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

The couple, who married last year, will read Find Your Happy by Emily Coxhead, about a sloth who learns to navigate his emotions.

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

The stories are being filmed from Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.

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

Nat captained England in September 2022 but decided to retire “to focus on her mental health and wellbeing”.

“It’s really important to know that it’s okay to feel different or not fit in and know that you’ll find your comfort zone,” she said.

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

Maqsood, who plays for teams such as 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 veils.

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

“I loved reading a CBeebies bedtime story, it’s like nothing I’ve ever done before,” she said, adding that the stories she 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.”

The three women join the ranks of other sports stars who read 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 will air on Friday 9 June and Abtaha’s story can be seen on Friday 14 July at 18:50 BST and on BBC iPlayer.