Why are curries a male thing? Why do boozed-up men always go for the hottest vindaloo after ten pints of lager on a lads' night out?

And why are most curry chefs and restaurant waiters men?

These hot issues and other questions are top of the agenda for premier Radio 4 show, Woman's Hour, which is coming live from Bradford tomorrow morning.

Specially-timed for the eve of the Mela, Barnsley-born presenter Jenni Murray will be broadcasting from the Alhambra.

She said: "The sexual politics of the curry is a great subject. It's seen as a 'male' thing and the subject is especially relevant just before the Mela.

"The Mela does for the Asian community what the Great Yorkshire Show does for the farming community. It brings everyone together for a celebration." But she admits she's more of a korma fan.

As a child she used to visit Bradford for pantomimes at the Alhambra.

"It is a fantastic theatre," she recalled. "The name means Red Castle in Arabic after the famous Moorish castle in Spain. It is appropriate that it has Muslim connections and is therefore a perfect forum for the programme."

Also joining the debate will be restaurant owner Hansa Dabhi, of Hansa's Gujarati in Leeds, who operates an all-female staff bucking the trend.

"I believe women make the best curries in the world but are denied the opportunity in the public arena because the world of the chef is a male-dominated one," she said.

Controversial Birmingham comedienne Shazia Mirza - pioneer of "veiled humour" about Muslims and who has just returned from a successful tour of America - is also appearing.

The team will also debate racial stereotypes of mothers.

They will discuss whether an Indian, Jewish or Irish mum is the same wherever they live in the world.

The show on Radio 4 starts at 10am.