JENNI MURRAY: I feel terribly depressed whenever I see a talented woman stepping out with her breasts on show – why do they do it?

Three cheers for the organisers of the Cannes Film Festival which kicked off this week. They have imposed a ban on nudity on the red carpet which presumably means we won’t be subjected to the barely-there dressing which has bordered on the obscene in recent years.

It was the embarrassing sight of Bianca Censori at the Grammys earlier this year that made me think this just can’t go on. She wore a completely see-through mini dress with nothing underneath, which made her appear completely naked.

Maybe it was her husband, Kanye West, who persuaded her to step out in the almost altogether, acutely aware of the column inches that would follow.

The photographs of Bianca and Kanye did indeed appear everywhere. And I doubt I was the only woman who was appalled by them. Far from being empowering for women, wearing next to nothing while a man enjoys the dignity of being fully clothed signals who is really in control, even after all these years of fighting inequality.

Every time I see a talented female star stepping out with her breasts on show, the feminist in me feels utterly depressed.

It plays into the commonly held view that a woman’s talent and capacity for hard work are far less important than her appearance… and the question of how good she’d be in bed.

It’s a green flag for the Andrew Tates of this world. Men like this already view women primarily as sexual beings – above and beyond any other qualities for which they might want to be celebrated.

Yet the tawdry descent into barely-there dressing continues apace. A month after the Grammys, the pop star Charli XCX exposed her breasts in a sheer black dress at the Brits. The singer Sabrina Carpenter appeared in red bra, frilly knickers, stockings and suspenders, looking as if she’d do well in a glass box in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.

Bella Hadid at the 2021 Cannes film festival

The 2023 Cannes Film Festival saw yet another jaw-dropping look with model Leila Depina’s  glitzy dress

Davina McCall, who at 57 is old enough to know better, wore black pants and bra under a lacy, see-through costume.

Is this really the only way talented women can get the attention they crave? Even wealthy, powerful, multi-award-winning superstars like Nicole Kidman and Beyonce stand on the red carpet wearing next to nothing while their other halves – the singer Keith Urban and the rapper Jay Z – are covered up.

What does this tell you? That their partners are seen first and foremost as hard-working artists, whereas Kidman and Beyonce still demand to be judged on their erotic capital. Why?

What are these highly successful middle-aged mothers playing at? Don’t they know the dangers young women face if they emulate this style of undress?

It will encourage men to think sex is all they – and indeed all women – are there for. It’s exactly this deeply entrenched misogynistic view of women that some of us have been battling against as long as I can remember. We know how risky it is for women if we advertise ourselves as sex on stilettos. Not only in terms of potential sexual assault but also of never being taken seriously.

There is nothing empowering in the sight of top model Bella Hadid surrounded by gawping cameramen as they snap, snap, snap at her figure-hugging, see-through frock, breasts and nipples exposed. And don’t dismiss me as a prude. I’m not. I lived in France for a year as a 19 year old and loved the liberal attitude to sex that was openly displayed there.

It was the late 60s when the mere idea that sex could be discussed or sexuality demonstrated openly was taboo elsewhere.

Not in France, where I saw the semi-naked dancers at the Moulin Rouge and sunbathed topless on the Mediterranean coast. Bare breasts on the beach, where everyone is stripped down as much as possible in the sunshine, never seemed to me to be a problem. A nipple peeking out of a designer dress on a red carpet, however, is another matter.

Bella Hadid opted for a sheer Saint Laurent dress at the 2024 festival

Why does any woman want to look as though she’s touting for business on OnlyFans when she’s at a ceremony in recognition of her hard work, be it in film, television or music?

So thank god for the organisers of the Cannes Film Festival. ‘For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as any other area of the festival.’

Decency. This watchword is at the root of my objection to the fashion for near nudity

It’s curious that this has happened in France, where attitudes to sex have long been relaxed.

Let’s hope this signals that the tide is turning at long last.

Maybe now we’ll be able to concentrate on the quality of the films – not whichever actress lets her nipple slip out.

Kate is far better as a bad girl 

Actress Patsy Kensit and Kate Moss attend the launch of Perfect Magazine’s Issue 8.5 in April

Do give Kate Moss a break. The wellness game, in the style of Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham, was not for her. She’s always known how to party. If she wants a bottle of beer and a cigarette, just let her be. The bad girl look suits her very well and she’s still gorgeous.

 Cromwell deserved a Bafta

Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall, The Mirror And The Light

It was a pleasure to watch the Baftas and be reminded of how much television I watch and how good so much of it is – Blue Lights, Mr Loverman and Mr Bates vs The Post Office were all wonderful. But nothing could compare with Mark Rylance’s phenomenal performance as Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall, The Mirror And The Light. The classiest thing on TV for a long time, but no award. I’m baffled. 

My early hay fever is hell 

Hay fever symptoms are exploding among sufferers this year and don’t I know it.

The start of spring has been the driest since 1956, with a combination of warm weather, high pollen counts and resistance to antihistamines to blame for people suffering symptoms earlier.

I’ve become the equivalent of a child with a constant snotty nose, chesty cough, sneezing and prickly eyes. It’s embarrassing, but I’m keeping Kleenex in business.

You’ve had a stressful day. Who will give you comfort – a partner or your dog? No contest. The dog wins every time, as confirmed in an international study. A dog doesn’t judge you, doesn’t interrupt or offer advice – just a cuddle. 

Jenni’s chihuahuas Maggie and Minnie

Steven Shaw is the clever head of Folkestone Academy who solved high levels of absence by building a skate park. I spent years of my sons’ youth hanging around depressing parts of London while they perfected their skateboarding skills. What a good idea to give both boys and girls a sport which will keep them fit and bring them back to school. 

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