Woman's Hour

Ashley James, Nancy Guthrie disappearance, Kinship carers

A story gripping headlines across the United States is the disappearance of 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC News Today anchor Savannah Guthrie. Nancy was abducted from her home in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson, Arizona, in the USA more than a week ago, triggering a massive search and emotional appeals from her family. Clare McDonnell speaks to Claire Moses, a reporter from The New York Times, who has been following the story.Broadcaster, model and activist Ashley James says she’s always been underestimated and often written off as a “bimbo”. But now she’s reclaiming the word as the title of her new book, which explores many of the judgmental labels used to describe women and their life choices. From 'bossy' to 'mumsy' to 'silly girl', Ashley joins Clare to unpack the impact such words can have on women and girls and why she hopes opening up about her own experiences will inspire others to stop shrinking and shake them off.More than 141,000 children are in kinship care in England and Wales. According to new research from the charity Kinship, 40% of kinship carers are forced to claim benefits or increase their benefits when they step in to take on the care of a child from a family member. To explain why some kinship carers want the same parental rights as others in a parental role, like an adoptive parent, Clare is joined by the CEO of Kinship, Lucy Peake and carer Nash, who took on the permanent care of her sister’s children after her sister died.A few years ago, Saaniya Abbas was working as an art director in an advertising agency in Dubai. Today, she is a rising star of comedy, after finding stand-up comedy helped her deal with the end of her marriage. Her tour, Hellarious, has just hit London and she speaks to Clare about writing material based on her life so far.Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Rebecca Myatt

Virginia Giuffre’s co-author, SEND reforms, impact of Ian Paterson's crimes

Clare McDonnell speaks to Amy Wallace, the co-author of Virginia Giuffre's memoir, Nobody's Girl. Amy spent two years closely working with Virginia - one of the most prominent and vocal accusers of child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and an advocate of justice for survivors of sex trafficking. We hear Amy’s reactions to the latest Epstein revelations.More than 1.7 million children in England have special needs and today, the government has announced that all secondary schools and colleges will be expected to have a dedicated Special Educational Needs and Disability - or SEND - base. Called an 'inclusion base' it would be a dedicated safe space away from busy classrooms where pupils can access targeted support that bridges the gap between mainstream and specialist provision. We speak to BBC education reporter Kate McGough and Margaret Mulholland, SEND and Inclusion specialist for the Association of School and College Leaders. Deborah Douglas has written a memoir about her experience as a victim turned campaigner in one of the biggest scandals in British medical history. Her story sits at the centre of the case of disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson, jailed in 2017 for performing harmful and unnecessary operations on women who believed they were being treated for cancer. An inquiry in 2020 found both NHS and private hospitals missed repeated chances to stop him. Deborah joins Clare to discuss The Cost of Trust. The classical concert pianist Alexandra Dariescu performs in studio, and tells us why she is so dedicated to promoting the works of female composers.Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Helen Fitzhenry

Mia Brookes' mum, Cyberflashing, Samurai, Sex in older age

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

Epstein files, Lindsey Vonn, Knife crime, Charles Dickens' women

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

Weekend Woman's Hour: Undercover Police Inquiry, Foster care expansion, AI boyfriends

The ongoing Undercover Policing Inquiry started again this week. It is believed at least 50 women were duped into intimate relationships with undercover officers over decades. Alison, not her real name, spent five years living with a man she knew as Mark Cassidy, who was in fact a married undercover Police Officer whose real name was Mark Jenner. She joins Nuala McGovern along with BBC London journalist Ayshea Buksh, who has been following this inquiry.The government has announced plans to relax fostering rules and create 10,000 new places for vulnerable children in England. Roxy and her mum Judy, from the BBC’s recent Traitors series, join Nuala to discuss. Roxy was fostered until the age of five before being adopted by Judy. They are also joined by Sarah Thomas, Chief Executive of The Fostering Network.Paula Varjack talks to Anita about her show Nine Sixteenths. It examines the fallout from the infamous Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake ‘wardrobe malfunction’ incident at the 2004 Superbowl and the backlash that almost ruined Jackson’s career. The play questions what this says about the demographics of who controls the media, the scrutinising of black women in the public eye and asks if anything has changed.We hear a lot about ‘mum guilt’, but what about the guilt that can come along with not becoming a mother? Writer Ellen C Scott is child-free by choice but has recently experienced guilt towards her parents because she won’t be providing them with grandchildren. She recently explored the topic for Stylist magazine and was surprised by how much it resonated with other women. Ellen and psychotherapist Professor Hannah Sherbersky discuss.AI companions are becoming increasingly common, with one in three adults now using them for conversation, advice and support. Now recent research from Bangor University has shown that many teen AI companion users believe their bots can think or understand. That research prompted Nicola Bryan, a reporter for BBC Wales News to investigate and acquire an "AI boyfriend" of her own in the process. Nicola talks to Anita about what happened next.The Puppini Sisters are celebrating 20 years of their antique pop, neo-burlesque swing music. Their new album The Birthday Party marks two decades since their debut, Betcha Bottom Dollar, spent almost a year on the Billboard chart in the US. It became the fastest-selling jazz album in UK chart history, with their fans including Robbie Williams and King Charles. They join Nuala to discuss their music.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Dianne McGregor