England cricketers Nat Sciver-Brunt, Katherine Sciver-Brunt and The Hundred’s Abtaha Maqsood, will feature on CBeebies Bedtime Stories, ahead of a huge summer of women’s cricket.
They will appear on the much-loved CBeebies show from Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, host to the opening match of both the Women’s Ashes and the third year of The Hundred.
Airing on Friday 9 June, the Sciver-Brunts will become the first LGBTQ+ couple to feature on the programme, and will read Find Your Happy by Emily Coxhead, a book all about what a wonderful thing it is to feel happy. With vibrant illustrations, the uplifting story follows a sloth who shows little ones what to do if they’re feeling sad or angry, frightened or shy. It’s the first of two stories to be read by the couple for CBeebies.
Nat Sciver-Brunt said: “I put my expressive face to good use hopefully! It’s really important to know that it is ok to feel different things or not fit in and to know that you will find your comfort zone. 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 Sciver-Brunt said: “We had a lot of fun! We’re delighted to have been a part of it, especially as a couple and representing the cricket family. It’s really nice to be able to do something so different and hopefully our nieces and nephews will enjoy watching us read a CBeebies Bedtime Story.”
Next month, Abtaha Maqsood, the first woman to wear a Hijab while taking part in The Hundred, follows in their footsteps when she reads Not Now, Noor! by Farhana Islam and Nabila Adani to mark South Asian Heritage Month. The heart-warming tale is about Noor, who is curious to find out why the women in her family wear headscarves. It’s the first of two stories Abtaha will read for CBeebies.
Abtaha says: “I absolutely loved reading a CBeebies Bedtime Story, it’s like nothing I’ve ever done before and I’m really excited to see it come to life. Both the stories I read 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.”
Abtaha’s story will air on Friday 14 July.
The three cricket stars will appear on CBeebies Bedtime Stories ahead of an exciting summer for women’s cricket, which sees the Women’s Ashes taking place alongside the men’s competition, followed by the third series of The Hundred which has seen record-breaking crowds attending women’s cricket matches since its inception.
With games across both competitions set to take place in the biggest stadia in the country, and multiple matches also to be broadcast on the BBC, fans will have numerous chances to watch the women’s teams in action.
Previous sports stars who have read a CBeebies Bedtime Story include Rob Burrow, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Anthony Joshua, Harry Kane and Leah Williamson. Other famous faces to have appeared on the daily slot include Rose Ayling Ellis, Tom Hardy, Dolly Parton, Harry Styles and Kate Winslet.
CBeebies Bedtime Story is on each weekday at 6.50pm on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.
