Highlights from the Woman's Hour week

Tomorrow the Sussex Maternity Review will launch in Brighton to examine more than 1,000 cases spanning over a decade. The independent review's chair, the former midwife Donna Ockenden, will meet with families who have been affected by poor maternity care in the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust. Bereaved mothers, Hannah Robotham and Katie Fowler join presenter Clare McDonnell to share their stories, along with BBC Social Affairs Correspondent Michael Buchanan.Journalist Tansy Hoskins has spent more than a decade investigating the fashion industry, from garment factories to global supply chains. In her new book Charity Shop World she looks into where unwanted clothes end up, volunteering in a charity shop to reveal the hidden stories behind people's donations. Tansy joins us to discuss over-consumption, textile waste, and the hidden workforce - mainly women - who are dealing with the consequences of fashion industry excess.We hear about the life and work of American feminist icon and journalist Gloria Steinem, who passed away in New York City this week. Feminists Beatrix Campbell and Sarah Ditum reflect on her long-lasting global legacy, from her beginnings as a freelance writer to her life-long battle for women’s rights.The new Women's Super League (WSL) season kicks-off tonight as London City Lionesses play Manchester United. So what exactly can we expect to see this season and what do we need to know? Clare speaks to Helen Hardy, the founder of Foudy's, which she says is the first and only dedicated women’s football retailer in the world. She appeared on our Woman's Hour Power List back in 2023 for her work amplifying the sport.Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Rebecca Myatt

Whilst the vast majority of nurseries provide safe and caring environments, there have been a number of highly distressing cases in recent years where children have been abused or come to harm. From 1st September this year, strengthened welfare and safeguarding requirements have come into effect for early years providers in England, with the changes designed to help keep babies and young children safe. Joining Clare McDonnell to discuss are BBC investigative reporter Hayley Hassall, Jonathan Broadbery from the National Day Nurseries Association and Zoe Raven, Chief Executive of the Acorn Early Years Foundation.On Radio 4's Norman Day, we ask what it was like to live through one of the most dramatic turning points in British history and its aftermath. Historian Dr Emily A Winkler, author of Pocket Bayeux Tapestry, and author Claire Fuge whose novel The Siren's Daughter tells the extraordinary story of real-life Welsh princess Nest ferch Rhys, tell Clare what was like to be a woman in Norman Britain.Dr Louise Willcott is an NHS doctor and lifelong car enthusiast who recently launched a business, the Women’s Auto Academy, running women-only workshops teaching basic car maintenance. We talk to her and motoring journalist Maria McCarthy about the many benefits of women better understanding how our cars work.Women are being squeezed out of the film industry as they progress beyond their first films -that's according to the director of the BFI London Film Festival, Kristy Matheson. Women have directed just two of its 21 high-profile gala films this year. So what can be done to help female directors go beyond being 'one hit wonders'?Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Corinna Jones

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the body that represents NHS paediatricians, has warned of a sharp rise in the number of children aged 6 to 17 turning up at A&E units in England in a state of mental health crisis. The RCPCH's Officer for Health Services, Dr Ronny Cheung, a consultant paediatrician based in London, joins Nuala McGovern to discuss the issue. He is joined by Kate Silverton, child therapist and parenting author.Siobhan Daniels joined Woman's Hour a couple of years ago as part of Listener Week to talk about her alternative lifestyle, getting rid of her possessions and living nomadically while travelling the country in a motorhome. Now she's back with a new book, Retire and Refire, which chronicles her 4,000-mile solo RV adventure from Canada to Alaska along the Alaska Highway.The number of babies born in Scotland last year was the lowest on record. Records began in 1855. Esther Roughsedge, Head of Demographic Statistics at National Records of Scotland, explains more.A menopause specialist has said that she is aware of women posing as men to buy testosterone from online pharmacies because of difficulties obtaining NHS prescriptions in Wales. Jenny Rees, BBC Wales Health Correspondent, joins Nuala to discuss the issue.This summer, Woman's Hour has been hearing from some of the academics who have been working with Radio 4 on their research. Professor Nandini Das, Professor of Early Modern Literature and Culture at the University of Oxford, highlights the artist Levina Teerlinc from her new book, This Little World: A New History of Tudor and Stuart England.Divorced. Beheaded. Died. Divorced. Beheaded. Survived. Words familiar to most of us, and perhaps what you learned at school. But what do we really know, in depth, about Henry VIII's wives? There's a campaign to ensure that children learn more about the queens than those six words. Tracy Borman, Chief Historian at Historic Royal Palaces, explains more about their project.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

The award-winning singer-songwriter and actress Natalie Imbruglia first hit our screens in the early 1990s, playing the role of Beth Brennan in the Australian soap Neighbours. Her 1997 debut single Torn quickly became a worldwide hit, and she’s sold more than 10 million albums. Her latest album, Algorithm, is out later this week. Natalie joins Nuala McGovern to discuss some of its themes – relationship breakups, perfectionism and perimenopause, and what it feels like to be championed by the new generation of pop stars.A new definition of heart attacks could help transform the way women are diagnosed and treated. Experts in the field say women have been 'deprioritised' for decades, but this new global guidance has a new focus on the types of heart attacks experienced by women, and the criteria used to detect them. Professor Nick Mills, British Heart Foundation Professor of Cardiology at the University of Edinburgh, joins Nuala to explain along with Allison Lawson, who had a heart attack two years ago.Between 1949 and 1976, an estimated 250,000 mothers in the UK had their new-born children taken from them through a system involving the state, social workers and religious organisations. A landmark BBC documentary, available now on iPlayer, Stolen Babies, tells the story of those women and the children who were taken from them. In July, the outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a formal apology. Judy Baker, who features in the documentary talks about her own experience of giving up a baby.Bestselling author Adele Parks joins us to talk about her new book Eyes On You which follows the story of Amy who, at fifteen, witnessed her father brutally murder his mistress. She tells Nuala why she wanted to explore the effect of such a crime on the perpetrator's family, and how she has tried to make each of her 26 books better than the last.

After a summer when hot weather has drawn many of us towards the water, we explore its pull as a place of freedom, adventure and friendship, as well as the risks it can pose.Writer and wild swimmer Brigid Lowe tells us how swimming in Scotland’s lochs gave her a sense of freedom, a journey she charts in her new memoir, Shiver: The Lessons of the Lochs. Musician Tricia Duffy explains how rivers and the sea flow through her songwriting, including her recent EP, River Stories.Seren Jones, co-founder of the Black Swimming Association, joins us to discuss who feels able to enjoy the water, why some communities face greater barriers to swimming and how we can all enjoy open water more safely.We also meet some of the women whose working lives depend on water. Ivana-Maria Carrioni-Burnett, a former Royal Navy officer who now works as a sea pilot on the Thames, describes climbing aboard huge vessels and taking control of their navigation. Plus Sara Barsley and Hayley Garrod from the Canal and River Trust reveal the work that goes into keeping Britain’s waterways flowing.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson

Women who have missed a cervical screening appointment in England are to be offered HPV self-testing kits by the NHS. Over the next year, nearly four million women will receive invites on the NHS App or via text message, email or letter to order a free kit to use at home. The aim is to encourage more women to complete their potentially lifesaving screening to detect HPV, which can increase the risk of cervical cancer. Dr Sue Mann, National Clinical Director for Women's Health in England and a consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health, joined Nuala McGovern.For more than a decade, armed gangs in northern Nigeria have repeatedly targeted schools, kidnapping children for ransom and forcing some educational establishments to close. BBC journalist Yemisi Adegoke has recently returned from the state of Zamfara, where ongoing insecurity has left many girls unable to attend school, threatening their futures. She talks to Anita about her experience.After the death of both her parents, best-selling novelist Louise Doughty made a startling discovery whilst clearing out the family home. Inside a black suitcase, she stumbled upon a treasure trove of letters that revealed the origins of her parents' love affair. She joined Nuala to discuss her first memoir On This Spot Fell One Tear of Love described as a portrait of grief and loss and family – and a love story.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells

Hormone replacement therapy may reduce the risk of dementia, a new study has found. Researchers tracked more than 180,000 postmenopausal women and their analysis suggests that those who had used HRT appeared to be less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and the greatest reduction was seen in women who had undergone surgical menopause. Anita Rani talks to Anne-Marie Minihane, Professor of Nutrigenetics at Norwich medical school at the University of East Anglia and lead author of the study, asking her whether any conclusions can be drawn from these findings. Five time Tony Award-winning musical Kimberly Akimbo has its European premiere this evening at the Hampstead Theatre in North London. Jeanine Tesori wrote the music for the production and joins Anita to explain why she wanted to set the original play to music and song.The latest of our series where our academic researchers in residence talk about something that’s caught their eye this summer. Beth Malory is Associate Professor of English Linguistics and Health Communication at University College London. She’s been troubled by a phrase we’ve discussed a few times on Woman’s Hour: medical misogyny.As the ongoing cost of living crisis keeps food bills soaring, Amy Sheppard has made it her mission to show people interesting, budget-friendly ways to cook with what they’ve got. What started as a personal challenge to feed her own family has grown into several Sunday Times bestselling cookbooks and a community of more than a million followers on Instagram. Amy joins Anita.Cosplay, short for 'costume play', involves elaborate design with fans crafting outfits and dressing up as characters from the world of video games, comic books and films. Live from one of the world's biggest gaming conventions, Anita speaks to Rosie, aka valentinemoon, who is one of the leading cosplayers and a judge on an all-female panel for the competition, and the BBC's Laura Cress, who is attending this year.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

People who were sexually abused as children and later seek help for mental health problems are being failed by the NHS, according to The Royal College of Psychiatrists. The RCOP has issued a public apology, saying decades of mismanagement and misdiagnosis have left many survivors without the support they need. Anita Rani is joined by Caroline Thompson, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and Dr Jo Stubley, a consultant psychiatrist and clinical lead of the Tavistock Trauma Service, who are co-authors of the RCOP's position statement. Today in towns and cities across the country, parents are being encouraged to go on strike to raise awareness about, what the strike's organisers say are the rising costs of raising children and the impossible demands this puts on parents. Anna Whitehouse, the founder of Flex Appeal, and George Gabriel, who co-founded The Dad Shift, discuss the flexible working and parental leave policies that they are calling for with The Parent Strike and how the Government is responding. For more than a decade, armed gangs in northern Nigeria have repeatedly targeted schools, kidnapping children for ransom and forcing some educational establishments to close. BBC journalist Yemisi Adegoke has recently returned from the state of Zamfara, where ongoing insecurity has left many girls unable to attend school, threatening their futures.Bella Mackie's third novel, Claws Out!, is published this week. It's a witty crime caper about an ageing ‘gold-digger,’ who is rumoured to have murdered three husbands and has a new suitor in sight. Bella - whose debut How to Kill Your Family is currently being turned into a Netflix series starring Anya Taylor-Joy - tells Anita why she loves exploring the British class system in her books and why she’s determined to use her platform to talk openly about mental health.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

Singer-songwriter, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died aged 80. She was a feminist icon, although she denied the former. Known as The Queen of Country, she paved the way for many women in music. To remember her, Nuala is joined by Country singer-songwriter Kezia Gill and music journalist Jude Rogers.The Ministry of Justice has announced the introduction of “restriction zones” for serious sexual and violent offenders that would confine them to areas just a few miles wide after leaving prison. Government ministers say the scheme is designed to give victims greater freedom but some campaigners want more detail about how they will work . To discuss further Nuala is joined by advocate on domestic abuse and stalking, Rhianon Bragg.Broadcaster and former footballer Karen Carney OBE has been awarded the Professional Footballers' Association's merit award for her contribution to football. She joins Nuala to explain what winning the prestigious award means to her. Currently it’s illegal to import a sex doll that looks like a child but not to manufacture, sell or own one. Munira Wilson MP explains why she wants to change the law and close a “dangerous loophole”, and Nuala also hears from Dr Alex Bailey from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation – an organisation that works to prevent child sexual abuse.'Poetry is everywhere’ - that’s according to spoken word poet Georgie Jones. Her honest takes on the realities of womanhood, friendship, body image, love and self-doubt have struck a chord with audiences and seen her shoot to fame on social media. Georgie joins Nuala to discuss why spoken word poetry is striking such a chord with women online.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Olivia Skinner

Women who have missed a cervical screening appointment in England are to be offered HPV self-testing kits by the NHS. Over the next year, nearly four million women will receive invites on the NHS App or via text message, email or letter to order a free kit to use at home. The aim is to encourage more women to complete their potentially lifesaving screening to detect HPV, which can increase the risk of cervical cancer. Figures show that around a third of women who are eligible for cervical cancer screening have not taken up the offer recently. Dr Sue Mann, National Clinical Director for Women's Health in England and a consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health, joins Nuala McGovern to discuss.Chef Sally Abe, who owns the restaurant The Pem, and Kayla Lawrie, a producer with social media food influencers TopJaw, have launched a map of women-owned hospitality businesses. What began with 350 restaurants, pubs, cafés and bakeries has now grown to more than 1,000 venues across the UK. They explain to Nuala what they hope to achieve.Around 7,500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, with the majority aged over 50. But around 120 of those women are between 15 and 24. Enlli Thompson was just 19 when a growth was found on one of her ovaries. Since then, she's undergone chemotherapy, egg freezing, a hysterectomy and medically induced menopause. Enlli joins Nuala, alongside GP Charlotte Badescu, who was also diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021 when she was 31.Stephanie Brown from the University of Hull has spent the past year as Woman's Hour's researcher in residence on the scheme that Radio 4 runs with the Arts and Humanities Research Council. She studies the history of crime and, as part of our summer series exploring some of the latest research into women's lives past and present, she shares new findings about the punishment of women in medieval England.Is your wardrobe a clutter-free haven of beautifully coordinated outfits? Or is it more a chaotic jumble of jumpers, jeans and everything in between? Could an app be the answer? Some apps allow users to catalogue what they own, visualise outfits and experiment with their style. Nuala is joined by Nicole Glennon, Deputy Editor of the Irish Examiner Weekend magazine, and Dion Terrelonge, fashion psychologist and practitioner.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

After the death of both her parents best-selling novelist Louise Doughty made a startling discovery whilst clearing out the family home. Inside a black suitcase, she stumbled upon a treasure trove of letters that revealed the origins of her parents' love affair. She joins Nuala McGovern to discuss her first memoir On This Spot Fell One Tear of Love described as a portrait of grief and loss and family – and a love story.More information has been released about the crash that happened on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of Saturday morning - when a car travelling in the wrong direction crashed into a police vehicle, killing two officers and the 5 teenage boys in the other car. This after a similar incident last week in County Kildare in Ireland. There's a growing concern that social media trends are encouraging young people to drive dangerously and stream risk-taking videos online. We hear from Dr Paula Bradbury - who's a senior research fellow at University of East London. Paula has spent last 2 decades working in online harms, specialising in adolescent behaviour. Skin cancer rates have been rising steadily in the UK and, while men are slightly more likely to be diagnosed overall, younger women face a higher risk than men of the same age. One woman is calling on the government to scrap VAT on sunscreen after being diagnosed with skin cancer at the age of 26. Jessica Zbinden-Webster explains more while on her way to Downing street with her petition.Scotland’s overcrowded prison system is facing a deepening crisis, but a different approach to custody for women is showing early signs of cutting reoffending. The Lilias community custody unit in Glasgow is designed for women who require lower levels of supervision. Paula Arnold, Governor of HMP & Youth Offenders Institute Stirling, and responsible for the unit explains what these units offer.British boxer Chantelle Cameron is Britain’s first female undisputed boxing champion of the four-belt era, and the current WBO super-welterweight world champion. Next Saturday she’ll meet American Mikaela Mayer for a unification fight to win three super-welterweight world titles in Birmingham. She joins Nuala to talk about why she believes women should be fighting three-minute rounds, and why this weekend could be one of the most important nights of her career. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Are GCSE's working for all children? Figures show resits in Maths and English are dragging down the overall results in those subjects. Whilst post 16 education has evolved with A levels, BTECs and T levels, GCSE's have remained largely unchanged since they were introduced in 1988. Chloe Tilly talks to Vanessa Clarke, BBC education correspondent.The CEO of Travelodge Jo Boydell has resigned following a string of security lapses in which unauthorised room access has been granted without the guest's permission. Chloe speaks to Sharon Thompson who made contact with the BBC, reporting that a man accessed her hotel room at 2am, frightening her and her daughter. We'll also hear from Carolyn Pearson, CEO of a travel security company on how women can keep themselves safe while staying in hotels.Parents are taking on debt, cutting maternity leave short and some say they've even resorted to unsafe feeding practices because of the cost of infant formula. New research shows the profits that baby formula companies are making and the impact on family finances, mental health and babies' wellbeing. Chloe is joined by Professor Amy Brown, who led the study and mum Ruth Kenfield.The latest of our series where our academic researchers in residence talk about something that’s caught their eye this summer. Ashleigh Percival-Borley served in the British Army in Afghanistan, but now she’s close to completing a doctorate in history at the University of Durham looking at women in the Special Operations Executive. That’s the organisation responsible for espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance behind enemy lines during the Second World War. But Ashleigh thinks it’s time for us to reconsider one particular set of women who worked at the Special Operations Executive such as June Darton Kerr. This weekend, one of Britain's brightest young female motorsport talents will be racing in the Netherlands. Alisha Palmowski won at Silverstone last month. It was the first time what's known as the F1 academy, which promotes female drivers, has raced there. Alisha is one of a new generation of female drivers hoping to prove that women belong at the very highest levels of motorsport. She joins Chloe.Presenter: Chloe Tilley Producer: Corinna Jones

Doctors are warning that vaping could be harming children's health and say more needs to be done to make vapes less attractive and accessible to young people. The warning comes from experts from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, which has reviewed around 80 studies and said it is linked to higher rates of breathing problems and evidence of harm in babies whose mothers used vapes while pregnant. Anita Rani speaks to Will Carroll, Professor of Child Health at Staffordshire Children’s hospital and co-author of the study.With over 1 million 16-24 year olds out of work, education or some form of training, internet personality Amelia Dimoldenberg - creator of Chicken Shop Date - has launched her own creative academy. Amelia joins Anita to discuss the importance of making the online and media sectors more accessible for the next generation and how best to combat youth unemployment in this country.30,000 people have been tried for bigamy over the past 400 years, many harshly punished, according to a new study from the University of Exeter. Rebecca Probert is Professor of Law there, and a leading expert in the history and current law of marriage, cohabitation, bigamy and divorce. She has been looking at how the law has evolved since 1604 and joins Anita to discuss some of the incredible stories she uncovered, included in her new books Double Trouble and Double Lives.Sarah Smyth from the University of Essex has been delving into archives in America to look at the screenplays of the writer and director Nora Ephron. Before her death in 2012 Ephron won numerous awards, including a Bafta, a Golden Globe – she was nominated for Academy Awards… but has her feminist reputation been watered down?The Grammy award-winning African American soprano Angel Blue will perform at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall this Saturday. She joins Anita to look back on winning a Grammy for her role in Porgy and Bess, how she funded her music studies by entering beauty pageants, and how a recent health diagnosis has affected her.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

A senior French civil servant stands accused of drugging hundreds of women. Police say Christian Nègre kept a spreadsheet documenting what he described as his ‘experiments’ in which he forced them to wet themselves. They believe he drugged as many as 248 women. But more than seven years after Nègre was formally charged, no trial date has been set. For Woman’s Hour and BBC Global Women, Nuala McGovern spoke to one of the women affected, who says the delays to justice have left her feeling victimised for a second time.Within months of what was to be her last Olympic Games, double Olympic taekwondo champion Jade Jones decided it was time to take her career in a new direction. Last year, despite having never thrown a punch, she turned to boxing and, after just eight weeks of training, set herself the ambitious goal of becoming a world champion in another sport. She discusses her career pivot, what prompted her to start again, and how it feels to go from reaching the pinnacle of one sport to starting all over again in another.Queen Camilla has spoken for the first time about the pressure of keeping King Charles' cancer diagnosis secret in the early stages of treatment. In a video to mark the 30th anniversary of Maggie's cancer charity, the Queen, who is president of the charity, shared how difficult it was to avoid discussing her husband's treatment while on an official engagement with cancer patients and their families. Karen Verrill, Centre Head of Maggie's in Newcastle, who is also a specialist cancer nurse, advises how to navigate conversations about cancer, or - if you're supporting a partner - feeling that it isn't your story to tell. Renowned for its night clubs and rave culture - during the 1990s there was one party famous for being the wildest in Ibiza – Manumission. Created by a British couple who forged their life on the island, while promoting and performing in the events, they’ve now written a book to immortalise this time in Ibiza’s club history, and their lives. The book is called The Motel: High Times in 90s Ibiza and the club’s promoter, performer and mastermind, Claire Manumission, joins Nuala.Young children whose lung development has been stunted by pollution can recover when pollution levels drop, according to a new research study. Campaigner Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah’s daughter Ella was the first person in the UK to have pollution listed as a cause of death after she died from an asthma attack. She explains what the research means to her and what she still wants to see when it comes to cleaner air for children.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

The revelation that a paedophile had changed his name more than 20 times to hide his past has renewed pressure on the government to change the law. Jason Brown was first convicted 12 years ago and has now pleaded guilty to a further offence. There's been campaigning for many years for it to be illegal for sex offenders to change their name, as many use their new identities to avoid being monitored. Nuala McGovern speaks to Sarah Champion, the Labour MP for Rotherham and one of those calling for this legal change. Millions of Filipinos work overseas to help raise money for their families back home. And of these millions more than half are women. Here in the UK tens of thousands of Filipinos work in the NHS, they are one of the most common non-UK nationalities for nurses and health visitors in our health system. But what is life like for those who are left behind? Poet and nurse Romalyn Ante’s debut novel, the Left Behind Child, explores the teenage years of Neneng, who is eleven when her mother, Rosa, leaves to work as a nurse abroad. Romalyn tells Nuala McGovern how her true story of being a ‘left behind child’ influenced her writing. The parents of 30 children have told the BBC they fear they were given the wrong sperm or egg donors, during IVF treatments, in northern Cyprus. Fertility clinics in the Turkish-occupied territory are loosely regulated and are popular with British people who need medical help to have a baby. A small team of journalists first exposed this IVF scandal earlier this year - which led to many more people coming forwards. The BBC has now found the majority of cases are linked to one clinic and a small group of staff. Nuala hears from one of those families, a woman called Rachel, who was given the wrong sperm donor. She is joined by Investigative Journalist Anna Collinson and fertility lawyer, Natalie Gamble. From Dua Lipa to Zendaya, the bandana is the 90's accessory that's making a come back. In the heatwaves it has proved practical as well as stylish. But the simple square or triangle of fabric with the paisley design has a history with a range of meanings and cultural references, from workwear and protest movements to fashion and self-expression. Amber Butchart, Fashion & textile historian, and the author and broadcaster Emma Dabiri discuss the history behind the comeback. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

Amy Hunt became the first athlete in the 92-year history of the European Championships to win four gold medals in a single event, claiming titles in the 100m, 200m, women's 4x100m relay and the new mixed 4x100m relay. She had stated that her intention was to become "iconic". She joins Nuala McGovern to discuss her sporting achievements. BBC Sport correspondent Jane Dougall also joins Nuala to discuss the other female successes of the championships, including Dina Asher-Smith, who is now the most decorated athlete in European Championships history.In tonight's BBC Panorama, reporter Krupa Padhy has been investigating the Child Maintenance Service. For separated parents, child maintenance payments can help cover essential expenses, from childcare costs to the weekly food shop. But BBC Panorama has spoken to parents who say they are missing out on thousands of pounds they are owed. Some say mistakes within the system have pushed them to breaking point. Krupa joins Nuala to discuss the findings, alongside Katy, who shares her experience of the service.From child classical singing sensation to pop artist, founder of the Arwen Project, an alternative education model, and now wellness retreat owner, Charlotte Church has spent her career continually evolving. Most recently, she appeared as a Faithful on Celebrity Traitors. She tells us about her latest musical project, End Time Pop Dungeon and more.Lucy Porter has been touring as a stand-up comedian for more than 20 years. She is a sought-after comedy writer for television, theatre and film, a regular on television panel shows, and a familiar voice on Radio 4 programmes including The News Quiz and The Now Show. Next year, she will celebrate 30 years in comedy. She discusses her new book, Middle-Aged Women Get Sht Done*, a love letter to middle-aged women.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor

Five years after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, we hear how it has changed women’s lives in the country and beyond. Anita Rani speaks to 21-year-old Purvin Juma who fled to the UK from Afghanistan in 2021 and the human rights activist Shaharzad Akbar.The Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz won three Grammys for her 2024 album Revolución diamantina, and this week saw the work's UK premiere at the BBC Proms. Gabriela joined Nuala McGovern to discuss how this work was inspired by Mexico’s 2019 Glitter Revolution, the nationwide feminist protests sparked by the rape of a teenage girl by four police officers, during which activists covered Mexico City’s security chief in pink glitter.Dr Amanda Cole found out she had Tourette syndrome in her twenties. Now a professor of sociolinguistics at the University of Cambridge, Dr Cole joins Nuala to discuss her decision to share her diagnosis with her students.A serial sex attacker who had a 'morbid fascination' with sex has been jailed for the rest of his life after he was found guilty of murdering two women and raping a third. His sentence comes after police and the Crown Prosecution Service apologised over a series of disastrous decisions that left him free to roam the streets. To discuss the implications of this case, Anita was joined by Helen Millichap, the deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and director of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection, and the author and journalist Joan Smith.Kelly Latimer, flight test pilot and aeronautical engineer, is retiring this year after decades spent flying the world's most advanced planes, and even going into space. She reflects on a truly remarkable career.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty McQuire

Five years on since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, we hear how it has changed women’s lives in the country and beyond. Anita Rani speaks to BBC World Service journalist Mahjooba Nowrouzi in Kabul, and human rights activist Shaharzad Akbar. We’ll also hear from 21-year-old Purvin Juma who left Afghanistan in 2021 and fled to the UK.Pregnancy, motherhood, fertility treatment: why are some female entrepreneurs keeping major life events secret? The founder Eshita Kabra joins us to discuss the culture of life editing and whether women still feel they have to choose between business success and family life. We also hear from Emmie Faust from Female Founders Rise, which supports female entrepreneurs.A chance discovery in an attic has revealed that the Booker Prize-winning novelist Iris Murdoch also had an artistic side. More than 80 of her artworks have been found in a secret room in the attic of her former home, where they had been lying for decades. They include the only self-portrait she is known to have painted, four surrealist landscapes and three sketches of female nudes. Dr Miles Leeson, who made the discovery and is Director of the Iris Murdoch Research Centre at the University of Chichester, and Professor Anne Rowe join us to discuss the importance of the art.The Hundred has brought a new audience to cricket with its fast-paced 100-ball format, star players and family-friendly atmosphere. Uniquely, women's and men’s matches are played as double headers at the same venue on the same day, giving equal prominence to both competitions. With this season's finals taking place at Lord's on Sunday, Anita is joined by BBC cricket commentator Alison Mitchell to discuss the growth of The Hundred, the impact it has had on the women's game, and the teams and players to watch as the tournament reaches its climax.PRESENTER: Anita Rani PRODUCER: Melanie Abbott

A serial sex attacker who had a 'morbid fascination' with sex has been jailed for the rest of his life after he was found guilty of murdering two women and raping a third. 40-year-old Simon Levy killed Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo in March 2025 and Sheryl Wilkins five months later. Earlier that year, he raped a third woman in the same Tottenham car park where Wilkins was later found dead. Levy will never be released but his sentence comes after police and the Crown Prosecution Service apologised over a series of disastrous decisions that left him free to roam the streets. To discuss the implications of this case, Anita Rani is joined by deputy assistant commissioner Helen Millichap, director of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection, and author and journalist Joan Smith.Events of the past are often recounted through facts and dates but how do those legacies play out in the years, decades and generations that follow? Fauzia Musa joins Anita to discuss her debut novel, The Strangling Fig, why her own anxieties around motherhood inspired its inception and how the three generations of women it follows navigate the legacy of Partition.Why are Black American women spending thousands of dollars to fly halfway across the world to access healthcare in South Korea? Why has it become synonymous not only with beauty innovation but comprehensive healthcare? We speak to US journalist Brianna Holt and Meike Schleiff, associate professor at UCL’s Global Business School for Health.Lara Maiklem has been appointed - what's believed to be - Britain’s first 'mudlark-in-residence' after 20 years of finding lost treasures. Lara Maiklem, 55, says she fell in love with the activity when she moved to Greenwich, south-east London. Since then, she has found thousands of objects, most of which she stores in her guest bedroom as a mini museum. Standouts include a Tudor child’s shoes from the late 1500s, a Tudor dagger, Roman game counters, a complete Roman pot and an early 18th-century wine bottle. She joins us in the studio to share how mudlarking has changed her perspective on London - and life.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Simon Richardson