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Woman's Hour

Alexis Ohanian on women's sport, Shadow banning, Malory Towers on stage, Margo from Race Across the World

Woman's Hour

BBC

Society & Culture

4.13K Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2026

⏱️ 57 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Best known as the co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian is now turning his focus to the future of women’s sport. Once overlooked and underfunded, it is now undergoing rapid change. Alexis is today announcing he's bringing his all-female track and field meet series, Athlos, to London. He tells Anita Rani why, and talks about being married to one of the most successful and well known sports stars of all time - Serena Williams.

Some social media posts relating to menstruation, menopause, fertility and sexual health are being incorrectly flagged as 'adult content', then removed or their visibility limited - a practice described as 'shadow banning'. Charities and health professionals have signed an open letter to Meta - who own Facebook and Instagram - asking for an explanation for what they call the 'hiding' of information about women's health. Anita speaks to the BBC's Shona McCallum, the CEO of gynaecological charity The Eve Appeal Athena Lamnisos, and Tania who has personally experienced the benefit of this sort of content.

The Emma Rice Company’s theatre show adaptation of Enid Blyton’s 1940s boarding school books, Malory Towers, is touring the UK. It’s the brainchild of the company’s director, Emma Rice, formerly artistic director at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. And it comes in the same year that Blyton’s series celebrates its 80th anniversary. Emma joins Anita.

Margo Oakley tells Anita about her experience on the current series of the BBC TV show Race Across The World, making it to the final, and the incredible feedback she's had from audiences on her combination of optimism and vulnerability. She talks about grieving the loss of her sister Julia and coming together with her brother-in-law for this mammoth challenge.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Sarah Crawley

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.

0:07.3

On BBC Sounds, there are podcasts to help you look after your body and your mind.

0:12.7

From increasing your immunity to feeling more confident.

0:16.6

Or tips on how to focus.

0:18.5

Sorry, what will you say?

0:19.7

If it matters to you, it matters to us.

0:22.6

Feel good inside of them.

0:24.3

With What's Up Docs.

0:25.9

And Complex with Kimberly Wilson.

0:27.9

Listen on BBC Sounds.

0:30.5

Hello, I'm Anita Rani and welcome to Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4.

0:35.3

Just to say that for rights reasons, the music in the original radio broadcast has been removed for this podcast.

0:42.1

Good morning.

0:43.1

Now, if you were a fan of Mallory Towers, then keep listening.

0:46.8

A stage adaptation of the Enid Blyton series

0:49.1

based in a girls' boarding school may be coming to a theatre near you.

0:52.4

Now we have a big announcement for women's sport.

0:55.8

Alexis O'Hanion, who was the co-founder of Reddit and happens to be married to Serena Williams,

1:01.6

is bringing his all-female track and field meet series Athlos to London. More on that.

1:08.0

Also, are you watching Race Across the World? In this series, the contestants

1:11.8

have travelled 12,000 kilometres along the breathtaking ancient Silk Route. The finals tonight,

1:19.0

and I'm going to be catching up with Margot, who, for those of you are watching, you'll know

...

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