This International Women’s Day, Global, the Media & Entertainment group, is celebrating all week on air, on its entertainment app Global Player, and across the business with special events for staff
On Friday 7th March, Capital XTRA is bringing listeners an unmissable takeover show at breakfast with Robert & Shayna Marie who will be joined by legendary RnB and hip hop star, Eve. Celebrating 25 years in the music industry with hits like Who’s That Girl, Gangsta Lovin & Let Me Blow Ya Mind, Eve will be reflecting on her incredible career, how the industry has evolved for women, and the impact of female artists across music, fashion, TV, and film. From breaking barriers in hip hop to making waves in Hollywood, Eve has paved the way for generations of talent – and she’ll be shining a light on the inspirational women who continue to shape the culture.
Also on Friday, Capital XTRA will have a special edition of Hip Hop Friday, celebrating the Queens of hip hop all day long! Every show will have exclusive mixes from its DJs Kennedy Taylor, Semtex, and Manny Norte – as they bring nonstop hip hop from the most iconic women in the game. From Nicki Minaj to Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé to Rihanna, and many more, they’ll be showcasing the artists who have redefined the genre and continue to inspire the next generation.
Capital XTRA Breakfast’s Shayna Marie, Sunday Morning host Zeze Millz and former guest presenter Indiyah Polack will also be linking up for a special episode of Hot Girl Talkswhere they’ll be speaking about the International Women’s Day theme for 2025 – Accelerate Action – which aims to accelerate action for gender equality. It’ll be an exciting and thought-provoking chat, available on Global Player and YouTube, about navigating their legacy, what success looks like to them, and building financial independence as a woman.
Also on Global Player, queens of hip hop and RnB will be taking centre stage for Capital XTRA’s Fire Babes playlist, with vocals from the likes of Beyoncé, Doja Cat and SZA to Jorja Smith, Latto and Queen Latifah. Each song will be channeling female empowerment and giving the feel-good vibe for the girlies!
On Saturday, Capital Dance is marking International Women’s Day with an all-female 11am mix, showcasing some of the best women in dance music. And that’s not all – Capital Dance’s Charlie Powell has put together an exclusive Women in Dance playlist for Global Player, packed with the female artists and producers shaping the dance scene right now. There’s legends like Peggy Gou, Jodie Harsh, Honey Dijon, and TSHA.
And there’s even more specially curated playlists celebrating women in music on Global Player from all eras and genres. There’s Radio X – Women Who Rock, Smooth Country – Country Girl Era, Smooth – Leading Ladies, Capital – Fave Females, and Queens of Pop.
For Global Original podcast The Sports Agents, hosts Gabby Logan and Mark Chapmanare speaking to a woman who has been one of the biggest game changers in the transformation of UK sport, Baroness Sue Campbell. Sue has been a key player in some of the country’s biggest sporting successes, from her role as Chair of UK Sport during the London 2012 Olympics, to helping the Lionesses win the Euros as Director of Women’s Football at the FA. Sue has used sport for social change as the first Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust and has been a key driver in women’s participation in sport across the country. They’ll also be creating special social media content looking back at the brilliant women and female focussed stories they’ve covered on the podcast.
LBC News has secured time with Helen Pankhurst CBE, the granddaughter of suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst and currently CARE International’s senior adviser. She’ll be speaking to Lisa Aziz on-air on Friday morning.
All this week, LBC News will also be broadcasting interviews with special guests, including some of England’s Lionesses.
In addition, Global’s Newsroom bulletins will broadcast a number of special International Women’s Day features. From an all-female car garage who want to inspire women to become mechanics, to an all-female team of Estate Agents in Topsham, Devon, to name a few.
On Gold Radio, Simon Rimmer will be playing songs and paying tribute to the most iconic musical female artists from the 60s, 70s and 80s during his Saturday morning show from 9am to midday – featuring artists such as Diana Ross, Lulu, Gladys Knight, DionneWarwick, Aretha Franklin, and Blondie (to name a few). Gold Radio will also celebrate iconic female artists in its Hall of Fame for an hour at midday.
Carlos on Heart 70s, Simon Beale on Heart 80s, Kevin Hughes on Heart 90s and Fia Tarrant on Heart 00s will also pay tribute to iconic female artists (from their particular era) between 8am and midday on their shows. 70s – ABBA ladies, Gloria Gaynor, DonnaSummer, Sister Sledge, and Diana Ross. 80s – Whitney Houston, Blondie, Bananarama, Cyndi Lauper, and Madonna. 90s – All Saints, En Vogue, Janet Jackson, Spice Girls, and Gabrielle. 00s – Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and P!nk.
Also on Heart, in partnership with Barbie, listeners are being asked to submit friendship messages to be in with a chance of winning the perfect bestie trip – an epic overnight stay in London for two people with accommodation, travel, meals, a Women of London walking tour, and a £250 Smyths Toy Superstore Voucher. In addition, they’ll be in with a chance of having their friendship message displayed on Global’s digital billboards across the UK.
Smooth will also be celebrating fantastic female talent right across the day. Tina Hobleyand Myleene Klass will be celebrating on air during their shows, and at the start of every hour all day, listeners will be treated to three back-to-back iconic female artists. Smoothpresenters Jenni Falconer, Kate Garraway and Angie Greaves have created special social media videos.
Radio X is marking the occasion with daily programming and playlists, including Live Music Monday with Dan O’Connell featuring breakout star Gigi Perez’s exclusive acoustic performance for the station, and Two For Tuesday – back to back music from the likes of Florence Welch, Sleeper, Bjork, Gossip and Wet Leg.
On Friday on Radio X, Issy Panayis will have a very special all woman Best Of Britishfeature. An hour of indie rock music featuring the most iconic female artists from Britain including Florence & The Machine, Skunk Anasie, Kate Bush and more.
On social media, Radio X will be asking listeners, “Which women in music inspire you?”, and online there will be features including ‘Inspirational Female Artists in Their Own Words’, ‘The Most Iconic Female Fronted Bands of The 90s’ and ‘The Greatest Women Who Rock’.
Over on Classic FM, at 9am and 3pm on International Women’s Day there are special feature hours with outstanding recordings by female composers, soloists, and conductors. At 7pm, on Classic FM at the Movies, Jonathan Ross will be showcasing some of the film world’s greatest female composers like Pinar Toprak, the first woman to score a major superhero movie, and Rachel Portman, the first female composer to win an Oscar for Best Original Score. Listeners will also hear scores from films inspired by the achievements of women around the world including, Harriet, The Iron Lady, Made in Dagenham, and Hidden Figures.
On classicfm.com, there will be an exclusive interview with pioneering conductor Marin Alsop, the first woman to serve as head of a major orchestra in several countries and recently the first US-born woman to lead the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. There will also be an exclusive performance from rising star violinist Ellinor D’Melon.
With this year’s International Women’s Day theme in mind – Accelerate Action, a call to move beyond conversation and into tangible, meaningful change – Global’s Women@Global employee network has organised a week-long series of events for Globallers focussing on two areas. Advocacy – because every voice deserves to be heard, and safety– because no one should have to navigate fear or uncertainty in any space.
They’re hosting an ‘In conversation with…’ event with LBC’s award-winning broadcaster and journalist Shelagh Fogarty who will be sharing her experience of being stalked andexploring how to create safer spaces and drive change to protect women’s safety.
They’ve also partnered with the company’s Pride network Pride@Global, to invite Globallers to two stand-up comedy nights in London and Manchester celebrating women and non-binary comedy talent across the UK.
In addition, the Women@Global podcast is returning, a podcast for Globallers, made by Globallers. The first episode explores workplace safety, tackling topics like the impact of workplace culture on women’s safety, the vital role of bystanders in fostering a secure environment, and the biggest challenges women face both in and outside of the workplace. Joining the discussion are Nick Gazzard OBE, founder of the Hollie Guard personal safety app, and El Harrison, Global Player Engagement Marketing Lead at Global, and host Lucy Payne from the Women@Global committee.
There will also be a number of training and coaching sessions, fireside chats with inspirational Globallers, presenters and industry pioneers, an awards ceremony, and an International Women’s Book Club.
