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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

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

Brigitte Macron, Miriam Stoppard, Going It Alone

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 Lucy tells us her story. We also hear a discussion about the legal and practical implications of this with Nina Barnsley, Director of the Donor Conception Network and Clare Ettinghausen, a Director at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Today Delcy Rodriguez will be sworn in as Venezuela's president after the capture of Nicolas Maduro, who has been in charge of the country since 2013. And she is not the only woman in the spotlight following this weekend's events. Cilia Flores, who is the wife of Maduro and a political force in her own right, was taken with her husband and is now set to appear in a New York court in the coming hours. Attention is also on Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel peace prize winner. The BBC's South America correspondent Ione Wells and Professor Rebecca Jarman from Leeds University, an expert in Venezuelan politics and history, discuss.

There are over 100,000 children who have at least one parent serving in the British military. Louise Fetigan was a serving army officer when she had her first child in her early 20s. She had been posted to Germany, was looking after a newborn and her husband had been deployed to Iraq. She has set up the charity Little Troopers to provide specific support for the children of military families. 

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Going It Alone, Venezuela, Military children

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

Weekend Woman's Hour: Toni Collette, Adults regressing, The Archers special

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

Living at home during university, Child violence in the DRC, What is RED-S?

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

Woman's Hour celebrates the women of The Archers

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

Toni Collette, Women of the Year, Disciplining children

Beyoncé has been declared a billionaire by Forbes, making her the fifth musician to join its list of the world's wealthiest people with 10 figure fortunes, including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen and Beyoncé's husband Jay Z. Clare McDonnell speaks to Jacqueline Springer, music journalist and Curator of Africa & Diaspora: Performance at the Victoria & Albert museum, about what makes Beyoncé such a successful businesswoman, and the challenges along the way.

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. 

Madelaine Thomas works as a professional dominatrix. When her own images were shared online without her consent, she decide to develop a tool that could allow images to be tracked, and abusers identified. Image Angel was the result, offering forensic image protection for platforms, and she's now trying to get businesses in the adult entertainment industry on board. 

Do we need to re-think our attitudes to ageing, as we age? As we approach 2026, we consider how to shed a negative attitude towards ageing, and embrace growing older and wiser, by revisiting an episode of the Woman’s Hour Guide to Life: How to make ageing your superpower. Therapist Emma Kirkby-Geddes shares how she’s been struggling to accept the passage of time. Gerontologist Dr Kerry Burnight, and Jacqueline Hooton, a personal trainer and ‘ageing well’ coach, offer advice. 

Research tells us that girls tend to disengage from politics before the age of 16, just as boys seem to grow in confidence. Academics at Roehampton University have looked into this and have created a programme aimed at Year 9 students, in an attempt to re-engage teenage girls in issues that matter to them and boost their confidence to speak politically. Professor Bryony Hoskins has created G-EPIC (Gender Empowerment through Politics in the Classroom) and Rachel Burlton is a teacher at Mulberry School for Girls in London who has been teaching the programme.

Presenter: Clare McDonnell
Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

Beyoncé the billionaire, Adults regressing at Christmas, Girls' political confidence

Yesterday, the women's tennis number one, Aryna Sabalenka, faced Nick Kyrgios, ranked 671st in the men's game, in a match that was dubbed the new 'Battle of the Sexes'. She lost in straight sets. The title references the 1973 game when the best women’s player in the world, Billie Jean King, beat Bobby Riggs in straight sets. But how relevant is this for the game now and what if anything has it achieved for women's sport? Clare McDonnell is joined by BBC Sport journalist Jonathan Jurejko, and Flo Clifford, Sports Reporter for the Independent. 

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: and Oral History, Professor Louise Ryan, who spent years researching Irish migration. And from Ethel Corduff, who grew up in Tralee before coming to England to train as a nurse, a career she spent 40 years in.

We discuss the women stepping onto the dohyo - the sacred circle used for Sumo wrestling. There has been a surge of interest in the UK—so what’s drawing more women to this ancient sport? Especially as in Japan they are still banned from competing professionally. We’ll hear from British competitor Toraigh Mallon and from Lance Wicks from Southampton Sumo. 

Did you manage to switch off from work over Christmas? Is your mind already turning to setting some big life goals for 2026? If you struggled to strike the right balance in 2025, we have just the thing to help you reset your relationship with work and success for the year ahead. The Woman’s Hour Guide to Life features a whole episode on ambition, burnout, and how to stay driven while also being kind to yourself. TV chef and author Lorraine Pascale and Dr Claire Ashley, the author of The Burnout Doctor, discuss.

Could AI be the answer to treating age-related diseases – or could it reinforce gender biases that sideline women’s health? Dr Carina Kern is a geneticist and biotechnology scientist who specialises in ageing. She joins Clare in the studio to discuss the potential risks and benefits of using AI in medical research and ageing. 

Presenter: Clare McDonnell
Producer: Kirsty Starkey

'Battle of the Sexes' 2025, Irish nurses, AI & age-related diseases

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

Weekend Woman’s Hour: Rituals, 250th anniversary of Jane Austen, Women and the dark

NB: The music in this broadcast has been removed from the podcast for rights reasons.

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 and Arifa Akbar is theatre critic for the Guardian whose investigations into the dark formed her book, Wolf Moon, which came out this summer. 

Earlier this month we asked you for your night time experiences and were contacted by listener Catherine Smeeth who is a 55-year-old newly qualified class 1 HGV driver which is the heaviest you can get at 44 tons. She does a 300 mile round trip in an articulated lorry with a double decker trailer. Catherine got her licence 3 months ago and says the night roads are "great for a newbie getting to grips with the road". She works 12 hour shifts overnight, and recorded one of them for us. 

Dame Maggie Aderin Pocock is a legend when it comes to the night sky. She is a space scientist and educator, having presented the Sky at Night and she is presenting this year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. She has written books for adults and children, presented TV film 'Do we really need the Moon?', received a Damehood in 2024 for services to science education and diversity and in 2023 had a Barbie doll made in her name. So who better to ask about how the night sky can inspire and comfort us? 

We’ve heard about darkness and fear and overcoming that and how the lights in the sky can be both awe inspiring and comforting. But what about the past? What kind of relationship have women had with the dark over time? To help answer that, Anita is joined by archaeologist Dr Marion Dowd and Professor Jane Hamlett.

Moving on from the past to modern day celebrations at night. And where better than with nightclubs and music. Anita is joined by Woman’s Hour’s resident Boxing Day DJ Jamz Supernova who suggests some tracks for getting the party started and keeping it going. 

Presenter Anita Rani
Producer: Corinna Jones

Women's relationships with the dark

On this Christmas Day’s Woman’s Hour Nuala McGovern and Anita Rani are discussing the rituals and traditions that we do at Christmas. Some passed down across the generations and some adapted through in-laws or friends that make this time of year so special and unique to us all. Do you always receive presents in a stocking? Perhaps it’s a bracing Christmas walk or plunge into the sea, or maybe it’s matching Christmas pyjamas.

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? And Nuala and Anita will be finding out about the importance of nostalgia and why we love to do the same thing year after year. 

Liza Frank, author of Household Lore - folklore, traditions and remedies for every room in your home, and Beverley Cook, Social History Curator, London Museum, discuss the origins of our treasured rituals and traditions.

Dr Audrey Tang, author and a chartered psychologist with the British Psychological Society explains the importance of the rituals we do every year and why we do them.

Cookery writer Syke McAlpine, author of The Christmas Companion, delves into our food rituals and shares her own Christmas traditions, which span between the UK, Italy and Australia.

Author and book coach Penelope Wincer tells us about Friendsmas, hosting friends rather than families at Christmas, and what it’s like to embrace and create new traditions together.

Travel journalist Jessica Vincent talks us through some of the rituals that happen across the world, from throwing dough at the ceiling and hoping it sticks, to roller skating to Midnight Mass. 

And there’s live music from Alexis Strum, who writes a Christmas song every year. Her song for 2025 is called I won’t be lonely this Christmas.

Presenters: Nuala McGovern and Anita Rani
Producer: Andrea Kidd
Editor: Karen Dalziel

The rituals and traditions of Christmas

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