Woman's Hour

We talk to Dame Joan Collins about her new BBC documentary “This is Joan Collins” which is on air over Christmas. Not shy of voicing her opinions, she reflects on her life, relationships, and seven decades in showbiz. She’s also had a hugely successful literary career but the role which brought her most worldwide fame was playing Alexis in the TV series Dynasty – at the height of its success it was watched by 150 million people a week. Public health expert Professor Sharon Peacock who founded COG UK, the Covid-19 Genomics UK consortium, tells us about their work tracking mutations and variants of concern. They have been hugely successful in this, and were responsible for identifying the Alpha variant last December. Sharon joins us to discuss genome sequencing, the threat posed by Omicron and how she went from dental nurse to microbiologist.As schools shut for the Christmas break, the government head teachers and trade unions are contingency planning for widespread absence due to Omicron in the New Year. We talk to Jacquie White the General Secretary of the Ulster Teachers Union about calls for retired teachers to return to work to plug the gaps.Music from Inuit throat singers Kayley Inuksuk Mackay and Tiffany Kuliktana Ayalik.And foster parent Usma Saeed tells us how she tries to make every Christmas magical for the children she looks after. Being Muslim she doesn’t normally celebrate the festival herself but now she’s got the tree, the stockings and Santa’s mince pies at the ready. Presenter: Chloe Tilley Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: John Boland.

Countdown Star and lexicographer Susie Dent on our favourite festive words, how chocolate, Marzipan, Chipolata, Tinsel and Glögg got their names and some of the festive greetings in different languages.As the jury deliberate over their verdict in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial we talk to the journalist Stephen Wright. Maxwell is the former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein and is charged with eight counts of sex trafficking and other crimes.Following the infamous #May2020 Boris Johnson photograph, we hear from one woman - Emma - who lost her daughter Ruby that same day, and couldn’t say goodbye in person. Nineteen-year-old doorman Charlie Jeer has gone viral on TikTok for talking about the sexual harassment he has experienced whilst working in clubs. Charlie recalled that one night he was groped up to 10 times. He's gained millions of views on his videos and says he wanted to start a conversation about working in the industry.And in the final part of our series “Under Pressure” we look at the issue of baby loss and how an American study from 2010 found that couples who had experienced stillbirth were 40% greater risk of their relationship ending. Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Tim Heffer

Former poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy and Mercury-nominated songwriter Kathryn Williams have released new album 'Midnight Chorus'. We ask them about their collaboration and how they avoided the clichés of Christmas. With added pressure from Covid and fewer staff because of Brexit, the demand for care workers has risen. In October this year there were 130,000 vacant care worker posts in England, leaving many people without the care they need. Last week, government advisors said that care worker jobs should be placed on the shortage occupation list, which would make it easier for employers to hire and sponsor migrant workers in these roles. What would this mean for the care sector? Emma speaks to Karolina Gerlich, executive director of The Care Workers Charity and Louise Arnold, Managing Director of Peninsula care homes.There has been widespread concern for the safety of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai since she posted sexual assault allegations against a former top political figure a few weeks ago. She disappeared and then returned saying she was safe and well. Now the tennis player has denied saying she was sexually assaulted. What are we to make of this? Emma speaks to Kerry Allen, China Media analyst for BBC Monitoring.The Christmas Radio Times is out and we now know what TV we can look forward to watching over the festive period. But can TV divide a household rather than unite it? Are women the gatekeepers of family TV? Or do men rule the remote? Professor of Media and Communications, Catherine Johnson, has looked at the impact lockdown has had on our family TV watching styles, and journalist Emma Beddington tells us what she’ll be tuning into in her house.Last week on the programme, we heard from Jess Duckworth - a junior doctor who has combined her two passions - music and medicine - to create an EP of relaxing music. We asked to hear about your side hustles, and the things you love doing. Today we meet two listeners; Lucy Symons is the stadium announcer for her local football club and Jenny Fyall runs her own pumpkin patch in Aberdeenshire.

Emma Barnett talks to the award winning actor Claire Foy about playing the Duchess of Argyll in the BBC One TV series A Very British Sacandal this Christmas. Margaret Argyll was branded a nymphomaniac by her husband the 11th Duke of Argyll in their explosive 1963 divorce hearing and he was granted a divorce on the grounds of his wife’s adultery.The Scottish comedian Janey Godley tells us about her recent diagnosis of ovarian cancer. The sixty year old is best known for her parody voiceovers of Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of her daily press briefings made during lockdown. Just a month ago Janey Godley was forced to cut short her UK tour when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The father-daughter bond can for some be a difficult one - but for others, a joy. Karen Teasdale-Robson from Blaydon, near Newcastle has gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure her father, Bryan isn't forgotten when he dies. Her dad for the majority of his life was a poet and a songwriter but an assault ten years ago left him with a brain injury. Care workers told Karen to prepare for the worst earlier this year, which led her to release a recording of lullaby he had written her almost 60 years ago, to ask for the public's help in re-recording itAnd Edwina Paisley on her work as the Director of Space Programmes at the satellite communications company Inmarsat.Presenter: Emma Barnett Produer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager: Bob Nettles

Actor Tamsin Greig on starring as the formidable theatrical agent Peggy Ramsay in the revival of ‘Peggy For You’, at the Hampstead Theatre. She also talks about her role in “wild” hospital comedy Green Wing, playing Debbie in The Archers since 1991, and Friday Night Dinner.Journalist Ash Sarkar and Professor Heidi Safia Mirza discuss the legacy and significance of the American feminist author and activist bell hooks, who died this week aged 69.Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth - the national police co-ordinator for violence against women and girls - unveils her new strategy and gives her opinion on whether misogyny should be made a hate crime.In November 2020 a family court found that the conservative MP Kate Griffiths' then husband, Andrew Griffiths (also a former conservative MP and former minister) raped, abused & coercively controlled her. These were civil proceedings, so the finding was based on the balance of probabilities, rather than the criminal standard of probable doubt. As is the norm in family cases, this information was private and not made public. But following a successful application by journalists, supported by Kate Griffiths, the details of this case, with both parties' names attached, were published last week. Andrew Griffiths has denied allegations made by his ex-wife and ‘adamantly denied’ rape. We hear from Dr Charlotte Proudman, the barrister who represented Kate Griffiths.The company SAGA has decided to give employees who've just become grandparents some special leave. They say it's about helping new grandparents celebrate but also it's to highlight how important older workers are, not just to the company but to families and wider society. One of our listeners, Linda, who looks after two of her grandchildren, talks about her experience.During a recent Business Questions in Parliament Jacob Rees Mogg took a moment to mark the feast of St Æthelgifu, and called the medieval abbess one of Britain’s leading saints. But was she? What do we really know about Æthelgifu and the other leading medieval women at this time? We talk to Florence Scott, a historian of early medieval England.

Ebony Louise Barrett has now become Fridge Girl, after a video she put on TikTok went viral. It was a tall, free-standing fridge falling on top of her as she danced. She's OK, but even Janet Jackson has picked up on it. How has it changed her life? Three young women from Generation Z talk about the big social issues of the year, and why they feel the label 'woke', which is often attached to this age group, is off the mark. We have Maisie Thompson from Manchester, Jessie Stevens from Devon and Mia Manttan from London. Inspirational quotes from an American author and feminist called bell hooks are being shared. She died this week at home in Kentucky. She was considered a trailblazer in feminism and published 40-odd books. We've got two of her admirers: Ash Sarkar and Heidi Safia Mirza. We speak to Elaine Parker who's just set up a new app which she hopes will make online dating safer. She was inspired to create it because of the bad experience she had with a man she met online. She explains to Anita how it works.And we continue our Food Fridays with Julie Lin MacLeod, who's the founder of a Malaysian restaurant in Glasgow’s southside. She's also opened a second restaurant during the pandemic. She talks about bringing people together through food, creating a positive working environment, and how the pandemic has changed the amount we eat for Christmas dinner.

During a recent Business Questions in parliament Jacob Rees Mogg took a moment to mark the feast of St Æthelgifu, and called the medieval abbess one of Britain’s leading saints. But was she? What do we really know about Æthelgifu and the other leading medieval women at this time? We talk to Florence Scott, a historian of early medieval England, studying for a PhD at Leeds University, and who runs the blog Aelfgif-who?A new survey shows that for the first time more women than men are sitting as non executive directors on boards. But at the same time nine out of ten executive directors are still men. We talk to Tessa Bamford from Spencer Stuart the organisation that conducted the research and also to Ann Cairns Executive Vice Chair of Mastercard who is also the lead non-executive board member of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).On Tuesday we talked about pregnant women getting jabbed, getting the booster and fears that some women have about how it will affect their fertility. All pregnant women have been able to get COVID-19 vaccines since April, when the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised they should be offered two vaccine doses at the same time as the rest of us based on their age and clinical risk group. Despite this, the government has come under fire for months for not encouraging enough pregnant women to get vaccinated, with many women concerned about what they see as mixed messages coming at them. So what needs to be done to get more pregnant women vaccinated and get the booster? Professor Lucy Chappell is the Chief Scientific Officer for the Department of Health and Social Care.The Christmas Radio Times is out and we now know what TV we can look forward to watching over the festive period. But can TV divide a household rather than unite it? Are women the gatekeepers of family TV? Or, do men rule the remote? Professor of Media and Communications, Catherine Johnson, has looked at the impact lockdown has had on our family TV watching styles. Journalist Emma Beddington tells us what she’ll be tuning into in her house.Picture of Æthelgifu courtesy of illustrator Pollie Scott.

There is no doubt that the pandemic is still affecting people's social lives, but perhaps the most affected are teenagers or 'quaranteens'. Many young people have missed out on major social milestones - parties, teen romances and opportunities to be with their mates - which can be so formative. What is the impact of missing out on these experiences? And how can adults best support 'quaranteens'? Emma talks to Laverne Antrobus, a consultant child and educational psychologist.The woman charged with co-ordinating the national police response in England and Wales to violence against women and girls unveils her strategy on Woman’s Hour. Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth is the new national police co-ordinator for violence against women and girls. The aim is give the 43 police forces around the country a uniform approach, and make women and girls feel safer in their daily lives. We’ll also get reaction to the new strategy from Amelia Handy from Rape Crisis Centres. It’s been a particularly stressful couple of years for staff working in the NHS, including junior doctors like Jess Duckworth. When she isn’t busy with patients at the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital, she is treating herself and others in the hospital to some relaxation with her piano playing. Combining her two passions – music and medicine - she’s researched the types and style of music people find relaxing, and it’s resulted in a second EP to be released in February next year, The Piano Doctor Volume II – A Year of Reflective Piano Music. The single ‘Into The Light’ is out this week. Statistics out this morning show UK inflation has increased to 5.1 per cent last month - the highest in a decade - after prices rose across the economy including for fuel and food bills. Some observers are talking about she-flation with some of the poorest in society - often women on low and part time work - being affected more. Professor Heather McGregor, Head of the Business School at Heriot Watt University joins Emma to discuss.

Actor Tamsin Greig on her latest role as the legendary agent Peggy Ramsay. The Prime Minister has announced that all over 18s in England are being offered a Covid-19 booster vaccination. But as he sets out this new target has that message reached pregnant women? Emma talks to Dr Viki Male a Reproductive Immunologist based at Imperial College LondonTens of thousands of volunteers are needed to come forward to support the NHS booster campaign. Do you plan to volunteer? What are the benefits of volunteering? And as Miss World celebrates being 70, we hear from women who protested against it in the 1970's. Presenter Emma Barnett Producer Beverley PurcellPHOTO CREDIT; Shaun Webb.

The company SAGA has decided to give employees who've just become grandparents some special leave. They say it's about helping new grandparents celebrate but also it's to highlight how important older workers are, not just to the company but to families and wider society. So if you're a grandparent providing childcare for your kids, what's the cost? What does it take out of you, time-wise and energy wise? How much are you saving your kids? And do you see it as a precious thing you’ll never have the chance to do again, or after a while is it too much pressure? We hear from one of our listeners Linda who looks after two of her grandchildren and Shireen Kanji, a Professor of Work and Organisation at Brunel University.New Covid measures are being introduced across the UK, because of the threat posed by the Omicron variant. In England it's known as Plan B, and mandates mask-wearing, working from home and Covid passports. However, around 75 Conservative MPs are expected to rebel as it's put to a vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday. As parliament debates these new restrictions, where do you stand on taking personal responsibility for containing the virus, and how will it affect your Christmas? To discuss, Emma is joined by Guardian journalist Lucy Mangan and Lucy Fisher, Deputy Political Editor at The Telegraph. In November 2020 a family court found that the conservative MP Kate Griffiths' then husband, Andrew Griffiths (also a former conservative MP for the same Staffordshire seat and former Conservative minister) raped her in her sleep, abused & coercively controlled her. These were civil proceedings, so the finding was based on the balance of probabilities, rather than the criminal standard of probable doubt. As is the norm in family cases, this information was private and not made public. But following a successful application by journalists, supported by Kate Griffiths - the details of this case, with both parties' names attached, were published last Friday. In the recent judgement, judges from the Court of Appeal referred to the ‘mother's right to tell her story.’ Andrew Griffiths has denied allegations made by his ex-wife and ‘adamantly denied’ rape. Dr Charlotte Proudman, the barrister who represented Kate Griffiths joins Emma.The next in our series Under Pressure which looks at what happens to relationships when life gets in the way. Carla and Brendon met at school. Their lives looked to be on track and then everything changed when Carla was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Jo Morris reports.The nominees for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2021 have been revealed. There have been 66 recipients of the award, but only 13 of these have been women. Anna Kessel, Women’s Sports Editor at The Telegraph talks to Emma about the women on the shortlist and who is favourite to win.