Woman's Hour

In May this this year, the comedian Sophie Willan won a BAFTA for best comedy writing, for the pilot episode of her BBC 2 comedy Alma’s Not Normal. She now has a six part series on BBC2 which begins on Monday night. Drawn from her own experiences, she plays the central character Alma who grew up in an out of the care system in Bolton. We find her eternally optimistic with no job or qualifications trying to get her life on track and follow her dreams.British teenager Emma Raducanu has reached the US Open final She is the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final and will play another teenager Leylah Fernandez on Saturday. Chloe discusses her achievement with Rebecca Rodgers who was Emma's teacher at primary school, and Anna Kessel, the Women's Sports Editor at the Telegraph. Sarah Gilbert the scientist who led the team that developed the Oxford Vaccine joins us to talk about her latest award. In recogni

Thanks to Covid, coughing in public has joined the ranks of socially-unacceptable behaviours. Anecdotally there seems to have been a decline in coughing in theatre audiences since Covid came on the scene. This suggests that loud, irritating throat clearances may not have been necessary physical responses to obstructions after all. Emma talks to Dr Kim Dienes from Swansea University about the social side of coughing and tips for suppressing that irritating tickle.Pakistani-American author Rafia Zakaria has written a new book called Against White Feminism. A critique of 'whiteness within feminism' she says feminism has become a brand, not a movement. She wants to 'take it back.' Working on behalf of domestic violence victims as a lawyer and human rights activist for years, she says race is the biggest obstacle to true solidarity among women. Rafia joins Emma to discuss.It is understood that the first female Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick, has been offered two more years in the role. Both the ho

RESPECT, is the new Aretha Franklin biopic which will be released this Friday. Aretha Franklin handpicked the Oscar Award winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson to play her in the film. Jennifer talks to us about her relationship with Aretha, their parallel life stories, their grounding in gospel music and the guiding force of the women in their lives. The government has announced plans to reform the way social care is funded in England. National Insurance contributions from your wage packet will increase. But it also means that some older people who need to go into a nursing home won't have to sell their own home. Boris Johnson said the tax increase would raise £36 billion for frontline services in the next three years and be the "biggest catch-up programme in the NHS' history". But he also accepted it broke a manifesto pledge. Camilla Cavendish, former Director of Policy for Prime Minister David Cameron, joins Emma. Last year she was asked by Downing Street to write a report on the future of health and

In 2015, Michaela Coel’s Channel 4 series "Chewing Gum", adapted from a one-woman play she wrote while in drama school, about an awkward virgin became an instant hit. She's an established screenwriter, director, producer and actor and now well know for shows like "I May Destroy You," a story based on her own experience. She talks to Emma Barnett about her first book ‘Misfits: A Personal Manifesto’ which is a call for honesty, empathy, inclusion and champions those who don’t fit in.As you’ll have heard reported in the news recently, a shortage of lorry drivers is causing serious supply chain problems, affecting amongst other things supermarkets and even some pubs! Covid-19, tax changes, levels of pay and Brexit have all combined to contribute to an estimated shortfall of around 100,000 qualified HGV drivers. Hayley O'Beirnes is retraining as a HGV driver after her cake business went under. She talks about her experience alongside Karen Stalker, the MD of Stalkers Transport based in Cumbria.Plus we meet Zoe S

Miss Marple is one of the classic heroines of crime fiction. Quick-witted, devilishly observant and with a keen sense of justice, Jane Marple has delighted readers since she first appeared in a series of short stories by Agatha Christie in 1927. But now, almost a century later, she is being given a new lease of life in a collection of short stories penned by twelve of today's most famous crime writers, due out next year. Queen of crime fiction Val McDermid joins Emma to talk about writing one of the stories, and why she believes an elderly spinster makes for the perfect super-sleuth.Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding died at the weekend, aged just 39 from breast cancer following a diagnosis last summer. In her memoir, Sarah admitted she avoided seeing her doctor because of coronavirus and revealed how she thought she had a cyst before her diagnosis. We know that the number of urgent GP referrals for cancer dropped by 60% in April compared with the same month last year, latest figures for England show. Governme

Forty years ago a campaign group called Women for Life on Earth marched from Cardiff to the Greenham Common RAF Base in Berkshire to protest against the British government allowing US nuclear missiles on British Soil. We hear from two women Rebecca Mordan, co-author of Out of the Darkness Greenham Voices 1981-2000 and Sue Ray who were part of the original movement and are walking to Greenham Common again this week.We hear from Fran Lebowitz the American writer, social commentator, humourist, very occasional actress and New York legend.‘Girlboss’ is used as a term of empowerment. It’s meant to refer to a new generation of confident, take charge women who pursue their own entrepreneurial ambitions but does this concept relate only to white middle class privileged women and what does it mean to successful women of colour? To discuss this is Otegha Uwagba the author of We Need to Talk About Money and Asma Khan the founder of Dharjeeling Express.Zizi Strallen is playing Mary Poppins in the latest stage adaptation

In Texas, a law banning abortion from as early as six weeks into pregnancy has come into force this week. This means that a woman can't have an abortion once a foetal heartbeat is heard, something medical authorities say is misleading. On Wednesday, the US Supreme Court refused an appeal from reproductive health care organisation, Planned Parenthood to stop the law. What will this mean for women and abortion access in Texas?“Girlboss” has been used as a term of empowerment - referring to a new generation of confident, take-charge women who pursue their own entrepreneurial ambitions. But since Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso coined the phrase in 2014, the concept has been derided by those who says it has been dominated by white middle class privileged women. But what impact has the movement had for women of colour? Asma Khan of Darjeeling Express, and Otegha Uwagba, author of ‘We Need to Talk About Money’ join Anita to discuss.Beverlee Lewis describes herself as a ‘conscious sex worker’. Working with people w

She's been described as the funniest woman in America. We talk to Fran Lebowitz, the American writer, social commentator, humorist, and New York legend. She shares her opinion on everything from gender, Covid and marriage. We hear from our political correspondent at Holyrood about proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act in Scotland. Do you have a child with special educational needs, and are you getting the support that you need? We hear from one mother who's been trying to do the best thing by her son, and feels like she's the one being blamed. And ever fantasized about what you'd do if you inherited a fortune? A famous heiress once said: “Life is less sad with money.” Maybe. We speak to Laura Thompson who's analysed the stories of women whose wealth has been passed down to them. She's written a book called Heiresses: The Lives of the Million Dollar Babies.

Forty years ago this week, 36 people from a campaign group called Women for Life on Earth marched from Cardiff to the Greenham Common RAF base in Newbury in Berkshire to protest against the British government allowing US nuclear missiles on British soil. They stayed there for almost 20 years. Last week another group set-out from Cardiff to follow the route of the original protesters. We speak to Rebecca Mordan and Sue Say live from their walk.For the last few weeks on Woman's Hour, we've been following the desperate efforts of those trying to flee Afghanistan. As the government sets out details of what it is calling ‘Operation Warm Welcome’ - its scheme to resettle recently arrived Afghan refugees- we hear from Louise Calvey of Refugee Action, on what is currently being done currently, and what we can do to help. Sarah Rainsford - BBC Moscow correspondent, has been living in and reporting on Russia for over two decades. On the 10th August, she was told that she was being barred indefinitely 'for the protectio

It is not an exaggeration to call Claudia Roden a culinary pioneer. For over 50 years she has been collecting recipes from home cooks throughout the MIddle East and Mediterranean. She shares with Emma details of her new “Med” based on remembered dishes that she’s encountered over decades. Care home managers in England say they're terrified of future staff shortages because of the 'no jab, no job' policy, brought in by the government, which says care home workers have to be double vaccinated by the 11th November, or face losing their job. Emma talks to Nicola Richards, director of Palms Row Health Care, who manages two nursing homes about why workers are still not getting their jab an what that’ll mean for the future of the sector.During Listener Week, we spoke to Lauren Gibson. She wanted us to talk about the difficulties of finding out your child has learning disabilities. How do you deal with hearing your child isn’t developing normally? And, what do you do whilst waiting for a full diagnosis? S

We get the latest on Afghanistan with BBC journalist Sana Safi and talk to Seema Malhotra MP whose constituency in West London has a large Afghan community. She explains the help that's being provided to refugees.We go live to BBC Sports Correspondent Katie Smith in Tokyo who talks about female success at the Paralympics in Tokyo. We hear a live performance from the Zizi Strallen who plays Mary Poppins in the West End. She sings Practically Perfect accompanied by Isaac McCullough on the piano.We explore the notion of co-dependency with counsellor Susan McGrath, as well as a member of Co-Dependants Anonymous UK. We find out how co-dependency develops and what you can do about it. And mirrors: why are some more flattering than others, and what are the range of feelings that come up when we look in the mirror? We hear from mirror expert Dr Melissa Kao and psychotherapist Susie Orbach.

Alice Bromage served in Afghanistan as a Major and left in 2016. She tells us what's she is hearing from the troops serving on the ground in Afghanistan. A recent survey revealed that tradespeople are £35,000 better off than university graduates. But only 14.5% of the construction workforce as a whole is female, and that drops to just 2% when it comes to skilled manual trades, according to CITB figures. Emma hears from painter and decorator Barbara Marshfield, plasterer Steph Leese and Fiona Sharp, Social Value Director for Procure Plus.Clearing out the attic of family belongings - how and when should you do it? Vicki Edmunds and Marion Malcher discuss. The joy of being average with Sarah Stein Lubrano and author Eleanor Ross.What is motivating older women to join the Extinction Rebellion protests this week. Protestors Fiona Atkinson and Marion Malcher discuss.Why do we still use Ms, Mrs, Miss. Dr Amy Erikson, who is a Reader in Feminist History at the University of Cambridge and, Stella Sutcliffe, who ha

Two explosions hit Kabul airport yesterday, killing some 90 people and at least 150 people were also wounded in the attack. The UK government has just announced the final stages of the evacuation... which means the processing centre at the airport has been closed and no further people will be called forward. So what is the situation on the ground for the women and children in Afghanistan? Anita speaks to Mahjooba Nowrouzi, from the BBC Afghan Service. Raffaela Baiocchi is an Italian obstetrician and gynaecologist based in the Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan. She works for Emergency an Italian NGO and is responsible for emergency reproductive health, co-managing the maternity part of the Panshir hospital. Her staff are continuing to come to work going through now Taleban-controlled check points from other provinces, but less than half of the female patients, who would normally attend, are coming into the hospital in the last week.Do you like being called a Miss, Ms, Mx or Mrs or none of them at all? Why do som

Parental Alienation is the unjustified rejection of a parent by a child, encouraged by the other parent. We hear from one woman who hasn't seen or spoken to her daughter in six years. Dr Amy Baker, Parental Alienation expert, and Louise Barretto, a divorce and family solicitor, join Emma to discuss the impact on children, and the belief that a child's voice should always be listened to in a court of law.As the UK's evacuation mission draws to a close in Afghanistan, we look at the situation facing the country's female judges, described as being 'uniquely at risk'. We hear from a senior judge on the desperate situation she is in.Is there more pressure on us these days to be extraordinary? Listener Sarah suggested we talk about being average- and why it should be celebrated. Author Eleanor Ross and faculty member and former Head of Content at The School of Life, Sarah Stein Lubrano join Emma to discuss.Over 3 million households acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic, but vet practices are said to be ove

Circo Rum Ba Ba describe themselves as an exuberant troupe of all women performers who bring extraordinary spectacle and performance into unconventional settings where it is least expected. Founder and artistic director, and Woman’s Hour listener, Marianne Grove, a trained actor explains why she went from performing in theatres into the street bringing the magic of the circus and theatre to a wider audience. We hear from Sahraa Karimi an Afghan film director and the first female chairperson of the Afghan Film Organisation who tells us of her recent escape to Kiev in the Ukraine. What does she make of the current Taliban guidance for working women to stay at home for their own safety?Extinction Rebellion is protesting in London for a fortnight. They've warned to expect disruption. Listener Fiona Atkinson from Kendal got in touch with us to say that she's joined the group at the age of 65 and was there on Monday. She'd due to return next week. Her email to us began by saying, "I and thousands of women will be i

What should we do with all our attic memorabilia? Vicki from South Wales talks about the joy of clearing our her attic with her daughters and Maryam from Rotherham talks about her mother's suitcase brought over from Pakistan in the 1950s.The desperation of many thousands of people trying to get out of Afghanistan in the last couple of weeks has been on our screens and the front page of our newspapers for days now. Many, outside of the country, are trying to do what they can to help get their colleagues, friends, loved ones get out – as Alice Bromage, previously a Major in the UK army , told us yesterday. She talked about the Sandhurst Sisterhood, around 2500 ex-army women officers, who are constantly being messaged by women, and men, who they have trained and worked with in Afghanistan. Jude, as an ex-military officer, is one of the network. Based in Dubai, she and her husband, an ex-Royal marine of 24 years, run a small local security business in Kabul, and have done for about a decade now. What role are the

A recent survey revealed that tradespeople are £35,000 better off than university graduates. But only 14.5% of the construction workforce as a whole is female, and that drops to just 2% when it comes to skilled manual trades, according to CITB figures. Barbara Marshfield has been a painter and decorator for 25 years, and got in touch. She joins Emma to discuss, along with Steph Leese who has her own successful business, and Fiona Sharp, Social Value Director for Procure Plus.Reports from this morning and over the weekend reveal a desperate situation for many women and children in Afghanistan trying to flee. We've heard a lot, and seen pictures of the male British troops who have and are currently serving on the ground in Afghanistan. But what about the women? How differently do women approach these situations... Alice Bromage served in Afghanistan as a Major. She did 2 tours, and left in 2016. In the past few months, a number of women have spoken out about stealthing -a form of sexual violence that involves n

The actor Lesley Manville on her mission to change the way the world sees older women - not least in her latest TV performance in Channel 4's I am series. Lesley plays Maria, who at 60 and after 30-odd years of marriage, is finding it suffocating and decides she wants more from life.The BBC journalist Zarghuna Kargar who used to present Afghan Woman's Hour found herself translating a Taliban press conference. It was her voice telling us what a Taliban spokesman said about women. How menopause affects your dental health. We hear from Louise Newsom, NHS Advisor for the National Menopause Programme and Dr Uchenna Okoye, Clinical Director of London Smiling Dental Group.'When Ruby Wax Met…' features some of her most memorable interviews. Ruby tells us about a particularly memorable encounter with a future US President- a Mr Donald Trump and when she fell in love with Carrie Fisher. The woman who took her birth father to court for raping her birth mother in the 70s. It is thought to be the first of its kind. And

How common is it to experience ‘hate’ towards someone you once loved? We tend to think of 'hate' as one of the strongest emotions we can have, so what happens if you find yourself 'hating' your former partner, particularly if you have children with them. We discuss why some people experience this during or after the breakdown of their relationship, and how to move on from it. In the early 1990s Ruby Wax smashed out of the TV studio and rewrote the rule book on the celebrity chat show with 'When Ruby Wax Met…'. She joins Anita to look back at some of these encounters with stars such as Grace Jones, Carrie Fisher, Imelda Marcos, and one particularly memorable encounter with a future US President and his new girlfriend - a Mr Donald Trump. As part of our money series, we are looking at the FIRE Movement. The acronym, which stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early, is a method of extreme saving, in order to retire – or stop working – decades earlier. Recent studies suggest that over half of millennials do

We continue reporting on what's happening to women and children in Afghanistan. We hear from our BBC corespondent in Kabul, Secunder Kermani. Also Larissa Brown who's Defence Editor at The Times tells us about women soldiers in Afghanistan, and we speak to Zarghuna Kargar who used to present Afghan Woman's Hour and this week found herself translating a Taliban press conference. It was her voice telling us what a Taliban spokesman said.We hear from Andrea Leadsom, MP who's the government's Early Years Adviser.Two women who've adopted talk to us about the ups and downs. And we've also got Lesley Manville on talking about her new TV drama called I Am, which is about a woman called Maria who's 60 and bored.