Women of Manchester: Natalie Pike
There has been a shift in the position of women in football over recent years and now, with what promises to be the best summer for them with the Euros, it is more than important as ever to celebrate all the amazing efforts of these females.
Natalie Pike is one of those women and here in Manchester, she truly does have the power (to quote the Little Mix song currently trending on TikTok). It is great to see so many women excelling and Natalie is just one example.
She currently is one of the match day live presenters for Manchester City, which involves interviewing players and celebrities, as well as providing analysis on games. She is one of the hosts of BBC Radio Manchester weekday show, Talking Balls, alongside Gaz Drinkwater, talking all things City and United.
Born in Scotland, Pike moved to Manchester as a child and since being taken to Maine Road, the former stadium of Manchester City football club, she has never looked back. She still is a proud Scot but very much considers herself a Manchester Girl.
“We don’t put up with crap. We are confident in our own skin. We’re proud of our city and we’re proud of who we are. That is the epitome of Manchester girls. We are not afraid to speak up for things that we believe in.”
Pike started her broadcasting career at Manchester City in 2011. During that time, she has hosted four of the Premier League title-winning parades. She has also co-presented a football talk show on XS Manchester. In 2021, she became the first female winner of the ‘Champions of Champions’ edition of BBC 5 Live’s sport show Fighting Talk.
Speaking from her home in the middle of bathroom revamps, taking care of her son and doing her skincare – proving to be the master of multitasking – she spoke about being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
“When I started, women were a lot less visible in sports. There were no Alex Scotts on TV. There wasn't a lot of visible work and women working in football. So, I'd say back then it was a lot different. There was a sense of having to prove myself back then and having to, having to show people that I'd been hired because I was good and not just because I was a woman.”
She continued to say: “Over the last 10 years, I think it's changed dramatically women in football. I still think there's a long way to go, but we're in a much better position now. And now it is the Women’s Euros. It is in England and there are so many games in Manchester. The massive crowd and the excitement that we're seeing around that is incredible. I really hope it'll help to keep pushing forward the women's game, but also women working in football in general.”
Prior to working at City, Pike was a model for FHM, Zoo, and Nuts - something she states she is “very proud of” despite what people may say. She says of the experience:
”I'm all about empowering women. We should be able to make decisions on what we do with our body. And if I decided in my early twenties to wear underwear in a magazine, that was my freedom of choice. Men’s magazines don't exist anymore. This was 2005, 2006. The world has changed since then. I think that if anybody judges a woman for anything like that, then that says more about me then them.”
More recently, Pike has been named as a judge for the 2022 ‘This is Manchester’ awards which showcasing the talent of the city. When asked about what it meant to her, she said:
“I was really thrilled because I love this city so much. To be a part of an award ceremony that is celebrating some of the many amazing things about Manchester, it's such an honour. I can't wait to read through all the nominations.”
Finally, Pike is biased and would say the best place to go to the Etihad but aside from that, having lived in Manchester for so long, she has one place she recommends the most:
“Manchester, in general, is great but Media City is lovely. I work there every day. I love the fact that in this kind of community. There is no traffic either. You can sit outside near the water or outside the restaurants. And it really does feel like being on holiday, especially on a summer's day. So, I would say it's quite quiet as well.”
You can listen to Natalie Pike on BBC Radio Manchester’s Talking Balls weekdays 6pm to 7pm, hosting Manchester City events and her social media are @Natalie_Pike_ on Twitter and @nataliepikepresenter on Instagram.
Written by Fran Lever