J.K. Rowling doubles down on praise of veteran BBC presenter who overruled woke 'pregnant people' autocue line

Sky News AU

5 days ago

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has doubled down on her praise for a BBC presenter who overruled an autocue line that read "pregnant people" to say "women".
J.K. Rowling has doubled down on her support for a BBC presenter who amended an autocue line which read 'pregnant people' to say 'women'.
Martine Croxall was introducing new research on the number of heat-related deaths expected amid Britain's current heatwave on the British public broadcaster earlier this week when she made the correction.
Croxall read the researcher's term that 'pregnant people' should take precautions amid the heat, before she changed the word to 'women'.
'Malcom Mistry, who was involved in the research, said that the ageing, pregnant people, women , and those with preexisting health conditions need to take precautions,' the presenter said, with an eye roll.
The Harry Potter author took to X on Tuesday to defend Croxall against a viewer who reshared the moment the presenter amended her bulletin.
The disgruntled viewer said they 'hate' TERF Island, a term for transgender rights in the United Kingdom, 'where broadcasters literally go against their journalistic integrity by changing a QUOTE mid-air'.
'Because they are threatened by inclusive language,' the X user said.
In her tongue-in-cheek response to the critic, Rowling said she 'loved living on TERF island'. — The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 23, 2025
'Where a female journalist demonstrates true journalistic integrity by speaking the truth about biological reality rather than parroting ideological language imposed on her from above,' the 59-year-old said.
Rowling's supporters flocked to the comments, approving of her response to the backlash.
'I love living on Earth, where reality is making a big comeback,' one person wrote.
'Truth isn't hate, and biology isn't bigotry. She's saying what millions think but are too scared to say. Respect,' another person wrote.
A third person said they personally enjoyed the "real-time translation from woke to English' and wished 'we had more of it.'
'Or better yet, had English on the main screen with the woke stuff on subtitles for the hard of thinking,' the fan added.
It comes after Rowling first expressed her approval for Croxall's move in reposting SEEN In Journalism's clip of the presenter's bulletin.
SEEN In Journalism is a campaign group which says "seeks to restore accuracy and impartiality to media coverage of sex and gender".
"Good to see accuracy on BBC News," the group said of Croxwell's amendment.
Rowling gave a glowing response, saying: "I have a new favourite BBC presenter."
The BBC does not have specific guidelines on the use of gender-neutral terms such as 'pregnant people', according to The Times on Sunday.
The publication reported the BBC style guide does, however, encourage 'appropriate language' when referring to a person's gender.
This reportedly includes using the gender pronouns 'preferred by the person in question unless there are editorial reasons not to do so'.
Meanwhile, Croxall received a barrage of support and responded to one person who praised her move as "brilliant".
"I hope you don't get hauled before the BBC News beak," they said.
The broadcaster replied: "Braced x".
She subsequently posted on social media a screenshot of her broadcast and expressed her heartfelt thanks to those who backed her.
"A huge thank you to everyone who has chosen to follow me today for whatever reason. It's been quite a ride..." the veteran journalist said.
Croxall began her career at the BBC 34 years ago, in 1991, and rose through the ranks, presenting news programmes such as World News Today, BBC Weekend News, Dateline London, and BBC News at One.
The journalist previously defended the Supreme Court's ruling that only biological women meet the definition of a woman under equality laws.
The ruling in April meant trans women were not allowed into spaces for females, such as change rooms, single-sex refuges and hospital wards.
It also paved the way for sporting competitions to exclude trans women.
Rowling joined Croxall in the chorus of celebrators of the landmark cases' result through a photo of herself elated as she smoked a cigar on X.
"I love it when a plan comes together," the British author wrote in the caption.
"To those celebrating the fact that I'm smoking a blunt: it's a cigar. Even if it decided to identify as a blunt for the purposes of this celebration, it would remain objectively, provably and demonstratively a cigar.
"The fact that so many UK trans activists are shrieking about injustice says it all.
"You never had the rights you claim you've now lost; you had demands."
Rowling previously mocked the phrase "people who menstruate", said women's rights and "lived reality" would be "erased" if "sex isn't real", and called a list of trans women "men, every last one of them".
She disputes her views are transphobic.