Miriam Margolyes recalls BBC furore after sweary comments about Jeremy Hunt

Miriam Margolyes has said she was sent a bouquet of flowers by a BBC producer in the wake of the furore over her sweary comments about then chancellor Jeremy Hunt live on radio.

The 83-year-old actress, who is known to be outspoken during interviews, was recalling at the Cheltenham Literature Festival the storm she created when appearing on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme in 2022.

Margolyes had been on the show paying tribute to the late actor Robbie Coltrane and at the end of the interview she told presenters Martha Kearney and Justin Webb that she had spoken with Mr Hunt, who was appearing before her.

“What I really wanted to say (was) ‘f*** you, you bastard’, but you can’t say that.”

Margolyes explained to the Cheltenham audience she had genuinely believed the microphones had been switched off when she made the comments because the interview had ended.

“I’m not proud of having sworn on Radio 4, which is my temple, which is the home of all that is good in England,” she said.

“I transgressed greatly, but I thought the mics were off. That is the truth.

“When I came to the studio to deliver a eulogy for Robbie Coltrane, who was a great friend of mine who had died and whom I loved and was a remarkable man – a great deal more interesting and clever than Jeremy Hunt.

“I saw him in the waiting room, and we were both waiting there together.

“I am not, by nature, rude actually, and I said, ‘You’ve got a very tough job. Best of luck’.

“He went in for his interview, then came out, and then I went in for mine. When my interview had finished and I had spoken about Robbie, I thought that that was it.

“I said, ‘Well, I didn’t think I would’.

“I said to him what I just said, but what I really wanted to say was, ‘You lying bastard, you f****** bastard’.

“Of course, immediately… and Jeremy he didn’t hear it… but Justin had a bowel movement, but he was like we better get you out of the studio.

“I was hustled out and I felt dreadful about it, absolutely dreadful. But I have to tell you that the producer sent me a bouquet.”

Margolyes was appearing at the Cheltenham Literature Festival to promote her new book, Oh Miriam! Stories From An Extraordinary Life.

During an expletive-laden event, she spoke fondly about her friend Dame Maggie Smith, who she had starred alongside in the Harry Potter films, and Carry On star Kenneth Williams.

She described Donald Trump as an “asshole” and said the King is “a very nice man”.