Normal Women

Philippa Gregory’s Normal Women is a new podcast from HarperCollins, launched to coincide with the publication of this landmark work of scholarship and storytelling, from celebrated novelist and historian Philippa Gregory.

Normal Women is a radical retelling of our nation’s story – not of the rise and fall of kings and the occasional queen – but of social and cultural change, powered by the determination, persistence and effectiveness of women– from 1066 to modern times. This is not another book or podcast about three or four well-known heroines; it is a story about millions of women: those who left records and those who were ‘hidden from history.’

The podcast weaves together Philippa’s narrative history with lively discussions, bringing together historians who are experts in their field, and guests with their own modern perspectives. From popstars to TikTok superstars, groundbreaking campaigners to best selling authors, Philippa welcomes women from all walks of life to look back at the past lives of half the population, and put women where they belong – centre stage.

This eight-part series starts on the 26th October, publishing weekly.

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Episodes

Bonus Episode: Normal Women... are mad

What if the so-called "madwoman" wasn’t mad at all? In this special episode of Normal Women , Philippa Gregory is joined by academic and author of Delusions of Gender Cordelia Fine to expose the myths behind the so-called fragile female brain. From hysteria to hormones, we ask: are women really more emotional, or have we just been told that we are for centuries? Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History is Philippa Gregory's radical retelling of our nation’s story – not of the rise and fall of k...

Jul 09, 2025•47 min

8. Normal women...are married, divorced and single

The marriage of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert set the template for how we imagine a wedding should be but it wasn’t always about big white frocks. Philippa Gregory explores how married women became the property of their husbands - along with everything they owned and produced. She considers the hidden history of wife sales and female husbands and shines a light on the difficulty women had accessing divorce. Joining Philippa to consider the institutions of marriage, divorce and single life thro...

Dec 14, 2023•54 min

7. Normal women...are beyond definition

Men have always claimed that there is such a thing as “female nature” and described it with great authority – but throughout history, women have refused to conform to the strict view of what is masculine and feminine - from fierce jousting medieval ladies to 18th Century French aristocrats who seamlessly slip in and out of male and female roles. Joining Philippa to discuss whether women have ever fitted the mould are: Professor Cordelia Fine, philosopher of science and psychologist and author of...

Dec 07, 2023•53 min

6. Normal Women...are a weaker vessel

Bitten, spat on, denounced - in the 1990s newly-ordained women were met with fury by a vocal minority. But women have always played an important role in the Church, as mystics, the heads of religious houses, saints or simply as normal women seeking salvation. Joining Philippa to tell the story of women's changing place in the Church of England - from 'weaker vessels' in the sixteenth century to women bishops in the twenty-first: Rev Richard Coles, writer, broadcaster and clergyman Dr Grace Heato...

Nov 30, 2023•51 min

5. Normal Women...think about rape

Throughout history women have faced the threat of sexual violence and, sadly, it's no different today. Philippa explores how rape was viewed as a crime against a man’s property, how courtly love gave way to brutal desire and the difficulties women face in bringing their attackers to justice. Joining Philippa to discuss rape - how it has changed through history and how we see it now are: Joanna Bourke, Professor of History at Birkbeck, University of London and author ‘Rape: A history ’ Soma Sara ...

Nov 23, 2023•50 min

4. Normal Women...are underpaid

Whether you are on the Board or in the kitchen, a medieval peasant or modern day medic, a Victorian street-sweeper or eighteenth century hand-spinner - if you are a woman, there’s every chance you are underpaid. So why is that? Explanations vary across the centuries from women's lack of upper-body strength to the demands of motherhood and patriarchal oppression, but one thing is certain - the pay gap never closes. Joining Philippa to discuss the history of women's work are: Professor Jane Humphr...

Nov 16, 2023•46 min

3. Normal Women...love women

Sapphism, the Cult of the Clitoris, coded diaries and a bower of bliss - Philippa Gregory tells the story of women who love women, and those who tried to stop them. We hear from famous lesbians including Queen Anne and Gentleman Jack and less famous lovers rescued from the footnotes of history. Joining Philippa to discuss the history of women who love women are: TikTok stars Caitlin and Leah and Professor Laura Gowing, who teaches women's history and queer history at King's College London. Norma...

Nov 09, 2023•50 min

2. Normal Women...are angels

Philippa Gregory and guests Geri Halliwell-Horner and Kate Mosse explore the historical expectations of women as "angels in the house," confined to domesticity and self-renunciation. They trace this ideal from the 17th-century Restoration through Victorian hypocrisy, legal subjugation, and the post-WWII "Great Betrayal," revealing how societal pressures and even women themselves often opposed female autonomy. The discussion highlights the paradox of women campaigning for social change, like the abolition of slavery, while many simultaneously rejected the right to vote, showcasing the complex, often contradictory, journey of women's rights and the persistent challenges to achieving true equality and choice in both public and private spheres.

Nov 02, 2023•46 min

1. Normal Women...riot!

Philippa tells the story of women rebels and rioters - from the leaders of the Peasants' Revolt to those arrested at the vigil for Sarah Everard. We hear from 'Captain' Ann Carter, leader of a seventeenth century food riot, hanged by the authorities and just one of the thousands of women Philippa has rescued from the footnotes of history and placed at the heart of her book 'Normal Women - 900 years of Making History'. Joining Philippa to discuss women-led strikes, protests and rebellions are: Hi...

Oct 25, 2023•47 min

Philippa Gregory's Normal Women - Coming soon

A new eight-part series starts on the 26th October. Normal Women is a radical retelling of our nation’s story – not of the rise and fall of kings and the occasional queen – but of social and cultural change, powered by the determination, persistence and effectiveness of women– from 1066 to modern times. This is not a podcast about three or four well-known heroines; it is a story about millions of women: those who left records and those who were ‘hidden from history.’ We'll hear about rioting wom...

Oct 13, 2023•3 min

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