AI and women’s jobs, Therapy speak and girls, Céline Dion's comeback

AI and women’s jobs, Therapy speak and girls, Céline Dion's comeback

Author: BBC Radio 4 September 14, 2026 Duration: 57:03

Is artificial intelligence more likely to disadvantage women at work? Women make up more than 60% of the UK’s administrative workforce – jobs considered among those most exposed to AI. As unions debate how the technology could affect women’s employment, Nuala McGovern hears from AI consultant Ella Wicks and Bethan, who was replaced in a previous administrative role by an AI tool, about what AI could mean for women at work.

Have you ever said you were ‘triggered’, or casually described a repetitive behaviour as a bit ‘OCD’? Psychiatrist Dr Suzanne Garfinkle-Crowell joins 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.

Céline Dion has returned to the stage in Paris after a six-year hiatus. Superfan Frankie Jackson-Spence and culture writer Beatrice Hazlehurst discuss her comeback and what she means to her fans.

Spain’s football governing body has announced it will offer egg freezing to its top female players. Supporters say it could give athletes more choice over when to have children, while critics question whether it risks encouraging women to put their careers before motherhood. Former Chelsea goalkeeper Carly Telford and sports physiotherapist Michelle Lyons join Nuala to discuss fertility and female footballers' careers.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Simon Richardson


For decades, Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4 has been a fixture in British life, creating a unique space where the experiences of women are centered and explored in full. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's a daily conversation that feels both urgent and timeless, tackling everything from front-page news and political shifts to intimate personal stories and cultural shifts. Each episode brings together a diverse range of voices-activists, artists, scientists, politicians, and everyday people-to dissect the issues that shape society. You'll hear nuanced debates on health, family, work, and identity, alongside insightful discussions on books, music, and ideas that are defining our moment. The podcast captures all of this, offering a thoughtful and often challenging listen that refuses to simplify the complexities of modern life. It’s where a headline is unpacked with depth, a personal struggle is given context, and inspiration is found in unexpected places. Tuning into this podcast means joining a long-running dialogue that consistently informs, provokes thought, and connects the personal to the political, all through the lens of women's lives and perspectives.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Woman's Hour
Podcast Episodes
Dame Meera Syal, Breast cancer drugs, Black child Down syndrome [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:58
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 i…
Sydney Sweeney advert, Singer-songwriter Sarah Jane Morris, GLP-1s [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:31
A new advert featuring the American actress Sydney Sweeney has sparked a backlash from some female athletes for sexualising women’s sport. The advert, for the sports betting company Novig - a company in which Sweeney has…
Lady in Blue, Daddy issues, the Sexism of capitalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:57
More than 50 children's charities and parent organisations have written to the Prime Minister, warning that disabled children are being overlooked in the Government's planned reforms to social care. Kylie Pentelow is joi…
Thelma and Louise the musical, Continuing Care funding, Changelings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:05
The number of high earning parents turning down pay rises in order to keep free childcare is on the rise. Research from the University of Warwick and the London School of Economics estimates that by 2030, 12,000 parents…
Nadine Dorries, Emeli Sandé, Darts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:52
High-profile Reform UK member and former cabinet minister Nadine Dorris was alerted by the police that a deepfake pornographic image had been made of her. She joins Nuala to discuss the impact this has had on her and her…