The BBC has backed news anchor Martine Croxall after she went viral for changing her autocue from “pregnant people” to “women.”
Croxall was lauded by the likes of J.K. Rowling on X/Twitter over the weekend after she interrupted her sentence and appeared to roll her eyes after reading out a quote from a study that cited “pregnant people.”
The presenter was quoting Dr Malcolm Mistry, an assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who said “pregnant people” are more at risk of death during a heatwave in the UK.
Croxall said: “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.”
A BBC News source pointed out that Croxall was not correcting an internal script. They added that nowhere in the BBC News style guide does it insist on the phrase “pregnant women.”
Other insiders said it was highly unlikely that Croxall would be reprimanded over the matter. These employees pointed to the UK Supreme Court ruling in April, which said that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.
At the time of the ruling, the BBC said: “BBC News is assessing the ruling to consider any updates which might need to be made to the style guide as a result.”
Other insiders said the mood music had changed at the BBC since Justin Webb, a Radio 4 Today show presenter, was censured last year for stating “transwomen, in other words, males” on-air. “I think the fallout made them think: this is mad,” a source said.
On Monday, Croxall tweeted: “A huge thank you to everyone who has chosen to follow me today for whatever reason. It’s been quite a ride…”
Rowling was quick to praise Croxall, saying she had a “new favourite BBC presenter” after seeing the viral clip. In another message today, Rowling told Croxall: “You’d better not be in any trouble…”
It comes just days after Rowling slammed the BBC for its reporting on transgender issues. “Our national broadcaster can no longer be trusted to report truthfully or impartially on matters relating to sex, preferring to push its own luxury beliefs on the unenlightened masses,” she wrote.
