Woman’s Hour host Nuala McGovern: ‘I’d like to try being a man for a day’

Born in Ireland, Nuala McGovern, 54, joined the BBC in 2009. In 2012, she went to the BBC World Service where she presented, Newsday, its breakfast programme, and then Outside Source from 2014 to 2022. In May 2024, she took over as lead host of Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and she fronts The Woman’s Hour Guide to Life podcast. She is married and lives in London.

When were you happiest?
I’m at my happiest in the ocean, and even better if my husband is there throwing me around.

What is your greatest fear?
Losing my husband. We are properly codependent.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Too high an expectation of others and myself.

Describe yourself in three words
Curious, confident, cheerful.

What would your superpower be?
I can pretty much nap on demand.

What makes you unhappy?
Society hasn’t figured out how to care for elderly people. It’s a tragedy.

What is your most unappealing habit?
My husband says I can be a bit relentless.

What scares you about getting older?
Running out of time.

What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?
One time an engineer said, “I always forget your frequency is at the same level as a crying baby.” I think he was on to something, because I have been told to shush many times over the years.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?
That lovely Scottish term, hurkle-durkle, when you stay in bed and don’t get up. It’s a habit that began in the pandemic.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My husband, Tristan. We met at a cool club in New York called CBGB but I had to leave early because I had a radio show the next day. We met again a few months later at a friend’s birthday party. I came into the bar and he just went, “Hello Nuala”, and I said “Hello Tristan” – and that was it.

What does love feel like?
Like a very full heart and a flip in my stomach when I see him.

What has been your biggest disappointment?
Three times when I lived in New York, I missed seeing David Bowie in real life by moments.

If you could edit your past, what would you change?
Fewer night shifts.

If not yourself, who would you most like to be?
I’d like to try being a man for a day.

What is the closest you’ve come to death?
I lived in New York during 9/11 and worked a couple of blocks away from the twin towers. I was looking when the first tower exploded and then when the second plane flew in and, before we had to evacuate, I did see people jump to their death.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Compulsory headphones for phone users in public.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
In the Pet Shop Boys song Being Boring they’ve a great line that says “I never dreamed that I would get to be the creature that I always meant to be”. And I feel I am, so that’s great.

What has been your closest brush with the law?
Only when they might have been called to parties I’ve been throwing.

What happens when we die?
I think we become stars.