Episode description

Twiggy turned the modelling world upside down with her androgynous style, big round eyes, bold eyelashes, and pixie haircut, becoming a defining figure and fashion icon of the swinging 60s. Considered the world’s first supermodel, she went on to have a successful career in acting and singing, earning two Golden Globes and a Tony nomination, designed fashion ranges, appeared as a judge on America’s Next Top Model, and was awarded a damehood for services to the fashion, arts and charity. A new documentary, Twiggy, directed by Sadie Frost, is out in cinemas now. Twiggy joined Krupa Padhy to talk about her long career.

Kyle Clifford was found guilty of raping his ex-girlfriend in an attack in which he murdered her, her mother and her sister. Louise, Hannah and Carol Hunt were murdered two weeks after Louise ended her relationship with him. It has been revealed that prosecutors said "violent misogyny" promoted by social media influencer Andrew Tate "fuelled" his attacks. However, the defence argued this material had too vague a link and was far too prejudicial to be heard by the jury. As we hear this news, concerns rise again about the influence of people like self-described misogynist Andrew Tate, and there are calls for his content to be taken down. Anita was joined by Michael Conroy, founder of Men at Work, which works with teachers and boys in schools to challenge sexist and misogynistic content online and Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism project who campaigns for gender equality to discuss how we can protect our children from, especially boys, from this.

Journalist and disability activist Lucy Edwards has just published her debut fiction book, Ella Jones vs the Sun Stealer, a mystery aimed at younger readers. It tells the story of 12-year-old Ella Jones who has been blind for two years and is navigating her new world with the help of her guide dog Maisie, her sister Poppy and her best friend Finn. She joined Krupa to talk about the book and her experiences sharing her own story online.

We discuss the extraordinary story of how and why an autistic woman was locked up in a mental health hospital for 45 years. For 25 of those she was in long term segregation. Nuala McGovern talked to reporter Carolyn Atkinson about how the woman was eventually freed and to campaigner Alexis Quinn who is autistic and spent three years in a mental health hospital including time in segregation before she escaped. She now campaigns for the Restraint Reduction Network charity about the more than 2,000 other autistic people and or those with learning disabilities who are still in mental health hospitals, many of whom shouldn’t be.

In May 2015, 20 year-old Mhairi Black was the youngest person for more than a century to become a Member of Parliament – and she then remained a Westminster MP until standing down at the 2024 election. A new BBC documentary follows her last six months in that role and looks at what her future could hold in a new career as a stand-up comedian. Now 30, she joined Anita Rani to reflect on her years in Parliament and what she’d like to see change about the way it functions.

Nieve Ella is currently on tour, playing to packed venues and solidifying her place as a rising star in indie music. With a distinctive online presence and an ever-growing fanbase, she’s proving that Gen Z artists are reshaping the industry on their own terms. Nieve performed the track Sweet Nothings with Finn Marlow.

Presenter: Anita Rani