Woman's Hour

Emma, a pediatric nurse, who has been redeployed to an Intensive Care Unit talks about what it’s like to care for Covid patients and the daily stress and pressure currently experienced by health care professionals.Amy Pope, former deputy home security advisor to President Obama talks about Congresswoman Liz Cheney, one of ten Republicans who crossed the floor and voted with the Democrats to impeach President Trump for the second time. Author Debra Waters and science journalist and author Helen Thomson talk adult crushes. Should we see crushes as normal, exciting and harmless ways of understanding ourselves and our needs? Or is it morally questionable if you’re in a loving, committed relationship? We hear from Anjali Raman-Middleton who went to primary school with Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah who was nine years old when she died in 2013. She had a rare and severe form of asthma. Angali co-founded 'Choked Up' with three other teenagers to lobby against the pollution that contributed to Ella's death.Richard Holden, M

As Wonder Woman 1984 hits video on demand services this week, a new generation is introduced to the superhero styled as Diana Prince. Later this year, she'll celebrate her 80th anniversary - so what is her story? And what makes her so culturally relevant still? G Willow Wilson is one of the women who's written for the comic series.Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, introduced the Virginity Testing (Prohibition) Bill into the House of Commons in December. His interest was sparked by an investigation for BBC Newsbeat and 100 Women which found that virginity tests are being offered at British medical clinics. Richard joins Anita to explain why he wants to make this controversial practice illegal. She also speaks to Dr. Naomi Crouch, Chair of the British Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology Society and spokesperson for The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Natasha Rattu, barrister & Director of the charity Karma Nirvana. If the first lockdown was all about watching Normal Peop

Everyone remembers their first teenage crush - that feeling of butterflies in the stomach and uncontrollable blushes. As we age, crushes still occur but they tend to be a guilty secret. But are there benefits to having a crush? Facebook introduced a secret crush feature in December last year and it is claimed that crushes can induce mood-boosting chemicals. Should we see crushes as normal, exciting and harmless ways of understanding ourselves and our needs? Or is it morally questionable if you’re in a loving, committed relationship? Emma is joined by Debra Waters, who won the Bridport Prize last year for her short story "Oh Hululu" about an adult crush, and Helen Thomson is a science journalist and author whose new book is called 'This Book Could Fix Your Life' in which she shares her advice on affairs of the heart.Yesterday, the eyes of America were mainly on one woman. Congresswoman Liz Cheney was one of ten Republicans who crossed the floor and voted with the Democrats to impeach President Trump for th

To mark the centenary of the infamous ‘sawing-a-woman-in-half’ illusion, Emma Barnett talks to Debbie McGee and Dr Naomi Paxton, also to author Angie Thomas about her new book "Concrete Rose" the prequel to her bestseller "The Hate U Give", Joan Bakewell talks about her legal challenge over the government's decision to delay the second dose of the Covid 19 Vaccine for elderly and we hear how the the nurse Sarah Link lived in a caravan for nine months outside her family home in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands to protect her mum from catching Covid.The programme includes a clip of Baroness Boothroyd courtesy of Sky News Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson

Around 2.3 million people in the UK have received 2.6 million doses of vaccine. Yesterday we heard they're planning to vaccinate 2 million people a week, until the middle of February with the aim of reaching the most vulnerable who've accounted for 88% of deaths from Covid 19 so far. A recent poll showed more than a quarter of 18-to-34-year-old women said they would say no to a Covid jab, citing concerns over the vaccines effect on their fertility and pregnancies. Emma talks to Professor Lucy Chappell, Research Professor in Obstetrics at Kings College in London and spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; and to the Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi. Lisa Montgomery, the only woman on federal death row, was due to be executed by lethal injection later today, but a reprieve has been granted. Lisa was convicted for the gruesome murder of a 23-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant. The baby miraculously survived. Emma speaks to Leigh Goodmark, Marjorie Cook Profe

Listeners and practitioners offer advice and support to parents living with violent children. Pat Craven from the Freedom Programme, and Karina Kelly who advocates Non-violent Resistance join Emma.Author of Running Like a Girl, Alexandra Heminsley has written a new memoir about having a baby after much difficulty and finding out not long after that her husband is set on transitioning. She talks to Emma about this tumultuous time of her life.The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has said this morning that right now we are at the worse point of the epidemic in the UK. He said over 30,000 people who have it are in the NHS system at the moment. In a tweet he's said "the number of people in ICU is rising rapidly." So what about the army of healthcare professionals who are looking after Covid patients? What's the toll on them? We've already had emails from healthcare workers saying they're close to handing in their notice because of the strain and others describing the daily stress and pressure on the

We have music and chat from singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone who has been named as runner up of the BBC Sound of 2021.Helen Lewis, staff writer at the Atlantic and Melissa Melewski lecturer in American politics at The University of Sussex discuss the role women played in this week’s violent protest when the Capitol building in Washington was stormed by Trump Supporters.We hear from Hannah who has been ghosted by her mum.We discuss the unintended consequences both positive and negative of the #metoo movement with Gudrun Young, a defence barrister and Sarah Green, Director of End Violence Against Women.And we have a special message from Her Majesty the Queen and the actor Imelda Staunton tells us about her latest role playing the Queen on television.Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor: Louise Corley

We hear from the singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone who's the runner up in the BBC Sound of 2021. Caroline Aldridge's eldest son Tim had a bipolar disorder and he passed away before he could access treatment. She’s talks about her book "He Died Waiting " which outlines why she thinks mental health services failed him. We unveil new data showing the pressures facing families over school closures and managing paid work. Plus why the British Pregnancy Advisory Service has announced it will open a not-for-profit IVF clinic later this year in Central London. Presenter Andrea Catherwood Producer Beverley Purcell

The poet Carol Ann Duffy - who served as the first woman poet laureate between 2009-2019 and has won numerous awards for her poetry including the Whitbread, Forward and T. S. Eliot Prizes - joins Emma with a poem which feels particularly apt in the current circumstances, as we enter another lockdown and people are separated from their families and friends – it is called Long Table. Carol Ann talks to Emma about what she has been doing in lockdown and the importance of writing in recording our experiences over the past year. The world looked on in horror yesterday in what has been described as an act of domestic terrorism as thousands of President Trump supporters ransacked Congress and stormed the Capitol building in Washington. Their aim? To bring a violent halt to the formal confirmation of his election defeat. Before they headed to the building, Trump roused his followers to fight for him - and his lawyer - the former mayor of New York Rudy Guliani said: "Let's have trial by combat." To look at the photos

The #MeToo movement exploded across social media and into the public consciousness in late 2017. In case you missed it, Me Too aimed to show the scale of harassment and sexual violence in society and raise awareness of women who've been abused. Amid shared stories from women of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds, it exposed not only the magnitude of sexual assault but the systemic failure to stop it. It's the most visible, feminist, social media movement of recent times. But what are the victories, criticisms and unintended consequences of #MeToo?A year on from the start of Harvey Weinstein's trial in New York City, we hear reflections from actors Rosanna Arquette and Caitlin Dulany, who have both accused Weinstein of sexual assault. Emma is also joined by defence barrister Gudrun Young; the Director of End Violence Against Women, Sarah Green; and the author Lionel Shriver.

We're in another lockdown. Schools are shut like last time. Only children of key workers and those who are vulnerable can go in. Listeners have already been in touch expressing their concerns. We want to hear from you. Is it the right thing to do? Why has the messaging been so inconsistent. What impact will school closures have on working life, parents and children? How different is this from where we were in March? We want to hear from you.We’ve talked about ‘ghosting’ before on Woman’s Hour, usually in the context of relationships where a partner or prospective partner just suddenly disappears and cuts off all communication. Hannah, a listener, wrote to us to tell us her story of being ghosted by her own mother. She talks to Emma.Lockdown has been a perfect opportunity for people to get outside and explore the great outdoors. But would you consider doing it in the nude? Donna Price - a volunteer for British Naturism and head of the Women in Naturism campaign says that despite women's fears about body im

Emma Barnett presents her first edition of Woman's Hour with music from Mel C, Imelda Staunton on her new role in The Crown and the latest on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe from her husband Richard and the former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Editor: Karen Dalziel

Holly Ridings is the first woman to be Nasa's chief flight director and is in charge of the Artemis programme - named after Apollo's twin sister - which will land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024. She tells us about the challenges involved with space travel and what makes a good astronaut. More and more of us are living longer - so how can we do it better? Consultant Geriatrician Dr Lucy Pollock, CEO of the Centre for Ageing Better Anna Dixon, and Dr Niharika Duggal from the University of Birmingham explain how to approach independence, exercise, and even driving as we get older.As The Archers celebrates 70 years, we look at how farming - the backdrop of the radio drama - has changed for women since it's been on air. Felicity Finch, who plays Ruth Archer, meets Mary Quicke - one of the real life inspirations behind the storylines.What makes the night sky so magical? We speak to Karine Polwart, a folk singer whose new work takes inspiration from the stars she watched as a child. And, of course,

Woman's Hour celebrates the 70th anniversary of The Archers, looking at the female characters and storylines that have shaped the programme, presented by Felicity Finch (Ruth Archer). How have the roles of women in farming changed over the last 70 years in the real world and in The Archers? From Jill Archer who is often portrayed more as a traditional farmer's wife to Ruth who is very much in partnership with David to Pip who is a thoroughly modern farmer and appears to be in pole position to inherit the farm. Helen Archer has also made a foray into cheese-making. Felicity hears from Mary Quicke of Quicke’s cheeses, who is cited by Agricultural editor of The Archers as an inspiration for Helen’s storyline. Female scriptwriters only began on The Archers in 1975. They brought a new perspective to the programme, revitalising its profile and cementing its place in the British psyche. One of the first women to write for the show was Mary Cutler. She joins Felicity to talk about what it was like during those ear

We look back at the end of a momentous year. Jane revisits listeners we spoke to during 2020, Sarah whose father died from Covid in April, Lizzie who gave birth alone to baby Bibi in May, Gillian who’s been battling with Long Covid, and Deborah whose (good-natured) bickering with her partner escalated during lockdown.And author, journalist and How to Fail podcaster Elizabeth Day interviews Jane about all the things that have and haven't gone right during her time at Woman's Hour. Presenter: Jane Garvey Interviewed guest: Elizabeth Day Producer: Lucinda Montefiore

What do our first names really say about us? More than you might think, according to Dr Jane Pilcher, Associate Professor at the University of Leicester. She claims that our names often reveal important clues about our age, social class and ethnicity that might affect the way that we are treated by other people. She joins Jane, along with name expert and the founder of the British Baby Names website, Eleanor Nickerson to discuss what's in a name.How has this classic British name become synonymous with being middle of the road? The actor Jane Asher turned 71 earlier this month and was born in the year that Jane entered the UK top 50. Jane Brody celebrated her 30th birthday last week and was born the year after Jane stopped being a UK top 100 name. Woman's Hour listener Victoria Smillie wanted to change her surname following her divorce, but realised in doing so that she had never been happy with her given name, Lesley, either. So she changed both. They are joined by another of our listeners, Tracy, who truly h

More and more of us are living longer but we don’t talk enough about what it means to be old, according to Consultant Geriatrician Dr Lucy Pollock. The author of ‘The Book about Getting Older’ tells us about what she’s learnt about looking after the old and their families over many years, and the practical things that people can do to make things happier in old age. We also hear from Anna Dixon, CEO of the Centre for Ageing Better. Exercise - and building muscle - can help you stay healthier longer into old age. Dr Niharika Duggal from the University of Birmingham explains how muscle improves our immunity. Janine Rickus from Extend, an organisation that specialises in exercise classes for older people, gives advice on the moves that'll keep you on your feet in old age. Presenter: Jane Garvey Producer: Dianne McGregor

Holly Ridings is the first woman to be NASA's chief flight director. She was appointed in 2018 and is responsible for missions to the International Space Station, the Orion spacecraft and commercial spacecraft. She is also in charge of the Artemis programme - named after Apollo's twin sister - which will land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before and potentially lead to further missions to Mars. She is responsible for 32 flight directors who are overseeing human spaceflight at the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.How do you know if you’re fit enough psychologically to go into space? What do you need to do to survive in such close quarters with other people? When it comes to Mars, the focus is often on how to get there: the rockets, the engines, the fuel. But upon arrival, what will it actually be like? Jane speaks to Kate Greene author of “Once Upon a Time I Lived On Mars” and to Dr

Labour MP Stella Creasy joins us to discuss buy now pay later services, and whether they should be regulated. Oti Mabuse and partner Bill Bailey have been crowned Strictly Come Dancing champions as they took the 2020 glitter ball trophy home on Saturday. Oti Mabuse is the first professional to win the competition two years in a row. Next year, she is going on tour with her new show ‘I AM HERE', which explores her journey from growing up in South Africa, to becoming a multi-award winning dancer.The mezzo-soprano Patricia Hammond is celebrating the parlour song. Composed by women, these domestic songs of the Victorian era have largely been marginalised or forgotten. In her new book and CD, She Wrote the Songs, she tells us about the women behind the songs and their importance to musical history.We heard earlier in the pandemic that in-person meetings for vulnerable children had become mostly impossible. But now child protection professionals feel that face-to-face conferences are unlikely to ever resume. So wha

Christmas Day programme about Joy. Jane Garvey is joined by the Rev. Kate Bottley, who brings the Christian perspective of joy at Christmas, and talks about her personal passion for ice water swimming. Natalie Maddix is the founder and Creative Director of the House Gospel Choir. She describes the joy of communal singing and shares some of the choir's uplifting music. The breast surgeon and breast cancer survivor, Liz O'Riordan, tells us the story behind her 'Jar of Joy'. The crime writer Sophie Hannah explains her theory of finding joy - even in the most adverse of circumstances. Tonia Buxton is a chef and consultant at the Real Greek Restaurants. She gives details of her family's ‘dirty’ Christmas sandwiches and her family recipes for Greek Liver stuffing. Woman's Hour listener Joy Barnard tells her story of being adopted at Christmas in 1961, and Lynette and Daisy reveal what brings them personal joy.Presented by Jane Garvey Producer: Louise CorleyRECIPESGreek Christmas Liver StuffingIngredients 50g