BBC Newsreader eye-rolls and refuses to say 'pregnant people' instead of women
BBC newsreader Martine Croxall appeared to roll her eyes as she switched 'pregnant people' for 'women' during a news report.
The 56-year-old news host was presenting a segment on new research about the number of heat-related deaths expected amid Britain's current heatwave when the moment occured.
Initially quoting the phrasing used in the research, Croxall 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.'
'I have a new favourite BBC presenter,' Harry Potter author J.K Rowling, who has faced backlash for her views on the transgender community and trans-inclusive langage, posted on X.
Rowling has previously taken issue with phrases such as 'people who mensturate'.
After one commenter on X said they 'hope you don't get hauled before the BBC News beak,' the Celebrity mastermind winner said she was 'braced'.
The national broadcaster currently has no specific policy of saying pregnant people.
Last year, Croxall notably returned to the BBC after taking legal action against the broadcaster.
She claimed that she was one of a group of BBC employees kept off-air during a rebrand and returned to her place behind the newsdesk after an employment tribunal.
The use of gender-neutral language within maternity care has been a topic of fierce debate in recent years. In 2021 a Brighton hospital faced backlash for rolling out a 'gender-includive language policy'.
Elsewhere a maternity bill in the UK changed the word 'person' to 'mothers and 'expecting mothers' after complaints.
The trans rights movement has faced intense scrutiny with figures like Rowling stoking debate such as her support of the superme court ruling around the definition of a woman.
Sir Stephen Fry, who has previously defended the writer, appeared to change his stance in recent comments saying she has been 'radicalised'.
'She has been radicalised, I fear, and it may be she has been radicalised by TERFs, but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her. More Trending
'It is unhelpful and only hardens her and will only continue to harden her, I am afraid.'
He added that she is a 'lost cause for us'.
'I am not saying that she should not be called out when she says things that are really cruel, wrong and mocking,' he said at a live event.
Metro has reached out to BBC for comment.
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
View More »
MORE: Dame Prue Leith's son blasted after saying she doesn't 'see sense' in debate
MORE: Dragons' Den star reveals their strict rule children's friends must follow
MORE: Disgraced Strictly star slams 'double standards' at BBC after Naga Munchetty 'sex jibe'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
BBC Newsreader eye-rolls and refuses to say 'pregnant people' instead of women
BBC newsreader Martine Croxall appeared to roll her eyes as she switched 'pregnant people' for 'women' during a news report. The 56-year-old news host was presenting a segment on new research about the number of heat-related deaths expected amid Britain's current heatwave when the moment occured. Initially quoting the phrasing used in the research, Croxall 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.' 'I have a new favourite BBC presenter,' Harry Potter author J.K Rowling, who has faced backlash for her views on the transgender community and trans-inclusive langage, posted on X. Rowling has previously taken issue with phrases such as 'people who mensturate'. After one commenter on X said they 'hope you don't get hauled before the BBC News beak,' the Celebrity mastermind winner said she was 'braced'. The national broadcaster currently has no specific policy of saying pregnant people. Last year, Croxall notably returned to the BBC after taking legal action against the broadcaster. She claimed that she was one of a group of BBC employees kept off-air during a rebrand and returned to her place behind the newsdesk after an employment tribunal. The use of gender-neutral language within maternity care has been a topic of fierce debate in recent years. In 2021 a Brighton hospital faced backlash for rolling out a 'gender-includive language policy'. Elsewhere a maternity bill in the UK changed the word 'person' to 'mothers and 'expecting mothers' after complaints. The trans rights movement has faced intense scrutiny with figures like Rowling stoking debate such as her support of the superme court ruling around the definition of a woman. Sir Stephen Fry, who has previously defended the writer, appeared to change his stance in recent comments saying she has been 'radicalised'. 'She has been radicalised, I fear, and it may be she has been radicalised by TERFs, but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her. More Trending 'It is unhelpful and only hardens her and will only continue to harden her, I am afraid.' He added that she is a 'lost cause for us'. 'I am not saying that she should not be called out when she says things that are really cruel, wrong and mocking,' he said at a live event. Metro has reached out to BBC for comment. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Dame Prue Leith's son blasted after saying she doesn't 'see sense' in debate MORE: Dragons' Den star reveals their strict rule children's friends must follow MORE: Disgraced Strictly star slams 'double standards' at BBC after Naga Munchetty 'sex jibe'
Times
6 hours ago
- Times
JK Rowling praises BBC presenter for ‘pregnant women' correction
JK Rowling has praised a BBC presenter who corrected the term 'pregnant people' to 'women' during a live news broadcast in an apparent rejection of gender-neutral language. Martine Croxall was citing a heart-related study about protecting vulnerable people against extreme weather when she appeared to roll her eyes at the phrase. 'London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has released research which says that nearly 600 heat-related deaths are expected in the UK,' she read. 'Malcolm 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 original wording came from the study's authors rather than the BBC, it is understood. Responding to Saturday's incident, Rowling, the gender-critical author, wrote on X: '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', which has become more frequent in the wake of calls to remove gender from discussions of pregnancy and childbirth. JK Rowling DAVE J HOGAN/GETTY IMAGES The BBC News style guide does, however, encourage 'appropriate language' when reporting on a person's gender, including using whichever gender pronouns are 'preferred by the person in question, unless there are editorial reasons not to do so'. In April, the Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a woman was based on biological sex. In a previous statement, the BBC said that it was assessing how to implement the ruling into its editorial guidelines. A spokesman said: 'In our news reporting, we always aim to deal with issues fairly and impartially, and this is informed by our editorial guidelines. BBC News are assessing the ruling to consider any updates which might need to be made to the style guide as a result.' The BBC has been approached for comment.
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
JK Rowling praises BBC newsreader Martine Croxall for refusing to say ‘pregnant people' live on air
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 Martine overruled her autocue which referred to "pregnant people" being at risk during the recent hot weather. 4 4 JK 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, Martine 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. Martine read: "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." Reposting the clip on X, JK 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" Martine, with one saying: "I hope you don't get hauled before the BBC News break." In response, Martine joked: "Braced x". Martine has been a veteran broadcaster for the BBC, having first joined the company more than 30 years ago in 1991. USA Gymnastics Reconsiders Trans Athlete Policy Amid Biles-Gaines Feud 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 MSP candidate Heather Herbert, following the Supreme Court's ruling that the term women referred to one's biological sex, Martine found herself in a heated debate. JK Rowling in bitter spat with Boy George as singer calls her 'rich bored bully' over trans rights JK Rowling has blasted Boy George for calling her a 'rich bored bully' – pointing out he once served time for whipping a male escort with a chain. The Harry Potter author posted a furious response on X after the Culture Club singer waded into a spat with another user who claimed Ms Rowling was 'the person maybe most responsible for the push to take away trans rights'. When Ms Rowling asked the X user 'which rights have been taken away from trans people?', Boy George responded: 'The right to be left alone by a rich bored bully!' Ms Rowling posted a lengthy rebuttal in which she accused the Karma Chameleon singer, whose real name is George O'Dowd, of sneering at 'unenlightened plebs' who reject the notion that trans women are women. She added: 'I've never been given 15 months for handcuffing a man to a wall and beating him with a chain.' Boy George was jailed in 2009 for handcuffing an escort to his bed and inflicting 'wholly gratuitous violence' at a property in Shoreditch, east London, in April 2007. The court was told that the cocaine-fuelled attack on Audun Carlsen, a Norwegian man, had been 'premeditated and callous' and had left the victim 'traumatised'. Boy George had been found guilty at an earlier trial of false imprisonment and beating Carlsen with a chain with the help of another man, whom he had never identified. Ms Rowling rejected Boy George's claim that she was entitled. During a conversation on clarifying "what the word woman means", Heather declared she felt like she was "under attack" from Martine'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 Heather 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. 4
