Broadcaster and former Lioness Jill Scott MBE will headline WOW North East, the first-ever regional edition of the global WOW – Women of the World Festival, taking place on 18 October 2025 at Gala Durham.
Jill will close the festival with a live conversation reflecting on her journey from childhood football in Sunderland to winning UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 and becoming a national treasure through her appearance on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.
“I’m thrilled to be part of WOW here in the North East,” said Jill Scott. “It’s so exciting to see such an incredible event taking place in this region and to have the chance to showcase all the amazing talent we have here. Being able to celebrate that with the community that shaped me makes it even more special.”
The festival will feature a packed programme of panels, performances, and workshops exploring urgent issues facing women, girls, and non-binary people. Highlights include An Evening With Ashley James, in conversation with author and broadcaster Emma Dabiri, and a screening of Rupture, a film co-created with women from HMP Low Newton.
Founder Director of The WOW Foundation Jude Kelly said: “In WOW’s 15th anniversary year, I’m delighted WOW is finding a new home in the North East, in partnership with S&DR200. It’s a region close to my heart, full of creativity and innovation. I am thrilled this year to also be welcoming Jill Scott, Ashley James, and Emma Dabiri to our wonderful lineup of academics, activists, and artists in celebrating this region.”
The festival will also include WOW Big Ideas and WOW Bites sessions, a photographic exhibition by Sophie Piper, and workshops led by Jordan Groody, Dame Irene Hays, Chi Onwurah MP, and many more.
Niccy Hallifax, S&DR200 Festival Director, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome WOW to the North East as part of the S&DR200 celebrations. The Stockton & Darlington Railway changed the world 200 years ago, and this partnership with WOW brings that spirit of innovation and progress into the present.”
WOW North East is free to attend, with festival day passes available now. The wider programme includes events in Sunderland, South Shields, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, and Hexham, and features The WOW Show with Jude Kelly and the world premiere of Astell and Woolf starring Gemma Whelan.
More information can be found here
