Veteran BBC presenter Martine Croxall sparked a storm online after correcting her teleprompter mid-broadcast, swapping the term “pregnant people” for “women” in a segment on heat-related deaths.
The moment, which aired live, has since gone viral and drawn praise from gender-critical commentators, including JK Rowling, who called Croxall her “new favourite BBC presenter.”
📰 The moment it happened
Croxall was presenting a segment on public health advice during extreme heat when she paused mid-sentence to amend her script:
“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.”
Her quiet but deliberate correction caused a stir, with many interpreting it as a rejection of gender-neutral language imposed by editorial policy.
🧨 JK Rowling and others praise Croxall
Rowling quickly weighed in on social media, celebrating the presenter’s unscripted edit. She tweeted: “I have a new favourite BBC presenter.”
Other gender-critical voices echoed her sentiment. James Esses, a prominent commentator, said:
“The BBC is so utterly enthralled to gender ideology that it took a brave newsreader to correct the teleprompter. Let’s hope she isn’t cancelled for her rebellion.”
🧍♀️ Croxall’s past on gender debates
This isn’t the first time Martine Croxall has made headlines over gender-related commentary.
Back in April, she challenged trans activist Heather Herbert during a segment on the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that the legal definition of “woman” refers to biological sex.
When Herbert expressed feeling “under attack,” Croxall replied:
“How is it an attack? It’s a clarification of what the word woman means.”
She added: “The ruling is that woman means biological sex.”
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