You seem fairly comfortable talking about sex. I am very comfortable with it. I did include my own fantasy in the book. Any clues which one? it is just over 50 years since nancy friday published her groundbreaking book my secret garden, full of women's sexual fantasies. This book, want, is your selection, equally groundbreaking, from women who have written to you from all over the world. We have such a wide range of letters and all different kinds of fantasies from different women and cultures and sexual preferences and diverse backgrounds. Why don't you start by telling me how you feel when you think about having sex? your role in sex education was very much that: a role. You're not a psychologist, but you are, of course, an advocate for women, a supporter of lgbtq+ rights. I wonder how you tread the line between curation of the book and analysing the fantasies. I find it hard to read them and not think, who are they, what's going on in their lives? because they haven't revealed very much. What's the psychology behind these particular fantasies, proclivities? as you say, i'm not an expert, and i have left that to other people. And in the process of communicating around the book and the events that we'll be holding and the discourse that will end up happening, i have no doubt there will be conversations about psychology and motivation and trauma. But i think what i was most interested in was the joy and the enjoyment that the women had, clearly, in writing — how much it opened them up to understanding themselves more, it seemed. I mean, ultimately, this is not my book. This is the book of every woman who contributed. And yes, i curated, and yes, i wrote the introduction to each chapter. But it very much feels like the voices of women who dared to write and be heard. And there is still, for many people, a shame or taboo about talking about sex and talking about your sexual fantasies. You seem fairly comfortable talking about sexuality and sex. Is that right? yes, i am very comfortable with it, and. . . I mean, it's not something that i talk about. . . Outside of this book, i don't talk about it all the time. You're not going out to dinner and telling people about your sexual fantasies. I don't, and as you say, i did include my own fantasy in the book. That was requested by the publishers. How did you feel about that? i was fine — it made sense to me. It made perfect sense that i would do that. What i was surprised by was how long i put it off and how much i struggled to actually get it down on the page. It wasn't so much about making it perfect or interesting to read. It was certain words, the intimacy of it. Suddenly describing the imagery that's been in my head for awhile, the action of doing that was so. . . It added a level of intimacy that i wouldn't have expected. And i wouldn't have expected myself to be so shy around it and so nervous around it. But you touched on taboo, and that is one of the reasons why i was curious about launching this book and continuing the conversation that nancy friday started, and that is that sex and sexual fantasy is still very much taboo, even though we have shows like sex education and euphoria and fifty shades of grey, and there are many erotic films that are actually at the venice film festival right now. And i must talk about the multibillion—dollar porn industry. It's in ourfaces, on our screens, on our phones, all the time, and yet talking about what goes on inside our minds makes people really uncomfortable. I wondered whether you came to any conclusions about how our attitudes to sex, and women and sex, have changed in the 50—odd years since nancy friday. Yes, i mean, ithink one of the things that surprised me was that there is still so much shame. Women still struggle to talk about it, struggle to share, even in the western world, where we have access to it all the time. Obviously still there are many countries and cultures where illegality around same—sex partnership is real and punishable by death, and there are cultures where anything outside of the heteronormative sexual relationship is just taboo, beyond what we experience. But the fact that in the west women still struggle, and share in this book about how much they struggle, to think about it, to talk about it, was quite an eye—opener. Because it was evident to me in nancy friday's book, and i would have thought there would be less of it today. Any sense of why? any understanding of why there isn't? i think it's because it is still taboo, because we don't talk about it. It's about pleasure, which is part of what we're talking about. It's not necessarily taught in schools. It's not part of sex education. So much of sex education is about what you shouldn't do. It's quite rudimentary and technical. I should say — just for people watching and listening, i should say that some of what i want to refer to now is quite detailed and might offend people. But in nancy friday's book there are specific chapters about fantasies and nonconsensual or illegal sex, for example a chapter about rape fantasies. I think you received some of those kinds of submissions as well, and although your book is not that explicit, it does tend in that direction. You have a chapter called the captive. What was your thought process when deciding what to include in that area? we definitely talked about it, and we made it very clear that we weren't going to accept letters that bordered on illegality or bestiality or incest, and i think that was absolutely the right call. However, there are some in the captive section and a few other letters that border on dangerous topics. It almost felt — it almost felt disingenuous for us not to include them. Because they are fantasies that women have. Because they are fantasies that women have, and that doesn't necessarily mean that those fantasies are something that a woman actually wants to happen. Part of the point of them and processing them in the confines of a woman's mind is working that stuff out. And also we have to remember that in all fantasy, we are the director. Even though it may describe actions that appear to be nonconsensual, they are consensual by the fact that they are being made up in the mind of the woman who is fantasising about them. She's in charge. She's in charge, she's the director, and can decide with whom, when, where, how much, how often, when to stop, when to continue. So it feels like an empowering admission and revelation, rather than something that is under somebody else�*s control. I found it fascinating, and i guess quite sad as well, that there is quite a lot about body image, and it plays quite a big part in people's fantasies. Some people are unable to include themselves in theirfantasies. One woman has a fear of being touched, thinking nobody wants to touch her. What i am finding in people who are reading the book is that by reading other women talk about the degree of shame that they feel, and also the details of the kinds of sexual fantasies that they have, that they feel less alone. One entry says, my fantasy is to have a man love me for who i am, not to see me as a living sex toy. And i wonder whether you would read an extract — i think it's page 15 for us. Yes. I found it so difficult to understand what, truly, my own fantasies are. So much of what is played out in porn is geared towards men, and so many expectations set on us as women, that i have a very difficult time navigating what really turns me on. Versus how i feel i should perform. I guess my number one fantasy is to be made to feel like i am utterly desired. I want to be completely ravished, for my partner to explore my body like it's a drug for them, to make me feel as ifjust my naked presence ignites them, not because it's just another naked body, but because it's me and my body. Feeling so unique and hearing it from another person makes me feel desirable for exactly who i am, all insecurities aside. And the more desirable i feel i am to my bed partner, the more i am. The more aroused i am. There's something about being desirable. Being desirable, being seen, being wanted desperately. There is a chapter called worshipped and there's a lot of letters from women talking about the desire, the fantasy, of having someone — man, woman, other — just worshipping at theirfeet. Thinking that they are how they are, exactly as they are, is the most beautiful, the most radiant, the most sexy, the most ravishing. That's interesting. And you mentioned porn earlier, and you pick it up through the book, the kind of influence of that. I wonder how you view it. Has porn changed our sex lives and perception of sex, particularly amongst younger people? well, i think the book reflects on that. I think the book would probably be quite a good read for the youth of today, because there are so many different versions of how sex can be that is outside what one might see handed to them by the porn industry. There's a lot of tenderness, and women really wanting to be seen for themselves and who they are and be cared for. I'm finding that as we are having these conversations, and women are feeling more empowered to talk out loud about — if they choose to — talk out loud about what it is that they want under the covers, it kind of spreads into their real lives. Just starting to think about what it is that they actually want. What do you want? what do you want from your partner? what do you want from your relationship? what do you want from yourjob? what do you want from your life? and feeling courageous enough through engaging in those types of conversations to start asking for it. And yes, that is, i feel, one of the reasons that i was interested in doing this. As i said, i am not a sex therapist. This is a moment in time where i am having this conversation around this book. As much as anything, it's about getting to a point where we feel comfortable living our lives on our own terms. And i suppose one of the things i have and i would like to talk to you, obviously, is about your career as well. In the book, many of the fantasies are of older women. They have insight. They have, i appreciate, emotional maturity. So the ageing process, i am glad to hear, does have its benefits, but it is also quite brutal. From my limited experience in seeing myself on screen over the years, it is horrendous. As an actor in the public eye, i wonder how you deal with it and how you approach ageing, while looking almost more beautiful than you did in the x—files, many years ago. How do i approach ageing? i mean, i've certainly gone through periods where it struck me quite harshly that i too am ageing, and i almost feel like one needs to go through a process of mourning youth at various stages. Is that tears? how does the mourning go? just really deep feelings. Especially as our offspring are starting relationships, starting that stage of thejourney, remembering what it was like to first fall in love, all of that brings up a lot of feelings and emotions. You know, it's very moving and slightly melancholic. And so, i mean, more than anything, that feels like how i am dealing with it is just processing the feelings around it. But being on camera, there are certainly times where i see. . . I most of the time watch dailies or see the process of it, but seeing the final product and thinking, oh, my god, is that really what i look like? and going through some feelings around that. But then also realising that that's going to be the youngest that i look like from here on out, so i'd better embrace it. Very wise, and it doesn't look like you're going down the hollywood route of being endlessly plasticised. And i'm not complaining about that if it works for people, but. . . Yes, i haven't reached for that yet, but at some point, who knows? you will never need it. You mentioned your offspring. I had to ask, because my children get embarrassed by what i do. If your mum plays a sex therapist and has a book about sexual fantasies, are you the coolest mum in the world, or quite embarrassing? i don't know. I have had that conversation with my kids. I have teenagers and one is thirtysomething, and during sex education i did have a very frank conversation with them. They hadn't seen the show at the time, and i did want to talk to them about the degree to which it was impacting on their personal lives, and both apologise but also to talk about how important it was that that show was out there and that i felt very proud of it. And they got it — they got what i was saying. And people will remember you, of course, as margaret thatcher in the crown, amongst many other amazing roles. When you were thinking about inhabiting her character, or indeed any of the women you've played, how much are you thinking about, if i was a woman — and i wonder if you're even thinking about what margaret thatcher's sexual fantasies might have been. I did not think about margaret thatcher's sexual fantasies. Maybe that's best. She obviously had died many years before you took up that role. Emily maitlis is a colleague of mine. I worked with her at newsnight. You played herfor scoop, and that must be very different — to play a living character. Yes, very different, much more daunting, and particularly somebody that i respect and admire and is out and about in my relative social circle. She says she met you in 2001. She says she dined with you, danced with you. You bought her drinks. . . So more daunting even than margaret thatcher was playing emily maitlis. She can be quite daunting, while also being absolutely fabulous. And she in fact has her own drama coming up that she has produced about that same interview. Do you think there's room for two dramas so close together about the same interview with prince andrew? i don't know. It's interesting, because the one that we did was sam mcalister�*s take. Who was the producer. Who was the producer, on what happened. And i'm very interested to see it. Hopefully there is room. There is obviously room for both versions. Often in britain we claim you as ours. But you're not, because you're actually american, of course. Because you have lived here for a long time, and you seem to be able to switch accents. Where do you see yourself? where do you see as home? i definitely see the uk as home. I think i have alighted on something that makes sense to me, which is that. . . Because if i'm asked if i want to give up my american passport, that doesn't feel right. And so it feels like perhaps my cells are american but that my soul is british. That seems to answer it quite well. That makes the most sense. And it's weird, because i can. . . Depending on where i am, if there's an american sitting on my right hand side, before long, if i'm not paying attention, talking to the brit on my left. . . And i don't pay too much attention to it unless it feels like it'sjust going to be weird, and then i'll probably try and decidedly choose one or the other, because. . . Yes, so i don't know. It's an ongoing topic of interviews. And i think you're filming in belfast for the drama trespasses. How is your belfast accent? it's not bad, actually. I filmed the fall in northern ireland many years ago, and i had a top—up before we restart. My husband is from the north—east. He says there are certain words that work. For wales, it's aluminium saucepans. Aluminium saucepans? no, in welsh — aluminium saucepans. I don't know if you have a special northern ireland word. I don't have a phrase orword, no. There was one that i did use helped to get into it. But i'm not going to. . . Yes, there's time for that. You've also been filming a western, and tell us about the summer in calgary. Tell us about that, and how is your horse riding? that is a netflix western that takes place in the 1800s, the middle of the 1800s, called abandons, and we're shooting in calgary, canada. My riding is all right. I rode a little bit when i was in my 30s. Did you buy a horse? i did, and it was a very inexpensive horse, and ifound out why it was so inexpensive — because i thought it was seven years old and it was 20. And therefore very easy to ride, maybe. Or maybe not quite. Yes, although he did spook and throw me at one point. But that's another story. But my horseriding is all right. It's a lot of fun, actually. I'm enjoying it. And is this a female empowered — the women are part of the western? it is, it's me and lena headey — she was in game of thrones — i own the town. How does that feel? it's good. I say, this is my town. Do you have a favourite character that you have played? i can only speak for myself, but i'm probably always going to say blanche dubois in a streetcar named desire. Why? it was a role i wanted to play since i was in high school, and finally did it 30 years later. And probably one of the most challenging to mount and also to play consistently, which we did here and in new york. They told me to take a streetcar named desire, then transfer to one called cemeteries, and ride six blocks and get off at elysian fields. She slowly goes mad and is taken off to an insane asylum, and one sees that as an audience. You see the disintegration happening. I said i was sorry three times. I take meds for my nerves. It was the most taxing and emotionally wrecking. For viewers of tv, there will be many who will say it is scully. The answers are there. You just have to know where to look. But for you personally, it is that role. Yes. I just want to get back to your book, want. The fantasies are anonymous. The only identifications for each one are things like nationality, sexual orientation, relationship status, money, earnings. And as you said, one of the fantasies is yours. I have to ask, i am so sorry, because i imagine many people reading the book will wonder. Any clues which one? yes, well i thought actually today, i might let you know which one it was, because i thought it's bbc and. . . No, there's no way! what's great is that they are anonymous. We wouldn't have gotten the honesty and frankness and breadth of what we got had it not been anonymous. Yes, so mine will stay anonymous. Fantastic. Well, i'll enjoy reading it, as will many people, i'm sure. Thank you so much for talking to us, gillian anderson. Thank you for having me. Hello there. Well, as we start off october, things are looking a little drier for a couple of days, but it has been a very wet september across the southern half of the uk. In fact, some spots towards the south of england have seen three or four times the average september rainfall. And it's notjust been the wettest september on record for some places, it's also been the wettest month on record. There's been more flooding in didcot in oxfordshire here on monday, more flood warnings in force as we head through the rest of the night, mostly for central and north—western areas of england, where we're seeing the heaviest of the downpours. But that low has now pulled out into the north sea. Still strong, gusty winds for these north sea—facing coasts, some more rain gradually sinking further southwards and eastwards across central—southern england. But some clear skies out towards the north and the west, so, here, a locally chilly start to the day on tuesday. Now, on tuesday, that low is still bringing some more cloud and some rainjust swirling around it. Some of that rain could push a little further westwards at times, it will be lighter than on monday, of course, and we've still got that brisk north—easterly wind across coastal areas of yorkshire, lincolnshire and down through northern areas of norfolk too. The best of the sunshine out towards the west, for much of scotland, into northern ireland, western wales and south west england. And here, we could see temperatures rise to around 16 or 17 celsius. And then on wednesday, well, high pressure starts to edge down from the north, so we're all going to be seeing that dry, sunnier—feeling weather as we head through wednesday and thursday. But it's going to take a while, i think, still for that low to clear across south east england, east anglia. Still some showers here and a bit more in the way of cloud. Some of the showers blowing a little further westwards at times, but lots of sunshine further north and west, some areas of cloud at times. Chance of one or two isolated showers, but temperatures 15 to 17 celsius in the best of the brightness. And on thursday, it's going to be a locally chilly start to the day. A touch of frost, perhaps, in the north, a bit of mist around with those lighter winds, but for the vast majority of us, a dry day with plenty of sunshine. Cloud developing here and there, and temperatures have now returned to the seasonal average, so i4 to 17 degrees north to south. On friday, we start to see more cloud edging from the north and the west. The best of the sunshine further south and east. And over the weekend, well, we've got rain pushing eastwards again. Bye—bye for now. Welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm steve lai. The headlines: israel says a limited and targeted ground operation against hezbollah is underway in lebanon. Hezbollah's deputy leader says the group is prepared for a ground offensive and says the battle may be long. Live in lebanon, the question is what responses might provoke from hezbollah and the allies here in the region. Elsewhere, in nepal nearly 200 people have been killed by torrential flooding and landslides. And more than 100 people are dead, hundreds more unaccounted for and millions without power in the aftermath of hurricane helene in the us. Hello and welcome to newsday. I'll be leadng bbc�*s news coverage from our singapore studio over the next three hours, as our new timings kick in in the leadup to the us presidential elections. But we begin with breaking news along the israeli—lebanon border where the israel defense forces says a limited, localised and targeted ground operation is under way against hezbollah in southern lebanon. In a post to social media in the last few hours — the idf said, in accordance with the decision of the political