Woman's Hour

BBC Radio 4

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire. Listen to our new series of conversations, The Woman's Hour Guide to Life, on BBC Sounds - your toolkit for the juggle, struggle and everything in between: www.bbc.co.uk/guidetolife

  1. HACE 5 H

    Ashley James, Nancy Guthrie disappearance, Kinship carers

    A story gripping headlines across the United States is the disappearance of 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC News Today anchor Savannah Guthrie. Nancy was abducted from her home in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson, Arizona, in the USA more than a week ago, triggering a massive search and emotional appeals from her family. Clare McDonnell speaks to Claire Moses, a reporter from The New York Times, who has been following the story. Broadcaster, model and activist Ashley James says she’s always been underestimated and often written off as a “bimbo”. But now she’s reclaiming the word as the title of her new book, which explores many of the judgmental labels used to describe women and their life choices. From 'bossy' to 'mumsy' to 'silly girl', Ashley joins Clare to unpack the impact such words can have on women and girls and why she hopes opening up about her own experiences will inspire others to stop shrinking and shake them off. More than 141,000 children are in kinship care in England and Wales. According to new research from the charity Kinship, 40% of kinship carers are forced to claim benefits or increase their benefits when they step in to take on the care of a child from a family member. To explain why some kinship carers want the same parental rights as others in a parental role, like an adoptive parent, Clare is joined by the CEO of Kinship, Lucy Peake and carer Nash, who took on the permanent care of her sister’s children after her sister died. A few years ago, Saaniya Abbas was working as an art director in an advertising agency in Dubai. Today, she is a rising star of comedy, after finding stand-up comedy helped her deal with the end of her marriage. Her tour, Hellarious, has just hit London and she speaks to Clare about writing material based on her life so far. Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Rebecca Myatt

    47 min

  2. HACE 1 DÍA

    Virginia Giuffre’s co-author, SEND reforms, impact of Ian Paterson's crimes

    Clare McDonnell speaks to Amy Wallace, the co-author of Virginia Giuffre's memoir, Nobody's Girl. Amy spent two years closely working with Virginia - one of the most prominent and vocal accusers of child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and an advocate of justice for survivors of sex trafficking. We hear Amy’s reactions to the latest Epstein revelations. More than 1.7 million children in England have special needs and today, the government has announced that all secondary schools and colleges will be expected to have a dedicated Special Educational Needs and Disability - or SEND - base. Called an 'inclusion base' it would be a dedicated safe space away from busy classrooms where pupils can access targeted support that bridges the gap between mainstream and specialist provision. We speak to BBC education reporter Kate McGough and Margaret Mulholland, SEND and Inclusion specialist for the Association of School and College Leaders. Deborah Douglas has written a memoir about her experience as a victim turned campaigner in one of the biggest scandals in British medical history. Her story sits at the centre of the case of disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson, jailed in 2017 for performing harmful and unnecessary operations on women who believed they were being treated for cancer. An inquiry in 2020 found both NHS and private hospitals missed repeated chances to stop him. Deborah joins Clare to discuss The Cost of Trust. The classical concert pianist Alexandra Dariescu performs in studio, and tells us why she is so dedicated to promoting the works of female composers. Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

    54 min

  3. HACE 2 DÍAS

    Mia Brookes' mum, Cyberflashing, Samurai, Sex in older age

    Team GB snowboarder Mia Brookes gave an amazing performance last night coming fourth in the women's snowboard big air final at the Winter Olympics in Italy. The 19-year-old had been hoping to become Great Britain's first gold medallist on snow. She went for a backside 1620 trick - featuring four-and-a-half rotations - and landed before she over-rotated and her heel edge caught in the snow. Mia's mum, Vicky Brookes, joins presenter Nuala McGovern on the line from her campervan in Livigno close to the Olympic venue. A musician who sent lewd images of himself to two women he had never met has been given a 12-month suspended sentence for cyberflashing. Ben Gunnery, 46, sent his victims unsolicited images of his genitals and videos of him masturbating. As the scale of his offending is revealed by a BBC Investigation, we hear from BBC Midlands Investigations' senior reporter Nicola Goodwin. A new exhibition at the British Museum, Samurai, reveals the untold history of Japan’s Samurai class, including the fact that half of them were women. Known as onna bugeisha, these women trained, fought, governed and defended their communities and shaped the samurai legacy. We explore the image and myths of these iconic warriors over the past 1,000 years with exhibition curator Dr Rosina Buckland and Jennifer Coates, Professor in Japanese Studies at Sheffield University. New research suggests that almost 70% of NHS areas in England now offer only one cycle of IVF for women under 40— despite official guidance saying three full cycles should be offered. A fertility charity says the situation is having a devastating impact on people struggling to conceive. We hear from Sarah Norcross, director of the fertility charity Progress Educational Trust. Three in five people over the age of 50 think that sex is important in a relationship, yet many struggle to talk about it. That's according to new research from Age UK, which discovered many of the people they spoke to felt their sexual wellbeing was being sidelined by healthcare professionals, and a quarter wanted more information. As the charity publishes a new guide on sex and intimacy, we speak to Dr Lis Boulton from Age UK, and psychologist Jo Hemmings about intimacy in our later years. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Sarah Jane Griffiths

    57 min

  4. HACE 3 DÍAS

    Epstein files, Lindsey Vonn, Knife crime, Charles Dickens' women

    At the end of January, the US government released new files from its investigation into the sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The latest drop of material consists of three million pages, and thousands of images and videos. But why has the focus of the coverage been on the political fallout, appearing to show exchanges with high-profile men? What does this say about society’s attitude to women more broadly? Some have already been voicing their concerns. Nuala McGovern is joined by Times journalist Helen Rumbelow and Penny East, Chief Executive at the Fawcett Society. At 41, Lindsey Vonn was hoping to become the oldest athlete to win a downhill skiing medal. The American skier has dominated the sport winning 84 World Cup races along with her three Olympic Winter Games medals. Having already suffered an ACL injury ahead of the Games, but still determined to compete, during the downhill event yesterday she crashed just a few seconds into her race. She had to be airlifted off the course. To find out more, we speak to two-time Winter Olympic snowboarder and broadcaster Aimee Fuller. Tonight BBC’s Panorama focuses on the murder of two teenage boys in South London, Daejaun Campbell and Kelyan Bokassa, killed in 2024 and 2025 - both victims of child criminal exploitation and groomed by local gangs. Nuala speaks to Jodian Taylor, Daejaun’s mother, and BBC’s Frankie McCamley, the documentary’s reporter. A new exhibition at the Charles Dickens museum celebrates the women who influenced the great Victorian novelist's female characters, social commentary and campaigning to improve the lives of vulnerable women. But how does this sit alongside the other, darker narrative, that Dickens himself was a misogynist who mistreated his own wife? To sort the fact from the fiction, the exhibition curator Kirsty Parsons & the historian Professor Jenny Hartley are in the Woman's Hour studio. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

    57 min

  5. HACE 5 DÍAS

    Weekend Woman's Hour: Undercover Police Inquiry, Foster care expansion, AI boyfriends

    The ongoing Undercover Policing Inquiry started again this week. It is believed at least 50 women were duped into intimate relationships with undercover officers over decades. Alison, not her real name, spent five years living with a man she knew as Mark Cassidy, who was in fact a married undercover Police Officer whose real name was Mark Jenner. She joins Nuala McGovern along with BBC London journalist Ayshea Buksh, who has been following this inquiry. The government has announced plans to relax fostering rules and create 10,000 new places for vulnerable children in England. Roxy and her mum Judy, from the BBC’s recent Traitors series, join Nuala to discuss. Roxy was fostered until the age of five before being adopted by Judy. They are also joined by Sarah Thomas, Chief Executive of The Fostering Network. Paula Varjack talks to Anita about her show Nine Sixteenths. It examines the fallout from the infamous Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake ‘wardrobe malfunction’ incident at the 2004 Superbowl and the backlash that almost ruined Jackson’s career. The play questions what this says about the demographics of who controls the media, the scrutinising of black women in the public eye and asks if anything has changed. We hear a lot about ‘mum guilt’, but what about the guilt that can come along with not becoming a mother? Writer Ellen C Scott is child-free by choice but has recently experienced guilt towards her parents because she won’t be providing them with grandchildren. She recently explored the topic for Stylist magazine and was surprised by how much it resonated with other women. Ellen and psychotherapist Professor Hannah Sherbersky discuss. AI companions are becoming increasingly common, with one in three adults now using them for conversation, advice and support. Now recent research from Bangor University has shown that many teen AI companion users believe their bots can think or understand. That research prompted Nicola Bryan, a reporter for BBC Wales News to investigate and acquire an "AI boyfriend" of her own in the process. Nicola talks to Anita about what happened next. The Puppini Sisters are celebrating 20 years of their antique pop, neo-burlesque swing music. Their new album The Birthday Party marks two decades since their debut, Betcha Bottom Dollar, spent almost a year on the Billboard chart in the US. It became the fastest-selling jazz album in UK chart history, with their fans including Robbie Williams and King Charles. They join Nuala to discuss their music. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

    56 min

  6. HACE 6 DÍAS

    Sinners, AI boyfriends, Autistic girls, Abuse and Muslim women

    The cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw has been nominated for an Academy Award for “Sinners," an American horror film nominated this year for a record sixteen Oscars and thirteen BAFTAs. It's a period drama written and directed by Ryan Coogler, set in the 1930s South, with a supernatural twist. Autumn’s previous credits include The Last Showgirl and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Anita talks to Autumn about her career so far and becoming the first woman of colour - and only the fourth woman ever - to be recognized in the Oscars cinematography category. Following the summer riots in 2024, the Women and Equalities Committee examined the impact of increasing tensions on women in Muslim communities across the UK and reported that the online, verbal and physical abuse and discrimination faced by Muslim women was having a ‘deeply damaging impact on individual lives and a corrosive effect on community cohesion’. Baroness Shaista Gohir OBE, CEO of the Muslim Women’s Network and Iman Atta, CEO of Tell Mama join Anita to discuss the WEC’s findings. AI companions are becoming increasingly common, with one in three adults now using them for conversation, advice and support. Now recent research from Bangor University has shown that many teen AI companion users believe their bots can think or understand. That research prompted Nicola Bryan, a reporter for BBC Wales News to investigate and acquire an "AI boyfriend" of her own in the process. Nicola talks to Anita about what happened next. Autism probably affects girls and boys equally, according to a long term study by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The new research challenges previously held assumptions that autism is more common among males; it found that by the age of twenty, the male-to-female ratio of diagnoses was equal. But in children aged under ten, four boys are diagnosed for every one girl. To discuss the findings, Anita is joined by Doctor Judith Brown, Head of Evidence and Research at the National Autistic Society and Betsey, an autistic 18-year old university student. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

    58 min

  7. 5 FEB

    Cervical cancer testing, Imogen Poots, Syria and women, Janet Jackson play

    New research which has just been published in the British Medical Journal, suggests that testing menstrual blood for signs of cervical cancer could be an accurate way of screening for the disease. The BBC's Health Correspondent, Sophie Hutchinson, and Fiona Osgun, Head of Health information at Cancer Research UK join Anita Rani to talk about this new area of research and discuss the options currently open to women. English actor Imogen Poots is back on our screens taking on a challenging role in Kristen Stewart’s first feature film, The Chronology of Water. It’s a creative adaptation of an acclaimed memoir by American writer Lidia Yuknavitch which centres on her coming to terms with being abused as a child, battling pain and loss, and her ongoing healing journey. Imogen Poots joins Anita in the studio. The Kurdish-led self-administration in the north east of Syria is a territory where for years women have sat at the centre of political life, security and decision-making. But many are worried that the system is now under pressure following a new agreement between Kurdish authorities and the Syrian government, which will integrate the region into the Syrian state being rebuilt after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad in 2024. Anita is joined by Lina Shaikhouni, journalist at the BBC World Service and Dilar Dirik, Kurdish writer and author of The Kurdish Women’s Movement: History, Theory, Practice. Paula Varjack talks to Anita about her show Nine Sixteenths. It examines the fallout from the infamous Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake ‘wardrobe malfunction’ incident at the 2004 Superbowl and the backlash that almost ruined Jackson’s career. The play questions what this says about the demographics of who controls the media, the scrutinising of black women in the public eye and asks if anything has changed? Presenter: Anita Rani Producer : Corinna Jones

    57 min

  8. 4 FEB

    Foster care expansion, Romola Garai, Greenland’s Gender Equality Minister

    The government has announced plans to relax fostering rules and create 10,000 new places for vulnerable children in England. Roxy and her mum Judy, from the BBC’s recent Traitors series, join Nuala McGovern to discuss. Roxy was fostered until the age of five before being adopted by Judy. They are also joined by Sarah Thomas, Chief Executive of The Fostering Network. Golden Globe–winning actor and film director Romola Garai discusses her latest role in the ITV drama series Betrayal. She also talks about the importance of supporting caring responsibilities within the industry and the lack of female directors. Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s Minister for Business, Mineral Resources, Energy, Justice and Gender Equality, and a member of the pro independence Inuit Ataqatigiit party, joins Nuala to discuss the challenges facing Greenlandic women. What is the online world doing to our health? Science and health journalist Deborah Cohen explores this question in her new book Bad Influence: How the Internet Hijacked Our Health. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

    57 min
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Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire. Listen to our new series of conversations, The Woman's Hour Guide to Life, on BBC Sounds - your toolkit for the juggle, struggle and everything in between: www.bbc.co.uk/guidetolife

Información

  • Creador
    BBC Radio 4
  • Años de actividad
    2006 - 2026
  • Episodios
    2 k
  • Clasificación
    Explícito
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Woman's Hour

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