Woman's Hour

A new law change has made the creation of explicit deepfakes illegal, with those found guilty facing up to two years in prison. Nuala McGovern is joined by Durham Law Professor Clare McGlynn to hear more about what this means, and Channel 4's Cathy Newman, who was a victim of deepfakes herself, gives her thoughts. Author Clare Whitfield joins Nuala to discuss her novel Poor Girls. The title of the book refers to the young, working class women of the 1920s who were destined for a life in service unless they took other, less respectable, opportunities. Like joining real-life all female criminal gang The Forty Elephants, who were famous for their sophisticated shoplifting scams and their hard-partying ways.Victoria Melluish is a listener who wrote to us to highlight women working in environmentally hostile environments and to encourage more women to get out in the field. Victoria is currently employed as a marine mammal specialist and expedition guide on a cruise expedition ship. She says, 'I’m 30 and I work in the Arctic and Antarctic, and I often get asked how I manage having endometriosis while driving Zodiac boats around glaciers and marine megafauna.' Nuala speaks to her about her work.Private businesses in Norway are now required by law to have more women sitting on their executive boards. In 2008, the country became the first in the world to introduce a 40% gender quota for the boards of listed companies. In 2023, the Norwegian parliament decided to extend the quota to private firms, with a deadline of 31st December 2024. Nuala is joined by Hege Rødland, founder of Matae AS, a recruitment company and Linda Litlekalsoy Aase, CEO of Bremnes Seashore Group, to discuss how successful it has been.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Emma Pearce

The debate around widescale child sexual abuse and exploitation continues following calls from the Conservatives and Reform UK for a new national inquiry into the issue. Professor Alexis Jay chaired the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. It took seven years and was published in 2022. It warned of "endemic" abuse across society in England and Wales for girls and boys. Professor Jay has called again for implementation of her 20 recommendations. One recommendation was that those who cover up or fail to report child sexual abuse could face professional or criminal sanctions. The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper last night announced that has said that will be implemented as a new offence this year. Nuala McGovern speaks to Maggie Oliver, Founder and Chair of the Maggie Oliver Foundation, who was a former detective who resigned from Greater Manchester Police in late 2012 in order to expose the Rochdale Grooming Scandal, and Ken MacDonald, Director of Public Prosecutions from 2003-2008.It's hoped a tool which allows women in Wales to log and report symptoms of endometriosis will empower patients to get help from their GPs and potentially lead to quicker diagnosis. It's estimated one in 10 women suffer from the condition, which can cause debilitating period pain and is linked to fertility issues. Nuala speaks to Dr Robyn Jackowich, one of the academics whose worked on the reporting tool, and Karen Hiu Ching Lo, who suffers with endometriosis.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been urged to boycott next month’s Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan by a group of more than 160 politicians. The England men’s ODI side are due to face Afghanistan in Lahore on 26 February but there are calls for the ECB to refuse the fixture, taking a stand against the Taliban regime’s ongoing assault on women’s rights. Nuala discusses the issues with Felix Jakens, Head of Campaigns for Amnesty International.Lucy Lawless, best known for playing Xena: Warrior Princess, joins Nuala to discuss another fearless woman. In her directorial debut, Never Look Away, she explores Margaret Moth, a warzone camerawoman for CNN who covered conflicts from the liberation of Kuwait in the early 90s to the Lebanon War in the mid-2000s armed only with a camera and an attitude.BBC Eye have released an animation narrated by Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe for BBC 100 Women 2024. It tells the stories of three women imprisoned in the notorious Evin prison in Iran. Nuala is joined by former Evin prisoner, Mahdieh Golroo and BBC Persian reporter, Baran Abbasi to discuss the prison’s reputation.Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, completes his final official duties today before stepping down. So what’s next for the Church of England? And how are women playing a part in the reform of safeguarding? Nuala McGovern is joined by the BBC’s Religion Editor, Aleem Maqbool. Also joining the conversation is Rowena Pailing, who used to be Vice Dean of Blackburn Cathedral but who resigned over what she calls safeguarding concerns, and Reverend Jenny Penn, who was an important part of the investigation into former priest David Tudor.Pencils at the ready – because comedian and presenter Mel Giedroyc is back with a new ITV gameshow, taking Pictionary from our living rooms to the TV screen. Mel tells Nuala about getting competitive during family games nights, how she’s enjoyed getting older, and why blind optimism is both her best and worst trait.Women in Syria are calling for recognition from the new regime, and asking to be involved in the running of the country. The caretaker government has made several appointments of former al-Qaeda hardliners that have caused concern about what the new leadership intends for women in the country. BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet joins Nuala to tell us more.What’s the best advice you’ve ever had? Or even the best you’ve given? Nuala is joined by grandmother-granddaughter pair Christine and Christina, whose video on TikTok of Christine giving Christina advice has been seen by millions of people. They’ll speak about going viral, their special relationship and how they hope their videos help other people. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Lottie Garton

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, has proposed "a new National Care Service", as part of the government's plan to shake-up adult social care with increased funding and an independent commission headed by crossbench peer Baroness Louise Casey. As adult social care is a predominantly female work force - and women make up the majority of people carrying out unpaid caring responsibilities - what impact could these changes have? Kylie Pentelow was joined by Melanie Williams, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK.On New Year’s Day, Nuala McGovern explored all things women and walking in this special programme. She was joined by the comedian and author Miranda Hart to discuss how her battle with chronic illness gave her a new appreciation for getting outdoors and walking, following 10 years out of the spotlight with chronic fatigue.Many people will have visited or been visited by their adult children over the holidays. Being a parent to adult children, as well as being the adult child, can be complicated. What are the pitfalls? How can we ensure that relationship stays strong? Clare McDonnell was joined by psychotherapist Dr Julia Samuel and actor Helen Lederer to discuss.Four women from Pembrokeshire in Wales are about to set off on an Atlantic rowing challenge that’s been three years in the planning. They’re set to break two world records along the way. 32-year-old Sophie Pierce will be the first person with cystic fibrosis to row any ocean and 70-year-old Janine Williams will be the oldest woman to complete this challenge. She’s due to set a Guinness World Record. Along with Miyah and Polly, the women will spend 60 days together in a 10-metre-long ocean rowing boat to cross 3,200 miles unaided from Lanzarote to Antigua. Sophie and Janine spoke to Kylie on the day before they left for Lanzarote.What’s it like fostering in your forties? Author Beth Moran had three children in her twenties but decided to take up fostering once they flew the nest. Her new novel It Had To Be You is inspired by her experiences of fostering 13 children in five years and she joined Clare to discuss the challenges her family faced.A new Dolly Parton musical Here You Come Again is packed with the biggest and most rhinestoned hits from the country legend, and is currently playing at the Riverside Studios in London before it heads on tour across the UK next month. Actress Tricia Paoluccio joined Clare to discuss what it’s like becoming Dolly in the show – and gave a live performance in the studio.Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Annette Wells Editor: Louise Corley

This morning the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, has proposed "a new National Care Service", as part of the government's plan to shake-up adult social care with increased funding and an independent commission headed by crossbench peer Baroness Louise Casey. As adult social care is a predominantly female work force - and women make up the majority of people carrying out unpaid caring responsibilities - what impact could these changes have? Kylie Pentelow is joined by Melanie Williams, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK.The Women’s Rugby World Cup is being held later this year in England. Whilst Scotland and Wales will be competing, England currently sit at the top of the world rankings – with many hoping this could be women’s rugby’s ‘Lionesses moment’. To discuss whether this is likely and how best to ensure the tournament has a positive legacy, Kylie Pentelow is joined by Fi Tomas, women’s sport reporter at the Telegraph, and Christina Philippou, an associate professor in accounting and sport finance at the University of Portsmouth. Comedian Amy Gledhill is about to start a new residency at Soho Theatre in London with her award-winning solo show, Make Me Look Fit On The Poster. She joins Kylie to talk about writing autobiographical comedy, romance, bin bags... and why she is hoping her work will make people think as well as laugh.Juhea Kim’s first novel Beasts of a Little Land was set in Korea and covered the conflicts of the 20th Century. Her second novel, City of Night Birds, explores a wildly different subject, modern Russian ballet, and follows the story of talented ballerina Natalia as she finds fame and struggles to cope with the demands of international stardom. Juhea joins Kylie to discuss how her own experiences as a dancer inspired her novel.Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Rebecca Myatt

In 1974, a group of around 40 women met in London to discuss the ongoing rape crisis and what to do about it. That meeting eventually led to the establishment of the UK's first ever Rape Crisis centre, which opened its doors and helpline on 15 May 1976. Since then, an entire network of Rape Crisis centres has been established by passionate groups of women around the country. Kylie Pentelow is joined by Dr Kate Cook, co-author of Rape Crisis: Responding to Sexual Violence, and Lee Eggleston, long-standing chair on the board of Rape Crisis England and Wales and who works on the front line of a rape crisis centre.Are you an introverted parent to extroverted children? Are they the life and soul of the party when you’d prefer to stay at home? Or are they always talking to random strangers when you’d prefer not to? This is the situation Grace Victory finds herself in. She tells Kylie how she manages two extroverted children, and psychologist Dr Tara Quinn-Cirillo joins to give tips.There has been a rise in the number of children across England needing specialist treatment for severe mental health crisis, according to official NHS data analysed by the mental health charity YoungMinds. They found it shows a 10% increase in emergency, very urgent and urgent referrals for under-18s. There were 34,793 emergency, very urgent or urgent referrals to child and adolescent mental health services crisis teams between April and October 2024 that compared with 31,749 in the same six-month period in 2023. Kate Silverton, qualified child counsellor and author, joins Kylie.Four women from Pembrokeshire in Wales are about to set off on an Atlantic rowing challenge that’s been three years in the planning. They’re set to break two world records along the way. 32-year-old Sophie Pierce will be the first person with cystic fibrosis to row any ocean and 70-year-old Janine Williams will be the oldest woman to complete this challenge. She’s due to set a Guinness World Record. Along with Miyah and Polly, the women will spend 60 days together in a 10-metre-long ocean rowing boat to cross 3,200 miles unaided from Lanzarote to Antigua. Sophie and Janine speak to Kylie on the day before they leave for Lanzarote.

On the first day of 2025, Nuala McGovern explores all things women and walking in this special programme.Comedian and author Miranda Hart joins her to discuss how her battle with chronic illness gave her a new appreciation for getting outdoors and walking, following 10 years out of the spotlight with chronic fatigue.How can getting outdoors and walking impact us? Qualified GP Dr Lucy Loveday has developed a ‘Nature Toolkit’ and ‘green prescription’ to look at how we can support our mental and physical health by getting outdoors. She joins Nuala alongside Rhiane Fatinikum, founder of Black Girls Hike, to discuss how we can harness the power of nature at different stages of our lives and tackle barriers to getting outdoors.From writer Nan Shepherd to 18th-century poet Elizabeth Carter – women have been wandering and taking inspiration from nature for centuries. Kerri Andrews, author of Wanderers: A History of Women Walking, tells Nuala about the history of walking as inspiration. And musician Fiona Soe Paing joins us to share her latest project – Sand, Silt, Flint – reimagining traditional folk stories using field recordings from the natural world.One of our listeners got in touch to tell us about Blaze Trails – a community with over 70 free parent and baby walking groups across the UK, encouraging mothers to get outdoors and go walking. Their walks aim to help women connect with nature, with their babies, and with other families. Nuala headed to Staffordshire to meet them.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Erin Downes

What’s it like fostering in your 40s? Author Beth Moran had three children in her twenties but decided to take up fostering once they flew the nest. Her new novel It Had To Be You is inspired by her experiences of fostering thirteen children in five years.Singer-songwriter Theo Bleak has received huge acclaim recently for her raw lyrics and soaring melodies. As well as supporting Suede, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Joesef on tour, her debut LP Pain was also nominated for Scottish Album of the Year. Theo performs her latest single You Said You’d Feel It All Again live in the Woman’s Hour studio.The director Sam Taylor-Johnson was 42 when she met husband to be Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who was 18 at the time. They recently made a red carpet appearance with her two eldest daughters and the hashtag #SameAgeAsStepDaughter became a TikTok trend. Clare McDonnell is joined by Alexandra who was her husband’s third wife and at 30 had stepdaughters of 26 and 20 from his first two marriages. She joins Clare McDonnell, along with parenting expert and family psychologist Anna Mathur.Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Laura Northedge

‘Unfortunately, she was a Nymphomaniac’ – that’s the title of a new book written to debunk the misogynist myths of Imperial Rome and to put the record straight about the lives and fates of Roman women. Its author, the journalist Joan Smith, joins Clare McDonnell to give us a fresh perspective on the ancient world.Many people will have visited or been visited by their adult children over the holidays. Being a parent to adult children, as well as being the adult child, can be complicated. What are the pitfalls? How can we ensure that relationship stays strong? Clare is joined by psychotherapist Dr Julia Samuel and actor and author Helen Lederer to discuss.Nearly half the world's population had major elections in 2024, but it was also a year that saw the slowest rate of growth in female representation for 20 years. The BBC has crunched the numbers from 46 countries and found that in nearly two-thirds of them the number of women elected fell. BBC Population Correspondent Stephanie Hegarty explains the findings.New Dolly Parton musical Here You Come Again is packed with the biggest and most rhinestoned hits from the country legend, and is currently playing at the Riverside Studios in London before it heads on tour across the UK next month. Actress Tricia Paoluccio joins Clare to discuss what it’s like becoming Dolly in the show – and gives a special live performance in the studio. Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Lottie Garton

Oscar-winning Michelle Yeoh’s career has spanned four decades. Starting out as a martial arts actor, she became a key figure in the Hong Kong action scene. But it was her role in James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies that catapulted her into Hollywood. She's since starred in many hits including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the multi-Oscar winning movie - including for her own performance - Everything Everywhere all At Once. Now, she’s in the film adaptation of the musical Wicked. She joined Nuala McGovern live in the studio to discuss it.We look back at a special programme, that came live from the Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House in London, looking at the support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities – or SEND as it’s often known in England. Nuala heard from guest panellists including Kellie Bright, an actress in EastEnders but also a mum to a child with SEND, Katie, who is 17 and says she was completely failed by the SEND system, and the Minister for School Standards, Catherine McKinnell.On 22 September 1994, the American TV show Friends premiered on NBC and the characters Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross became household names. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Anita spoke to one of the show’s writers and producers, Betsy Borns and the journalist Emma Loffhagen about why the show still resonates today.We hear from listener Siobhan Daniels. She wrote to us on Instagram: 'I would love you to talk about van life and an alternative way of living.' Siobhan is 65 years old and after selling her home and possessions has lived in her motorhome for the last five years. Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal deaths in the UK. Last month the House of Lords Preterm Birth Committee published a report calling on the government to do more to reduce the risks of babies being born prematurely and to improve the lives of those families who are affected. Anita discussed the proposed changes with Nadia Leake, who gave birth to twins eleven years ago at just 22 weeks and is the author of 'Surviving Prematurity,'Corinne Bailey Rae's latest album is a complete departure from her previous work. Black Rainbows is inspired by a trip to Stony Island Arts Bank, a Chicago-based archive of black art and culture. The record spans punk, rock, experimental jazz, electronica and more. She joined Anita for a very special performance live from the Woman's Hour Glastonbury picnic table back in the summer.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells Editor: Emma Pearce