A new Channel 4 Documentary looks at women in the workplace to investigate if they’re being overlooked and sidelined due to menopause
Davina McCall, host of last May’s Sex, Myths and the Menopause, is set to host a follow-up to the wildly successful broadcast. This new documentary will look at menopause in the workplace.
Davina McCall: The Menopause Brain Drain will take a deep dive into the facts and fiction surrounding the menopause, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and workplace discrimination. Women are being sidelined, overlooked, and even fired when they begin experiencing the side effects and symptoms associated with the menopause. Many more are being forcibly put down to part-time hours.
McCall, 54, was overwhelmed by the positive reactions she received when the first documentary aired in May 2021. She says, “I have never had a reaction like the one I received after Sex, Myths and the Menopause aired. It was profoundly moving and deeply humbling, and what I realised is that women need more answers, more support and a voice.
McCall, who recently celebrated the reduction in costs for HRT, treatments that ease the debilitating symptoms many women experience, is optimistic about the future
“Many amazing women have laid the groundwork before me in this field, and I want to arm women with the facts so they can make informed decisions about their bodies – I truly believe we have the power to inspire change in societies’ perceptions, the workplace, relationships and so much more.”
Since Sex, Myths and the Menopause aired back in May, more than 16,000 doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals have already taken The Menopause Charity and FourteenFish’smenopause education course for professionals. McCall hopes that many more will sign up and get involved.
Channel 4 is committed to shedding light on this important topic. Head of News and Current Affairs and Sport, Louisa Compton, stresses, “the menopause shouldn’t be a taboo subject,considering it affects 50 per cent of the population – but our first film opened the lid on an area of life that too many people were frightened of discussing.”
She is proud of the results they’ve seen so far. The film “led to real and meaningful change
The second film will look firmly at what happens in the workplace to try and ensure that the symptoms of the menopause will no longer put the brakes on women’s careers.
McCall worked with Finestripe Productions due create her latest documentary about this important topic. Katie Lander, the Executive Producer, says, “The team at Finestripe are thrilled to be back working with Davina and Channel 4 on this film, which we hope will once again inspire change in women’s lives.”
Davina McCall: The Menopause Brain Drain will air on Channel 4 sometime next year, and we’ll keep you updated about its premiere. Will you be watching? What did you think of Sex, Myths, and the Menopause? Share your thoughts below.
