Woman's Hour

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

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

Dame Joan Collins has dominated the stage and screen for over seven decades, starting her career at just 17. Best known for her roles in the 1980s TV phenomenon Dynasty and Hollywood Golden Age films, she has written a new memoir Behind the Shoulder Pads: Tales I Tell My Friends. She speaks to Emma about her glittering career, sexism in Hollywood and turning 90. Students are more likely than other groups of people to be subjected to sexual assault. A study soon to be published by researchers at Oxford University has found that one in four female students at the university had experienced some sort of sexual assault in the preceding year. Now, universities are said to be spending increasingly more of their time investigating complex sexual misconduct cases. But how equipped and effective are they in investigating such cases? And why are students putting their faith in university hearings rather than going to the police? Emma discusses with Professor Steve West, Vice Chancellor of University of West of England, Eleanor Laws KC, leading criminal barrister and Geraldine Swanton, a lawyer working with the higher and further education sector. A new report from a commission at the medical journal The Lancet looks at how cancer disproportionately impacts women. “Women, Power and Cancer” puts the case forward for an intersectional feminist approach to cancer - with the goal of transforming the ways women interact with the cancer health system. The commission has been headed up by Dr Ophira Ginsburg from the National Cancer Institute in the US. Presented by Emma Barnett Producer: Louise Corley

Dame Joan Collins at 90 and on her new memoir, Behind the Shoulder Pads.

The managing director of AFC Wimbledon has resigned after being secretly recorded making sexist and abusive comments about a female colleague, just two months after publicly committing to tackling sexism as part of the Her Game Too campaign. Emma Barnett gets reaction from Lewes FC Chief Executive Maggie Murphy and Yvonne Harrison, CEO of Women in Football. Minna Dubin is the author of Mum Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood. It's a book inspired by her own experiences and she then spent three years speaking to other mothers, to build up a picture that goes beyond her own domestic sphere. In 2021, prominent Chinese journalist and #MeToo activist Sophia Huang Xueqin was arrested and jailed. Unseen for the last two years, the Chinese Government announced that her closed-door trial began on Friday. Journalist Jessie Lau joins Emma to discuss the latest in this case. Emma talks to author Ysenda Maxtone Graham about her new book Jobs for the Girls which gives a snapshot of British women's working lives from 1950, through cardigans and pearls, via mini-skirts and bottom-pinching, to shoulder pads and the ping of the first emails in the early 1990s.

A football club boss has resigned over sexist comments about a female colleague.

Claiming to tell unknown stories about the iconic singer, alongside songs some of his much-loved songs, this world premiere musical hopes to reflect his enduring legacy. His youngest daughter Tina, one of the producers, and the director and choreographer of the show, Kathleen Marshall join Emma Barnett. We discuss the possible decision to cancel another part of the high speed rail link - HS2 - and the impact it could have on women with Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, co-director of the Women's Budget Group, a Feminist Economic Think Tank and Zoe Billingham, Director of the IPPR North - based in Manchester. Between 1975 and 1980, Peter Sutcliffe murdered 13 women and attempted to murder at least seven more across the North of England. A new ITV drama series, The Long Shadow, portrays the women who were killed, and their families, as well as the hardworking but flawed and misogynist police investigation. Joining Emma are Willow Grylls, executive producer of the show and Meg Winterburn, who worked on the investigation as a police sergeant. Exclusive research shared with Woman’s Hour claims that £60m is ‘wasted’ in England every year on Tribunals for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Local authorities ‘fight’ thousands of parents of disabled children about what support the child gets and where they go to school – but 'lose' 96% of those cases. This comes on the day that one of the country’s leading experts delivers a valedictory lecture after a 40 year career advocating for disabled children. Dame Christine Lenehan, Director of the Council of Disabled Children, part of the National Children’s Bureau, Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Duncan Hannant

Tina Sinatra on a new musical about her dad’s life.

Emma Barnett hears from one of the women alleging she was assaulted by Russell Brand. Speaking for the first time since accusations became public, 'Alice', who has accused Russell Brand of sexual assault when she was a teenager, says Brand's emphatic denial of the allegations of rape and sexual abuse against him is "insulting". 'Alice', who had a relationship with Brand when she was 16 and he was 30, says she wants to start a conversation about changing the age of consent. On her first day back at the Woman's Hour helm after maternity leave, Emma gets some advice and reflection from someone who returned to work after a similar break, the global literary force that is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Author of bestselling books including Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, plus essays and short stories, she has just released her first children’s book, Mama’s Sleeping Scarf. You’ll no doubt be familiar with the book Frankenstein - but how much do you know about its author Mary Shelley? That’s a question that led director, Lucy Speed, and producer, Deborah Clair, to write, direct and produce their new play that’s about to start touring in the UK. Conception - Mary Shelley: The Making of a Monster tells the story of a journey of self-discovery, as the Frankenstein author returns, years later, to Lake Geneva where she wrote her famous novel. The play is hitting the stage around the 200th anniversary of the first publication of the novel under Mary Shelley’s name - having originally been published anonymously. Artist and author Fleur Pierets embarked on a performance art project with her wife, Julian, in 2017, aiming to get married in all the countries where same-sex marriage was legal at the time. But their dream was cut short when Julian was diagnosed with late-stage brain cancer in early 2018 and died six weeks later. It’s a story Fleur has put down on paper in her book, Julian, which has just been translated into English and released in the UK. Since the 1980s, the comedian and actor Doon Mackichan has been a TV regular, starring in programmes like Two Doors Down, Smack the Pony and Brass Eye. She has also played plenty of roles on stage. She dissects how today’s culture still expects women to adhere to stereotypes, some of which she refuses to act out, as described in her memoir, My Lady Parts. Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor: Sarah Crawley

Emma speaks to 'Alice', who alleges Russell Brand sexually assaulted her as a teenager.

Have you heard of the term 'sharenting'? That’s when a parent, caregiver or relative shares content about their child’s life, such as news, videos, images, online. Some have even turned it into a lucrative business. The psychologist Dr Elaine Kasket was an habitual 'sharent', chronicling her young daughter’s life on social media. But then four years ago at the age of nine, her daughter told her she didn’t like her doing it, so she stopped. Elaine’s written about 'sharenting' and her experiences in a chapter in her new book Reboot: Reclaiming Your Life in a Tech-Obsessed World. She joins Jessica Creighton along with her daughter Zoe. British Gymnastics has published a list of 62 banned coaches and members, as part of its response to the damning Whyte Review published in 2022, which detailed 'systemic' issues of physical and emotional abuse in the sport. The campaign group Gymnasts for Change has accused the governing body of "serious institutional betrayal" for not including more people on the list, who they believe meet the criteria. We heard from the co-founder of Gymnasts for Change, Claire Heafford and BBC Sports correspondent Natalie Pirks. In the 70s and 80s, nearly 5,000 people with haemophilia contracted HIV or Hepatitis C after being infected by tainted blood clotting products. Over 2,800 people died including women and children in what was described as 'the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS’. With an ongoing public inquiry, we spoke to Sunday Times Political Editor Caroline Wheeler, who has interviewed countless victims and has been following the story for 20 years. You’ll no doubt be familiar with the book Frankenstein - but how much do you know about its author Mary Shelley? That’s a question that led director, Lucy Speed, and producer, Deborah Clair, to write, direct and produce their new play that’s about to start touring in the UK. Conception - Mary Shelley: The Making of a Monster tells the story of a journey of self-discovery, as the Frankenstein author returns, years later, to Lake Geneva where she wrote her famous novel. The play is hitting the stage around the 200th anniversary of the first publication of the novel under Mary Shelley’s name - having originally been published anonymously. Presenter: Jessica Creighton Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Have you heard of the term 'sharenting'? Are you an habitual 'sharent'?

Iran’s parliament has approved the Hijab and Chastity Bill, under which women will face up to 10 years in prison if they defy the country’s mandatory hijab rules. This comes a year after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini who was detained by Iran's morality police for allegedly violating rules requiring women to cover their hair. Emma Barnett speaks to Samaneh Savadi, an Iranian feminist activist who specialises in international law. A new independent standards body, the Creative Industry Independent Standards Authority, is being set up in the UK so that concerns over behaviour can be raised and investigated confidentially. Emma talks to its CEO, Jen Smith. Sarah-Jane Nichols, former BMX racing world champion, talks to Emma about qualifying for the world championships 36 years after she first retired from the sport. Since the 1980s, the comedian and actor Doon Mackichan has been a TV regular, starring in programmes like Two Doors Down, Smack the Pony and Brass Eye. She has also played plenty of roles on stage. Doon talks to Emma about her recollections of those parts and dissects how today’s culture still expects women to adhere to stereotypes, some of which she refuses to act out, as described in her memoir, My Lady Parts. Isata Dumbuya is a midwife who is striving to reduce maternal mortality rates in Sierra Leone, a country where 717 in 100,000 women die in childbirth every year. She has dedicated her career to helping mothers-to-be and joins Emma to talk about the new maternal centre she is setting up. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Rebecca Myatt Studio manager: Steve Greenwood

The BBC has revealed that the Prime Minister is considering a major shift on key climate action policies. These changes include pushing back a ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars to 2035 and delaying the 2026 ban on off-grid oil boilers to 2035. The economist Kate Raworth joins Emma to discuss her reaction to this news. If you’re on TikTok, “girl”-based trends are everywhere you look these days. From girl dinner to girl math, lazy girl job to hot girl walk, the list goes on. Girl math is the latest trend, with a hashtag with over 360 million views. Is it about reclaiming girlhood - or is it sexist and infantilizing? Behavioural scientist and author Professor Pragya Argawal and host of the “Adulting” podcast Oenone Forbat join Emma to discuss The Met Police have announced that they aim to change the demographic of the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit – where both Wayne Couzens and David Carrick worked - to have 20% women in the next two years. But why should it fall to women to improve workplace behaviours? To discuss, Emma is joined by Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne and workplace commentator Julia Hobsbawm. Artist and author Fleur Pierets embarked on a performance art project with her wife, Julian, in 2017, aiming to get married in all the countries where same sex marriage was legal at the time. But their dream was cut short when Julian was diagnosed with late stage brain cancer in early 2018 and died six weeks later. It’s a story Fleur has put down on paper in her book “Julian”, which has just been translated into English and released in the UK. TikTok clips uses: samcity and VIDA GLOW Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Emma Pearce

Yesterday on Woman's Hour, one of Russell Brand's alleged victims, 'Alice', called for a conversation around changing the age of consent in the UK, to what she called 'a staggered age of consent'. It would mean individuals between the ages of 16 and 18 could legally have sex with one another, but there would be legislation in place to prevent adults having relations with 16 to 18-year-olds, as there is the potential for a power imbalance in this dynamic. Emma Barnett speaks to Baroness Helena Kennedy and Gudrun Young QC. Lucy Letby was recently convicted of murdering seven infants and attempting to kill six others while working within the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016. We talk to Dr Susan Gilby who joined the hospital trust as medical director and then chief executive a few weeks after Letby was arrested. Two weeks ago, Birmingham City Council issued a 114 notice which means they can’t balance the books to meet their spending commitments this year. The tipping point appears to have been a £750 million equal pay settlement and it’s feared many more councils could be in a similar position. Emma talks to Heather Jameson, Editor of the Municipal Journal and to Peter Marland from the Local Government Association which represents councils in England about the problems they’re facing. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Tim Heffer

Emma Barnett hears from one of the women alleging she was assaulted by Russell Brand. Speaking for the first time since accusations became public, 'Alice', who has accused Russell Brand of sexual assault when she was a teenager, says Brand's emphatic denial of the allegations of rape and sexual abuse against him is "insulting". 'Alice', who had a relationship with Brand when she was 16 and he was 30, says she wants to start a conversation about changing the age of consent. One woman who spoke out earlier this year is the TV producer turned novelist and screenwriter Daisy Goodwin. She accused Daniel Korski, a former special advisor who was in the running at the time to be Conservative candidate for London Mayor, of groping her at an event in 10 Downing Street in 2013. Daniel Korski vehemently denies this and subsequent allegations of sexual misconduct. Daisy joins Emma in studio. On her first day back at the Woman's Hour helm after maternity leave, Emma gets some advice and reflection from someone who returned to work after a similar break, the global literary force that is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Author of bestselling books including Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, plus essays and short stories, she has just released her first children’s book, Mama’s Sleeping Scarf. Fearless is the title of the new book from make-up business owner and makeover specialist Trinny Woodall. You'll probably know Trinny best for her show What Not To Wear, alongside best friend Susannah Constantine in the early 2000s. Trinny has more recently launched a multi-million pound make-up business and skincare company, Trinny London. She speaks to Emma about reinventing herself in her 50s.

Since winning the Great British Bake Off in 2015, Nadiya Hussain has published seven cookery books, presented numerous TV shows and been awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting and the culinary arts. Nadiya joins Anita Rani to talk about her latest book and BBC Two series, Nadiya’s Simple Spices. She also celebrates the women in her family. A survey launched last week by the Government is calling on women in England aged 16 to 55 to share their experiences of reproductive health - from periods, contraception to pregnancy and the menopause. But the decision to only speak to women up to the age of 55 has provoked a backlash. Dr Shazia Malik, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and a sub-specialist in reproductive medicine, gives her reaction. In a new series called The Knock, we’ve heard the stories of two women whose lives were changed when they were told that a loved one had been arrested for sexual offences against children. Deborah Denis, Chief Executive of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, and Rachel Armitage, Professor of Criminology the University of Huddersfield spoke about the impact of 'the knock' on the families and friends of men arrested for these crimes. Some British women are now being offered IVF treatment using artificial intelligence. How might AI improve the chances of a successful pregnancy? Suzanne Cawood, Director of Embryology at the Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health, explains. Mercury Prize-winning musician Arlo Parks has turned her hand to poetry with her debut book, The Magic Border. It combines original poetry, song lyrics and images. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor

It’s been one year since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini sparked protests and outrage across the world. Anita Rani is joined by author Arash Azizi and human rights researcher Azade Pourzand to take a look at where women in Iran stand now, and the long-term impact that’s still being felt. Dr Elsie Inglis was a Scottish woman known as the ‘Serbian Mother from Scotland’, who founded four Scottish Women’s Hospitals in Serbia during World War One. Together with more than 1,000 woman from Britain and the Commonwealth, she helped to save the lives of allied and enemy soldiers alike. To find out more about her and why she isn’t better known in the UK, Anita speaks to three women who are in Serbia to honour her memory at a special ceremony: Carole Powell, Dr Iram Kamran Qureshi and Caroline Ferguson. This week, in a new series called The Knock, we’ve heard the stories of two women whose lives were changed when they were told that a loved one had been arrested for sexual offences against children. Anita talks to Deborah Denis, Chief Executive of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, and Rachel Armitage, Professor of Criminology the University of Huddersfield about the impact of 'the knock' on the families and friends of men arrested for these crimes. They’ll discuss what support families need, and what they are calling for. The comedian London Hughes has written a memoir, Living My Best Life, Hun. In it, she details her decision to leave the UK, where she experienced bullying and rejection, and go to live in LA, where she quickly became a star. She joins Anita to talk about writing her memoir, turning rejection into opportunity and romanticising her life. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lottie Garton

Last week, Birmingham City Council effectively declared bankruptcy, issuing a section 114 notice, after it admitted an equal pay liability of £760m. Now the GMB, the UK's third largest Trade Union, says female care workers in Sunderland have been underpaid for years compared with the mostly male litter-pickers, and are making a similar claim against their council. Anita hears the latest from Rhea Wolfson, head of the GMB's National Equal Pay Department. Since winning the Great British Bake Off in 2015, Nadiya Hussain has published seven cookery books, presented numerous TV shows and been awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting and the culinary arts. Nadiya joins Anita to talk about her latest book and BBC Two series, Nadiya’s Simple Spices, in which she concentrates exclusively on recipes from her Bangladeshi heritage, and creates recipes with eight spices. The death toll from last Friday’s earthquake in Morocco has reached nearly 3,000 people. Three hundred thousand people are said to have been affected, including 100,000 children. The aftermath of earthquakes poses numerous challenges to women and children who are said to suffer the most during humanitarian emergencies. Anita speaks to Ridwana Wallace-Laher, CEO of the Penny Appeal, who has been working in Morocco, and the actor Laila Rouass, a British-Moroccan representative for Education for All, a charity which provides schooling for girls in Morocco. Wilderness is a new Prime Video psychological thriller series which stars Jenna Coleman and Oliver Jackson-Cohen. It's the story of a young British couple, Liv and Will, who seemingly have it all. But their glamorous new life in New York changes dramatically when Liv learns Will has been seeing another woman. Liv's heartbreak turns into fury and revenge. Anita is joined by Marnie Dickens, the writer and creator of the series. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt Studio manager: Bob Nettles

Crime author Jane Casey joins Nuala McGovern to talk about a new six part TV adaptation of her best selling book The Killing Kind. The legal thriller starring Emma Appleton has themes such as stalking and coercion as she plays a lawyer who tries to rebuild her life after getting too close to a former client. Emma also joins Nuala in the studio. In the second part of our series The Knock, Jo Morris talks to a woman we are calling Evie who chose to stand by and support her brother after he pleaded guilty to sex offences against children. Why did she make that decision and what has it cost her? Some British women are now being offered IVF treatment using artificial intelligence. The software is used to help select the best embryo for implantation. So how might AI improve the chances of a successful pregnancy? Nuala is joined by Suzanne Cawood, Director of Embryology at the Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health, a private clinic in London, which has been using AI and offering it as an 'add-on' to patients. We also hear the regulator the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's position on such practices. In a historic ruling, the Mexican Supreme Court has decriminalised abortion at the federal level. The two leading candidates in next year’s elections in will both be women, meaning that Mexico expects to have its first ever female leader. So, is the country having a feminist revolution? Nuala speaks to Daniela Philipson-Garcia, a PhD scholar and specialist on Mexico's gender policies.