BBC newsreader Martine Croxall corrects ‘pregnant people’ to ‘women’ in viral autocue moment

A BBC newsreader has gone viral after correcting her own autocue script live on air, with author JK Rowling branding the host her ‘new favourite’.

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.

I have a new favourite BBC presenter. https://t.co/l2gkThccty

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 22, 2025

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.

A huge thank you to everyone who has chosen to follow me today for whatever reason. It’s been quite a ride… pic.twitter.com/k3oUIajOyA

— Martine Croxall (@MartineBBC) June 22, 2025

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