By BEN WILLCOCKS, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Published: 19:11 GMT, 30 December 2025 | Updated: 19:20 GMT, 30 December 2025

Former female cricketer and pundit Alex Hartley has urged that women 'shouldn't be scared to talk about their periods' after being criticised for discussing the topic on BBC radio.

While on BBC's Test Match Special during England's third Ashes Test against Australia, Hartley, 32, admitted she was feeling 'grumpy' after recently starting her period, a remark which sparked both a positive and negative reaction from listeners.

Despite receiving 'thousands' of positive comments on social media, the former spinner also revealed she was met with significant backlash for mentioning her period live on air.

Hartley, urging that women should not feel uncomfortable talking about their periods, told the No Balls podcast: 'I have no problem talking about this sort of thing. It should be normalised. How is it not normalised?'

'If a young girl is listening to the radio and hears I am on my period she will go 'oh that is totally normal for people to talk about it'.

'It shouldn't be taboo. Females shouldn't be scared to talk about their periods. It is normal and natural.

Former female cricketer and pundit Alex Hartley has urged that women 'shouldn't be scared to talk about their periods' after being criticised for discussing the topic on BBC radio

Hartley, 32, admitted she was feeling 'grumpy' after recently starting her period, a remark which sparked both a positive and negative reaction from BBC Test Match Special listeners

'I had 4,000 DMs [direct messages] from people saying it was amazing, 'thanks for talking about it'.

'Loads of girl dads, mums, teenagers, men defending me. It wasn't all bad.'

During the podcast, which she hosts alongside England bowler Kate Cross, a female listener from India revealed she was banned from playing cricket with boys because of her periods. 

'The more it is spoken about the more normalised it is,' Hartley continued. 

'My first period was at a club cricket game. We were all in whites. You feel a bit funny and I went to the toilet and had come on my period.

'I was quite old. All of my friends had been through it.

'I had to go into the dressing room and say I have had my first period has anyone got any sort of sanitary products. Being 13 and going through that.'

Discussing England's feeble chances of securing victory in the third Ashes Test in Adelaide last week, Hartley told BBC TMS commentator Daniel Norcross: 'I'm feeling more optimistic. I must admit yesterday I was very grumpy. Disclaimer. I did come on my period, so I think that might explain it.'