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BBC Radio 4

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

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

Woman's Hour

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

27/10/2025

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

Weekend Woman's Hour: Landmark policy change in the Family Court, Essex Witches, Women rowing across the Pacific

50 years ago today - in 1975 - 90% of women in Iceland took part in a nationwide protest over inequality. Instead of going to the office, doing housework or childcare, 25,000 women took to the streets, forcing factories and banks to close. It was known as the 'Women's Day Off' and fifty years on, Iceland still leads the world in gender parity, topping the Global Gender Gap Report for the 16th straight year. Anita Rani is joined by Tatjana Latinović, President of Icelandic Women's Rights Association and on the organising committee of today's strike, and Kristín Ástgeirsdottir, former Women’s Alliance MP and former director of the Icelandic Centre for Gender Equality. 

Tiggy Walker was married to the legendary BBC broadcaster Johnnie Walker, for 23 years before his death last year. Johnnie presented his 'Sounds of the 70s' show on Radio 2 right up until two months before he died. Tiggy was his full-time carer and joins Anita to talk about the emotional toll of caring for her soulmate Johnnie after his terminal diagnosis, as described in her new book, Both Sides Now.

Former NASA astronaut Anna Fisher talks about becoming the world’s first ‘mom in space’. In 1978 Anna, an American emergency doctor, was accepted by NASA onto their astronaut programme, during the space agency’s largest and most diverse recruitment drive. In 1984, Anna took off on the Space Shuttle Discovery, leaving behind her 14-month-old daughter. Anna joins Anita to talk about how that decision triggered intense media scrutiny and looks back on her trailblazing career, as featured in a new BBC 2 documentary, ‘Once Upon a Time in Space.’

Stephanie Travers is a trailblazer with an impressive list of firsts during her career. She became the first black female trackside fluid engineer in Formula 1 after beating 7,000 other applicants. She is also the first black woman to stand on an F1 podium after being personally invited by the team to collect the Constructor's Trophy at the 2020 Styrian Grand Prix. Today, she’s moved into a new role as Senior Impact Manager at Mission 44, Sir Lewis Hamilton’s foundation which is focused on diversity and inclusion. Stephanie joins Anita to discuss diversifying motorsports and making STEM and motorsport careers more accessible to young people from underrepresented backgrounds.

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Rebecca Myatt

First mum in space, Tiggy Walker, Recruiting women to Formula 1

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting joins Anita Rani to announce new government policy on women’s health. 

Anita speaks to Amy Wallace, the writer and journalist who worked with Virginia Giuffre on her posthumously published memoir Nobody’s Girl. After two years of conversations, emails and extensive fact-checking, the book lays bare the life-wrecking impact of power, corruption and industrial-scale sex abuse, but it is also the story of how a young woman survived and became an advocate for sex trafficking survivors and continued to work toward justice.

The Government have announced that the SEND White Paper expected this autumn is delayed until next year. BBC Education reporter Kate McGough joins Anita to tell us more.

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 to talk about the highs and lows of their Pacific adventure.

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Corinna Jones

Wes Streeting, Virginia Giuffre memoir, Pacific Ocean rowers

We’ve heard about the placebo effect, when belief in a treatment makes us feel better, but what do you know about the nocebo effect? It’s when our negative expectations of a treatment, medicine or procedure - or even mistrust of our health care services - can actually make us feel worse. And it’s a growing area of scientific research. Professor Giuliana Mazzoni from the Department of Psychodynamics and Clinical Psychology at the University of Rome and Dr Annabel Sowemimo, NHS Consultant in Sexual & Reproductive Health tell us more. 

A landmark change to the Family Courts has been announced today - 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 McGovern 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. 

Earlier this month, for the first time, every match across England’s top two tiers of women’s football was photographed exclusively by female photographers. So how important is it that breakthrough moments in women's sport are captured and told through the eyes of women? We speak to Eileen Langsley, a pioneering sports photographer who has captured moments from some of the world’s biggest sporting events over the last five decades, and Morgan Harlow, who was part of the all-female photography team for the Women's Super League.

Long queues for the toilets are something women are very used to, whilst often watching the men dash in and out quickly. We speak to two women who are trying to resolve this issue, Amber Probyn and Hazel McShane, who have invented flat packed ‘female urinals’. They have already been deployed at Glastonbury and the London Marathon. They've just secured almost £1m investment, enabling them to take their invention around the world.

The Nocebo effect, Women sports photographers, Parental involvement in family courts

Two sexual abuse survivors have resigned from their roles on the national inquiry into grooming gangs. Fiona Goddard and Ellie Reynolds both stood down from the victims' liaison panel which was overseeing the process. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in the summer that there would be a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs covering England and Wales. Ellie Reynolds joins Nuala McGovern.

Lily King is the award winning writer of six novels. She talks to Nuala about her latest work - a love story set on a university campus exploring early experiences of romance, emotional risk, temptation and loss. 

Women’s health academics at University College London are calling for an education programme to combat misinformation and unregulated advice on the menopause.Their study found that millions of women are being exploited by what they call the ‘menopause gold rush’ amid a lack of reliable information. The lead author of the study is Professor Joyce Harper, from UCL’s Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health - she and presenter and journalist Kirsty Wark discuss.

'Ice Queen' Eve Muirhead is considered a titan of British Sport. She became the first woman to captain a British team to Olympic Gold in curling and is the Chef De Mission for Team GB at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. She discusses the significance of this being the first time a British team has reached 47% female participation and she also talks about her recently published memoir.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Grooming gangs, Eve Muirhead, Lily King, Menopause

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

Maternity services inquiry, Women in architecture, Witches

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

Weekend Woman's Hour: Tilda Swinton, Dads at work, Karen Carney, Living with Tourette Syndrome, Bobbi Brown

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.

According to the latest data, homelessness is rising. Over 130,000 households were in temporary accommodation in June, up 7.6% from last year. Charities warn that women are underrepresented in the data, as they often face different challenges to men. The Women’s Rough Sleeping Census, now in its fourth year, aims to address this. Rebecca Goshawk, Director of Business Development at Solace Women's Aid, joins Anita to discuss it. 

Named after pioneering racing driver Gwenda Stewart, Gwenda’s Garage was a real place: where three female mechanics defied the odds by setting up their own garage in Sheffield in the 1980s. Their inspiring story is now a musical on stage in Sheffield which is based on these true events, of women fighting everyday sexism, homophobia and Section 28. Anita is joined by Roz Wollen, one of the co-founders of the original Gwenda’s Garage and Val Regan, the production’s composer and musical director.

The FCA has called on banks and payment firms to bring in stricter controls protecting customers from romance fraud after a study showed a number of missed “red flags” that led to people losing huge sums of money to people creating fake online profiles. They found that women tended to sustain these relationships for longer which could mean a bigger scam. Anita speaks to Beth Harris, Head of Financial Crime at the Financial Conduct Authority to ask how we can be aware of these scams and avoid them, and what banks should be doing to assist.

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Corinna Jones

Tilda Swinton, Homelessness, Gwenda's Garage Musical, Romance Scams

A major UK group litigation has been launched against Johnson & Johnson, involving approximately 3,000 claimants who allege they developed cancers due to asbestos-contaminated talc products. The company is accused of negligence and deceit. Johnson & Johnson deny the allegations. The BBC Health reporter, Chloe Hayward, joins Anita Rani to talk about what is known so far.

Surrogacy and its impact is the subject of a new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem. In 2023, the global surrogacy market was valued at nearly $15 billion and is projected to reach almost $100 billion in the next eight years. Here in the UK commercial surrogacy is illegal - surrogacy has to be altruistic, meaning only expenses are paid for and the motivation behind it is typically helping someone else. It is legal, however, to have a child in another country where the rules may differ. To discuss the ethics of the practice, Anita is joined by Reem Alsalem and Sarah Jones, CEO of Surrogacy UK.

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.

Children with special educational needs from low-income families are facing major inequalities in access to support, according to a new report out today from the Sutton Trust. Anita is joined by Charlotte O’Regan, Senior Schools Engagement Manager at the Sutton Trust, lead author of the report Double Disadvantage, to talk about its findings. 

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Rebecca Myatt

Global surrogacy, Karen Carney, Low-income & SEND, Talc trial

Anita Rani talks to Emma-Jean Thackray about her debut album Yellow, which has debuted at number one on the Jazz & Blues Chart. 

Will the young women smashing it at the Olympics in the new urban sports of BMX freestyling, Skateboarding and Sport Climbing inspire a new generation of girls to follow in their footsteps? We talk to skateboarder Hannah Shrewsbury and BMX freestyler Kayley Ashworth.

Cricket legend Baroness Rachel Heyhoe-Flint is to be honoured with a gate named in her memory at Lords and we hear reaction from her son Ben Heyhoe-Flint. 

A drug that has been used to treat critically ill patients suffering from Covid may also help women who struggle with heavy periods. A small trial, in development long before the pandemic, has found that the steroid Dexamethasone, a cheap anti-inflammatory drug, could help reduce heavy menstrual bleeding. We hear from Dr Pamela Warner, the lead author of the research.

Sex worker Charlotte Edwards explains how she applied via her bank for the government’s Bounce Back Loan, which is available to small business and the self-employed but she was initially declined due to her occupation. The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation, although profession is not currently a ‘protected characteristic’. We explore the implications of financial exclusion for sex workers with Charlotte and to Niki Adams of the English Collective of Prostitutes.

And we hear from the American disability rights activist Judith Heumann. Paralysed from polio at eighteen months, she has campaigned tirelessly for decades in the Disability Rights Movement, both at home and abroad. 

Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Studio Engineer: Gayl Gordon

Photograph by Joe Magowan

Emma-Jean Thackray, Dr Pamela Warner, Charlotte Edwards and Niki Adams, Judith Heumann

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