John Oliver and JK Rowling have reignited their public feud over transgender athletes in women’s sports. The conflict began after Oliver criticized conservative efforts to ban trans athletes during his April 6 episode of Last Week Tonight, prompting Rowling to accuse him of ignoring women’s rights. Here’s what you need to know about their ongoing disagreement and its broader implications.
Latest Heated Exchange
John Oliver dedicated a large portion of his April 6 show to discussing Republican-led efforts to ban transgender athletes from competing in school sports. He called the focus on this issue an “obsession” and argued there is “no evidence” trans athletes threaten fairness or safety in women’s sports. Oliver also joked about his past clashes with Rowling, saying, “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” .
Rowling responded sharply on social media, writing: “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*ing room” . She accused Oliver of promoting an “elitist post-modern ideology” that harms female athletes .
History of Disagreements
This isn’t the first time Oliver and Rowling have clashed. In November 2024, Oliver defended transgender athletes on his show, stating that the number of trans girls in school sports is “vanishingly small” and that they pose no systemic threat. Rowling fired back then, calling Oliver “an undoubtedly intelligent person who spouts absolute bullshit” and claiming he was willing to let women suffer “injury, humiliation, and loss of sporting opportunities” .
Rowling has long argued that biological differences between men and women create unfair advantages in sports, a stance that has drawn criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates. Oliver, meanwhile, has emphasized the lack of scientific consensus on trans athletes’ advantages, noting that performance varies widely even among cisgender athletes .
HBO Partnership Tensions
The feud is awkward for Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns HBO. Oliver’s Last Week Tonight is a flagship HBO program, while Rowling is executive producing HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series, set to begin production this year for a 2026 release . Despite backlash over Rowling’s views, HBO has maintained its partnership with her, with CEO David Zaslav calling their collaboration “thrilling” .
Debunking the 900 Medals Claim
During his April 6 episode, Oliver also debunked a viral claim—shared by Rowling—that cisgender women have “lost” 900 medals to trans athletes. He explained the number was inflated by including non-athletic events like poker and Irish dance competitions. “A lot of what you see online may not be quite what you think,” Oliver said, adding that many cis athletes support trans competitors . Rowling has not publicly addressed this specific criticism.
The Broader Debate
Oliver acknowledged the issue is “meaningfully complicated” but criticized blanket bans on trans athletes, urging policies that balance inclusion and competition. He also linked the debate to broader anti-trans sentiment, arguing some conservatives use sports as a cover to push anti-LGBTQ+ agendas . Rowling, however, insists the focus should remain on protecting women’s sports, claiming the “grassroots backlash” against trans inclusion is growing .
Release Note: HBO’s Harry Potter series, executive-produced by Rowling, is expected to premiere in 2026. Last Week Tonight airs Sundays on HBO.
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