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The BBC has upheld a complaint that presenter Martine Croxall broke the network's guidelines by correcting the term "pregnant people" to "women" during a live broadcast.
"London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has released research which says that nearly 600 heat-related deaths are expected in the U.K.," Croxall began in the June broadcast.
"Malcolm Mistry, who was involved in the research, says that the aged, pregnant people – women –," she said, pausing briefly with an edge in her voice, "and those with pre-existing health conditions need to take precautions."
BBC news presenter Martine Croxall corrected the term "pregnant people" during a broadcast in June to "women" as she read a report on heat-related health issues. (Screenshot/BBC)
According to the BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU), 20 viewers filed complaints about Croxall's reaction and determined that she breached the BBC's editorial standards of impartiality.
"The phrase 'pregnant people' was followed by a facial expression which has been variously interpreted by complainants as showing disgust, ridicule, contempt or exasperation," the BBC reported in a news release Thursday.
BBC News management initially claimed that Croxall was reacting to "scripting which somewhat clumsily incorporated phrases from the press release accompanying the research." BBC's style guide also does not include specific rules about using the term "pregnant people."
BBC News management has discussed the ECU's findings with Martine Croxall. (PA/PA Images via Getty Images)
However, the ECU claimed that Croxall's expression as well as the praise she received online showed that she was sharing a "personal view" on a "controversial matter."
"Even accepting this explanation, however, the ECU considered the facial expression which accompanied the change of 'people' to 'women' laid it open to the interpretation that it indicated a particular viewpoint in the controversies currently surrounding trans identity, and the congratulatory messages Ms Croxall later received on social media, together with the critical views expressed in the complaints to the BBC and elsewhere, tended to confirm that the impression of her having expressed a personal view was widely shared across the spectrum of opinion on the issue," the news release said.
BBC MARRED BY RECENT STRING OF RETRACTIONS AND APOLOGIES RELATED TO ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR COVERAGE
Martine Croxall received widespread praise online for her live correction. (Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images)
The ECU reported the findings to BBC News management, who reportedly discussed with Croxall and the editorial team behind the video. It is unclear what additional action will be taken.
The BBC declined to comment to Fox News Digital.
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The clip was lauded by J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series and a staunch defender of women-only spaces, who wrote on X, "I have a new favourite BBC presenter."
Fox News' Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.
Lindsay Kornick is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @lmkornick.
