Miriam Margolyes’ wildest scandals from being told off by the Queen to wishing Boris Johnson dead and calling Charles Dickens’ Fagin ‘Jewish and vile’

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Since rising to fame in the early 1990s, Miriam Margolyes has built a major career.

As someone who’s followed cultural icons for years, let me tell you, this 84-year-old is truly a national treasure! She’s received so much recognition for her incredible work, including a BAFTA award back in 1993 for her role in The Age of Innocence. It’s wonderful to see such talent celebrated.

Despite global success, she is just as well known for her outspoken and fearless personality.

Her shocking statements have frequently caused disagreement and discussion, and have nearly resulted in her facing widespread backlash and being ostracized.

She’s often been in the news for controversial reasons, whether it’s clashes with royalty, outspoken political views, or simply saying things that spark debate.

Here, the Daily Mail looks back at the moments that nearly got her cancelled.

Boris Johnson death wish

Miriam received over 500 complaints after expressing a wish for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson to contract and succumb to coronavirus.

The former Prime Minister was hospitalised after catching the virus back in 2020. 

While on Channel 4’s The Last Leg, Miriam discussed her views on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She expressed her strong disapproval, calling the situation a disgrace and a public scandal. She emphasized how shocking and unacceptable it was.

Miriam added: ‘I had difficulty not wanting Boris Johnson to die. 

I briefly wished he would die, but then realized that wanting such a thing would make me a bad person, and that’s not who I want to be.

‘So then I wanted him to get better, which he did do, he did get better.

‘But he didn’t get better as a human being. And I really would prefer that.’

Attack on ‘the new Jewish people’

Miriam sharply criticized Jewish people in an interview, claiming they have lost their fundamental kindness and empathy.

When asked about controversial statements she made in 2024 – where she compared Israel’s actions to those of Hitler, calling it a ‘vicious, genocidal, nationalist nation’ – the Harry Potter actress stated she stood by her words, asserting she ‘knows she’s right’ and has no regrets.

In an interview on the Adam Buxton podcast, the celebrity revealed that expressing her opinions had caused her to lose friendships, including one with a Jewish friend who lives in Israel.

She explained that she was very upset to have offended anyone, but their reaction felt like a confirmation that Hitler’s ideology had ultimately succeeded. This realization was deeply painful for her, as she hadn’t believed it was possible.

It’s heartbreaking to see how the fundamental kindness and empathy of Jewish people have been diminished and lost.

‘But if I don’t speak out against what I think is wrong, who am I?’

I’ve been following Miriam’s journey for a while now. She grew up in a Jewish household here in Oxford, but lately she’s become much more vocal, largely because of her strong opposition to the policies of Israel. It’s really shaped her public voice.

She expressed feeling deeply saddened by the loss of friendships, explaining that some friends disagreed with her statements and position after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th.

She shared that a friend – who is Jewish and lives in Israel – ended their friendship by telling her to leave them alone and not contact them again.

‘He was somebody to whom I was very close,’ said Miriam

That experience caused me a lot of pain, and it still affects me. However, I stand by my actions because I believe I did the right thing.

I’m not claiming to be perfect, but I’m certain that Israel’s actions regarding Gaza and the policies of the Netanyahu government are morally wrong. I’m absolutely convinced they’ve acted unjustly.

‘F*** you’ comment to Jeremy Hunt

Miriam surprised listeners of BBC Radio 4 by revealing her true feelings about what she wished she’d told the new Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.

Jeremy discussed the government’s new economic strategy with journalist Justin Webb on the Today Programme, right before Miriam’s segment.

The comedian appeared on the show to share her thoughts on the recent death of her friend, Robbie Coltrane, the actor known for playing Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, who had passed away the previous day.

But she went off-piste and decided to make her views about the Chancellor known. 

‘I never thought I’d be sitting in the seat… [that Jeremy Hunt was sat in]’ she told Justin.

Seeing him there, I simply wished him well and said he had a tough job ahead, but honestly, I was furious and wanted to tell him exactly what I thought – something much harsher. Of course, you can’t actually say things like that.

Miriam told producers afterwards that she mistakenly believed she was off air, the BBC said.

Honestly, it was a bit shocking! Even after Martha Kearney clearly told them they were still on air, they just kept going – completely unaware! It really highlights how easily things can happen in live broadcasting, doesn’t it? As someone who works in media, I always say, assume the camera is rolling until you’re absolutely sure it isn’t!

Calling Charles Dickens‘ Fagin ‘Jewish and vile’

In 2024, the BBC removed a comment made by Miriam on the radio after she described Charles Dickens’ character Fagin as ‘Jewish and vile’ during a broadcast.

The Jewish actress was discussing her first encounters with the novelist while performing her one-woman show, ‘Margolyes & Dickens: The Best Bits,’ at the Edinburgh Fringe. The show features her portrayals of Dickens’ most memorable characters.

When BBC Radio 4’s Kirsty Wark asked her about a character she remembered from childhood, she said it was a villain from Oliver Twist.

The broadcaster has taken the comment off the show, admitting they should have questioned it when it was originally made.

The wealthy and unusual woman caused a stir and laughter when she exclaimed, ‘Oh, Fagin. Definitely. Jewish and wicked.’

She added: ‘I didn’t know Jews like that then – sadly, I do now.’

Fagin, a notorious crime boss in Dickens’s novels, is a controversial character widely criticized for embodying anti-Semitic stereotypes common in Victorian England. Dickens used these harmful tropes to portray Fagin as the leader of a group of young pickpockets.

The book portrays the villain as Jewish. In a recent interview, the author described him as both hilarious and deeply reprehensible, using strong language to emphasize his evil nature.

Told to be ‘be quiet’ by Queen Elizabeth

Miriam shared in a 2022 interview with The Times that Queen Elizabeth II once told her to ‘be quiet’ during an encounter.

Their encounter was many years ago, when Miriam was at Buckingham Palace for British Book Week.

Miriam explained that the Queen asked her to be quiet, which surprised her. She realized she had been interrupting and being disrespectful while the Queen was speaking with someone else, and hadn’t fully understood how rude she was being at the time.

She explained that she didn’t intend to be rude, and simply says whatever is on her mind without worrying about how it sounds.

I apologize if my words sometimes come across as hurtful or offensive, but I always strive to be truthful.

Controversial dating advice

Miriam faced criticism for her unconventional dating advice during a recent interview on the show This Morning.

Honestly, I was shocked when I heard her tell someone they needed to lose weight! It was so insensitive. And then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, she actually suggested someone else just… join a club to fix their loneliness? Like it’s that easy! I can’t believe she’d say such things to people calling in. It just feels so dismissive and… ugh, it really bothered me.

‘Go volunteer at a centre for disadvantaged, poor people and cripples,’ she said.

‘You might meet another cripple, but that doesn’t matter,’ she added.

She advised losing a little weight and then washing thoroughly, paying close attention to every nook and cranny, especially those hard-to-reach spots. ‘Wash!’ she emphasized.

Criticising Harry Potter fans

Miriam sparked outrage among adult Harry Potter fans by suggesting it’s time to move on from the series, calling it a children’s book.

The actress played Professor Sprout in the acclaimed film series, based on J.K. Rowling’s books.

Although the actress, who has won a BAFTA award, said she enjoyed her time with the franchise and was thankful for the experience, she believes adult fans should move on, as it’s primarily intended for children.

Miriam expressed her concern for Harry Potter fans in an interview with 1News, a New Zealand television network.

She continued, saying they should have moved past it by now. It happened 25 years ago, and it’s really meant for kids. She believes it’s intended for a younger audience.

Sometimes people get so caught up in the Harry Potter world that they ask me to appear at their weddings. It makes me wonder what they have planned for their wedding night – it’s a bit too much to think about, honestly!

‘Harry Potter is wonderful, I’m very grateful to it, it’s over.’

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2026-04-13 23:21