Champagne, Autistic & Pregnant, Single at Christmas

We find out about the so-called Merry Widows of Champagne as well as the women making champagne today. Francoise Peretti, Director of Champagne Bureau UK and Joanna Simon, drinks journalist tell us more. We hear about the difficulties of being autistic and pregnant from an anonymous listener and from Lana Grant a mother with Asperger’s who's the author of From Here to Maternity: Pregnancy and Motherhood on the Autism Spectrum. Are beauty pageants still OK in 2019? To discuss is Salma Haidrani, a journalist who documented her experiences as a contestant in Miss England 2018s, Leanne Levers who's a political scientist and the journalist, Tanya Gold. Since the election last week more than 1000 women have signed up to 50:50 Parliament, registering their interest in standing as an MP. We discuss why with Lucrece Grehoua who's signed up herself and Frances Scott who set up 50:50. Single at Christmas? How do you feel about it? We talk about the benefits of the single life as well as festive dating trends with the journalist Lizzie Cernik and Rachael Floyd from eHarmony. And the big Boxing Day film will be Little Women. We talk to its director Greta Gerwig. Presented by: Jenni Murray Producer: Rabeka Nurmahomed Editor: Siobhann Tighe