Woman's Hour

Parents of under-fives in England are to be offered official advice on how long their children should spend watching TV or looking at computer screens. It comes as government research shows about 98% of children under two were watching screens on a daily basis - with parents, teachers and nursery staff saying youngsters were finding it harder to hold conversations or concentrate on learning. To discuss this further Nuala McGovern is joined by Kate Silverton, child counsellor and parenting author, and Professor Sonia Livingstone from the London School of Economics and author of Parenting for a Digital Future. In 2025 alone she walked at Paris Fashion Week, spoke at the United Nations about face equality and won 'Fashion and beauty influencer of the year' at the the UK and Ireland TikTok awards, all while managing a chronic illness. Nikki Lilly is a Bafta and Emmy award-winner, an influencer and a campaigner and she joined Anita Rani in the studio.The latest series of The Traitors has sparked controversy after two black women, Netty and Judy, were the first to leave – one ‘murdered’ by the Traitors and the other banished at the roundtable. The debate goes beyond the game - is it exposing unconscious bias and raising bigger questions? Do reality TV shows like this hold up a mirror to society, revealing uncomfortable truths around racism, misogyny, and ageism? Author and arts columnist at the Independent Micha Frazer-Carroll and freelance writer Chloe Laws, who have both written on this topic and are both fans of the show, discuss.What happens if the person you’re in a relationship with doesn’t quite meet all the qualities you look for in a long-term partner? Do you stay anyway? Journalist Eve Simmons has recently written about this in her new book, ‘What She Did Next’, which looks at why millennial women might settle for what she calls ‘subpar’ relationships. Nuala was also joined by psychotherapist and broadcaster Lucy Beresford who believes it may not just be women settling for less.Miss Marple and Poirot have been household names for decades but now one of Agatha Christie’s lesser-known sleuths – Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent - is finally getting her time in the spotlight. The fearless young amateur detective is the focus of new Netflix mystery series Seven Dials. Mia McKenna-Bruce is the award-winning actor bringing ‘Bundle’ to the screen, alongside Helena Bonham-Carter and Martin Freeman, and Mia joined presenter Nuala live in the studio.The Ayoub Sisters are Scottish Egyptian siblings Sarah and Laura Ayoub who play cello and violin. Their debut album was recorded in Abbey Road Studios with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Their second album, Arabesque, was released independently and went to number one in the iTunes chart. They are about to undertake a UK tour to celebrate their 10th anniversary, which will include the premiere of their Arabic Symphony in a homecoming concert in Glasgow.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Annette Wells

The number of abortions recorded in England and Wales has reached a record high, according to the latest government figures from the Department of Health. There were 277,970 abortions in 2023, the highest number since the Abortion Act was introduced in 1967 - which is 11 per cent higher than the previous year in 2022. Rachael Clarke is Head of Advocacy for the British Pregnancy Advisory Service - known as B-PAS, and tells Anita Rani about the findings. In 2025 alone she walked at Paris Fashion Week, spoke at the United Nations about face equality and won 'Fashion and beauty influencer of the year' at the the UK and Ireland TikTok awards, all while managing a chronic illness. Nikki Lilly is a Bafta and Emmy award-winner, an influencer and a campaigner and she joins Anita in the studio. January is one of the toughest times for managing finances - and this year the pressure is hitting harder than ever. In just the first week of 2026, more than 13,000 people turned to Citizens Advice for help with debt. Last January, over 50,000 people sought support, and they expect this year to be even worse. New polling commissioned by the charity over the last six months reveals one in three people in problem debt have gone without essentials like food and women are feeling the squeeze more than men, with nearly 40% of those seeking advice being impacted compared to 31% of men. To discuss, Anita is joined by principle policy manager at Citizens Advice, Emer Sheehy, and personal finance and consumer expert Sue Hayward.Grief over a pet's death can be as strong as that for a family member or close friend, new research shows. Anita talks to Philip Hyland who led the research on prolonged grief disorder. Actor Hayley Squires is currently on our screens in the long-awaited second series of BBC spy thriller The Night Manager. Her character Sally Price-Jones is second in command to Tom Hiddleston’s Jonathan Pine, as they navigate a dangerous world of international espionage, deception and moral ambiguity. Since her breakthrough in Ken Loach’s award-winning film I, Daniel Blake, Hayley’s won critical acclaim for a host of TV, film and theatre roles. She’s currently also appearing in the hit production of All My Sons in London’s West End. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

To track or not to track? Now that technology on our phones makes it so easy, many parents are tracking their children’s whereabouts. If children don’t have a smart phone, many people use a GPS tracker device do to the same thing. There are even children’s trainers available with a special slot to insert the device. But have we thought about the reasons why? What are the benefits or dangers of tracking children, and if you do track, at what point do you stop? Anita Rani is joined by Clare Fernyhough and Esther Walker.Some fat dissolving agents and skin rejuvenation treatments being injected into women currently have the ‘same regulatory classification as ball-point pens’. That’s according to evidence heard by the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee as part of a new inquiry into the potential harms of hair and beauty products and treatments. Thousands of women could be potentially experiencing harm from these products and going undocumented. Ashton Collins, co-founder of Save Face, the register for safe medical aesthetic practitioners, and Victoria Brownlie, chief policy and sustainability officer at The British Beauty Council join Anita.The latest series of The Traitors has sparked controversy after two black women, Netty and Judy, were the first to leave – one ‘murdered’ by the Traitors and the other banished at the roundtable. The debate goes beyond the game- is it exposing unconscious bias and raising bigger questions? Do reality TV shows like this hold up a mirror to society, revealing uncomfortable truths around racism, misogyny, and ageism? Author and arts columnist at the Independent Micha Frazer-Carroll and freelance writer Chloe Laws, who have both written on this topic and are both fans of the show, discuss.A group of religious leaders and a Member of Parliament in The Gambia have tabled a bill seeking to overturn the country’s ban on female genital mutilation or FGM. The matter is now before the country’s Supreme Court and is due to resume later this month. The case follows reports that two baby girls bled to death after undergoing FGM in the country last year. Rights groups have condemned the move, describing it as a violation. One of those groups is the African Women's Rights Advocates - we hear from Mam Lisa Camara from the group, along with BBC Correspondent for West Africa Thomas Naadi, based in Accra. And we nod to Claudette Colvin, who helped end racial segregation in the US by refusing to give up her bus seat to a white person in Alabama. She has died at the age of 86. Her protest and subsequent arrest was largely unknown until the details were included in a book in 2009. Far more well known is an event that happened nine months later when Rosa Parks famously defied the bus laws. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty Starkey

In a compelling discussion, Lyse Doucet, BBC's Chief International Correspondent, and Azadeh Zabeti, a human rights lawyer, delve into the ongoing protests in Iran, highlighting the courage of women risking their lives for change. They reveal chilling stories, including the tragic death of a student protester. Meanwhile, Dame Professor Carol Black addresses alarming trends in teen drug treatment, underscoring systemic failures in care provision. The conversation also touches on the pressures millennials face in relationships, exploring why some settle for less.

Award-winning actor Mia McKenna-Bruce shares her experiences portraying Lady Eileen 'Bundle' Brent in the Netflix series Seven Dials, discussing the importance of confidence and motherhood in her career. Nawal Al-Maghafi delves into her investigative work on Russia's recruitment of foreign fighters, revealing the exploitation and false promises faced by vulnerable recruits. Lesley Kara highlights the underrepresentation of older women in publishing, advocating for richer and diverse narratives. This lively discussion covers critical themes of creativity, media literacy, and representation.

Parents of under-fives in England are to be offered official advice on how long their children should spend watching TV or looking at computer screens. It comes as government research shows about 98% of children under two were watching screens on a daily basis - with parents, teachers and nursery staff saying youngsters were finding it harder to hold conversations or concentrate on learning. To discuss this further Nuala McGovern is joined by Kate Silverton, child counsellor and parenting author, and Professor Sonia Livingstone from the London School of Economics and author of Parenting for a Digital Future. Heather Rose's latest novel, A Great Act of Love, is set around a real-life vineyard in Tasmania in the early 19th century. This was at a time when Tasmania, or Van Diemen’s Land as it was called then, was still a British penal colony. It was while she was researching this book that Heather discovered her own family’s dark history and its connection to the land, which she has interwoven into the story. This year marks the centenary of the Adoption of Children Act 1926. It was the first legislation enabling the legal adoption of children in England and Wales, with equivalent legislation passed in Northern Ireland in 1929 and in Scotland in 1930. Joining Nuala to discuss the significance of the passing of this act is Dame Carol Homden, Chief Executive of Coram, Harriet Ward, Emeritus Professor at Loughborough University and currently writing a book about the history of adoption, and Zoe Lambert, who was adopted at five months old and is the founder of In-Between Lines, that works with adoptees, adoption agencies and advocacy groups. The Ayoub Sisters are Scottish Egyptian siblings Sarah and Laura Ayoub who play cello and violin. Their debut album was recorded in Abbey Road Studios with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Their second album, Arabesque, was released independently and went to number one in the iTunes chart. They are about to undertake a UK tour to celebrate their 10th anniversary, which will include the premiere of their Arabic Symphony in a homecoming concert in Glasgow. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd

Chloé Zhao, the acclaimed director of Nomadland and Eternals, shares her insights on directing her new film adaptation, Hamnet. She discusses the importance of truthful portrayals of grief and creating a supportive environment on set. The conversation dives into the rising trend of women choosing donor conception for solo parenting, exploring Lucy's heartfelt journey and the legal complexities surrounding it. Additionally, a chemotherapy nurse advocates for earlier breast screening amid rising cases, highlighting the need for reform in healthcare policies.

Iran has been in the news, with protests building over the last 13 days. Commentators say that what started as a protest about the economy has now turned into a call for regime change, and for women's rights. There are reports that young women are fearlessly taking to the streets, flouting compulsory hijab rules and risking arrest. Anita Rani talks to the BBC's Global Women's reporter Feranak Amidi, an Iranian who lived there until she was 30, and has been following events closely. Chloé Zhao is only the second woman and first woman of colour to win an Oscar for Best Director. She returns with one of the year’s most anticipated films: Hamnet. Adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling novel, it reimagines the lives of Anne Hathaway and William Shakespeare, exploring how the loss of their 11-year-old son Hamnet shaped their marriage and inspired Hamlet. Chloe co-wrote and directed the film and speaks to Anita.Kirsty Brimelow KC has been appointed Chair of the Bar Council and is the first to lead an entirely female senior leadership team. A specialist in human rights, criminal and public law, she takes on the role of representing around 18,000 practicing barristers in England and Wales. Anita asks about her plans for the role.ITV’s compelling action-aviation drama Red Eye is back for a second series with the actor Lesley Sharp playing the cool-headed MI5 boss, Madeleine Delaney. In this new conspiracy, Madeleine is flying in a small plane from Washington DC when she receives a message that there’s a bomb on board which will be detonated if certain conditions aren’t met. Lesley speaks to Anita about that role, and her acting career to date, including the new film Pillion.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

A chemotherapy nurse is so concerned about the rates of breast cancer she has seen in women under 50 that she's started a parliamentary petition to get the age of mammograms reduced to 40 and for them to be annual. Currently women get their first screening between the ages of 50 and 53 and then get screened every 3 years. Anita Rani talks to nurse Gemma Reeves and to Dr Sacha Howell from the Christie Hospital in Manchester about how the breast screening programme could be improved.Two serial rapists were among 131 officers and staff in the Metropolitan Police who committed crimes or misconduct after they were not properly vetted, a review by the Met has found. David Carrick, one of the UK's worst sex offenders, and Cliff Mitchell, who carried out a "campaign of rape" on two victims, were among the police officers who weren't properly checked. Zoe Billingham, former HM Inspector of Constabulary, gives us her reaction.The city of Leicester has seen a wave of all-female punk rock bands in the past five years, so how is it reshaping the local music scene? Around 27 all-female bands have grown from a movement founded by Ruth Miller. Called the Unglamorous Music Project, it’s enabled women to learn instruments and form bands together. Ruth died from breast cancer in 2023, but her aim to get more older women into the music industry and onto the stage has materialised. Janet Berry and Alison Dunne are two of the women involved. We hear their music and talk to them about their inspiration.Researchers at the University of Birmingham are working with the Gordon Moody gambling harms charity to establish whether there is a link between hormonal fluctuations in women - caused by periods, ovulation, menopause and childbirth - and gambling addiction.  Some women are reporting that the urge to gamble when they ovulate is very strong with one saying she was betting online for more than 24 hours until she ran out of money.  The four-year study will try to establish why and determine what kind of support can help. Dr Rosalind Baker-Frampton tells us more. Writer Alice Bell is a video games journalist and Editor of the Guinness World Records gaming edition.  Her new novel, The Grapples of Wrath is Alice’s latest instalment in her ‘cosy crime’ series. Called ‘Grave Expectations’, it features medium turned private investigator, Claire Hendricks. She embarks on her first official case, set in the world of pro-wrestling, with the help of her ghost best friend, Sophie.  But can she  work out what’s real and what’s fake? Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Melanie Abbott

The Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has demanded urgent action from Elon Musk’s platform X, after it was found that its AI chatbot Grok is being used to create non consensual sexualised images of women and girls. The BBC has seen multiple examples on X of people asking the bot to digitally undress people to make them appear in bikinis without their consent, as well as putting them in sexual situations. The BBC's technology reporter Laura Cress joins Nuala McGovern along with Dr Daisy Dixon, lecturer at Cardiff University, who's online photographs have been sexualised through AI. In our series Going it Alone we hear from three women about their experiences of having a child without a partner. These are women who are having donor conceived children, which is different to single mums who may have split up with the child’s father. Statistics show that more women than ever in the UK are choosing to become solo mums by choice. Emily had her son Kim in the 1990's, and both join reporter Jo Morris to talk about Emily's decision to go solo and how it's impacted both of their lives 30 years on. 2025 was a great year for women’s sport — from the Lionesses successfully defending their Euros title and the Red Roses winning the Rugby World Cup on home soil, to the Netball Super League’s incredible growth. But despite that record visibility, there has been a sharp and deeply concerning collapse in girls’ sporting aspirations. That's according to new research from the charity Women in Sport which shows that just 23% of girls aged 13–24 now dream of reaching the top spots in sport, down from 38% the year before. Nuala talks to Steph Hilborne, CEO of Women in Sport, and Ceylon Andi Hickman, Deputy CEO, Football Beyond Borders, an education and social inclusion charity that uses the power of football to change the lives of young people. For more than a century, children have been moved between homes because of legal decisions that decided their fate. Yet child custody is curiously absent from history books according to Lara Fiegel, Professor of Modern Literature and Culture at King’s College London. Her new book, Custody: The Secret History of Mothers, examines what she describes as an often-fraught, complex territory. Drawing on thousands of cases not only in the UK but also Europe and North America, Lara says she is offering a new interpretation of how it evolved. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Dianne McGregor