Home Front; Kay Mellor; Women's Rugby World Cup

On the day that marks a hundred years since Britain’s declaration of war on Germany, we go behind the scenes of a new Radio 4 drama, Home Front, as it begins its four-year run. Actor Harriet Walter talks about her cameo role as Emmeline Pankhurst, and we hear from the writers about the opportunity to dramatise the domestic lives of people whose stories aren’t told in military history books, particularly those of women and the working classes. Emma Barnett is joined by Jessica Dromgoole, Editor of Home Front, and by Dr Angela K Smith, Associate Professor of English at Plymouth University, and a specialist in war writing and gender.

As a pregnant teen, Kay Mellor hid her pregnancy from her parents for five months and thought that her life was over. Now, 50 years on, she’s written about childbirth in a new TV drama. The prolific scriptwriter, actress and director talks to Emma Barnett about her latest series ‘In The Club’ that follows the stories ­of six sets of prospective parents who meet at antenatal classes in the last trimester of their pregnancies.

‘In The Club’ starts on 5 August at 9.00 pm on BBC One.

The Women Against Feminism hashtag portrays a growing number of photographs of women holding up pieces of paper saying ‘I don’t need feminism because….’. Several months after it first appeared on Tumblr, the social networking website, the comments continue to provoke a discussion. Now with a Facebook page and a Twitter following, it is by no means a large movement but presenter Emma Barnett speaks to Laura Perrins, co-editor of the blogsite conservative women and Ellie Mae O’Hagan, a feminist commentator, to look at the significance, if any, of the #Women Against Feminism crusade.

The Women’s Rugby World Cup is underway in Paris. After losing the last three finals England’s women will be doing everything in their power to stop history repeating itself, but they face some fierce competition – not least from New Zealand, which will be seeking to claim its fifth consecutive title. England Hooker Emma Croker will be talking to Emma Barnett about the mood in the England squad - and we’ll be finding out how she juggles playing for her country with a full time job and motherhood.