Woman's Hour

For months Lucy Godley documented the abuse she suffered at the hands of her former partner. Secretly, she photographed injuries, gathered evidence and sent it to the one person she trusted to keep it safe: her mum, Sharon. The evidence would ultimately help secure his conviction and a 23-year prison sentence. For the first time, Lucy Godley and her mother Sharon join Nuala McGovern to tell their story together.
The Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing calls to set a national waiting-time target for dementia care in England. A proposal for an 18‑week referral‑to‑treatment target has been backed by Baroness Louise Casey, who's leading a major review of adult social care. Women account for roughly two thirds of dementia cases. Baroness Casey joins Nuala to talk about what needs to change.
The play Tits Up! follows four very different women who bond while being treated for breast cancer. Set in an oncology waiting room, the play begins a 23 day UK tour in October. One of the writers, Leah Bell who also stars with actor and comedian Crissy Rock join Nuala to discuss the play, friendships and using humour as a way to get through difficult times.
Specialist courts to handle cases of rape and other sexual offences will be introduced across England and Wales over the next two years. Each crown court will have at least one courtroom set up to hear such cases, while alleged victims will be able to view proceedings remotely and give evidence from a separate room via video link. Nuala gets reaction from Chief Executive of Rape Crisis England & Wales, Ciara Bergman.
Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Dianne McGregor

Dame Meera Syal is a multi-award winning writer and actor, and a name and face very familiar to many of us having graced our screens for decades now. She's just published her first memoir and is also currently on stage in The Children at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in London. With her trademark warmth and humour she joined Anita Rani in the studio.
More than 1,000 children have died in a measles outbreak in Bangladesh. Government figures show there have been at least 194,000 cases since March, and around 1,000 new cases are being reported everyday. The World Health Organisation says this makes Bangladesh the country with the highest number of cases in the world right now. The government is responding with an emergency vaccination campaign. Anita talked to Dr Zakiul Hassan, a medical doctor who works at an international research institute in Bangladesh and is currently completing a PhD at the University of Oxford's Pandemic Sciences Institute.
Elite rock climber Shauna Coxsey has become the first woman to complete the UK's hardest deep-water solo climb. Shauna scaled The Olympiad, an overhanging cliff route above the sea in Pembrokeshire. Deep-water solo climbing involves scaling coastal routes without ropes or a harness, with climbers falling into the sea if they come off. Nuala McGovern spoke to Shauna, who is Britain's most successful competitive climber and the UK's first Bouldering World Champion.
One in 10 people in the UK are thought to be currently using GLP-1 weight-loss medication, and their rise is changing the way many people eat, shop, dress and even talk. Nuala spoke to two women exploring the impact the GLP-1 phenomenon is having on body image and the way we think about weight and diet culture. Journalist Rose Stokes hosts new podcast A Matter of Fat, while Dr Kat Schneider is a researcher on body image, weight bias and weight stigma, based at the Centre for Appearance Research at University of the West of England in Bristol.
Have you ever said you were ‘triggered’, or casually described a repetitive behaviour as a bit ‘OCD’? Psychiatrist Dr Suzanne Garfinkle-Crowell joined Nuala to discuss her new book Girlhood, Translated, and her concerns about the growing use of ‘therapy speak’ and self-diagnosis among girls and young women.
And Jordyn with a Why, the R&B neo-soul singer songwriter of Māori heritage, has found a whole new global audience after going viral with her cover of Olivia Dean's Man I Need, hitting two million views on Instagram. Known for her ethereal sound and strong connection to her culture, she has a particular passion for Te Reo Māori and is currently in London to record a project at Abbey Road Studios. She joined us to perform live and dicuss what it means to represent te reo Māori on an international stage.
Presented by: Anita Rani
Produced by: Mora Morrison

Georgia Hunter Bell rediscovered her teenage love of running during lockdown, and two years later won Team GB a Bronze medal in the 1,500m at the Paris Olympics, at the age of 30. This year she's won gold medals at the World Indoor Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships - and tonight she's competing in Athlos, a brand new all-female track and field event taking place in London for the first time. Designed by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanion, it's aiming to reshape women’s athletics by giving them a financial stake in their own sport. Georgia tells presenter Anita Rani about her unusual path, and whether she thinks an event of this kind can change the public perception of women’s track and field events, or even the future of the sport.
More than 1,000 children have died in a measles outbreak in Bangladesh. Government figures show there have been at least 194,000 cases since March, and around 1,000 new cases are being reported everyday. The World Health Organisation says this makes Bangladesh the country with the highest number of cases in the world right now. The government is responding with an emergency vaccination campaign. Presenter Anita Rani talks to Dr Zakiul Hassan, a medical doctor who works at an international research institute in Bangladesh and is currently completing a PhD at the University of Oxford's Pandemic Sciences Institute.
Seven months after MPs called for tougher safeguards around cosmetic procedures, from liquid Brazilian Butt Lifts or BBLs to breast augmentations, the Women and Equalities Committee says key recommendations remain unanswered. Christine Jardine, Interim Chair of the Committee, and Nora Nugent, President of BAAPS join Anita to discuss how patient safety is being put at risk.
Candy Sangare has just become both the first woman and the first black person to win the French Wine Tasting Championship, held annually by a wine magazine, La Revue du Vin de France. Candy isn't a sommelier, but a former air steward turned entrepreneur and now has her eyes set on the world title.
Jordyn with a Why, the R&B neo-soul singer songwriter of Māori heritage, has found a whole new global audience after going viral with her cover of Olivia Dean's Man I Need, hitting two million views on Instagram. Known for her ethereal sound and strong connection to her culture, she has a particular passion for Te Reo Māori and is currently in London to record a project at Abbey Road Studios. She joins us to perform live and dicuss what it means to represent te reo Māori on an international stage.
Presented by: Anita Rani
Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths

Dame Meera Syal is a multi-award winning writer and actor, and a name and face very familiar to many of us having graced our screens for decades now. She's just published her first memoir and is also currently on stage in The Children at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in London. With her trademark warmth and humour she joins Anita Rani in the studio.
A breakthrough breast cancer drug, Enhertu, has been approved for NHS use in England. Charities and patients have campaigned for it to be more widely available since 2024, when the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said Enhertu was not good value for money. The drug can give patients almost seven extra months to live on average - with some living up to three years longer. Women in Scotland have had access to the drug on the NHS since 2023, and it is available in 26 other European countries. Anita is joined by campaigner Sophie Blake who has stage 4 breast cancer and Dr Simon Vincent, Chief Scientific Officer at Breast Cancer Now.
In our recent series of features about Daddy Issues, reporter Jo Morris has been speaking to listeners exploring the impact of paternal absence. Here, Anita is joined by Emma and her father Arthur, who share their story. Emma bonded with her father over sport, as she was a competitive swimmer, and Arthur was a British four time World Powerlifting Champion. But then Arthur became addicted to drugs and left the family home. They discuss the impact of paternal absence and describe how through their Christian faith they came to forgiveness and reconciliation.
Founded two years ago by four Black SEND mothers, the Black Child Down Syndrome Project was created to address the lack of representation and support for Black families raising children with Down Syndrome. Earlier this year, their Reflecting Radiance exhibition in London showcased portraits of children supported by the project. Photographed by photographer and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Misan Harriman, the exhibition featured a takeover of the Piccadilly Lights. The organisation has since been nominated for a BBC Make a Difference Award and a National Diversity Award. Co-founders Danise Bartlett-Grant and Oneness Sankara join Anita.
And Bonnie Greer, the playwright, novelist and cultural commentator, who died this week, is remembered.
Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Corinna Jones

A new film adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility will be released in cinemas on Friday 25 September. Austen's first published novel tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, who are forced to leave their family estate after their father's death and move to a cottage in rural Devonshire. More than 200 years after its original publication, the story is returning to the big screen. The production stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor and Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne. Screenwriter Diana Reid and director Georgia Oakley join Nuala McGovern to discuss the film.
A new report from Amnesty International names 87 Iranian officials it says should be criminally investigated for crimes against humanity during the crackdown following the death of young Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, four years ago today. Raha Bahreini, a human rights lawyer and Amnesty International's Iran researcher, outlines the report and its call for action. BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet discusses what life is like for women in Iran today.
Elite rock climber Shauna Coxsey has become the first woman to complete the UK's hardest deep-water solo climb. Shauna scaled The Olympiad, an overhanging cliff route above the sea in Pembrokeshire. Deep-water solo climbing involves scaling coastal routes without ropes or a harness, with climbers falling into the sea if they come off. Nuala speaks to Shauna, who is Britain's most successful competitive climber and the UK's first Bouldering World Champion.
Rebecca F Kuang, author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed novel Yellowface, discusses her latest book, Taipei Story. It follows Lily, a Yale student who leaves America for an intensive summer language course in Taiwan's capital. Food, language, identity, grief and humour are all part of the story as Lily navigates translation, miscommunication and her family's cultural heritage.
Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Dianne McGregor