Four years ago the writer and broadcaster Naga Munchetty spoke out on air about her own awful experience in getting a coil fitted, and received a huge response from listeners. It led to her talking about her experience with debilitating periods and eventual diagnosis with adenomyosis aged 47. She’s written about her experiences and that of other women and medical professionals, and she speaks to Anita Rani to discuss her book ‘It’s probably nothing’: Critical conversations on the women’s health crisis.

Robert Francis Prevost has been chosen as the new Pope and will be known as Leo XIV. He is the first American to fill the role of pope, although he is considered as much a cardinal from Latin America because of the many years he spent as a missionary in Peru. He is known as a reformer and is believed to share Pope Francis' views on migrants, the poor and the environment. Anita is joined by Kate McElwee, the executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, that calls for women's ordination and gender equity in the Roman Catholic Church and Ruth Gledhill Assistant Editor at The Tablet to discuss where he stands in the context women and the church.

Planning a wedding can be stressful, but what if you begin to question your relationship as the big day approaches? How do you know if it’s just nerves? And what if you realise that you’re not happy, that your engagement needs to end, and that you have to cancel your wedding? Anita talks to beauty and lifestyle creator Katie Snooks who cancelled her wedding in 2017 and to couple therapist Joanna Harrison about managing the emotional and practical fall-out of cancelling your wedding.

Laura Aikman discusses her role in new drama Suspect, which tells the story of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot by police at Stockwell tube station in 2005. He was mistaken for a terror suspect in the aftermath of London’s 7/7 bombings. Laura plays Lana Vandenberghe in the Disney+ drama, a Canadian secretary at the Independent Police Complaints Commission who became a whistleblower, leaking documents to a TV news producer which showed a discrepancy between what the police knew and what was being reported at the time. Laura also recently starred in BBC crime drama This City is Ours and surprised Gavin and Stacey fans by returning as Smithy’s fiancé for the recent Christmas finale, watched by more than 19 million people.

Presented by Anita Rani Producer: Louise Corley

Naga Munchetty, Pope Leo XIV, Cancelling weddings, actor Laura Aikman

Woman's Hour

Naga Munchetty, Pope Leo XIV, Cancelling weddings, actor Laura Aikman