The Girlfriends: Spotlight, E26: Cheryl Gives Chelsea a Uterus

Chelsea Jovanovic never thought she would get to have children. A teenage diagnosis of MRKH syndrome left her without a womb. But she had reckoned without the advances in medical science which would lead to pioneering womb transplants becoming possible, and without the incredible generosity of a co…

The Girlfriends: Spotlight, E25: Tamuna Finds Stolen Babies

When Tamuna Museridze opened a box in her mother's house in the summer of 2016, she didn't just uncover a family secret.  She set in motion a chain of events that would lead her to something even bigger: a scandal that affected tens of thousands of people across Georgia, and tore families apart. …

Relisten to The Girlfriends: Spotlight: Nadya & Pussy Riot Punk the President

Re-listen to the best of The Girlfriends: Spotlight: When Nadya Tolokonnikova saw her country Russia change under President Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime, she knew she had to do something.  She started the iconic ski-mask-wearing art protest collective Pussy Riot. On February 21st, 2012, …

Relisten to The Girlfriends: Spotlight: Hélène Outwits the Nazis

Re-listen to the best of The Girlfriends: Spotlight: Germany. Spring 1945. The writing is on the wall for the Nazis. And thousands of women are marching along dirt roads. If they stop walking, they’ll be shot. Their route is lined with piles of corpses. It’s a death march. Among these women are T…

Relisten to The Girlfriends: Spotlight: Lu Ann Escapes the Order

Re-listen to the best of The Girlfriends: Spotlight: When Lu Ann Cooper was just fifteen years old, she was told to drop out of school and marry her first cousin. She would be his fourth wife.  Lu Ann grew up inside the so-called Kingston Clan, a religious sect where, Lu Ann claims, every man is …

Relisten to The Girlfriends: Spotlight: Rose Solves, At Least, 86 Cold Cases

Re-listen to the best of The Girlfriends: Spotlight: Rose Brady’s job running Baltimore County’s SVU was a frustrating one. The sexual violence crimes she and her team were investigating were just the tip of the iceberg. Her department was sitting on thousands of unsolved rape cases, dating back d…

The Girlfriends: Spotlight, E24: Sucheta Exposes the Big Bull

In 1992, the Bombay Stock Exchange in India was skyrocketing. And at the centre of this chaotic, testosterone fuelled world was Harshad Meta: a man with aviator shades, a Lexus, and a reputation as a financial wizard. To millions, he was "The Big Bull," a self-made hero who promised wealth to anyon…

The Girlfriends: Spotlight, E23: Anna Catches a Catfish

Anna Rowe thought she’d found the perfect man: attentive, caring and totally devoted to his children. But Anna gradually started to suspect that things weren’t quite what they seemed… Her doubts led her to some late night dating app sleuthing. What Anna discovers will unravel everything she though…

The Girlfriends: Spotlight, E22: Carolyn Builds a Wisterhood

On Valentine's Day 2000, Carolyn Moor's life changed forever when a hit-and-run accident killed her husband Chad. She was left a widow in her 30s - and with two young daughters to raise alone. And she discovered that when you’re a young widow, there’s not very much support - especially not the sort…

The Girlfriends: Spotlight, E21: Morrell Breaks the Ban

When Morrell Andrews’s attacker was convicted of her sexual assault, she thought her fight was over. But it was just beginning. Because in Canada, where Morrell lives, ‘Publication Bans’ were enshrined in law. These bans meant that no one, including the survivor themselves, is allowed to publicly n…