Channel 4 handed over control of its airwaves to eighteen guest announcers for its biggest ever continuity takeover today.

In place of Channel 4’s usual programme announcements and in celebration of International Women’s Day viewers heard celebrities including Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Jon Snow and Aisling Bea alongside other well-known voices, members of the public and C4 announcers talk about the women who have most inspired them.

Jon Snow is inspired by “all-round amazing human being and poet Maya Angelou”, Harriet Harmen by “Labour cabinet minister Barbara Castle who brought in the 1970s equal pay act” whilst iconic transgender activist and model Caroline Cossey inspired Stehanie Hirst to be her “true self.”

Kevin McCloud says Stella Clarke inspired him as she “tirelessly fought to help the homeless and disadvantaged build their own homes and she’s still doing it in her 80s!’ Whilst Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, stars of Channel 4 sitcom Catastrophe, respectively name Carrie Fisher and Sinead O’Connor for demonstrating the power of art.

Dan Brooke, Chief Marketing and Comms Officer, Channel 4 said: “Channel 4's announcers have a track record of innovative programme links that inform viewers whilst delivering an important message in an entertaining way. This is the team's biggest production to date and what finer occasion to celebrate than National Women's Day."

The acknowledgments took place across Channel 4, E4 and More 4 throughout the day and viewers where encouraged to join the conversation using #InternationalWomensDay.

Channel 4 Continuity Creative managers Isla Paton, Barra Fitzgibbon, Kelsey Bennett and Dom O’Shea were responsible for curating the event.

Channel 4’s Continuity Team has a long held reputation for its bold, edgy and innovative approach to providing programme links for viewers including its commitment to announcers with physical disabilities and communication difficulties as well as campaigns around National Poetry Day, Transgender Day of Visibility, and C4’s Year of Disability.