Kabul, and her continuing fight for women’s rights in Afghanistan.

We look at the women in Andy Burnham's government. Three out of four of the great offices of state are now occupied by men, but there are lots of female MPs joining - and re-joining - the top table. Clare McDonnell talks to broadcaster and former Labour advisor Baroness Ayesha Hazarika and Bloomberg's UK political commentator Rosa Prince.

Could using conscious sedation transform the experience of hysteroscopy? Around 70,000 women undergo this womb procedure every year, but campaigners say many are still left in severe pain with too few options for pain relief. Clare McDonnell hears from Dawn Lord who says her hysteroscopy left her traumatised, and from Irina Stankeviciute, a hysteroscopy nurse who has helped pioneer a new conscious sedation service aimed at giving women more choice and control.

The Commonwealth Games begin on Thursday in Glasgow. Which female athletes we should be keeping our eyes on, and what we can look forward to in this year's competition? BBC Sport Journalist Matt Henry gives his picks, and Clare is also joined by wheelchair racer Melanie Woods who will be competing.

Gentle Things is a novel set in 1660s London, as the city reels from the impact of the Great Fire and the Plague. Writer Danielle Giles joins Clare to discuss why the world of 17th century apothecaries, who created medicinal cures from herbs, spices and sometimes from human body parts, was the perfect setting for a Gothic novel.

As Andy Burnham takes over as Prime Minister, we ask leading campaigners and experts on women’s issues what they think he should prioritise on day one of his premiership. Clare McDonnell is joined by Labour MP and former Violence against Women and Girls minister Jess Phillips, senior midwife Donna Ockenden who led the recent review into maternity care failings in Nottingham, and Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society Penny East.

Fatboy Slim, one of the biggest DJs of the 1990s, has just finished playing four nights to appreciative crowds in his home town of Brighton. And among the crowd were a number of midlife women. More women in their forties and fifties, who are often experiencing the pressure of caring for both children and older parents, are exchanging an early night for being up raving at 4am. Clare McDonnell finds out more from Alinka Greasley, Professor of music psychology at the University of Leeds who has carried out research into women and raving and is a raver and DJ herself.

How can we explore distant stars, buried water on Mars, or witness the first moments after the Big Bang? And what can we see without having to leave our back garden? Dr. Emma Chapman an award-winning radio astronomer based at the University of Nottingham, and a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin research fellow. She will be appearing at the Buxton International Festival this Friday. She joins Clare McDonnell to discuss the radio universe, the upcoming Perseid Meteor Shower and a partial solar eclipse.

English Heritage has warned the tradition of sending postcards could become “a distant nostalgic memory", after half of Brits surveyed said they never send them. But with the rise in popularity of 'Snail Mail', largely driven by social media, how are women leading the charge to stay connected through post? To discuss, Clare McDonnell is joined by Great British Bake Off finalist Alice Fevronia, who set up The Artful Baker Club, and Rebecca McMillan, who co-founded The Sunday Letter Project.

Presented by Clare McDonnell Producer: Louise Corley

What impact do hormones have on women with ADHD? A pioneering study by Kings College and Queen Mary University in London is putting the link to the test, by asking 50 women who are medicated for their ADHD to track their menstrual cycle. Report academic Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais and Laura Mears-Reynolds from the charity ADHDAF+ join presenter Nuala McGovern to discuss why the research matters.

This weekend Dalia Stasevska conducted the first night of the BBC Proms. The Finnish-Ukrainian Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra also has a new album, Ukrainian Mixtape, recorded with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, showcasing rarely heard works. Dalia joins presenter Anita Rani to discuss her route into conducting and her passion for Ukrainian music.

New analysis in The Economist suggests that, after years of progress, fewer women are reaching executive positions and there may also be signs that younger women are becoming less interested in promotion. Nuala speaks to the author of that report, Vinjeru Mkandawire, and Sanchia Neilson who left an executive role to rebalance her life.

Australian surf and fashion photographer Cait Miers is photographing 1,000 women globally, bare-faced, for a project she has called Laugh Lines. Anita talks to Cait about her mission to challenge beauty standards and also Alexis Zahner, one of the first women to be photographed for the project.

Actor Sarah Hadland will be a familiar face to many, having played numerous roles over the years, but is probably best known as Stevie in the BAFTA-nominated sitcom Miranda. Currently on stage in London’s West End, she joins Nuala to discuss her latest role as Alice in The Truth, a fast-paced comedy of infidelity and duplicity.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty McQuire

There is speculation today that the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will become Chancellor when the incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham announces his Cabinet on Monday. Whoever takes on the role will face quite the in-tray: high debt, low growth, welfare reform, defence spending, and the economic fallout from the US-Israel war with Iran, to name a few issues. So, if it's Shabana Mahmood, how might she fare and what do we know about her? Anita Rani speaks to Lucy Fisher, Whitehall Editor of the Financial Times and Host of the FT's Political Fix podcast.

Australian surf and fashion photographer Cait Miers says that on shoots women often criticise and apologise for their looks before a single photo is taken. She is now photographing 1,000 women globally, bare-faced, for a project she has called Laugh Lines. Anita is joined by Cait to talk about her mission to challenge beauty standards and also by Alexis Zahner, author of Real: Reconnecting to Yourself in a World of Likes and Lies, and one of the first women to be photographed for the project.

Dr Suzanne Huurman is the only woman to head a country's medical staff in the men's 2026 FIFA World Cup, meaning there is just one woman and 47 men in the lead role for the teams taking part this year. Anita talks to Suzanne about being a trailblazer, how she - as head of medical staff for Curacao's national men's side - got to become only the third-ever female team doctor in the 96-year history of the tournament and what she thinks could be done to increase female representation in football.

The Young British Artists, YBA movement of the 1990s is the inspiration for a new novel, Exhibition, by Alex Hyde. The protagonist, Rabble, an aspiring photographer, finds herself in the YBA scene after meeting an artist always referred to in the novel as “you”. Anita talks to Alex about how, through Rabble, her novel explores the inspiration and process of creating art - and the question of ownership, referencing real works.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

New research from the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse suggests one in five girls and one in ten boys experience sexual abuse during childhood. Yet the organisation says only a fraction of those children are ever identified by professionals. We discuss the findings with the Centre's Deputy Director, Anna Glinski, and ask why so many children are still being missed.

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has worked with female athletes to develop new guidelines that aim to avoid sexualising the action with unnecessary camera angles. UK Athletics President Denise Lewis and Danielle Sellwood, sports documentary maker, gives us their thoughts.

AI ethicist Dr Eleanor Drage discusses her new book What If We Got AI Right? and why putting women at the centre of artificial intelligence could help create a fairer future.

Tomorrow night Dalia Stasevska will open the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, the biggest night in classical music. Dalia is the Finnish-Ukrainian Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Away from the podium, she’s become one of the fiercest champions of Ukrainian composers and her new album Ukrainian Mixtape, recorded with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, showcases rarely heard works. Dalia joins Anita to discuss what we can expect from the first night of BBC Proms, her passion for conducting, and Ukrainian music.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson

A new report from the Health and Social Care Committee says customers are being pushed towards products high in fat, sugar and salt which are typically cheaper than more nutritious food and that the government's food policy needs overhauling. The chair of the committee, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, talks to Nuala McGovern about their recommendations.

New analysis in The Economist suggests after years of progress fewer women are reaching executive positions and there may be signs that younger women are becoming less interested in promotion. Nuala McGovern speaks to the author of that analysis and a woman who left an executive role to rebalance her life.

We hear from Sarah Ruggins who recently broke the world record for cycling the length of Europe - a distance of over 6,000 kilometres – double the length of the Tour de France. She only started cycling three years ago having spent a decade recovering from a condition that saw her bedridden and immobile – Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, one of medicine’s most painful conditions. Sarah now holds three ultra-cycling records.

Known at one point as the Diana of the Middle East and the rose of the desert, Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, quickly became a well-known face around the world. But just how much do we know about the London-born former First Lady and the role she played in her dictator husband’s oppressive dictatorship where peaceful protests against his regime were violently repressed, eventually leading to 13 years of civil war that saw more than half a million people killed. Nuala speaks to investigative journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou about her new podcast, We Call Her Emma.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

What impact do hormones have on women with ADHD? A first of its kind study by Kings College and Queen Mary University in London is putting the link to the test, by asking 50 women who have ADHD and are taking medication for it to track their menstrual cycle. They will log the impact it has on their ADHD symptoms, and daily life more broadly. Report academic Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais and Laura Mears-Reynolds from the charity ADHDAF+ join presenter Nuala McGovern to discuss.

We hear about the current government consultation aiming to give added financial security to more than 3.5 million unmarried couples when they separate. It's hoped the overdue reforms will help protect women and better meet the needs of modern relationships. Nuala discusses this with Mandip Ghai, a lawyer from the legal charity Rights of Women, who have campaigned for new laws, and Jenny Allen who is feeling the long-term impact of her separation on her finances now she is semi-retired.

Parents of school-age children will know that this is the time of year when thoughts turns to a present for their teacher. But collections can be divisive when so many families are feeling financial pressure. The question of how much to give, who should be included or whether to contribute at all can be fraught. Author and comedian Helen Thorne from the Scummy Mummies comedy duo shares her thoughts on the hot topic dominating many school whatsapp groups.

Video game God of War will have a female protagonist for the first time in the form of Laufey, both a powerful woman and a mother. Nuala is joined by player and journalist Vicky Jessop and The Guardian's games editor Keza Macdonald to discuss the significance and online backlash.

Presented by: Nuala McGovern Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths

Sarah Hadland will be a familiar face to many, having played numerous roles over the years, but is probably best known for her role as Stevie in the BAFTA-nominated sitcom Miranda. Currently on stage in London’s West End, she joins Nuala McGovern to discuss her latest role as Alice in The Truth, a fast-paced comedy of infidelity and duplicity.

The second phase of the Southport inquiry will resume in September. It was set up after Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were murdered at a dance class in 2024. Its chairman Sir Adrian Fulford wants to find ways to respond to the dangers posed by violence-fixated individuals - individuals who may carry out extreme violence, where ideology is not the primary driver. The government programme Prevent focuses on tackling extremist ideologies that lead to violence and aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Lord Anderson was the Independent Prevent Commissioner from January 2025 to April 2026, who published an independent review 'Lessons for Prevent' which also looked at why Prevent failed to stop the Southport attack. Some are asking whether misogyny should be considered an ideology within government schemes. Nuala discusses with Lord Anderson and Dr Ruth Tulley, a consultant forensic psychologist.

We're in the middle of our third heatwave of the year - and temperatures are set to climb again later this week. Scientists say that what makes this year's heatwaves distinct is that right across Europe temperatures have remained high overnight as well as in the day. In June, London alone recorded five consecutive nights over 20 degrees Celcius, what meteorologists call "tropical nights". The temperatures inside many homes will have been much higher. Lots of us are reporting struggling to sleep. Consultant Paediatrician, Dr Guddi Singh and GP, Dr Sarah Jarvis join Nuala to discuss what to do if you are caring for a baby.

The author Jennifer Saint has retold some of the best-known stories from Greek literature and mythology through the eyes of women: Ariadne, Atalanta, Electra and Hera. In her latest novel, This Immortal Heart, Jennifer turns to Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love and reimagines Aphrodites’ relationship with Ares, the god of war. Jennifer joins Nuala to talk about how stories that originated over two thousand years ago and their themes can tackle contemporary questions about female agency and identity – and what happens when two seemingly opposite forces – love and war - are drawn irresistibly together.

Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

Emma Grede is a British entrepreneur and philanthropist who has been featured on Forbes' America’s Richest Self-Made Women list. Emma joins Nuala McGovern to discuss her book Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work and Life.

Parents are being warned about the risks of posting images of their children online due to an increase in AI-generated child abuse imagery. The Internet Watch Foundation found 3,440 AI-generated videos of child sexual abuse in 2025, compared with just 13 in 2024. Nuala is joined by Emma Hardy of the Internet Watch Foundation and Dr Elaine Kasket, cyber-psychologist and the author of Reset: Rethinking your Digital World for a Happier Life.

Many of us are familiar with the often painful process of sorting through the wardrobes of our loved ones who have died. Anita Rani discusses what people can do to keep memories alive with Sophie Lewis, founder of The Reincarnation Club, a service which creates new outfits out of old and Pip Housam, of Love Keep Create, a company which transforms clothing into keepsakes.

New research into IVF and donor eggs suggests that older women face a lower chance of fertility treatment working, even when using young donor eggs - with a marked drop-off from around the age of 49. Researchers believe age-related changes in the womb lining may be the cause. Nuala is joined by Dr Ippokratis Sarris, chair elect of the British Fertility Society, and writer Grace Ackroyd who had a baby at 47 using donor eggs.

The Bayeux Tapestry arrived in London in the early hours of Friday morning, the first time it had left France for over 900 years. Meanwhile in Cambridgeshire, one woman has been painstakingly recreating the tapestry for the last decade. Mia Hansson joins Kylie Pentelow to explain why she took on this challenge.

Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Kirsty McQuire

This programme was recorded before the police announced an investigation into Ann Widdecombe’s death.

Ann Widdecombe's political career spanned decades, serving as Conservative MP for Maidstone for 23 years, and a minister in John Major's government, then later becoming an MEP and joining Reform UK in 2023. She was also well known for her TV appearances including taking part in Strictly Come Dancing. Kylie speaks to her colleague in the Conservative party Baroness Anne Jenkin and BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley.

Campaigners and a cross-party group of MPs and peers presented a petition to Downing Street yesterday, signed by over 100,000 people, urging the government to increase bereavement support for the first time in nearly a decade. Widow’s Fight – who started the petition - say bereaved young families are falling into poverty. Kylie is joined by Holly O’Connor from Widow's Fight and Caroline Voaden, Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon, who was widowed when her children were young, and is supporting the campaign.

The Bayeux Tapestry arrived in London in the early hours of this morning, under the cover of darkness, the first time it has left France for over 900 years. Meanwhile in Cambridgeshire, one woman has been painstakingly recreating the tapestry for the last decade.  Mia Hansson joins Kylie to explain why she took on this massive project.

This week we have heard about three different new diagnostic tests being developed for endometriosis, a condition thought to affect one in 10 women. We find out what these tests are, how long before they are available, and whether they could reduce the average nine year wait for a diagnosis in the UK. Kylie Pentelow hears from Evelyn Scott, author of A Bloody Scandal - How Medicine Fails Women in Pain and Elisabeth Bean, an NHS consultant gynaecologist and diagnostics chair of the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy.

Saint Olga of Kyiv, patron saint of Ukraine has her saint’s day tomorrow. In Ukraine, she’s a beloved religious figure, but she was also a real woman, known for exacting brutal revenge on those who crossed her. BBC Ukrainian’s Irena Taranyuk joins Kylie to discuss Olga’s mythological story, what she symbolises for Ukrainians and why her story is still relevant to women today.

Iranian writer, Shahrnush Parsipur, who spent her life documenting what it meant to be a woman living under repression in Iran, died this week in the US, at the age of 80. Anita Rani talks to Iranian journalist Paxima Mojavvezi about Shahrnush, a pioneer of feminist literature, whose book Women Without Men was banned in Iran, but nevertheless became an underground bestseller.

According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, around two-thirds of women will develop at least one uterine fibroid during their lifetime - that's a non-cancerous growth that develops in or around the womb. Despite being a common reproductive health issues, fibroids remain under-discussed and can leave some women without the knowledge to seek treatment. Anita is joined by a gynaecologist Dr Michelle Griffin, author of a new book, Fibroids: Everything You Need to Know from Symptoms to Diagnosis and Beyond and Dawn Heels who suffered for decades with fibroid symptoms and is now a campaigner for the condition.

Many of us are familiar with the onerous, often painful process of sorting through the wardrobes of our loved ones who have died. It raises difficult choices about what to do with clothes that can carry emotional weight and evoke many memories. Anita discusses what people can do to keep memories alive with Sophie Lewis, founder of The Reincarnation Club, a service which creates new outfits out of old and Pip Housam, general manager of Love Keep Create, a company which transforms cherished clothing into lasting keepsakes.

Is it correct to assume that a former elite athlete is always healthy? A research project from the University of Edinburgh is exploring just that by looking at the current health status of retired female Olympians and how this compares to females in the general population. Anita speaks to lead researcher Dr Lauren Guilfoyle and five-time Olympian runner, Jo Pavey.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

Emma Grede is a British serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, and mother of four. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Good American, and a founding partner of SKIMS. Recognised for her achievements, Emma has been featured on Forbes' America’s Richest Self-Made Women list. She made history as the first woman of colour to serve as a judge on ABC’s Shark Tank. Emma joins Nuala McGovern to discuss her book Start With Yourself, a bold and empowering guide with advice on how women can build meaningful success on their own terms.

Today the goverment will announce plans to boost support for foster carers. The aim is to encourage more people to provide homes for vulnerable children in England. It’s the latest step in the government’s drive to recruit an additional ten thousand foster carers, as they announced back in February. BBC's Social Affairs Editor, Alison Holt explains.

At least 5,000 pregnancies a year in the UK end due to Termination for Medical Reasons, but the persistent taboo in society can mean that families keep it secret, in fear of other people’s reactions. The stigma and silence around it mean people can feel incredibly alone in their grief and often feel excluded from the wider baby loss community, increasing their sense of isolation. July is Bereaved Parents’ Awareness Month and to discuss this issue, Nuala talks to a grief coach and bereaved mother, Tanya Wilkinson and to Tommy’s Co Midwifery Manager, Amina Hatia.

What do you do with your wedding and or engagement rings after divorce? It’s been reported that a growing number are said to be turning them into something entirely new. The so-called "divorce ring" trend is seeing women reset engagement diamonds into bold pieces that symbolise independence and a fresh start. So what's driving the trend, and what does it tell us about the changing meaning of jewellery after marriage? Nuala is joined by gemmologist and jewellery expert, Helen Dimmock and author and jewellery historian Rachel Church, to discuss.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson

New research into IVF and donor eggs suggests that older women face a lower chance of fertility treatment working, even when using young donor eggs - with a marked drop-off from around the age of 49. Experts studying more than 1700 women say the findings challenge the idea that donor eggs can fully "reset" the reproductive clock - BUT that they should not put older couples off trying. Researchers believe age-related changes in the womb lining may be the cause. Nuala McGovern is joined by Dr Ippokratis Sarris, who is chair elect of the British Fertility Society, and writer Grace Ackroyd who had a baby at 47 using donor eggs.

Have you ever found love in an unexpected place? At a gig? A restaurant?... What about a library? Four couples have found love in the stacks of Anlaby Park Community Library, in Hull. Nuala is joined by one of them, Mandy and Adrian Strickland, who share their story.

What do we know about domestic violence in post-conflict societies, and how important is this knowledge for tackling violence against women in Northern Ireland? Do we see the history of conflict in Northern Ireland reflected in patterns of abuse and violence that women face today? Our guests share their views. Monica McWilliams is a long-standing peace activist and Emeritus Professor at the Transitional Justice Institute Ulster University and Aisling Swaine is Professor of Peace, Security and International Law in Uni College Dublin.

Trish Patterson, a 41-year-old mother of twins, has just set a new world record for the National Three Peaks challenge, running 425 miles over five days. We talk to her about her extraordinary feat and what motivates her to keep going.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Parents are being warned about the risks of posting images of their children online due to an increase in AI-generated child abuse imagery. The Internet Watch Foundation found 3,440 AI-generated videos of child sexual abuse in 2025, compared with just 13 in 2024. The National Crime Agency says it is increasingly seeing offenders exploit AI technologies to target children in new ways. What's behind this rise, and what advice is there for parents? Nuala McGovern is joined by Emma Hardy, Director of Communications at the Internet Watch Foundation and Dr Elaine Kasket, cyberpsychologist and the author of Reset: Rethinking your Digital World for a Happier Life.

Should emergency contraception – sometimes referred to as the morning after pill – be available to buy next to the condoms on the supermarket shelf? President of the College of Sexual and Reproductive Health Dr Zara Haider thinks so and joins Nuala to discuss.

Schools have already broken up for summer in Scotland and schools in England and Wales will begin their holidays later this month. The Great British Summer Savings scheme is, a UK government initiative that recently came into effect with the aim of helping families enjoy the weekend treats, the days out, the small plans that make life enjoyable during the cost of living squeeze. To explain more about what is being made available and the difference this could make to families, Nuala hears from marketing expert and CEO of Get Savvy, Catherine Shuttleworth.

At least 11 people have been killed in Kyiv following a second night of Russian strikes on the Ukrainian capital in a week, the city's top military administrator has said. For more than four years Ukrainians have been enduring Russian attacks on their cities.  Ukraine is now also carrying out its own drone strikes on targets deep inside Russia.  With no end to the war in sight people in Ukraine have found different ways to cope.  Some women turn to beauty and fashion as a way of dealing with the trauma of war, and as a sign of defiance. Isabella Jewell reports from Kyiv.

Trouble Was is the debut novel by the journalist Charlotte Edwardes. It’s the story of a mother who takes her children to live with relatives in Devon in the long hot summer of 1976 – and the unravelling of family secrets, all told from the perspective of nine-year-old Frank. Charlotte joins Nuala to talk about the baby blues, breakdowns and the realities of ‘70s life that she has fictionalised.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

Annabel Rook dedicated her life to supporting vulnerable women, yet her own life was violently taken by her partner. Annabel co-founded MamaSuze, a creative grassroots arts organisation in North London to enhance the lives of women who have survived violence. Her co-founder, Catherine Milne and Annabel's sister Sophie join Chloe Tilley to discuss Annabel's impact and what people can learn from their loss.

Money is broken for women, according to the founders of Female Invest - a subscription-based financial education app founded in Denmark. In their new book, It’s a Rich Man’s World, they explore the life events and systemic obstacles that women face in building and holding on to wealth. Krupa Padhy talks to co-founder Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen about the possible solutions.

As part of Radio 4's Once Upon a Time season we're looking at fairytales through a feminist lens. Award-winning author Kirsty Logan joins us down the line from Glasgow and the mythologist and psychologist Dr Sharon Blackie joins us from Cumbria. They tell Nuala McGovern why they believe women need fairy tales now more than ever and, crucially, why we should keep re-writing them for ourselves.

In the week that Baroness Amos released her long-awaited National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation into maternity service failings in England, we hear reaction from the Labour MP and Government Maternity Advisor Michelle Welsh.

When the award-winning poet Helen Mort became a stepmother, she went in search of literary role models, but was sadly disappointed by portrayals from the fairytale ‘wicked queen’ to the put-upon parent of the modern blended family. She talks to Anita Rani about creating her new collection, Stepmother, to re-write the role.

Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Kirsty McQuire

Joining Nuala McGovern and Anita Rani on stage is Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty, host of the BBC Podcast Fame Under Fire, which focuses on celebrity court cases. Anoushka talks to Nuala about how attitudes to women in high profile trials, such as the trial of P Diddy, influence culture. They are in conversation with Dr Kathryn Higgins who has written about misogyny in the media in her book Believability: Sexual Violence, Media, and the Politics of Doubt.

When award-winning poet and author Helen Mort became a stepmother, she went in search of some literary role models, but was sadly disappointed. From the fairytale ‘wicked queen’ to the put-upon parent of the modern blended family. She talks to Anita about writing her new collection, Stepmother, which explores the origins of these maligned female archetypes alongside her own real-life experiences.

Lisa Lloyd is a campaigner for SEND children and the author of the best-selling book Raising the SENBetweeners. Following her own diagnosis with autism in her forties, Lisa explains how becoming a mother led her to discover she was autistic, and the challenges of parenting when you’re neurodivergent. Lisa is joined by Prof Megan Freeth from Sheffield University’s Autism Research Lab, who explains how autistic women can experience motherhood.

And Nuala and Anita are also joined by Sheffield sportswoman Vanessa Ellis, head coach of the Sheffield Hatters Women’s Basketball Team. She explains how she’s followed in the footsteps of her mother, Betty Cadona, who set up women’s Basketball in Sheffield in 1961.

Presenters: Anita Rani and Nuala McGovern Producer: Olivia Skinner Editor: Karen Dalziel

Today the Prime Minister is expected to apologise on behalf of the state for its role in historical forced adoptions. Thousands of unmarried women were pressured into giving up their babies in the 30 years after the Second World War. Krupa Padhy talks to two women who are keenly awaiting this apology - Zara who was adopted, but tracked down her birth mother when she was aged 23 and Susan whose baby was taken from her when she was 16.

A large multinational cohort study published in June provides important new evidence of the increased risk of cardiovascular events for women who have premature and early menopause, across ethnic groups. To discuss what this could mean for you, Krupa is joined by Dr Ellie Cannon, GP and author of The Little Book of HRT, and Professor Anne McGregor, menopause specialist and trainer at the British Menopause Society.

Some female massage therapists are refusing to take on any more male clients after being subject to sexually inappropriate behaviour. Krupa is joined by Maria Slowik-Capanni, a therapist and Ruth Duncan, Chair of the General Council for Manual Therapies with 26 years of experience in the industry. They discuss why the idea of regulating massage therapy is such a complex issue and what can be done to protect therapists in their workplace.

Money is broken for women, according to the founders of Female Invest, a subscription-based Danish financial education app. Their aim is to close the financial gender gap by educating women about investing and in their new book, It’s a Rich Man’s World, they explore the life events and systemic obstacles women face to build and hold onto wealth and what can be done to change things so women can thrive. Krupa speaks to Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen, one of the co-authors of the book.

Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Rebecca Myatt