Rowling has denied the accusations of transphobia (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)
The BBC is reportedly set to renew a sixth season of JK Rowling’s drama Strike, which comes after the broadcaster issued two apologies to the author after she was accused of transphobia on air.
Based on the Harry Potter author’s book series Cormoran Strike, which she writes under pseudonym Robert Galbraith, the five seasons follow private detective Cormoran Strike (played by Tom Burke) and his partner Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger).
And now a sixth may be in the works.
‘A deal is yet to be done,’ but the broadcaster is said to be ‘enthusiastic’ for another season, according to Deadline.
The publication reports that the sixth season will adapt The Ink Black Heart, which explores the murder of a successful YouTube animator who faces online hate and is accused of being transphobic.
Rowling has previously clarified that the character is not based on her own life, but has admitted facing similar online hate while writing the novel, and afterwards, amid accusations of transphobia.
Speaking to Graham Norton on Virgin Radio, Rowling confirmed that parallels between her own experiences and that in the book were coincidental.
‘I’d written the book before certain things happened to me online,’ she had said.
This follows Rowling receiving apologies from the BBC (Picture: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
‘I said to my husband, “I think everyone’s going to see this as a response to what happened to me” but it genuinely wasn’t.
‘The first draft of the book was finished at the point certain things happened. I’m being very mysterious, I’m just talking about online threats and so on.’
The rumours follow an apology Rowling received after she was accused of being transphobic while on air.
The author had been a part of a conversation about the controversial video game Hogwarts Legacy on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland, during which trans writer Carrie Marshall said she boycotted the game because she thought it was funding ‘the anti-trans movement’.
She said: ‘This is having a measurable effect on trans peoples’ lives and potentially our safety. I think that’s why so many people are concerned about this game.’
The BBC later issued a statement saying the comments did not meet its editorial standards.
‘The debate got into the issue of gender identity and claims were made about JK Rowling’s views,’ it read.
‘We accept that the programme failed to challenge these claims and acknowledge that our contributors gave their opinion as fact.’
In February, trans editor of The Gamer, Stacey Henley, criticised Rowling for her ‘nasty views’ on Radio 4.
The BBC issued an apology after receiving more than 200 complaints, saying: ‘We do accept that there wasn’t sufficient challenge to the claims that were made and that we fell short here.
‘This is a difficult and contentious area which we try very hard to cover fairly and well.’
The author has been denounced by many members of the Harry Potter cast (Picture: PA)
Over the past few years, the bestselling author has locked horns with people on social media and been denounced by most of the Harry Potter cast after being accused of transphobia, which she has denied.
In 2020, Rowling, 57, expressed her views on an article which referred to ‘people who menstruate’, questioning why the term ‘women’ was not used.
Her comments led to a wave of backlash with many branding the writer transphobic and explaining that it’s not just cis-gender women who menstruate, while many who were once fans of Rowling’s work have now distanced themselves from the author, but she’s recently revealed that her legacy isn’t a worry for her.
‘I never set out to upset anyone. However, I was not uncomfortable with getting off my pedestal,’ she stated in an episode of new podcast The Witch Trials of JK Rowling.
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She continued: ‘And what has interested me in the last 10 years and certainly in the last few years, particularly on social media “You’ve ruined your legacy, oh you could have been beloved forever but you chose to say this” and I think you could not have misunderstood me more profoundly.
‘I do not walk around my house thinking about my legacy, what a pompous way to live your life walking around thinking about what my legacy will be. Whatever. I’ll be dead. I care about now. I care about the living.’
In recent months, Rowling has been supported by her celebrity pals, including Succession actor Brian Cox, who said the writer is ‘entitled to her opinion’, while actor Stephen Fry stood by his friendship with the author.
Metro.co.uk has approached BBC for comment.
Strike is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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A sixth season is reportedly in the works.