Latest news with #Croxall
Sky News AU
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
J.K. Rowling doubles down on praise of veteran BBC presenter who overruled woke 'pregnant people' autocue line
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.
The National
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Women's freedom to speak the truth must be protected
It's been almost 100 years since Virginia Woolf wrote these words, yet they could have been written yesterday. So too, perhaps, could the diary entry she wrote the day before A Room Of One's Own was published, in which she took EM Forster's decision not to review it as an ominous sign: 'It makes me suspect that there is a shrill feminine tone in it which my intimate friends will dislike.' It might seem odd that a celebrated writer who expressed her feminist views with such clarity and conviction would have had this wobble. But then, Woolf did not identify as a feminist – or at least not consistently so. In the same diary entry she fretted that she would be 'attacked for a feminist and hinted at for a sapphist', as if this might fatally undermine her argument that 'a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction'. READ MORE: I was at the protest for Palestine Action – here's what happened Among those who did review the essay was Vita Sackville-West, Woolf's friend and (female) lover, who declared: 'Mrs Woolf is too sensible to be a thorough-going feminist.' What, these days, might constitute a 'thorough-going feminist', from whom another woman of broadly feminist orientation might wish to distance herself? Would it be she who insists that women's rights must be grounded in an objective definition of 'woman' or, alternatively, her counterpart who believes 'woman' should be a mixed-sex category based on self-identification? Some would cite Woolf's gender-bending novel Orlando as evidence that she would be in the second group. It could equally be argued that the fantastical biography – inspired by the life of the aforementioned Sackville-West – was a product of its time that deployed the sex change of its protagonist to overcome in literature the sexual and financial barriers the woman faced in real life. Woolf herself was very conscious of her own privilege as a middle-class woman of means. BBC newsreader Martine Croxall (pictured, second left) sought to 'tell the truth' on Sunday when reading a story about heat-related health risks. Not, on the face of it, a controversial topic, but when she came to list the specific groups urged to take precautions, she faltered. The list included 'pregnant people', which she quickly corrected to 'women' with a split-second roll of her eyes. It might seem absurd that this one word – and that barely perceptible gesture – would generate countless news stories, but in the current climate it is no surprise. 'I hope you don't get hauled before the BBC News beak', wrote one follower on X/Twitter. 'Braced x' was Croxall's reply. It wouldn't be the first time Croxall had braced herself for conflict with the broadcaster's high heid yins. In March she was one of four female news presenters who agreed a settlement with the BBC over claims including sex and age discrimination in relation to a restructuring when its domestic and international news channels merged. It's probably safe to say that her diary entry for Sunday night will not have featured any concerns about being too shrill, or being taken for a feminist. The Times later reported that BBC bosses were 'intensely relaxed' about the script change, and that there was a 'groundswell of support internally for using 'honest language'.' So did Croxall 'tell the truth', or did she express an opinion that she holds? And if there are competing versions of the truth, which opinion should a public broadcaster (or any media outlet) express? By striking contrast, the word 'woman' was missing when LBC presenter Ali Miraj sought to make his point during a phone-in segment discussing potential regime change in Iran. A caller highlighted that 'women are getting thrown off buildings' in that country (a reference to 16-year-old Sarina Esmailzadeh and 17-year-old Nika Shakarami, who died during protests against the death of a woman in the custody of the regime's 'morality police'). READ MORE: Former Unionist party leader backs Scottish independence referendum In an extraordinary response, Miraj said that 'a lot of people might be disagreeing with the fact that people are scantily clad in Watford high street on a Saturday night vomiting into the gutter'. Regardless of whether you agree with his central point – that the UK cannot go around intervening in every instance where it disagrees with the values of others – it was a very troubling comparison, made worse by the fact that he chose a very ethnically diverse English town for his example. How interesting that he chose to refer to 'people', as opposed to the young women he was undoubtedly describing. 'Who cares?', I know many of you will be asking. What does this have to do with the price of groceries, the climate crisis, the cause of independence? Perhaps not much. But perhaps more than you think. The freedom to speak the truth must be protected. Without truthful language, we cannot have truthful campaigning. If everything is simply a matter of opinion, not a matter of fact, how can any politician be held to account for misrepresenting the facts, or telling outright lies? And if large numbers of women are too fearful to speak the truth, in case their 'shrill feminine tone' or versions of the truth will upset their intimate friends – or indeed their employers – where does that leave feminism? It certainly doesn't help the women who are 'falling' off roofs in Iran. On the contrary, it has created a disastrous rift in a feminist movement that is needed now more than ever, the whole world over.
Scotsman
23-06-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
BBC presenter Martine Croxall makes 'quite a ride' comment after JK Rowling hails 'pregnant people' refusal
BBC presenter Martine Croxall has spoken out following a flurry of interest in her intervention live on air. Sign up for the daily Trending Today. Get the stories the internet is talking about to your inbox. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A BBC News presenter has described a flurry of social media interest in her after she corrected an autocue live on air as 'quite a ride'. Martine Croxall, 56, was introducing a report for the BBC on the risk of heatwave-related deaths when she changed the phrase 'pregnant people' contained in an autocue line to 'women'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad BBC presenter Martine Croxall | BBC News The presenter said: 'Malcolm Mistry, who was involved in the research, said the aged, pregnant people - women - and those with pre-existing health conditions need to take precautions.' The autocue change was hailed by Harry Potter author and outspoken women's rights campaigner JK Rowling, who said: 'I have a new favourite BBC presenter.' Ms Rowling shared a video from a post by SEEN in Journalism that included the clip of Ms Croxall and read: 'Good to see accuracy on BBC News.' Ms Croxall, who has seen followers of her official X account surge to 104,000 in the wake of the clip, posted on social media on Sunday night: 'A huge thank you to everyone who has chosen to follow me today for whatever reason. It's been quite a ride… ' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It is believed the term 'pregnant people' had been written by the researchers, rather than by the brodcaster, and was being quoted by the BBC. The gender-neutral phrase 'pregnant people' has become used more widely to include transgender men and non-binary individuals who may be pregnant. Ms Croxall first joined the BBC in 1991 and started working for the BBC News team in 2001. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Axed news reader, Martine Croxall, returns to BBC after being let go in controversial merger. Picture: BBC | BBC She found herself mired in controversy in 2022 when she was taken off air amid claims she showed bias after former prime minister Boris Johnson pulled out of the Tory leadership contest. During her introduction to Sunday night's edition of The Papers at the time, in which members of the press and experts look at how the main stories of the day were covered, Ms Croxall said of the update on Mr Johnson: 'Well this is all very exciting, isn't it?' adding: 'Am I allowed to be this gleeful? Well I am.' Some viewers, including several Tory MPs reacted to a clip on social media, complained it displayed bias. A statement from the broadcaster at the time said: 'BBC News is urgently reviewing last night's edition of The Papers on the News Channel for a potential breach of impartiality. 'It is imperative that we maintain the highest editorial standards. We have processes in place to uphold our standards, and these processes have been activated.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
New York Post
23-06-2025
- Health
- New York Post
BBC News presenter refuses to say ‘pregnant people,' corrects script live on air: ‘WOMEN!'
A BBC News presenter was quick to correct the phrase 'pregnant people' to 'women' live on air — punctuating the moment with an eye roll as she read from the teleprompter. Martine Croxall, who has worked at the BBC for more than three decades, was seen rolling her eyes at the language used in the original newscast's script — before she swiftly took matters into her own hands. During Saturday's daytime newscast, Croxall read aloud a story about which groups were most at risk for heat-related illnesses. Advertisement 4 A BBC News presenter was quick to correct the phrase 'pregnant people' to 'women' live on air. BBC As she read out new research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical, the autocue prompted her to warn that 'pregnant people' should take extra care in Britain's currently sweltering heatwave. After reading 'pregnant people,' Croxall immediately corrected the original script to 'women' before rolling her eyes. Advertisement 'Malcom Mistry, who was involved in the research, says that the aged, pregnant people — women! — and those with pre-existing health conditions need to take precautions,' the news anchor said. It wasn't long before the newscast went viral on social media, with thousands of people thrusting their support behind Croxall's decision to alter the language used. Among her most ardent supporters was 'Harry Potter' author JK Rowling, who rushed to praise the newsreader on social media. Advertisement 'I have a new favorite BBC presenter,' Rowling wrote on X. Croxall, for her part, broke her silence over the ordeal on social media Sunday night following the mass media attention the moment has garnered. 4 Croxall was seen rolling her eyes at the language used in the original newscast's script. @MartineBBC/X 4 After reading 'pregnant people,' Croxall immediately corrected the original script to 'women' before rolling her eyes. In Pictures via Getty Images Advertisement 'A huge thank you to everyone who has chosen to follow me today for whatever reason,' she wrote on X, alongside a photo of herself during the newscast. 'It's been quite a ride…' The journalist also replied individually to followers who had reached out to her throughout the day, including one who hoped she wouldn't be 'hauled' in front of BBC bosses. Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters 'Braced x,' Croxall responded to the well wisher, proving she's unfazed by whatever repercussions may come her way. She later clarified that the clip of her correcting 'pregnant people' to 'women' was not AI after several people questioned its authenticity. 4 Croxall has worked at the BBC for more than three decades. @MartineBBC/X Croxall has been working for the BBC for more than 30 years, kickstarting her tenure in 1991. In 2001, she joined the BBC News team and has since fronted a wide range of programs including World News Today, BBC Weekend News, Dateline London and BBC News at One.
Courier-Mail
23-06-2025
- Climate
- Courier-Mail
BBC newsreader Martine Croxall corrects ‘pregnant people' to ‘women' in viral autocue moment
Don't miss out on the headlines from TV. Followed categories will be added to My News. Author JK Rowling has praised BBC newsreader Martine Croxall after she refused to refer to 'pregnant people' live on air. The Harry Potter writer, 59, joked that she had a 'new favourite BBC presenter' after Croxall overruled her autocue which referred to 'pregnant people' being at risk during the recent hot weather. Rowling has been a prominent women's rights campaigner and has often been vocal on what she calls 'sex-based rights' for several years. In the clip from a recent BBC News show, Croxall introduces comments from new research about the number of heat-related deaths expected during the ongoing hot weather period. However, as she reads along the autocue, she raises an eyebrow and smirks at the camera after having to say 'pregnant people' could be at risk in the heat. She then quickly overrides this, saying 'women' instead, before moving on with the rest of the script. BBC newsreader Martine Croxall. Picture: Supplied 'Malcolm Mistry, who was involved in the research, said the aged, pregnant people — women! — and those with pre-existing health conditions need to take precautions,' Croxall reads. Reposting the clip on X, Rowling praised the BBC presenter, saying she was her 'new favourite'. It is understood that the term 'pregnant people' had been written by the researchers and was being quoted, rather than the BBC having written the phrase. Other commenters also jumped in to praise 'brilliant' Croxall, with one saying, 'I hope you don't get hauled before the BBC News break.' In response, Croxall joked, 'Braced x'. The journalist also addressed the recent uptake in her following in a post on X on Sunday. 'A huge thank you to everyone who has chosen to follow me today for whatever reason. It's been quite a ride …' she wrote. Harry Potter author JK Rowling. Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage Croxall has been a veteran broadcaster for the BBC, having first joined the company more than 30 years ago in 1991. She then began working for the BBC News team in 2001. This comes just weeks after the same presenter challenged a transgender activist who questioned whether the definition of a woman could be determined by biological sex. While interviewing ex-Labour Scottish Parliament candidate Heather Herbert, following the Supreme Court's ruling that the term women referred to one's biological sex, Croxall found herself in a heated debate. During a conversation on clarifying 'what the word woman means', Ms Herbert declared she felt like she was 'under attack' from Croxall's questioning. The veteran BBC newsreader countered by questioning how it could be an 'attack' when all she was asking for was clarification. She then told Ms Herbert that the ruling made it clear 'sex is binary and immutable' after the trans activist denied that local authorities — who have not protected single sex spaces based on biological sex — may have to reverse policies as a result of the ruling. This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission Originally published as BBC newsreader Martine Croxall corrects 'pregnant people' to 'women' in viral autocue moment
