JK Rowling slams John Oliver after he mocks her 'obsession' with banning trans athletes again: ‘Read the f**king room’

In a recent episode of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver revisited his past conflict with JK Rowling, prompting her to hit back sharply on social media

Updated on: Apr 8, 2025, 16:04:33 IST

By Ritika Kumar

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HBO host John Oliver has irked Harry Potter author JK Rowling once again over the topic of banning trans athletes. In a recent episode of Last Week Tonight, John criticised the right-wing's obsession with wanting to ban transgender athletes in sports, including at school level. Rowling has retaliated at the TV host on X (formerly Twitter) asking him to ‘read the f**king room’.

JK Rowling and John Oliver are fighting over trans athletes rights to participate in sports

(Also read: HBO defends JK Rowling's involvement in Harry Potter series despite problematic stance on transgender community)

What happened in Last Week Tonight latest episode

Oliver pointed out his earlier spat with Rowling regarding the same topic. The author had criticised Oliver in November last year when he showed his support to transgender athletes saying that they didn't pose any threat to safety or fairness to cis-women athletes. Rowling, at that time, had retorted by saying that Oliver was happy to watch female athletes suffer injury, humiliation and loss of sporting opportunities.

Now, in the latest episode, Oliver reignited the spat and mentioned Rowling. “It feels a bit weird to catch that much heat from the creator of Harry Potter, especially when I clearly look like what would have happened to him if they left him in that cupboard for the rest of his life,” joked Oliver, adding that he stands by everything he said last year.

Watch the video here:

Rowling retaliated on social media

Rowling, in a fresh tweet, retaliated Oliver's latest stand by saying, “I understand why men like Oliver, who’ve consistently mocked anti-science people on the right, sold out initially. They didn’t want to blow up their careers. Taking fashionable anti-women’s rights positions was the cost of doing business. But it’s time to read the f**king room."

Rowling and Oliver both have deals with HBO. While Oliver's Last Week Tonight is currently running its 12th season on the network, Rowling is in talks to develop Harry Potter franchise into a HBO series that is expected to go into production this year and get launched in 2026.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritika Kumar
Ritika Kumar is a seasoned journalist with over 15 years of experience, having written for newspapers, magazines, and online platforms, catering to a diverse range of audiences. Over the years, she has covered general news, lifestyle, and entertainment, building a reputation for sharp observation, compelling storytelling, and an ability to connect with readers across multiple formats. She holds a graduation degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and a postgraduate diploma from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore. Before joining Hindustan Times, Ritika worked with prominent media organizations including The Times of India, Press Trust of India, NDTV, and the Malayala Manorama Group. These roles allowed her to refine her skills across various beats, mastering the nuances of different formats and tailoring her writing to readers of newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms alike. Beyond journalism, Ritika is deeply passionate about poetry, drawing inspiration from voices ranging from Faiz Ahmed Faiz to T.S. Eliot. She is also a keen cinephile, enjoying discussions about cinematography, acting, and the subtle layers of storytelling on screen. A lover of travel and the outdoors, Ritika often finds inspiration in nature, where she reflects on life’s rhythms. When not working, she can be found soaking in the serene glow of sunsets and reflecting on the intricate workings of the human heartRead More

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