Woman's Hour

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

A third of children and young people worldwide will be overweight or obese by 2050, according to a new worldwide study, while rates of obesity in children, younger teenagers and younger adults more than doubled between 1990 and 2021. But if you're worried that your child is overweight or obese, how can you help them? What is the best way to approach this tricky topic without making things worse? Krupa Padhy is joined by nutritionist and child feeding expert Julia Wolman and child psychologist Laverne Antrobus. In 2023, Eleanor Williams was found guilty of making up an Asian grooming gang in her hometown of Barrow-in-Furness. Her case was turned into the podcast series, Unreliable Witness, and we hear from producer Liz Lane about a new twist to the story. The vast majority of the UK's 5.8 million unpaid carers are female and more than half of them feel overwhelmed, according to the latest State of Caring survey by the charity Carers UK. Their report found an increasing number of people who are looking af

Last night was the biggest night in film - the Oscars! The independent film Anora, made for just $5 million, cleaned up winning five awards including best picture and best actress for Mikey Madison - a 25-year-old relative unknown - who was on our programme last month. To give us all the news and highlights, film journalist Karen Krizanovich is in the Woman's Hour studio with Krupa Padhy.The UK data watchdog has launched what it calls a major investigation into TikTok's use of children's personal information. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) will inspect the way in which the social media platform uses the data of 13 to 17 year olds to recommend further content to them. Zoe Kleinman, the BBC's technology editor and Dr Kaitlyn Regehr, Associate Professor Director of Digital Humanities at University College London, discuss.Trauma can be a major barrier to seeking medical care. That's according to a new survey from Healthwatch England, which found that women experience trauma more than men and nearly a

Two of the country’s best-loved stage and screen Olivier award-winning actors, Celia Imrie and Tamsin Greig are currently playing mother and daughter in Backstroke, a new play at the Donmar Warehouse in London, that unpicks the complications of their relationship over a lifetime. They joined Nuala McGovern in to discuss their on-stage relationship.Esther Ghey’s transgender daughter Brianna was murdered in February 2023 by two 15 year olds. The killers were radicalised online, and 16-year-old Brianna herself was harmfully addicted to her phone, despite all of her mum’s efforts to limit her usage. Esther has now become a campaigner for the safer use of smartphones for children, and for the use of mindfulness in schools. She also decided to forgive her child’s killers, and is now friends with one of their mothers. Esther joined Anita Rani in the Woman’s Hour studio to talk about her new memoir, Under a Pink Sky.Nigerian American science fiction author Nnedi Okorafor's new book is Death of the Author. It follows

Simone Ashley plays Kate Sharma in one of Netflix's biggest shows, Bridgerton, and also graced our screens in groundbreaking comedy Sex Education. She joins Nuala McGovern to talk about her new romcom, Picture This, Bridgerton's success and her musical ambitions. The Tate brothers - Andrew and Tristan - have arrived in the US after Romanian prosecutors lifted a travel ban. The controversial British-American social media influencers had been under the ban in Romania for more than two years after they were charged with rape and human trafficking in 2022. They have strongly denied all allegations against them. The BBC'S Social Media Investigations Correspondent, Marianna Spring, joins us to discuss what their return to the US might mean in terms of their influence on social media and boys and young men. An investigation by BBC Humberside has been hearing from young women who've experienced inappropriate behaviour from their driving instructors. We're joined by BBC reporter Jasmine Lowe and Debbie Beadle, th

The government has published an independent review into the world of online pornography, Creating a Safer World - the challenge of regulating online pornography, written by the Conservative Peer Baroness Gabby Bertin. It proposes outlawing “degrading, violent and misogynistic content,” including making it illegal to possess or publish pornography showing women being choked during sex. Anita Rani talks to the BBC's Home Editor, Mark Easton and Fiona Vera-Gray, Professor of Sexual Violence at London Metropolitan University, about the review's findings.Padel – a cross between squash and tennis - is said to be the fastest growing sport in the world. So what about the women in the game? Whether it’s on the local padel court or the business and money-making side, women are currently massively under-represented. Joining Anita are Eloise Tait – GB’s #5 women’s player – who will be competing at 2025’s Britain Padel Tour in London tomorrow – and Astrid Tamms from Spain’s Hexagon Cup.Singer-songwriter and ADHD YouTube i

The BBC board has apologised over "missed opportunities" to tackle "bullying and misogynistic behaviour" by the former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood. Nuala discusses with BBC correspondent ChiChi Izundu. Same Dress Different Bodies began when fashion-loving friends Laura Adlington and Lottie Drynan realised they were both having problems finding clothes they felt comfortable in, Lottie because of bloating caused by IBS, and Laura because she was limited by what was available in plus sizes. They tell Nuala about turning their positive approach to fashion into a live show.The mother of the Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, who took her own life, tried to discourage her from joining the army. Assistant Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg ruled Jaysley died by suicide and that the Army’s handling of a sexual assault complaint against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber was ‘more than a minimal contributory part in her death'. She was later subjected to relentless harassment by her line manager, Former Bombardier Rya

Care and support providers are coming together around the UK in a series of protests over the government's plans to increase employer National Insurance contributions. They are warning that care providers may go out of business unless they receive more support. Nadra Ahmed, co-chair of the National Care Association, which represents smaller and medium-sized care providers, joins Nuala from Westminster.Nuala is joined live in the studio by two of the country’s best-loved stage and screen Olivier award-winning actors – Celia Imrie and Tamsin Greig. They are currently playing mother and daughter in Backstroke, a new play at the Donmar Warehouse in London, that unpicks the complications of their relationship over a lifetime.Barely two months after the end of the sex abuse scandal which gripped France last year, another horrific trial has begun there. The case of the former surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec, will be the biggest child sex abuse hearing in the country. He is accused of raping or sexually assaulting 299 peop

It was a crime that horrified the nation. Three young girls murdered and another eight children and two adults seriously injured at a yoga and dance workshop in Southport in July 2024. Teacher Leanne Lucas, who was running the event, has agreed to speak for the first time about what happened. She's been speaking to the BBC’s special correspondent Judith Moritz who joins Nuala McGovern.The German election results are in and there’s now a female-led, far-right party in opposition. Journalist and Visiting Research Fellow at Kings College London Katja Hoyer tells Nuala about the role of women in the new German political landscape.Indira Varma is an Olivier-award-winning actor who has starred in everything from West End hits to Game of Thrones. She is currently on stage at the Old Vic in London, playing Jocasta to Rami Malek’s Oedipus. She joins Nuala in the Woman’s Hour studio.Nigerian American science fiction author Nnedi Okorafor's new book is Death of the Author. It follows the story of Zelu, a novelist who is

'Sen-betweeners' is the term Lisa Lloyd, a mum of two autistic children, uses to describe her children. She says their neurodivergence is too severe to fit easily into mainstream school, but not severe enough for a special school, so they fall between the gaps. Lisa has written a guide for other parents on ‘Raising the Sen-betweeners,’ in which she, whilst recognising that all children are different and there can be no rules, offers tips and advice for how to handle behaviours. Lisa joined Anita to share what she has learnt.The Children’s Society are training staff at the fast food chain Chicken Cottage to spot signs of exploitation amongst their teenage customers. Nuala discussed the initiative and issues with the charity’s Head of National Programmes, Lisa Witherden, and Chicken Cottage franchise manager Georgian Balog.Formula 1 has just turned 75, but how much headway are women racing drivers making? Nuala was joined by Jamie Chadwick, one of the leading British women in this sport, and BBC reporter Charlo

We discuss the case of former Spanish football boss Luis Rubiales, who was found guilty of sexual assault for kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent at the 2023 World Cup final. Anita is joined by Semra Hunter, a sports broadcast journalist and Virginia Alvarez from Amnesty International Spain.Nussaibah Younis’s debut novel Fundamentally is based on her own experiences working as a peacekeeping consultant in Baghdad. The book follows Nadia, a British Asian woman working for the UN, and her relationship with fellow Brit Sara, a nineteen-year-old three-times widowed member of the Islamic State Group. Nussaibah joins Anita to discuss finding the comedy in a desperate situation.Anita speaks to Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips on the day that Raneem’s Law is launched. Domestic abuse specialists will be embedded in 999 control rooms in five forces to ensure that victims of domestic abuse receive more specialist support.Ukraine is dominating the headlines, but a

A group of 70 female chefs and hospitality professionals have signed an open letter calling out what they call the ‘pervasive’ sexism in British kitchens. It’s in response to chef Jason Atherton saying he had never seen sexism in the kitchen - he has since clarified his comments, saying that he wasn't denying the existence of sexism, just that he hadn't 'witnessed it personally. Anita is joined by chef and founder of the all-female kitchen Darjeeling Express, Asma Khan, and chef and founder of Tiella, Dara Klein, who helped write the open letter.The beloved 1995 film Clueless, inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma, starred Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, and the late Brittany Murphy. Cher Horowitz is the most popular student at Beverly Hills High, renowned for her unique talent at finding love for others. Clueless the Musical has just opened at the Trafalgar Theatre in London. Anita discusses the adaptation and the story’s enduring appeal with the original writer/director Amy Heckerling and multi-platinum singer-song

During a tennis match in Dubai, Emma Raducanu was subject to what the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) are calling 'fixated behaviour' from a man in the public area. How safe is tennis for women players - and what is being done to protect them? Ahead of the Queen's Women's tournament's return this summer, Nuala McGovern speaks to sports journalist Molly McElwee to find out more.Actor Gugu Mbatha-Raw joins Nuala in the studio to talk about her acting career, including her latest role in Apple TV+ drama Surface, and why she's such a strong supporter of female-led productions.Formula 1 has just turned 75, but how much headway are women racing drivers making? Nuala is joined by Jamie Chadwick, one of the leading British women in this sport, and BBC reporter Charlotte Simpson, who has spent months talking to a wide range of people trying to support more young women to become involved in the sport.Lambrini Girls are a punk duo making waves with their fearless sound and sharp social commentary. Known for their high-

Why are members of the Afghan Cabinet speaking out against the de facto leader over his ban on girls' education and restrictions on women working? Nuala McGovern speaks to the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet, and Fawzia Koofi, member of the Afghan Parliament and the first woman to be elected as Second Deputy Speaker.Harvest, a new documentary, shows the realities of the egg freezing process. Director and writer Sophia Seymour decided to film her journey of elective egg freezing. With the number of women choosing this form of fertility planning rising, Sophia joins Nuala to discuss why she decided to do it, and film it. They are joined by Dr Ippokratis Sarris, Consultant in Reproductive Medicine and Director of King’s Fertility.According to NHS figures more than 44,000 children in England and Wales were admitted to hospital with constipation last year - with a 60% rise overall in hospital diagnoses of constipation in primary schoolchildren in the past decade. Dr Ellie Cannon GP and author,

Nao is a Grammy and Mercury nominated singer songwriter. She's described her unique brand of music as “wonky funk”. She joins Nuala McGovern to talk about fame, motherhood and her new album Jupiter. She performs live in the studio. As European leaders are set to meet in Paris later today today for an emergency summit on the war in Ukraine, the Prime Minister has said he is 'ready and willing' to commit British troops to the conflict. And the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to Saudi Arabia for talks with Russia. Three years on since the war began, we get reaction from Ukrainian women to the possible outcomes of these talks. Nuala talks to Ukrainian journalist, Kateryna Khinkulova, Editor of the Europe Hub for the BBC World Service and the female Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko. Do you remember TV’s Alan Partridge’s long-time suffering personal assistant, Lynn? She is the inspiration for a new play, Lynn Faces. Nearly 40, and emerging from a toxic relationship, Leah starts a punk band and ta

Laura Kyrke-Smith MP wants more care and support for new mothers struggling with their mental health. Her own friend died by suicide just 10 weeks after giving birth and she recently led a debate in parliament on the subject. Laura joined Nuala McGovern to discuss the changes she wants to see. They were joined by perinatal psychologist Dr Alain Gregoire from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.As EastEnders celebrates its 40th anniversary, Woman’s Hour discusses the iconic soap’s track record of featuring strong female characters with actors Michelle Collins, Kellie Bright, Diane Parish and Heather Peace.How easy is it to navigate the role of grandparent? The pyschologist Terri Apter, author of Grandparenting: On Love and Relationships Across Generations joined Anita Rani to discuss the topic. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Women’s Prize for Fiction which was established to recognise the literary achievements of female writers. There have been huge improvements in sales for fiction written by wom

Hayley Atwell and Tom Hiddleston are currently playing Beatrice and Benedict the sharp-witted sparring friends in Much Ado About Nothing on stage at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London. Hayley joins Anita Rani in the Woman’s Hour studio. Is Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy Much Ado the original rom com? And how much fun is it to be on stage with a friend of 20 years standing? We find out. The BBC have revealed MI5 gave false evidence to three courts over the handling of a paid informant, known as Agent X a neo-Nazi misogynist. He attacked his former partner, Beth, with a machete and used his role at the security service to coercively control her. She has been speaking out about what happened. Anita is joined by Daniel de Simone BBC investigation correspondent and Kate Ellis CWJ lawyer representing 'Beth'.On Tuesday Nuala spoke to Labour MP Laura Kyrke-Smith who is pushing for more care and support for new mothers struggling with their mental health. Her own best friend, Sophie, died by suicide in 2021 - ju

As part of the EastEnders 40th anniversary Woman’s Hour celebrates this iconic soap’s track record of featuring strong female characters and exploring some of the most pressing, contentious and emotional issues for women over the past four decades. Anita Rani presents live from the Fox & Hair salon in Walford. The salon is managed by Diane Parish’s character Denise Fox, whose love triangle storyline will be at the centre of the soap’s live interactive episode on Thursday 20th February. Viewers will be able to vote on whether her future should be with Jack or Ravi. She joins Anita to discuss the storyline.Anita also speaks to Kellie Bright who plays Linda Carter, Michelle Collins who plays Cindy Beale and Heather Peace whose character Eve Unwin recently was part of the first lesbian wedding on the show. With two thirds of the soap's audience being women, the executive producer Chris Clenshaw talks about his vision for putting female characters front and centre,, with lead storylines including explosiv

Ellie Wilson, a rape survivor, is campaigning for the right for victims to be able to appear at parole hearings, after being denied permission to attend one for her attacker. She tells Nuala McGovern why she wants the law changed in Scotland, and barrister Harriet Johnson explains more about the process.The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says that rooting out people who should not be in the force, has been made harder due to a High Court ruling that an officer accused of rape could not be dismissed because the process was fundamentally unfair. So, what does this ruling mean exactly and what could the wider impact be on women? Nuala McGovern discusses with the BBC's Senior UK correspondent Sima Kotecha and former Met Detective Superintendent Shabnam Chaudhri.Did you know anyone can legally call themselves a nurse, regardless of qualifications? Labour MP Dawn Butler introduced a ten minute rule bill in Parliament yesterday seeking to make 'nurse' a protected title in UK law. Professor Alison L

Laura Kyrke-Smith MP wants more care and support for new mothers struggling with their mental health. Her own friend died by suicide just 10 weeks after giving birth and she recently led a debate in parliament on the subject. She joins Nuala McGovern to talk about the changes she wants to see, along with perinatal psychologist Dr Alain Gregoire from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance. What does the word 'ambition' mean to you? A study from the University of California has shown women may be put off applying for jobs when words such as 'ambition' or 'drive' appear in the ad, as they can feel intimidated. Nuala talks to Tiffanie Darke, the former CEO of female unemployment charity Smart Works, about women’s relationship to ambition and what they’re really looking for in a job. Wafa al Mustafa has been searching for her father for 13 years, ever since he was arrested at their home in Damascus in 2013. She has become the face of the campaign by hundreds of Syrian families to find their loved ones who have disa