BBC Radio 4 – Woman’s Hour, civil rape case against Conor McGregor, binge drinking, Chappell Roan

The woman who accused mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor of raping her has won the civil case against him. He must pay compensation of almost a quarter of a million euros. McGregor says he will appeal. Nuala McGovern speaks to Orla O’Donnell, legal affairs correspondent at RTE News.

Today a BBC Panorama documentary has been released asking the question: why are more young women dying from alcohol-related liver disease than ever before? The BBC’s Hazel Martin, who is 32, was diagnosed with the condition. She has explored how she became one of a growing number of young women who were surprised to discover that their social drinking habits were putting their lives at risk. Hazel joins Nuala, as does Professor Debbie Shawcross, consultant hepatologist at Kings College Hospital.

Journalist Lili Anolik had already written a book about obscure LA writer Eve Babitz when she read a letter Eve had written but not sent to her former friend, literary superstar Joan Didion. Lili realized that the key to understanding Joan was in Eve’s hands and vice versa, and she joins Nuala to discuss her new book, Didion and Babitz.

A new play at London’s Royal Court Theater explores the impact of the child sexual exploitation and grooming scandals that took place in cities across the North and Midlands of England in the late 1990s to early 2010s. Emteaz Hussain, the writer of the piece, joins Nuala to discuss it.

American pop star Chappell Roan has been shortlisted for BBC Radio 1’s Sound of 2025. Just a year ago she was a backing singer for Olivia Rodrigo – so what do we know about her? Laura Snapes, deputy music editor at The Guardian, joins Nuala to tell us more.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern
Producer: Emma Pearce

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