England cricketers become first LGBT couple to read CBeebies bedtime story

England cricketers  Nat and Katherine Sciver-Brunt will become the first LGBT couple to feature on CBeebies Bedtime Stories, as part of Pride month.

The couple, who married last year, will read Emily Coxhead's Find Your Happy, about a sloth learning to navigate their emotions.

Abtaha Maqsood, Britain's first Hijab-wearing cricketer, will read a story to mark July's South Asian Heritage Month.

The stories are being filmed from Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.

The three women join the ranks of other sports stars reading bedtime stories including Rob Burrow, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Anthony Joshua, Harry Kane and Leah Williamson, while celebrities on the show include Rose Ayling Ellis, Tom Hardy, Dolly Parton, Harry Styles and Kate Winslet.

The Sciver-Brunts, who will read two stories, both played for England and have held the title of women's cricketer of the year.

Nat captained England in September 2022, but decided to withdraw "to focus on her mental health and well being".

"It's really important to know that it is okay to feel different things or not fit in and to know that you will find your comfort zone," she said.

"Becoming a CBeebies Bedtime Story reader is such an elite list to be joining, and it's such a special thing for us to be doing in Pride Month."

Katherine, who announced her retirement from Test cricket in June last year, added they were delighted to be part of it "especially as a couple and representing the cricket family".

Maqsood, who plays for teams including Scotland, will read Not Now, Noor! by Farhana Islam and Nabila Adani, which explores Noor's curiosity about why the women in her family  wear headscarves.

She is known for being a talented bowler, but she is also a black belt in taekwondo, was Scotland's flag-bearer at Glasgow' 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and was part of the Scotland side during the 2017 Women's World Cup qualifier.

"I absolutely loved reading a CBeebies Bedtime Story, it's like nothing I've ever done before," she said, adding that the stories she reads "are a great reminder that you can be whoever you want to be, no matter who you are, what religion you follow or what you choose to wear".

The Sciver-Brunts' story is broadcast on Friday 9 June and Abtaha's can be seen on Friday 14 July, at 18:50 BST and on BBC iPlayer.