Podcasts about nuala mcgovern

On Saturday Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed after Israel and the US launched a "massive" and ongoing attack against Iran's leadership and military. US President Donald Trump urged Iranian forces to lay down their arms, and for Iran's people to rise up against its government. Iran has responded by firing ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region. Whilst huge questions still remain about what will happen next in this conflict, on Woman's Hour today we ask what this moment might mean for women in Iran. Nuala McGovern is joined by BBC Persian reporter Ghoncheh Habibiazad and international human rights lawyer Azadeh Zabeti, Co-President of the Committee of Anglo-Iranian Lawyers.Mary Ann Evans is better known by her pseudonym George Eliot. She's the author of many important novels including Middlemarch, Silas Marner, and Mill on the Floss, which brings the issue of women's education to the fore. A new play, Bird Grove, the name of George Eliot's home, has just opened at the Hampstead Theatre in London. When we meet Mary Ann she has not yet started writing fiction, but beginning to have her mind opened to progressive new ideas. Nuala finds out more with the play's director, Anna Ledwich, and actor Elizabeth Dulau who plays Mary Ann Evans. According to the NGO International Justice Mission, child sexual abuse that takes place on social media and other online platforms is one of the fastest‑growing yet least‑detected types of child abuse globally. Offenders pay to direct the real‑time sexual exploitation of children via any internet‑connected, camera‑enabled device. Most identified victims are in the Philippines and the UK is among the top three countries consuming this material, with the United States at number one. Nuala is joined by Molly Hudson from the International Justice Mission, and Sharon Pursey, co‑founder of SafeToNet, a British online safety technology company.Kate Pickett is Professor of Epidemiology at the University of York. Her new book is The Good Society and How We Make It and in it she looks at ideas she believes will build a better society and says we “can't afford to nibble” when it comes to solving some of the big issues we are facing. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

A 40-year career retrospective of Dame Tracey Emin's work has opened at the Tate Modern in London, featuring many of the artist's most iconic pieces, from her controversial, Turner Prize shortlisted My Bed (1998) to her neon artworks, textiles, bronze sculptures, photos, and paintings. Called A Second Life, it explores the connections and tensions between her early career and the work she's created since 2020, when she was diagnosed with cancer and underwent a huge operation. Tracey joins Anita Rani to discuss her body of work.Student midwives have contacted us to say many of them are struggling to find jobs despite a serious shortage of midwives in the NHS. A new survey from the Royal College of Midwives finds 31% of newly qualified midwives are still not employed in the role, and the majority of those who have found employment are on fixed-term contracts. Nuala McGovern hears from Safia, who is in her final year of midwifery training, and Gill Walton, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives.Molly vs the Machines is a new feature-length documentary that tells the story of Ian Russell and his fight for online safety after his daughter Molly took her own life in 2017 following months of viewing content relating to self-harm and suicide on social media. Molly's friends Charlotte Campbell and Sophie Conlan tell Anita why it was important for them to take part in the film.In collaboration with our Send in the Spotlight podcast, Nuala speaks to Schools Standards Minister Georgia Gould about the government's proposed SEND reforms.Writer and actor Kyla Harris joins Clare McDonnell to discuss reframing disability with her acclaimed BBC comedy We Might Regret This, which she co-created.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

Woman's Hour in collaboration with our SEND in the Spotlight podcast brings you a special programme on the impact of the government's SEND reforms in England.Whether you're a parent, a young person, a teacher or someone who works in the wider system we find out what the changes mean for you - and help you decode the new language - whether it's IB, ISP, Targeted, Targeted Plus, or SPP. Nuala McGovern speaks to parents, teachers, charities, the School Standards Minister and the Children's Commissioner for England. We also hear from SEND in the Spotlight podcast regulars - actors Anna Maxwell Martin and Kellie Bright.Search for the SEND in the Spotlight podcast on BBC Sounds.Contributors: Georgia Gould MP, Schools Standards Minister Marsha Martin, founder of Black SEN Mamas Katie Ghose, CEO of Kids charity and Disabled Children's Partnership Margaret Mulholland, Association of School and College Leaders Kate McGough, BBC Education reporter Eleanor Wright, solicitor at SOS!SEN Ramandeep Kaur, SEND parent Carrie Grant, SEND parent and broadcaster Katie Nellist, SEND ambassador Louise Gittins, chair of the Local Government Association Dame Rachel de Souza, Children's Commissioner for EnglandPresenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Sarah Crawley, with Carolyn Atkinson Digital producer: Olivia Bolton Editor: Karen Dalziel

Irish author Marian Keyes has sold over 30 million copies of her books worldwide over the past three decades. From her 1995 debut Watermelon to Rachel's Holiday and last year's 'menopause romance' My Favourite Mistake, she's championed telling ordinary women's stories in all their glory, with plenty of humour thrown in. Now some of her most-loved books and characters have been adapted into a TV series called The Walsh Sisters which has just debuted on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Marian and the show's co-creator Stefanie Preissner talk to presenter Nuala McGovern about bringing Rachel and her sisters to life on screen. As the Government prepares to unveil its plans for a major overhaul of the SEND system, we hear from BBC Political Correspondent Alex Forsyth on what's been said so far and what's expected. The government has said it will spend billions to make English mainstream schools more inclusive for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, with Sir Keir Starmer saying that the experience of his late brother, who had learning disabilities, makes him "determined to change Britain so that it is truly built for all." The number of people with education, health and care plans (EHCPs) up to the age of 25 in England has doubled in a decade. Student midwives have contacted us to say many of them are struggling to find jobs despite a serious shortage of midwives in the NHS. A new survey from the Royal College of Midwives echoes that finding. It says 31% of those newly qualified midwifes are still not employed in the role and the majority of those who have found employment are on fixed term contracts. This comes a year after the government announced it's Graduate Guarantee pledging that every newly qualified nurse and midwife in England would have the opportunity to apply to join the NHS workforce. We hear from Safia, who is in her final year of midwifery training, and Gill Walton, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives. Award-winning British Nigerian fashion designer Tolu Coker joins Nuala in the studio fresh from kicking off London Fashion Week with King Charles in the front row. Her latest collection, Survivor's Remorse, is inspired by grief, nostalgia and childhood memories and is a joyful celebration of growing up in 1990s London and the community that shaped her. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Sarah Jane Griffiths

Rosamund Pike, the Emmy and Golden Globe winner, is known for standout roles in Saltburn, her Oscar nominated lead in Gone Girl, and Made in Dagenham. Next month she stars on the West End stage, coming back to the role of Jessica Parks, the maverick judge at the heart of the National Theatre's hit play Inter Alia, also filmed for NT Live screenings. She joined Anita Rani to discuss her role that explores motherhood, masculinity and the complexities of justice.It's more than a decade since Nadiya Hussain became a household name after winning the Great British Bake Off. Since then, she's fronted her own cookery shows, written more than a dozen cookbooks and a series of children's books. Her latest collection of recipes is called Quick Comforts, and Nadiya joined presenter Clare McDonnell to talk about finding comfort in food, her career so far and lots more.In December 2024, Dominque Pelicot and 46 other men were found guilty of the aggravated rape of his wife Gisèle. Another two were found guilty of attempted rape and a further two were found guilty of sexual assault. Dominque had drugged Gisèle with medication without her knowledge, raped her and invited other men to rape her, filming as they did so. At least another 20 men who took part in these rapes could not be identified. Waving her right to anonymity, Gisèle Pelicot declared that shame has to change sides. Despite her becoming a household name, not only in her native France but around the world, very little was known about Gisèle herself. She has written her memoir, A Hymn to Life, with writer Judith Perrignon and Judith joins Nuala McGovern to discuss.Dr Punam Krishan is a Glasgow based NHS GP and the resident doctor on the BBC's Morning Live programme. Back in 2024 she was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing where she was the first dancer to perform a Bollywood routine. But six months ago, at the age of 42, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and has since gone through treatment. She has recently written about how being a doctor didn't prepare her for the experience of being a patient. Dr Punam joined Anita to discuss.Ketamine has become a worryingly popular recreational drug among young people, and the consequences can be devastating. That's according to a specialist NHS clinic which reports that some teenagers suffer such severe bladder damage from taking it, that some rely on incontinence pads. To discuss the implications, Anita was joined by Dr Alison Downey, Consultant Urologist at Mid Staffs NHS Foundation Trust, who is treating young people with ketamine related bladder problems. Also joining them is Eva, who has stopped using ketamine and is receiving support from the hub.The award-winning internationally renowned Welsh harpist and composer Catrin Finch first came to prominence in her early 20s as the official Royal Harpist to King Charles, the-then Prince of Wales. She achieved chart success with her No. 1 recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations and has performed with many of the world's leading orchestras. Catrin, who began playing the harp at just six years old, has a new album, Notes to Self, a series of reflective and deeply personal new tracks she has composed for Katy, her 13-year-old-self. She joined Nuala and performed live in the studio. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells

The woman tipped to be the next head of the UK Civil Service has faced multiple bullying complaints according to reports this morning. The Times newspaper says "there is more than a whiff of misogyny" in the briefings against her. Nuala McGovern hears more about the debate over the possible appointment of Dame Antonia Romeo with Kitty Donaldson, the Chief Political Commentator for the i Newspaper, and Caroline Slocock. Caroline was the first female private secretary to a British Prime Minister when she served alongside Margaret Thatcher.Belle Burden is a former corporate lawyer, a pro bono immigration lawyer, a Harvard graduate and a mother of three, born into American high society. When she got married in 1999, her wedding was announced in the New York Times. Two decades later she broke with convention and published her candid essay on the marriage's sudden rupture, in the long-running New York Times Modern Love series. Now her book Strangers: A Memoir of a Marriage has become a New York Times bestseller. Belle Burden joins Nuala live from New York to discuss ghosting, grieving and getting on with life on her own terms.Tomorrow, the Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will speak about the plight of women and girls in Sudan at the United Nations Security Council. Stories from the war-torn country are harrowing. Sudan's conflict began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces or RSF. More than 150,000 people have died in the conflict across the country, and about 12 million have fled their homes in what the UN has called the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Nuala is joined BBC's Africa Correspondent, Barbara Plett Usher.Two years ago, Dr Henrietta Hughes, England's first Patient Safety Commissioner, published a report laying out a plan for compensation for women harmed by pelvic mesh implants. The Hughes report set a deadline for the government, which has just passed without action. Dr Hughes tell Nuala what action she wants to see from the government, and Kath Sansom, the founder of the Sling The Mesh campaign group, tells us how women's lives have been affected.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

In December 2024, Dominque Pelicot and 46 other men were found guilty of the aggravated rape of his wife Gisèle. Another two were found guilty of attempted rape and a further two were found guilty of sexual assault. Dominque had drugged Gisèle with medication without her knowledge, raped her and invited other men to rape her, filming as they did so. At least another 20 men who took part in these rapes could not be identified. Waving her right to anonymity, Gisèle Pelicot declared that shame has to change sides. Despite her becoming a household name, not only in her native France but around the world, very little was known about Gisèle herself.Today sees the publication of her much-anticipated memoir, A Hymn to Life. Nuala McGovern is joined by writer and journalist Judith Perrignon, who co-wrote the memoir with Gisèle, and Professor Manon Garcia, who watched the trial in Avignon and analysed its resonance in her book Living with Men, Reflections on the Pelicot Trial. The award-winning internationally renowned Welsh harpist and composer Catrin Finch first came to prominence in her early 20s as the official Royal Harpist to King Charles, the-then Prince of Wales. She achieved chart success with her No. 1 recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations and has performed with many of the world's leading orchestras. Catrin, who began playing the harp at just six years old, has a new album, Notes to Self, a series of reflective and deeply personal new tracks she has composed for Katy, her 13-year-old-self. She tells Nuala about her first album of solo compositions in a decade.One of the children talking about their everyday achievements in our new podcast, SEND in the Spotlight, which features young people with special educational needs, is Henry. He's autistic, and school is not always easy. Things got even tougher when his grandma died. That's when Henry decided to raise money for the hospice which looked after her. We hear his story in his own words.With the Winter Olympics in full swing in Italy, how are sports like ice hockey faring here in the UK? And what are women doing on the ice rink? Joining Nuala are Ellie Wakeling and Abbie Sylvester, who both play alongside male players with the Romford Buccaneers.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

BBC Woman's Hour presenter Nuala McGovern on how to enjoy an extremely stressful career, getting up at 5.45am and how she stayed sane during the toughest of times. One the eve of Woman's Hour's 80th anniversary Nuala, 54, gives us a peek behind the scenes and chats about her remarkable journalism career that landed her the job two years ago. In a rare interview, Nuala also opens up about her childhood growing up in a Dublin pub, the impact of witnessing the Twin Towers attack & the raft of other ‘history in the making' moments she has had a ringside seat at. She also shares how she met her hubby, living in the now tips & why you'll always find her on a dancefloor. Plus: Trish & Lorraine's list of new fun things to do with friends and 3 controversial novels to get your book club talking. Contact: hello@postcardsfrommidlife.comInstagram: @postcardsfrommidlifeJoin our private Facebook Group here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 McDonnell 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.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 joined 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.Team GB snowboarder Mia Brookes gave an amazing performance 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, joined presenter Nuala McGovern on the line from her campervan in Livigno close to the Olympic venue.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 joined Clare to discuss The Cost of Trust.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 joined Nuala to discuss.Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Annette Wells

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

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

Sarah Ferguson's charity, Sarah's Trust, has announced it will close "for the foreseeable future" after new details emerged from documents released by the US Department of Justice about the former Duchess of York's friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A spokesman for the foundation said the decision comes after "some months" of discussion. BBC News Correspondent Ellie Price and Dr Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, join Nuala McGovern.We hear from BAFTA Breakthrough British actress & comedian Susan Wokoma. Best known for playing Edith in the Enola Holmes films and her tv roles in Chewing Gum, and Cheaters, she's just written a brand new 'baroque and roll' musical for the National Youth Theatre as part of their 70th anniversary celebrations. There are renewed calls for better public education on the UK's complex legal system to help ensure potential victims, particularly women, have a clearer understanding of how it works. Family law barrister Samantha Singer joins Nuala to discuss her online platform designed to empower those facing legal challenges, alongside Jo Silver from the charity Safe Lives.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 how to navigate these feelings.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

A large UK study of nearly 125,000 women has found that the menopause can cause a loss of grey matter in women's brains affecting memory and emotions, similar to that seen in Alzheimer's. Published in the journal Psychological Medicine, the researchers say it may help explain why we see almost twice as many cases of dementia in women than in men. Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology Barbara Sahakian, from the University of Cambridge and the senior researcher on the study and Dr Paula Briggs, Consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health at Liverpool Woman's NHS Foundation Trust, discuss the findings with Nuala McGovern.There's been much discussion about the benefits of singing, but with less singing happening in schools - over half of state secondary school teachers have said that their pupils never sang together in assembly - how do you encourage children and young people to sing and what are the benefits? As the BBC launches Get Singing, a Nationwide music education initiative, we talk to Julia Fraser, the head of Luton Music Service, and Baz Chapman from the Sing Up Foundation.Laura Dickerman's first novel Hot Desk is set against the backdrop of the publishing industry over two generations. A couple of editors share a desk in a new office – and eventually fall in love. Laura talks about bookish characters, the romance of women's friendships and getting published for the first time, aged 62.Global attention has been focused on Greenland since President Donald Trump repeatedly said the United States should take control of the self-governing region within the Kingdom of Denmark. Despite being around nine times the size of the UK, Greenland has a population of just 57,000 people, with the majority being indigenous Inuits. But beyond the heated geopolitical debates, we want to find out what is life like for women in Greenland today? Tillie Martinussen, a former MP in Greenland, tells us about women's position historically and the issues they face now.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Melanie Abbott

Tens of thousands of children in England have spent more than a year waiting for NHS community care, such as hearing services, speech and language therapy and disability support, the BBC has found. Nick Triggle, BBC News Health Correspondent and Harriet Edwards, Strategy Lead at the national disability charity, Sense, join Nuala McGovern to discuss the findings. Author, economist and politician Yanis Varoufakis joins Nuala to discuss being, as he describes it, raised a misogynist. He also talks about the women in his life that helped change that and what he believes lies behind the growth in misogynist attitudes.A new ITV crime documentary, Killer in the House, traces the story of one of the most notorious double murder stories in recent UK history, where a respected Northern Irish dentist, Colin Howell, murdered his wife and his lover's husband, staged it as a double suicide, and evaded justice for nearly twenty years. Howell was never suspected for the murder of Lesley Howell and Trevor Buchanan, until his confession in 2007, implicating his former lover, Hazel Stewart. Lauren Bradford-Clarke, daughter of Lesley and Colin, talks to us about the impact this crime had on her family.Bonnie Langford has been a British household name for more than 50 years, singing and dancing across many stages in countless musicals, as well as memorable TV roles in EastEnders and Dr Who. Now she's playing Mrs Bird in the much-acclaimed Paddington The Musical in London's West End. She joins Nuala to discuss the joys of treading the boards with that much-loved, life-sized bear. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson

Should the UK follow Australia in bringing in a social media ban for under 16s? Nuala McGovern discusses the issue with Hannah Ortel from the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project, and Dr Fiona Scott, Senior Lecturer in digital literacies at the University of Sheffield.Double Olivier award-winning actress Denise Gough joins Anita Rani to talk about her latest role as Amy Fowler in a new play based on the famous western High Noon. She also discusses what it's been like to find her singing voice for the first time in 30 years.Women dominate this week's BRIT Award nominations. Best Pop Act is an all women shortlist: RAYE, Lily Allen, Lola Young, Olivia Dean and JADE. Lola Young and Olivia Dean have the most nominations, both up for Artist of the Year, alongside Lily Allen, JADE, Little Simz and PinkPantheress. Nearly two thirds of the nominations feature women as solo artists or in mixed gender group - the highest representation yet. So why are women riding high in the music industry at the moment? Anita talks to Roisin O'Connor, Music Editor at The Independent.Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, the eldest son of the Beckhams, has said that he is not in touch with his family and does not want to reconcile with them. How do you know when you've reached the point when the right thing to do could be to walk away? Writer Eilidh Dorgan and Psychotherapist Dr Sara Young discuss.Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates, x) is the acclaimed comedy show from Jade Franks. A sharp, funny take on class privilege, it follows Jade's first term at Cambridge after swapping life in a Merseyside call centre for one of the UK's most elite universities. After a smash-hit run at the Edinburgh Fringe, the show is now being developed for TV.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

Should the UK follow Australia in bringing in a social media ban for under 16s? The government has announced a consultation on the issue and peers debate the question as the former Conservative schools minister Lord Nash has tabled an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. It would require social media platforms to stop children under 16 from using their platforms within a year of the Bill passing. Nuala McGovern discusses this with Hannah Ortel from the Brianna Ghey Legacy Project, and Dr Fiona Scott, Senior Lecturer in digital literacies at the University of Sheffield.How safe are the beauty treatments many women routinely use? MPs on the Science, Technology and Innovation Committee are investigating whether UK regulation is keeping pace with the scientific evidence behind products used by millions of women, from botox to hair relaxers, the latter predominantly used by Black women. Nuala is joined by the chair of the committee, Labour MP Dame Chi Onwurah, to discuss what the inquiry hopes to uncover.Eat the Rich (but maybe not me mates, x) is the acclaimed comedy show from Jade Franks. A sharp, funny take on class privilege, it follows Jade's first term at Cambridge after swapping life in a Merseyside call centre for one of the UK's most elite universities. After a smash-hit run at the Edinburgh Fringe, the show is now being developed for TV.Women who coach sports are twice as likely to suffer bullying and harassment as men, according to new research from the charity Women in Sport, which calls coaching in the UK a “hostile environment” for women. They spoke to 2,000 coaches about their experiences and found women are operating in a deeply unequal system, from pay and progression through to discrimination. They say many have quit, feeling unheard and undervalued. Lisa West from Women in Sport and Yasmin Clarke, a former pro tennis player and coach discuss.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Melanie Abbott

We are a year into US President Trump's second term. He says he will tell European leaders "we have to have" Greenland at this week's forum in Davos, Switzerland and impose tariffs if they oppose him. Trump regularly hailed himself as the anti-war president on the campaign trail - and he's described himself since as the "president of peace" - but there are some who accuse him of waging a "war on women" since taking office. So, after a year back in the White House, how have the policies of President Trump's administration impacted women? Nuala McGovern is joined by Anne McElvoy, an executive editor at Politico and Jennifer Ewing, Spokesperson for Republicans Overseas UK. Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, the eldest son of the Beckhams, has said that he is not in touch with his family and does not want to reconcile with them. We don't all live our family lives on social media, but most of us do have moments when we question whether our relationships with them are good for us. How do you know when you've reached the point when the right thing to do could be to walk away? Eilidh Dorgan and psychotherapist Dr Sara Young discuss. More than 90% of medicines have never been tested in pregnancy, leaving millions of women worldwide facing an impossible choice, go without treatment, or take medication you're not certain is safe for your baby. The World Health Organisation is preparing to work with scientists, doctors and drug developers on what could be the biggest shift in decades, rethinking whether pregnant women should take part in drugs trials. Nuala talks to Martina Penazzato from the Science for Health Department at the World Health Organization (WHO) and Dr Teesta Dey, Maternal Technical Consultant at the World Health Organization and a Maternal Health Researcher at the University of Liverpool.Caroline Mitchell spent almost 10 years working for the police, including as a detective in the Criminal Investigation Department, before becoming a full-time writer. Her latest novel, The Ice Angels, has tinges of the Nordic-noir genre and is the first of a series featuring Elea, a Finnish detective whose daughter went missing 10-years earlier. She tells Nuala about the importance of writing for her and why the cityscape of Lincoln and Finland feeds into her work. This programme has been edited since broadcast.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

New research will bring hope to the thousands of women in the UK living with secondary breast cancer. A simple blood test will be able to tell how well they will respond to treatment, even before it starts. This research could mean being moved to more efficient treatments earlier. Nuala McGovern hears from Dr Iseult Browne, one of the researchers on the study. The Grammy award-winning American R&B singer/songwriter and actress, Andra Day, made her acting debut with her portrayal of Billie Holiday in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Her emotionally raw and transformative performance made her only the second black actress to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress. Her voice first reached a global audience with her anthem Rise Up which earned two Grammy nominations. She joins Nuala to talk about her latest role, as Christine, in the film - Is This Thing On?An employment tribunal ruled on Friday that the dignity of a group of female nurses at Darlington Memorial Hospital was violated because they had to share single-sex changing rooms with a transgender colleague, who was born male but identifies as a woman. BBC's Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes explains further.Today another episode of our SEND in the Spotlight podcast drops, and this one is all about the local authority's role in the SEND system. They come in for a lot of criticism from some of our guests, who feel they need to go to battle with their council in the attempt to get their children's needs met. Rebecca is a SEND mum who is also a SEND caseworker for a local authority. She got in touch because she wanted to talk about the realities of her job. Mattel have just released autistic Barbie. It's the latest in their range of dolls which have included wheelchair and Downs syndrome Barbies. So how do brands use socially conscious products to appeal to consumers, and how much are they targeting women with issues they care about? To discuss Catherine Shuttleworth, CEO of the marketing agency Get Savvy and Dionne Nickerson, Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia join Nuala.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Parents of under-fives in England are to be offered official advice on how long their children should spend watching TV or looking at computer screens. It comes as government research shows about 98% of children under two were watching screens on a daily basis - with parents, teachers and nursery staff saying youngsters were finding it harder to hold conversations or concentrate on learning. To discuss this further Nuala McGovern is joined by Kate Silverton, child counsellor and parenting author, and Professor Sonia Livingstone from the London School of Economics and author of Parenting for a Digital Future. In 2025 alone she walked at Paris Fashion Week, spoke at the United Nations about face equality and won 'Fashion and beauty influencer of the year' at the the UK and Ireland TikTok awards, all while managing a chronic illness. Nikki Lilly is a Bafta and Emmy award-winner, an influencer and a campaigner and she joined Anita Rani in the studio.The latest series of The Traitors has sparked controversy after two black women, Netty and Judy, were the first to leave – one ‘murdered' by the Traitors and the other banished at the roundtable. The debate goes beyond the game - is it exposing unconscious bias and raising bigger questions? Do reality TV shows like this hold up a mirror to society, revealing uncomfortable truths around racism, misogyny, and ageism? Author and arts columnist at the Independent Micha Frazer-Carroll and freelance writer Chloe Laws, who have both written on this topic and are both fans of the show, discuss.What happens if the person you're in a relationship with doesn't quite meet all the qualities you look for in a long-term partner? Do you stay anyway? Journalist Eve Simmons has recently written about this in her new book, ‘What She Did Next', which looks at why millennial women might settle for what she calls ‘subpar' relationships. Nuala was also joined by psychotherapist and broadcaster Lucy Beresford who believes it may not just be women settling for less.Miss Marple and Poirot have been household names for decades but now one of Agatha Christie's lesser-known sleuths – Lady Eileen ‘Bundle' Brent - is finally getting her time in the spotlight. The fearless young amateur detective is the focus of new Netflix mystery series Seven Dials. Mia McKenna-Bruce is the award-winning actor bringing ‘Bundle' to the screen, alongside Helena Bonham-Carter and Martin Freeman, and Mia joined presenter Nuala live in the studio.The Ayoub Sisters are Scottish Egyptian siblings Sarah and Laura Ayoub who play cello and violin. Their debut album was recorded in Abbey Road Studios with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Their second album, Arabesque, was released independently and went to number one in the iTunes chart. They are about to undertake a UK tour to celebrate their 10th anniversary, which will include the premiere of their Arabic Symphony in a homecoming concert in Glasgow.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells

Reports say that the number of people killed in Iran after 18 days of protests is over 2000. We hear about the women on death row who are facing execution as there are fears of quick reprisals from the regime. Women are taking extraordinary risks to take part in protests as is demonstrated by the death of the fashion student Rubina Aminian, who was shot in the head during the protests, after taking to the streets to demand change and more freedoms. BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet and human rights lawyer Azadeh Zabeti discuss with Nuala McGovern.A BBC investigation has found that more than half of the 16,000 children in drug treatment between 2024 to 2025 were 15 or younger. The BBC has found disparities in community care, gaps in strategy and a lack of state funded residential facilities for teenagers. Experts and grieving families say many are not receiving the help they need.  Kate Roux, whose son Ben died in a homeless shelter at 16, and Dame Professor Carol Black, the government's independent drugs adviser, discuss the systemic issues preventing children from getting the help they need and what is being done to create parity of care.What happens if the person you're in a relationship with doesn't quite meet all the qualities you look for in a long-term partner? Do you stay anyway? Journalist Eve Simmons has recently written about this in her new book, ‘What She Did Next', which looks at why millennial women might settle for what she calls ‘subpar' relationships. Nuala is also joined by psychotherapist and broadcaster Lucy Beresford who believes it may not just be women settling for less. After reading the coroner's report on the tragic deaths of Jennifer Cahill and her daughter Agnes Lily in June 2024, midwife and author, Leah Hazard decided to investigate how long midwives across the country were expected to work at any one time. The many responses she received led her to set up a petition which has now garnered more than 19,000 signatures. She tells Nuala why she is asking for stricter legal protections on midwives' working hours, and midwife Abigail Latif describes the pressures she feels under to work long hours.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Melanie Abbott

Miss Marple and Poirot have been household names for decades but now one of Agatha Christie's lesser-known sleuths – Lady Eileen ‘Bundle' Brent - is finally getting her time in the spotlight. The fearless young amateur detective is the focus of new Netflix mystery series Seven Dials. Mia McKenna-Bruce is the award-winning actor bringing ‘Bundle' to the screen, alongside Helena Bonham-Carter and Martin Freeman, and Mia joins presenter Nuala McGovern live in the studio.How do you spot misinformation online? BBC Bitesize has launched a new series for schools tackling the problem, after new research with more than 400 teachers highlighted their growing concern about teenagers' relationship with online content. It shows most teachers believe critical thinking is now the most essential skill for young people, yet only a third feel able to teach it. Nuala is joined by psychologist Dr Martha Deros Collado and Pip Sanderson from the Center for Digital Information Literacy in Schools to discuss the issue and how to approach talking to teenagers about it. A new BBC investigation has been examining one of Russia's most covert war operations: the recruitment of foreign nationals as frontline soldiers for its invasion of Ukraine. A central figure of the documentary is a woman called Polina Alex-an-drovna Azarnykh. She's a former teacher turned recruiter who is now accused of misleading economically vulnerable men across the world into joining Russia's military. BBC documentary Into the Void: Putin's Foreign Fighters follows Senior International Investigations Correspondent Nawal Al-Maghafi as she exposes this shadowy system and the human cost behind it. She joins Nuala to discuss the story. Publishing "isn't taking the power of older women seriously" according to author Lesley Kara, in an article for industry bible The Bookseller. Lesley wrote about the number of older female authors, why there aren't enough books about middle-aged and older women and why she thinks the protrayals that do exist are often cliched. She joins Nuala along with book critic and journalist Alex Clark.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Sarah Jane Griffiths

Parents of under-fives in England are to be offered official advice on how long their children should spend watching TV or looking at computer screens. It comes as government research shows about 98% of children under two were watching screens on a daily basis - with parents, teachers and nursery staff saying youngsters were finding it harder to hold conversations or concentrate on learning. To discuss this further Nuala McGovern is joined by Kate Silverton, child counsellor and parenting author, and Professor Sonia Livingstone from the London School of Economics and author of Parenting for a Digital Future. Heather Rose's latest novel, A Great Act of Love, is set around a real-life vineyard in Tasmania in the early 19th century. This was at a time when Tasmania, or Van Diemen's Land as it was called then, was still a British penal colony. It was while she was researching this book that Heather discovered her own family's dark history and its connection to the land, which she has interwoven into the story. This year marks the centenary of the Adoption of Children Act 1926. It was the first legislation enabling the legal adoption of children in England and Wales, with equivalent legislation passed in Northern Ireland in 1929 and in Scotland in 1930. Joining Nuala to discuss the significance of the passing of this act is Dame Carol Homden, Chief Executive of Coram, Harriet Ward, Emeritus Professor at Loughborough University and currently writing a book about the history of adoption, and Zoe Lambert, who was adopted at five months old and is the founder of In-Between Lines, that works with adoptees, adoption agencies and advocacy groups. The Ayoub Sisters are Scottish Egyptian siblings Sarah and Laura Ayoub who play cello and violin. Their debut album was recorded in Abbey Road Studios with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Their second album, Arabesque, was released independently and went to number one in the iTunes chart. They are about to undertake a UK tour to celebrate their 10th anniversary, which will include the premiere of their Arabic Symphony in a homecoming concert in Glasgow. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

Ten people have been found guilty of cyber-bullying Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, by a Paris court, but that is not the end of the lawsuits. Next up, it's the Macrons against the controversial right-wing podcaster Candace Owens in a US civil court. They've accused her of mounting “a campaign of global humiliation”. Nuala McGovern speaks to Sophie Pedder from The Economist, in Paris, and BBC journalist Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty.Dr Miriam Stoppard has been writing books for five decades now - maybe one has helped you through a relationship, or a pregnancy, or with your parenting or your grand parenting, many of you will have loved her column as an agony aunt. Today she wants to talk about our sex lives as we grow older. Her new book is Sex, Drugs and Walking Sticks. In our new series Going it Alone, we are hearing from three women about their experiences of having a child without a partner. These are women who are having donor-conceived children, which is different to single mums who may have split up with the child's father. Statistics show that more women than ever in the UK are choosing to become solo mums by choice. Today we hear Jay's story.Lynley is a new TV adaptation of Elizabeth George's much-loved Lynley detective series novels on BBC One. Central to this four-part series is the relationship between Detective Inspector Tommy Lynley, played by Leo Suter, who is the son of an Earl, and the working class, no-nonsense Detective Superintendent Barbara Havers, who's been assigned to work with him. Barbara Havers is played by actor Sofia Barclay, who joins Nuala in the studio. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

Since her big break in Muriel's Wedding 30 years ago, actor Toni Collette has graced our screens in a huge list of standout roles from The Sixth Sense to Hereditary, Little Miss Sunshine to Mickey 17. She joined Kylie Pentelow to discuss her latest film, Goodbye June. The emotional directorial debut from Kate Winslet tackles themes of love, loss and Christmas as a fractious family come together to sit vigil for the family matriarch, played by Helen Mirren.From the very beginning of the NHS in 1948, Irish women were actively recruited to staff British hospitals. By the 1960s, there were around 30,000 Irish-born nurses - making up roughly one in eight of all nurses – yet their contribution has often gone unrecognised. A new book aims to change that. Based on dozens of interviews, it tells the story of Irish nurses in their own words. We hear from co-author of Irish Nurses in the NHS: An Oral History, Professor Louise Ryan, who spent years researching Irish migration and from Ethel Corduff, who came to England to train as a nurse, a career she spent 40 years in.Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, or RED-S as it's known, was once framed as a concern only for elite athletes. But as running culture intensifies alongside weight-loss jabs and healthy eating trends, RED-S has become more widespread. It's often hard to spot, but the long-term consequences can be devastating, impacting immune function, growth and fertility. Sports dietitian Renee McGregor and Jodie Pearlman, who experienced the condition first hand, joined Kylie to talk about the condition.Why can adults seem to regress to childhood or teenage behaviours at Christmas? We discuss family dynamics and the kinds of behaviour that can re-surface with everyone under the same roof again. Guardian columnist Elle Hunt shares her own experience alongside Woman's Hour listeners, and psychotherapist Julia Samuel offers advice.It's 75 years since The Archers first launched. Woman's Hour broadcast from Ambridge to celebrate the female characters who have helped this programme tackle some of the most challenging, contentious and sensitive issues affecting women. Nuala McGovern joined Felicity Finch, who plays Ruth Archer, for a behind-the-scenes tour, along with Technical Producer Vanessa Nuttall.Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Annette Wells

A new report out from UNICEF has revealed some devastating figures on the prevalence of sexual violence against children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Nationwide data indicates that more than 35,000 cases of sexual violence against children were recorded from January to September of 2025. It is understood that the true number is likely to be higher than these figures, with the crime being underreported due to fear and stigma. Kylie Pentelow is joined by UNICEF's Chief of Child Protection, Ramatou Touré, to discuss the report. Maintaining friendships in adulthood can feel like a full-time job, especially when calendars clash, energy runs low, and “let's catch up soon” becomes a recurring loop. We revisit The Woman's Hour Guide to Life episode on friendships to explore why staying connected is so challenging in a busy life. Nuala McGovern speaks to journalist Claire Cohen, psychotherapist Dr Julia Samuel, and the psychologist Dr Marisa G Franco, who share expert insights, relatable stories, and advice you'll genuinely want to put into practice.Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, or RED-S as it's known, was once framed as a concern only for elite athletes. But as running culture intensifies alongside weight-loss jabs and healthy eating trends, RED-S has become more widespread. It's often hard to spot, but the long-term consequences can be devastating, impacting immune function, growth and fertility. Sports dietitian Renee McGregor and Jodie Pearlman, who experienced the condition first hand, tell Kylie more about the condition.It's peak time for university applications at the moment, with the deadline looming in mid January. UCAS' data for 2025, shows that 31% of 18 year olds in the UK are planning to live at home this year, which is a record high compared to 22% a decade ago. So if almost a third are staying at home, what is student life like today and how does it compare to the student experience of the past? Discussing this with Kylie are Sakithya Nathan, a first year student at Birkbeck University in London, Daisy Depledge-Kittle, a third year student at Leeds Trinity University, and Dr Aimee Quickfall, Head of the School of Education and Childhood at Leeds Trinity University. Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Andrea Kidd

It's 75 years to the day since The Archers first launched. Woman's Hour has come to Ambridge to celebrate the female characters who have helped this programme tackle some of the most challenging, contentious and sensitive issues affecting women.Nuala McGovern is joined in The Archers studio at BBC Birmingham by writer Sarah Hehir, Dr Cara Courage from Academic Archers, who studies the social history behind the programme, Sunny Ormonde, who plays Lilian Bellamy, and we also hear from Emerald O'Hanrahan, who plays Emma Grundy. Times columnist and long time fan of The Archers Libby Purves shares a condensed history of the women of Ambridge. Nuala also gets a behind the scenes tour from Felicity Finch, who plays Ruth Archer, and Technical Producer Vanessa Nuttall.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson

Since her big break in Muriel's Wedding 30 years ago, actor Toni Collette has graced our screens in a huge list of standout roles from The Sixth Sense to Hereditary, Little Miss Sunshine to Mickey 17. She joins Kylie Pentelow to discuss her latest film, Goodbye June. The emotional directorial debut from Kate Winslet tackles themes of love, loss and Christmas as a fractious family come together to sit vigil for the family matriarch, played by Helen Mirren. It's the last day of the year and always a good time to reflect on the inevitable ups and downs that any year can hold for all of us. But what about the people in your life who have particularly impacted you this year. Who have been the women – close to you or maybe not – who have been significant for you? Friends, family, public figures? Kylie is joined by Olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger – currently the chairwoman of the British Olympic Association (BOA), Helen Lewis, staff writer at The Atlantic and Natalie Haynes - author of six novels and broadcaster in her own right.We all have to juggle money, but are we spending it in ways that actually bring us joy or cause us anxiety? We revisit The Woman's Hour Guide to Life episode on Challenging Your Money Mindset and dig into spending habits and explore how to align your money choices with the life you really want. Nuala McGovern speaks to journalist and author Anniki Sommerville, Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor at the Financial Times and host of the Money Clinic podcast, and Abigail Foster, chartered accountant and author of The Money Manual.With the Christmas school break in full swing, perhaps your house has been full of children. But what do you do when someone else's child begins to act up? Do you tell them off or simply put up with the behaviour until you can hand them back to their parents? Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Corinna Jones

On Woman's Hour Christmas Day programme, Nuala McGovern and Anita Rani discussed the rituals and traditions that we do at Christmas. Some passed down across the generations and some adapted through in-laws or friends. With a recent YouGov poll saying that 89% of Brits celebrate Christmas and most of the preparation and work that goes into this festive season is done by women, what role do women play in the making and maintaining of these rituals? Nuala and Anita find out about the importance of nostalgia and why we love to do the same thing year after year. Dr Audrey Tang, author and a chartered psychologist with the British Psychological Society, explains the importance of the rituals we do and why we do them.Woman's Hour celebrates the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth. Her novels have been translated into almost every major language and there are societies of Austen lovers and scholars in every corner of the globe, from Australia to Argentina and Iran to Italy. To tell us why Austen still captivates readers in their parts of the world, Nuala McGovern was joined by Laaleen Sukhera, founder of the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan and the founding member of the Austen Society of Japan, and researcher at the University of Southampton, Dr. Hatsuyo Shimazaki.We've just had the shortest day of the year, and the most amount of darkness. But how do women live their lives in the dark today? You might have to work at night, or find it the best time to be productive. Or you might harness darkness as a time to think and meditate. Anita Rani speaks to two people who have considered the pros and cons of darkness in very different ways. Lucy Edwards is a Blind Broadcaster, Journalist, Author, Content Creator and Disability Activist. Arifa Akbar is theatre critic for the Guardian whose investigations into the dark formed her book, Wolf Moon.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells

This week the Government set out its strategy to deal with violence against women and girls. This makes up nearly 20% of all recorded crime in England and Wales. Over the last year alone, one in every eight women was a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking, according to Home Office figures. Educating boys on misogyny is a key aim of the strategy and figures show that nearly one in five boys aged 13 to 15 are said to hold a positive view of the self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, according to a YouGov poll. Alex Davies-Jones, the minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, joins Anita Rani to discuss the Government's strategy.Hollywood actor Kate Hudson's latest movie Song Sung Blue is based on the real life story of Wisconsin couple Mike and Claire Sardina. Kate plays Claire, who along with her husband Mike, played by Hugh Jackman, finds local fame in the 1990s as a Neil Diamond tribute act. Kate tells Anita about the appeal of the role and how she's now found empowerment and her voice.Woman's Hour celebrates the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth. Nuala McGovern delves into the world that Jane was born into in 1775. She is joined by the author Gill Hornby, President of the UK Jane Austen Society, and by Dr Zoe McGee whose book Courting Disaster explores the issue of consent in Regency literature.According to a survey in the press this week, nearly half of younger women surveyed said they are confident in painting and decorating, compared with just 28% of young men. The stats are from the motoring and cycling firm Halfords who said its study revealed a reversal from previous generations. We hear from Vickie Lee, DIY YouTuber known online as The Carpenter's Daughter, alongside Caroline Henn, founder of bePractical DIY in Bristol, who runs courses aimed at making DIY accessible.We celebrate the phenomenon of female tribute acts to male bands. Gobby Holder, aka Danie Cox of Slady and Lolo Wood of The Fallen Women and Ye Nuns discuss.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

Have you heard of Freebirthing? It's giving birth without any medical help or intervention. A new podcast by The Guardian has investigated an American organisation – the Free Birth Society or FBS – a multimillion-dollar business which professionals claim promotes some dangerous views. Nuala McGovern is joined by Sirin Kale who undertook the investigation along with her colleague Lucy Osbourne. Dr Claire Feeley, midwife and senior lecturer at Kings College London who has done research into freebirthing, discusses the free birth picture here in the UK.Today marks a year since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. For more than half a century the Assad family ruled Syria with an iron fist and when it came to an end after 13 years of war, many women hoped for a new era. So what's the situation for women in the country 12 months on? We hear from Lina Sinjab, the BBC's Middle East correspondent, who is Syrian and currently in Aleppo.As part of Radio 4's annual Christmas Appeal, we hear from NHS Clinical psychologist Sarah Phillips and former Rowan Alba supported-accommodation resident Elvira about how a revolutionary in-house psychologist team is helping homeless women in supported housing in Edinburgh and why they think this model should be rolled out across the UK.Sarah Mughal Rana is a #BookTok personality and the co-host of On the Write Track podcast. Her debut novel - Dawn of the Firebird -has just been published. It's an epic, action-packed fantasy story, embracing rich Islamic culture. Sarah joins Nuala to discuss the main protagonist, the discarded daughter of an emperor, who is described as: Daughter, Assassin, Traitor, Saviour. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

When Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister of New Zealand in 2017 at the age of 37, she was the youngest female head of government in the world. She also made history as only the second elected leader to give birth while in office. She resigned in 2023 after more than five years in post saying she no longer had enough in the tank and, since then, has engaged in global work focused on empathy in leadership and the prevention of online extremism. As a new documentary film, Prime Minister, is out in cinemas now, Jacinda talks to Kylie Pentelow.The government has just unveiled its new HIV Action Plan with the stated goal of tackling stigma and to end transmissions in England by 2030. Public Health Minister Ashley Dalton discusses the policy along with Ellie Harrison, who was diagnosed HIV positive when she was 21.Are friendships with exes a bad idea or a sign of growing up? Journalist Olivia Petter and comedian Rosie Wilby join Nuala McGovern to explore how relationships with ex-partners evolve after a breakup, and why staying in touch can look different in straight and LGBTQ+ communities.Columnist Sarah Vine started losing her hair as a teenager and was eventually diagnosed with female pattern baldness, a hormonal condition. But now she has decided, after 15 years of wearing wigs, to reveal her own hair on the front cover of a national newspaper. She speaks about her decision to bare all.We examine new data that reveals the number of teachers leaving the profession after becoming parents. We explore why, and what's being done about it. Emma Shepherd is the founder of the Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher Project and Branwen Jeffries is the BBC's Education Editor.Do you like everything to be perfect for dinner party hosting – the spotless house, the elaborate menu, the Instagram-worthy table setting? But what if the secret to a great dinner party isn't perfection, but scruffy hosting – a trend that is apparently transforming the way we gather together and makes stress-free dinner parties more attainable - perhaps a one-pot dinner, mismatched cutlery, toys under the table or children running around screaming. Helen Thorn, Comedian, Podcaster and one half of Scummy Mummies tells Nuala why she embraces this type of hosting.Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Dianne McGregor

Justice Secretary David Lammy has announced plans for a sweeping range of reforms to criminal courts in England and Wales. The proposals include scrapping jury trials for cases where sentences are likely to be less than three years and for trials involving ‘particularly technical and lengthy fraud and financial offences'. They will only be kept for the most serious offences, including murder, robbery and rape. However there are fears that the proposed changes will have a disproportionate impact on women, whether as victims or when accused of a crime and then particularly for women of colour. Nuala McGovern discusses the reforms with Fiona Rutherford, Chief Executive of legal reform charity Justice, barrister Emma Torr, Co-chief of Appeal, a law practice dedicated to challenging wrongful convictions, and Val Castell, Deputy National Chair of the Magistrates' Association. A petition has been launched calling for a national endometriosis registry to track and audit data on diagnosis, treatment and surgery outcomes. It's been spearheaded by Jessica Smith, who, like an estimated one and a half million women in the UK, suffers with endometriosis, a condition which occurs when the tissue, similar to the lining of the uterus, grows in other places, such as the ovaries and the fallopian tubes. Campaigners say the level of care is a post code lottery, with long wait lists and that by streamlining this information some of the gaps in care could be eliminated. Jessica joins Nuala along with Professor Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians.The Women's Institute has announced a big change - from next April it will no longer offer membership to transgender women. The UK Supreme Court earlier this year ruled that the legal definition of a woman can only be based on biological sex. This comes the day after it was announced that transgender girls can no longer join the Girl Guides, Brownies or Rainbows. The Women's Institute says it's decision comes with the ‘utmost regret.' Melissa Green, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Women's Institutes explains why they came to this decision. The BBC's political correspondent Phil Sim gives the background.Do you like everything to be perfect for Christmas dinner party hosting – the spotless house, the elaborate menu, the Instagram-worthy table setting? But what if the secret to a great dinner party isn't perfection, but scruffy hosting – a trend that is apparently transforming the way we gather together and makes stress-free dinner parties more attainable - perhaps a one-pot dinner, mismatched cutlery, toys under the table or children running around screaming. Helen Thorn, Comedian, Podcaster and one half of Scummy Mummies tells Nuala why she embraces this type of hosting. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

Are friendships with exes a bad idea or a sign of growing up? Journalists Olivia Petter and comedian Rosie Wilby join Nuala McGovern to explore how relationships with ex-partners evolve after a breakup, and why staying in touch can look different in straight and LGBTQ+ communities.Global Leaders for Ending Gender-Based Violence (GBV) dedicated to preventing violence against women and girls have come together to form the All In Coalition. This new group is made up of global leaders and survivor advocates including Harriet Harman, the UK's Special Envoy for Women and Girls, and Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement. We hear from Dr Emma Fulu, who set this up, and Sima Samar, former Minister for Women's Affairs in Afghanistan.There is new data out today from the charity Surviving Economic Abuse which reveals that 27% of mothers (with children under the age of 18) have experienced economic abuse in the past year. We'll hear more about this common yet often hidden form of abuse and control. Pichaya Soontornyanakij has been named as the world's best female chef by a panel of more than a thousand food and restaurant experts. She's the first Asian women to be awarded this title. Known as Chef Pam, she's also a TV host and culinary judge in her native Thailand. She started out by converting her family home in Bangkok into a restaurant and since then she's gone on to obtain a coveted Michelin star. And all by the age of 36.  Chef Pam joins us from the Thai capital.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Australia's under-16 social media ban comes into force soon. From 10th December, platforms must take 'reasonable steps' to stop under-16s from opening accounts and remove accounts that already belong to them. Companies who fail to comply could face fines of up to £25m. BBC Sydney correspondent Katy Watson has been talking to teenagers in the state of Victoria. She explains how we got here and updates us on a new legal action being brought to challenge the ban.Cassa Pancho founded Ballet Black in 2001, aged 21, in response to there being no black or Asian women performing in any of the UK's ballet companies. This week Ballet Black conclude their UK tour of SHADOWS at London's Sadler's Wells and features as part of its double bill Cassa's adaptation of Oyinkan Braithwaite's international bestselling novel, My Sister, The Serial Killer.Have you heard of rage rooms? Or even visited one? Turns out demand for them is surging, and 90% of the UK customers are women. Believed to have started in Japan in the early 2000s, rage rooms are places where people can smash up items such as electronics, white goods and crockery. Nuala McGovern is joined by Jennifer Cox, psychotherapist and author of Women are Angry: Why Your Rage is Hiding and How To Let It Out, and culture journalist Isobel Lewis who has visited a rage retreat.Camille O'Sullivan has toured with the Pogues and was chosen by Yoko Ono to perform at Meltdown festival in the Royal Festival Hall – now the Irish-French singer is bringing her hit show to the Soho Theatre in London. LoveLetter is a personal response to the loss of the artists who inspired her - particularly her late friends Shane McGowan and Sinéad O'Connor. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells

Australia's under-16 social media ban comes into force soon. From 10th December, platforms must take 'reasonable steps' to stop under-16s from opening accounts and remove accounts that already belong to them. Companies who fail to comply could face fines of up to £25m. BBC Sydney Correspondent Katy Watson has been talking to teenagers in the state of Victoria. She explains how we got here and updates us on a new legal action being brought to challenge the ban.Ever wondered what your bottom says about your health? A new study of over 60,000 people reveals that subtle changes in the shape of your buttock muscles can reveal when people are heading towards type two diabetes. The study was carried out by the University of Westminster. Louise Thomas, Professor of Metabolic Imaging who is the senior author of the study, joins us alongside personal trainer Jacqueline Hooton.We talk to the author of a review of how the justice system treats girls. They can no longer be sent to Young Offenders Institutes as a result of Susannah Hancock's recommendations, but she says there is still plenty of work to be done and much of the remaining custodial accommodation needs improvement. Pippa Goodfellow, Deputy Director of Policy, Communications and Strategy at the National Children's Bureau, who will serve on the government's new advisory board on these matters, also joins us.A new exhibition, ‘Learning to See,' by the abstract artist Bridget Riley has opened at Turner Contemporary in Margate. There are 26 of her most recent works on show - large canvases, studies and works painted directly on the wall. To talk about Bridget's life so far and the significance of her work, Nuala McGovern is joined by artist Dame Tracey Emin, Melissa Blanchflower, senior curator of the exhibition and Dr Frances Follin, author of Embodied Visions: Bridget Riley, Op Art and The Sixties.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Procuer: Simon Richardson

What should tech companies be doing to prevent online abuse of women and girls? Ofcom's Chief Executive, Dame Melanie Dawes, joins Nuala McGovern to discuss their new guidance. It's urging tech firms to go much further to prevent the harm caused by misogynistic pile-ons, online stalking and intimate image abuse. They've also teamed up with Sport England to highlight the toll such abuse is taking on women in sport. Have you heard of rage rooms? Or even visited one? Turns out demand for them is surging, and 90% of the UK customers are women. Believed to have started in Japan in the early 2000s, rage rooms are places where people can smash up items such as electronics, white goods and crockery. Nuala is joined by Jennifer Cox, psychotherapist and author of Women are Angry: Why Your Rage is Hiding and How To Let It Out, and culture journalist Isobel Lewis who has visited a rage retreat.Isabelle Kyson, 17, is a national-level sprint hurdler and passionate advocate for girls in sport. Today, she releases her documentary, Out of the Race, on YouTube which explores why so many girls drop out of sport during puberty. Research shows that more than two-thirds of teenage girls quit sport by the age of 16 or 17—a trend Issey has been campaigning to change for some time, including lobbying government for action. She has also launched a new toolkit for schools, developed in partnership with the Association for Physical Education. Issey joins Nuala along with Kate Thornton-Bousfield, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Physical Education.We discuss acting and AI as the actor Olivia Williams discusses why she wants actors to have more control over the data that is obtained from scans of their body. Many actors contracts now include a clause granting producers ownership of an actor's ‘likeness' across all platforms, forever. This can cover photos, drawings, figurines, and the full body scans captured with advanced technology. In a recent article in The Guardian, Olivia suggested that something similar to a 'nudity clause' should be added to contracts. She joins Nuala along with consultant solicitor, Kelsey Farish, who advises actors and performers on AI clauses. Presented by: Nuala McGovern Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths

Are you excessively tired with your hair falling out, nails always breaking, brain often foggy or sometimes, despite having youth on your side, maybe forgetting how to form a sentence? These are amongst the symptoms of iron deficiency, often underdiagnosed. Nuala McGovern will be speaking to Dr Sue Pavord, Consultant Haematologist and President of the British Society for Haematology, and freelance journalist Rose Stokes.The Royal College of Pathologists say that a shortage of consultants means that "1 in 5 families are now waiting 6 months or more, and some longer than 12 months" for post mortems. The 'paediatric and perinatal pathology workforce' report said there were no paediatric or perinatal pathology consultants in the South West, the Midlands or Northern Ireland. Dr Clair Evans, the chair of the college's advisory committee - a Consultant Paediatric and Perinatal pathologist explains the situation further. At lunchtime on Wednesday the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, will unveil her much anticipated second budget. How could this budget affect the lives of women in 2026? We're joined by the BBC's Cost of Living correspondent Colletta Smith, to talk us through what we might see in the red briefcase on Wednesday. A self-portrait by Frida Kahlo has just sold for $55 million in New York. It is the highest price ever paid for a work by a female artist. To illustrate the magnitude of the difference, a painting by Klimt was also sold recently for $236m. Professor Renee Adams is a professor of finance at Oxford Saïd business school and researches the role of gender in the art market, where women's works generally achieve much lower values. She explains why and what needs to change. As part of the BBC 2 Civilisations series, tonight's programme looks at the rise and fall of the Aztec Empire and the part that a young woman played in its demise. She was called Malintzin and acted as translator at the momentous first meeting in 1519 between Montezuma, the ruler of the vast Aztec Empire, and the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. To find out more about Malintzin and her role in Mexican history and culture Nuala is joined by Dr Elizabeth Baquedano, from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London and Dr Jessica Fernández de Lara Harada from the University of Oxford.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Former US magazine editors-in-chief Laura Brown and Kristina O'Neill were both ‘let go' from their respective jobs. They felt blindsided, devastated and temporarily lost their identities - until, united, they learnt how to make a comeback. They joined Nuala McGovern to share their experiences as set out in their new book, All the Cool Girls Get Fired, about how they let go of the shame of ‘being fired', a term they like to use, and how a career setback can become the best thing ever.Suzanne Edwards is currently taking part in ground-breaking medical trials that involve her learning how to move her legs using neural implants. Suzanne has been a sportswoman for decades, both before and since a life-changing accident 14 years ago, and she explains to Anita Rani how this training has informed her approach to taking part in medical research.Back in 1995 a call went out looking for women to take part in a landmark scientific study exploring the links between what we eat and our health. Thirty-five thousand middle-aged women signed up to be part of the UK Women's Cohort Study. It went on to look at the impact our diet can have on our risk of developing cancer and other chronic diseases, as well as other areas of women's health from our bones to the menopause. Professor Janet Cade from the University of Leeds joined Nuala to discuss what it was like launching the study 30 years ago and some of its key takeaways for women.The Independent Commission on UK Counterterrorism has just published its report after three years. A long and detailed report, it estimates there are up to 70 UK-linked individuals, mostly women and children—most under 10 years old—believed to still be in camps or other detention centres in Iraq and Syria. Professor of Religion, Gender and Global Security, Katherine Brown, is one of the 14 commissioners. She explains why the women and children remaining in these camps is "unsustainable" and why an organised programme of return, rehabilitation, and integration is, they believe, the best long-term option for managing the risk to public safety. They are joined by Frank Gardner, the BBC's Security Correspondent.Francesca Hennessy is the 21-year-old shaking up women's boxing. Nicknamed the 'Billion Dollar Baby', she's unbeaten in her first six professional fights and will be fighting on the bill when boxing returns to BBC primetime TV, free-to-air on a Saturday night for the first time in 20 years later this month. She'll face former world champion Fabiana Bytyqi, marking the biggest test of her career. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

Childminders play a vital role in the early years of children's lives, offering care, stability and a familiar face during those formative years. But their numbers are in sharp decline. Many are no longer able to offer places for three and four year olds, citing government funding pressures. Today, Ofsted have released new figures on how many childminders are leaving and joining the profession. Childminder Georgina Young joins Nuala McGovern to share her experience of the joys and challenges of childminding, and what the future might hold for the profession.Saskia Reeves is the theatre, film and TV actor known for her many roles including Katherine Standish in the hit Apple TV series Slow Horses. She's now back at the National Theatre, in a new play, End – the last in a trilogy of plays by David Eldridge - Beginning and Middle – with Clive Owen, exploring love and relationships. Saskia joins Nuala to discuss. The Independent Commission on UK Counterterrorism has just published its report after three years. A long and detailed report, it estimates there are up to 70 UK-linked individuals, mostly women and children—most under 10 years old—believed to still be in camps or other detention centres in Iraq and Syria. Professor of Religion, Gender and Global Security, Katherine Brown, is one of the 14 commissioners. She explains why the women and children remaining in these camps is "unsustainable" and why an organised programme of return, rehabilitation, and integration is, they believe, the best long-term option for managing the risk to public safety. Frank Gardner, the BBC's Security Correspondent, joins them to discuss.Coroners' advice and concerns on maternal deaths in England and Wales are being ignored despite them raising repeated issues, a new study has found. Dr Georgia Richards, the founder of the Preventable Deaths Tracker at Kings College London who is on the line from New Zealand, discusses the findings.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Over a third of women could face poverty in retirement due to a growing gender gap in private pensions, according to a report from Scottish Widows, with women's finances being hit by caring responsibilities and career gaps. YouGov carried out the reseach for the Scottish Widows annual Women and Retirement Report, asking 4,000 women from across the UK about their pensions and retirement planning, as well as savings, investments and career breaks. Nuala McGovern talks to Lily Megson-Harvey, the Policy Director of retirement finance company My Pension Expert. A third of all rape trials in Wales and England last year were postponed at least once, often on the day of trial, according to a new report published by the charity Rape Crisis England and Wales. Ten years ago in 2015 the figure was one in 10. Their report, Living in Limbo, finds rape and sexual abuse survivors are being retraumatised by the criminal justice system. Nuala is joined by Maxime Rowson, the charity's Head of Policy and Public Affairs. Back in 1995 a call went out looking for women to take part in a landmark scientific study exploring the links between what we eat and our health. Thirty-five thousand middle-aged women signed up to be part of the UK Women's Cohort Study. It went on to look at the impact our diet can have on our risk of developing cancer and other chronic diseases, as well as other areas of women's health from our bones to the menopause. Professor Janet Cade from the University of Leeds joins Nuala to discuss what it was like launching the study 30 years ago and some of its key takeaways for women. Families are calling for a change in the law after they say their babies' dead bodies were kept inappropriately at a funeral director's home. The case highlights a lack of regulation in funeral services in England and Wales. Nuala speaks to Zoe Ward, one of the parents affected, who recently met with Victims Minister Alex Davies Jones to call for new laws, and to Zoe's MP, Mark Sewards. Harriet Lane's new novel, Other People's Fun, explores modern life and the lies we tell others – and ourselves – on social media. It follows an unlikely and uneasy friendship between the unnoticed Ruth and the Instagrammable Sookie. Harriet joins Nuala in the studio to discuss why female friendships and ‘everyday horror' has always intrigued her. Presented by: Nuala McGovern Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths

In Margaret Atwood's 64-year career she has published world-renowned, prescient novels like The Handmaid's Tale, Cat's Eye, Alias Grace and Blind Assassin, and now a memoir. Margaret joins Nuala McGovern to discuss Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts and reflect on her life, her work and the power of knowing her own mind.Pornography featuring strangulation or suffocation - often called choking - is due to be criminalised across the UK as part of government plans to tackle violence against women and girls. It follows an independent review which found depictions of choking were "rife" on mainstream porn sites and had helped normalise the act among young people. Gemma Kelly, policy consultant on the review, and Professor Clare McGlynn, leading expert on VAWG and gender equality, discuss. The Mercury Prize-nominated singer-songwriter Cat Burns has also just released her new album, How to Be Human. She joins Nuala to discuss her new album and taking part in Celebrity Traitors. Writer and producer Nova Reid joins Anita Rani to talk about the late Dame Jocelyn Barrow, the race relations campaigner and the first black female governor of the BBC whose story Nova tells in her new podcast, Hidden Histories with Nova Reid. The interview includes a clip of Jocelyn from 2017 sharing her thoughts with The University of Law on what she considered to be the greatest improvements in diversity.Is having a boyfriend now embarrassing? Writer Chanté Joseph recently explored this idea in an article for Vogue and on social media, observing a noticeable shift in how people - particularly heterosexual women - present their relationships online. Instead of posting clear photos of their romantic partners, many are choosing subtler signals: a hand on a steering wheel, clinking glasses, or even blurring out faces in wedding pictures. But why the change? Anita hears more from Chante. A grande dame of musical theatre, Elaine Paige made her West End debut in the 1960s and shot to fame in 1978 playing Eva Perón in Evita, going on to star in Cats, Chess, Sunset Boulevard and many more. Elaine talks to Anita about her damehood, fostering the next generation of talent and having stage fright. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

In Margaret Atwood's 64-year career she has published world-renowned, prescient novels like The Handmaid's Tale, Cat's Eye, Alias Grace and Blind Assassin, and now a memoir. Margaret joins Nuala McGovern to discuss Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts and reflect on her life, her work and the power of knowing her own mind. We also reflect on the impact Margaret Atwood has had on writers and academics. Author Naomi Alderman and academics Dr Rosamund Portus and Dr Megan Douglas join Nuala to discuss how Margaret has encouraged and inspired their work across literature, science and beyond. Health Secretary Wes Streeting in an interview in The Guardian today says an “ugly” racism reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s has become worryingly commonplace in modern Britain and NHS staff are bearing the brunt of it. In recent weeks, organisations representing nurses, social workers and carers - many of those being areas are dominated by women - have been sounding the alarm saying their members are encountering unprecedented levels of racism. We talk to Patricia Marquiss, Director for England at the Royal College of Nursing, Nadra Ahmed, Executive Chairman of the National Care Association and Harvey Gallagher from the Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers.Is having a boyfriend now embarrassing? Writer Chanté Joseph recently explored this idea in an article for Vogue and on social media, observing a noticeable shift in how people - particularly heterosexual women - present their relationships online. Instead of posting clear photos of their romantic partners, many are choosing subtler signals: a hand on a steering wheel, clinking glasses, or even blurring out faces in wedding pictures. But why the change? Even Zohran Mamdani, the new Mayor of New York, was asked whether it's still okay to use the term boyfriend. Chanté joins us.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson

A survey of boys in secondary schools by Male Allies UK has found that just over a third said they were considering the idea of an AI friend. With growing concern about the rise of AI therapists and girlfriends, Lee Chambers, the founder and chief executive of Male Allies UK, and feminist sociologist Professor Jessica Ringrose, join Nuala McGovern to discuss the potential effect these AI companions could have on the mental health of teenage boys.Pornography featuring strangulation or suffocation - often called choking - is due to be criminalised across the UK as part of government plans to tackle violence against women and girls. It follows an independent review which found depictions of choking were "rife" on mainstream porn sites and had helped normalise the act among young people. Gemma Kelly, policy consultant on the review, and Professor Clare McGlynn, leading expert on VAWG and gender equality, discuss.The latest edition of the popular Football Manager video game features female football players and managers for the first time in its history. The game has been played by 19 million people and has origins that go back 30 years. We hear from Tina Keech, head of women's football research at Sports Interactive, the company behind Football Manager. Over the past 25 years Pulitzer Prize-winning war photographer Lynsey Addario has covered almost every major conflict of the modern era. She's been kidnapped twice - once in Iraq and once in Libya - yet continues to return to the frontlines, driven to tell the stories of those caught in conflict. A new documentary, Love + War, follows her extraordinary career and what it's like returning home at the end of an assignment to ‘normal' life with her partner and two children. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

World Health Organisation figures say one in six people are affected by infertility. Fertility Matters at Work, who provide training for fertility support in the workplace, have published a cost analysis. They have explored the economic impact of not providing time off for fertility treatment - not only on those people directly involved in seeking help, but on businesses and the economy more widely. To discuss further, Nuala McGovern is joined by Alice Macdonald, MP for Norwich North, who will be asking MPs if they agree that a legal right should be given to people to take paid time off work to attend medical appointments for fertility treatment, and Natalie Silverman, co-founder of Fertility Matters at Work.Bella Culley was freed by the Tbilisi City Court today. The 19-year-old, who is eight months pregnant, is from Billingham in Teesside. She was arrested at Tbilisi airport after police found drugs in her luggage and had been held in Georgia on drug trafficking charges since May. Before news of her release, Nuala spoke to Rayhan Demytrie, BBC News Caucasus correspondent, outside the court.The case of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing US health insurance CEO Brian Thompson, is one of the most closely followed legal cases of recent years. The 26-year old-was arrested in December and accused of shooting Mr Thompson, a father of two, outside a Manhattan hotel. He faces the charges of murder and stalking, charges which Mangione denies. While the case continues, something else has been happening. Mangione has attracted an intense, mostly female online following: people sharing pictures of him, writing letters, posting fan edits and memes, and debating his appearance and behaviour in forensic detail. So why does a man accused of violence become the object of fascination and even desire to some women? And what does that say about the digital age we're living in? Nuala talks to Professor David Wilson, criminologist and former prison governor, and Faye Curran, journalist at The New Statesman, who has immersed herself in Mangione's online fandom.Anyone watching Celebrity Traitors at the moment, or indeed the previous Traitors series, has probably noted Claudia Winkleman's iconic looks that seem to sum up both chilly Scottish castle chic and punk power dressing with a smidge of sinister gothic Victorian melodrama thrown into the mix. Claudia's stylist, Sinead McKeefry, has a huge following online by people keen to pick up tips. The power of social media is such that when items are worn by Claudia and flagged online, it can have quite an impact, as small-business owner Lauren Aston found when one of her designs appeared on the show. She joins Nuala to explain what has happened, as does Alison Lynch, head of content at Good Housekeeping Magazine, who has not only written about the Claudia fashion phenomenon, but has even dressed as Claudia in the Traitors herself for a week.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

Thrust onto the public stage at 15 years old after the Taliban's brutal attack on her life, Malala Yousafzai became an international icon for resilience and bravery. Described as a reflection on a life of a woman finally taking charge of her destiny, her memoir Finding My Way has just been published. She joins Anita Rani in the Woman's Hour studio.There's a call to compensate women caught up in the scandal of faulty breast implants manufactured by a French company. The PIP scandal happened in 2012 when it emerged that the implants were filled with industrial silicone instead of medical grade silicone. The implants are far more likely to rupture than others. MPs on the Women's and Equalities Committee have been hearing calls for compensation during their inquiry into the health impacts of breast implants and other cosmetic procedures. Jan Spivey from PIP Action Campaign and Professor Carl Heneghan from The Centre for Evidence Based Medicine join us to discuss this.What if all your dreams come true and you still find yourself a bit grumpy? That's the brilliantly blunt question at the heart of Laura Smyth's stand-up tour, Born Aggy. Laura's journey into comedy wasn't exactly textbook. She left behind a career in teaching, was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer that same year and - just two weeks after finishing treatment - was on stage in Live at the Apollo. She joins Nuala McGovern in the studio.Choreographer and artist Amina Khayyam tells Anita about her new dance-theatre work, Bibi Rukiya's Reckless Daughter, which opens soon in London after a national tour. It explores how patriarchy is enforced not only by men, but across generations of women, within family structures.Singer, actor and performer, Petula Clark's career has spanned over eight decades. She sang to wartime troops in the 40s, was a 1950s child star, became a European musical icon before conquering America with her No 1 hit Downtown. She starred in Hollywood movies alongside Fred Astaire and performed on stage in musicals including The Sound of Music, Sunset Boulevard and most recently Mary Poppins. Her autobiography - Is That You, Petula? is out now and she joins Nuala to look back at her long career.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson

Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, has accused ten people of posting malicious comments about her, claiming she was a born a man, something Macron says is completely untrue. Her case is in court in France today and, if found guilty, the eight men and two women standing trial could face up to two years in prison. Sophie Pedder, Paris Bureau Chief at The Economist and Sarah Ditum, columnist at The Times, explain the significance of the trial.A study in Sweden has found that some adults who have had a diagnosis of autism or ADHD as children would like to be considered for a de-diagnosis due to stigma and sometimes restrictions associated with the condition. Nuala McGovern talks to Dame Uta Frith, Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development at University College London, and psychologist Sebastian Lundström, from the University of Gothenberg, who is one of the study's researchers.What if all your dreams come true and you still find yourself a bit grumpy? That's the brilliantly blunt question at the heart of Laura Smyth's stand-up tour, Born Aggy. Laura's journey into comedy wasn't exactly textbook. She left behind a career in teaching, was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer that same year and - just two weeks after finishing treatment - was on stage in Live at the Apollo. She joins Nuala in the studio. The safety of some manicures has been called into question after the EU banned the use of TPO, a key ingredient in many gel polishes, due to fertility risks in animal trials. Melissa Wright tells us about producing her own line of gel nail products that don't contain TPOs and Dr Naila Dinani, Consultant Dermatologist at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, explains the risks.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson

The Essex witch trials represent one of the darkest chapters in British history. A new Sky History series, Witches of Essex, revisits the real lives of women accused of witchcraft in the 16th and 17th centuries, drawing on newly examined court records and the latest historical research. Historian Dr Eleanor Janega joins Nuala McGovern to discuss.A landmark change to the Family Courts has been announced this week - the court will no longer work on the presumption that having contact with both parents is in the best interest of the child. Domestic abuse campaigners have said the move will save children's lives. Nuala talks to Claire Throssel MBE, one of the campaigners who has driven this change. In October 2014, her two sons, Jack, who was 12, and Paul, who was nine, were deliberately killed by their father. He had been awarded five hours weekly access to the boys despite Claire's warnings that he was a danger to them.After 165 days at sea, two British women have just made history becoming the first pair to row non-stop and unsupported across the Pacific Ocean, from South America to Australia. Jess Rowe, 28, and Miriam Payne, 25, set off from Lima in May and arrived in Cairns in Australia on Saturday, completing more than 8,000 miles in their nine-metre boat, Velocity. Along the way they faced storms, broken equipment, and even navigated by the stars when their systems failed - they join Anita Rani to talk about the highs and lows of their Pacific adventure.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson

The government has announced an independent inquiry into repeated failings in maternity services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Earlier this year, a BBC investigation revealed that the deaths of at least 56 babies and two mothers over the past five years at the Trust could perhaps have been avoided. BBC correspondent Divya Talwar joins Nuala McGovern, alongside Lauren Caulfield and Amarjit Kaur Matharoo, who both tragically lost their babies while receiving care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. This month, the Ironman World Championships were held in Kona, Hawaii, where Britain's Kat Matthews won silver. The men's and women's championships, previously held simultaneously, were split into separate events in 2023. However, they are set to reunite next year. Questions have been raised about the impact this change may have on female competitors. To discuss the championships and celebrate Kat's achievement, Nuala is joined by Kat Matthews and Jordan Blanco, a contributor to Triathlete magazine who attended the event. A new report reveals that progress towards gender equity in the architecture profession still remains too slow. Inequalities remain deeply rooted — with pay disparities, toxic and exclusionary workplace cultures, and half of female respondents surveyed said they had been bullied, and a third had experienced sexual harassment at work. Nuala hears from Valerie Vaughan-Dick, Chief Executive of Royal Institute of British Architects, and Helen Lee who was the project architect on a social housing development in London for the elderly which has just won this year's Stirling Prize for Architecture. The Essex witch trials represent one of the darkest chapters in British history. A new Sky History series, Witches of Essex, revisits the real lives of women accused of witchcraft in the 16th and 17th centuries, drawing on newly examined court records and the latest historical research. Historian Dr Eleanor Janega joins Nuala to discuss.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

Half of working dads feel nervous asking for time off to care for their children, more than 20% have been asked ‘where's your wife/partner?' when requesting flexibility and 44% say employers treat mothers more favourably in terms of flexible working. These are the findings of a new study ‘Barriers to Equal Parenting' by the charity Working Families. Nuala McGovern is joined by Elliott Rae founder of Parenting Out Loud and Penny East, chief executive of the Fawcett Society.Tilda Swinton is one of the UK's most singular and celebrated performers. Over four decades she has delivered unforgettable and varied screen performances, notably Orlando, The Chronicles of Narnia, Michael Clayton and Asteroid City and collaborated with artists and filmmakers. She joins Anita Rani to talk about a new exhibition in Amsterdam celebrating her work and the enduring relationships that have inspired her.There is a new film out now in cinemas called I Swear. It is inspired by the life and experiences of John Davidson, and charts his journey from a misunderstood teenager in 1980s Britain to a present-day advocate for greater understanding of Tourette syndrome. John was also featured in a BBC documentary back in 1989 called John's Not Mad. There is more recognition of the syndrome now, singers Lewis Capaldi and Billie Eilish have both openly talked about living with Tourette's and it's estimated over 300,000 children and adults in the UK have it. The key features are tics which cause people to make sudden, involuntary sounds and movements. To hear more about the condition and how it impacts women and girls Nuala talks to Wilamena Dyer, musician and Tourette syndrome advocate and Dr Tara Murphy, Consultant psychologist in the NHS, and Trustee of the support and research charity Tourettes Action.Karen Carney is one of the most capped female footballers for England. The former Lioness joins Anita to talk about how she is using Strictly to help her 'rebuild confidence' after being 'crushed' by the sexist abuse she faced as a football pundit and her vision to improve women's sport.Bobbi Brown is a make-up artist turned entrepreneur who created her now famous eponymous line in 1990. Her fresh-faced approach went against 80s and 90s trends at the time for bright colour and contouring and instead aimed to celebrate and enhance women's natural beauty. She made millions selling her brand to Estée Lauder and has gone on to create a new multimillion brand. On the release of her memoir, she joins Nuala to talk about her life and work.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson

Bobbi Brown is a make-up artist turned entrepreneur who created her now famous eponymous line in 1990. Her fresh-faced approach went against 80s and 90s trends at the time for bright colour and contouring and instead aimed to celebrate and enhance women's natural beauty. She made millions selling her brand to Estée Lauder and has gone on to create a new multimillion brand. On the release of her memoir, she joins Nuala McGovern to talk about her life and work.The family courts are failing to take domestic abuse seriously despite it featuring in nine out of 10 cases, according to a new report. The report reviewed hundreds of cases and found that judges sent children to stay with a potentially unsafe parent in more than half of them. It said safeguarding concerns were often downplayed or ignored in court. Nuala speaks to Nicole Jacobs, domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, who instigated this research.A powerful new short film, 22+1, premieres tonight at the BFI London Film Festival during Baby Loss Awareness Week. Written by Pippa Vosper and directed by Pippa Bennett-Warner, it follows Ruby, played by Bennett-Warner, as she loses her baby 22 weeks plus one day into the pregnancy. Drawing on Vosper's personal experience of baby loss and Bennett-Warner's lived experience as a black woman, the film shines a light on the inequalities faced by black women in maternity care. They both join Nuala in the studio.Last week, we looked at what impact the Women's Summer of Sport could have on grassroots participation. Today we look at the economic impact. Can women's sport call itself big business now? Something that many say will be crucial to its continued growth whilst others say it may risk losing its heart that makes different from men's sport. Joining Nuala to discuss is Dr Christina Philippou, associate professor in accounting and sport finance at the University of Portsmouth, and Sam Agini, sports business correspondent at the Financial Times.