Boxer Francesca Hennessy, NEETS, Painter Caroline Walker

Nov 20, 2025

Guest

Suzanne Edwards

Guest

Francesca Hennessy, the unbeaten 'Billion Dollar Baby' boxer, shares her journey as she prepares for a high-stakes fight, emphasizing the growth of women's boxing. Zoe Conway explores concerning NEET statistics, revealing shifts in demographics and government responses. Painter Caroline Walker discusses her thought-provoking exhibition 'Mothering,' highlighting the often-overlooked realities of motherhood and support networks. Lastly, Suzanne Edwards recounts her inspiring experience with neurotechnology trials, showcasing resilience in her rehabilitation journey.

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INSIGHT

Visibility Fuels Women's Boxing Growth

Francesca Hennessy sees BBC primetime coverage as catalytic for women's boxing, linking visibility to participation and growth.
Cal Sajid added that free-to-air exposure builds new fans, deepening talent pipelines and commercial opportunities.

ADVICE

Prioritise Competitive, Authentic Fights

Cal Sajid recommended focusing on competitive, authentic fights to sustain momentum in women's boxing.
He emphasized that letting time increase depth and showcasing relatable fighters will attract participation and investment.

ADVICE

Handle Job Loss Strategically

Experts advised not to sign dismissal paperwork immediately and to seek counsel, preserving options after job loss.
They recommended keeping contacts, updating LinkedIn, and taking meetings to stay relevant while searching for new roles.

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Francesca Hennessy is the 21-year-old shaking up women’s boxing. Nicknamed the 'Billion Dollar Baby', she’s unbeaten in her first six professional fights and will be fighting on the bill when boxing returns to BBC primetime TV, free-to-air on a Saturday night for the first time in 20 years later this month. She’ll face former world champion Fabiana Bytyqi, marking the biggest test of her career. Francesca joins Anita Rani along with BBC Boxing reporter Kal Sajad to discuss what this means for women’s boxing.

Figures just released by the ONS show the number of NEETS - young people 'not in education, employment or training' - remains at a concerning level. In next week's Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to give more details on how the Government is planning to tackle these rising numbers. Historically, more women than men have been NEET, but in recent years that trend has reversed, with young men more likely than young women to be NEET. But with one in eight people aged 16 to 24 in the UK now believed to be NEET, what does it mean to be one? And what is being done to bring the number of NEETS down? To unpick this, Anita is joined by BBC's Employment Correspondent Zoe Conway.

Scottish painter Caroline Walker explores the realities of motherhood in her exhibition, Mothering, at the Pallant House Gallery in Chichester. She began painting maternal themes after becoming a mother in 2019. Her work includes Birth Reflections paintings which depict maternity care in hospitals and the domestic scenes of early motherhood. Walker’s paintings show everyday details such as breast pumps, baby grows and unfinished drinks, highlighting the unseen labour of modern parenting. Her art has become increasingly autobiographical, featuring her children and family life in Scotland. Caroline Walker joins Anita to discuss identity shifts, domestic realities, and the value of caregiving.

Suzanne Edwards is currently taking part in ground-breaking medical trials that involve her learning how to move her legs using neural implants. Suzanne has been a sportswoman for decades, both before and since a life-changing accident 14 years ago, and she explains how this training has informed her approach to taking part in medical research.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones