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England cricketers become first LGBT couple to read CBeebies bedtime story

BBC Katherine and Nat Sciver-BruntBBC
Katherine [L] and Nat Sciver-Brunt said they were delighted to take part during Pride month

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 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.

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".

Abtaha Maqsood
Abtaha Maqsood, who plays for the Hundred's Birmingham Phoenix team, says you can be whoever you want to be

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 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 who have appeared on the show include Rose Ayling Ellis, Tom Hardy, Dolly Parton, Harry Styles and Kate Winslet.

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.