Comedian and actress Miriam Margolyes stunned BBC Radio 4 listeners by telling presenters what she’d actually wanted to say to the new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
Jeremy Hunt had been questioned by journalist Justin Webb about his plans for the government’s latest economic strategy on the Today Programme, in the slot before Margolyes.
The 81-year-old comedian had been on the show to talk about the death of her friend, Harry Potter actor Robbie Coltrane, who passed away yesterday, but Miriam Margolyes went slightly off-piste and chose to make her opinions about the new Chancellor known.
She said that she never believed she’d be sitting in the seat that Jeremy Hunt was sitting in, and she said that when she saw him there she just said: “you’ve got a hell of a job, the best of luck”, but what she really wanted to say was “f*** you, you b*****d!” But you can’t say that.’
Webb attempted to interrupt the comedian when he realised where the conversation was going, saying: ‘Oh no no no, you can’t say that.
‘We’ll have to have you out of the studio now.’
The show quickly moved onto the sports segment.
Before discussing the Rugby League World Cup, presenter Claire Balding said she was just slightly recovering from Miriam Margolyes.
Webb had to give an apology soon after the faux pas, telling listeners after the world cup was discussed that when he watched the Rugby on BT Sport they always apologised when you hear words that you perhaps shouldn’t have heard when they put it on BT Sport in the scrum.
‘Well, we apologise to you if you heard a word that you shouldn’t have heard earlier on. The rest of Miriam Margolyes’s interview was wonderful though…’
Webb signed off the programme describing it as a very eventful morning.
Hunt was conducting his first round of media interviews since he replaced Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor yesterday.
He has said he will meet with Treasury officials later on Saturday and with Prime Minister Liz Truss on Sunday.
Social media was rife with reactions to Miriam Margolyes’ brazen remark.
Ex-BBC journalist Jon Sopel had no comments for the exchange, just responding with shocked and laughing emojis.
Author Michael Rosen just said: ‘Miriam Margolyes! She’s done it again.’
Former BBC producer Dino Sofos described it as perhaps the most wonderful moment in the Today Programme’s history courtesy of Miriam Margolyes.
I’m not sure why everyone’s so surprised by Miriam Margolyes – have they never met this woman before?
Most people just think that Miriam is a terrible person. I simply like the fact that she speaks her mind and is extremely blunt about it, although sometimes if you’ve nothing nice to say, better not to say it at all Miriam, but let’s face it, Jeremy Hunt is an extremely disliked so-called Conservative.
Miriam does like the odd swear word here and there, okay, more here than there sometimes, and why shouldn’t she, it’s human nature to do things that other people don’t like and I’m sure she does it to capture attention as well, and well done Miriam for expressing her mind, not many people would, and I’m sure she probably often upsets the woke brigade.
The thing is, you know what you’re getting when Miriam Margolyes’ comes on your TV, so if you don’t like what she’s got to say, turn off your TV set or shift to a different channel. Nobody’s putting a revolver to your head, you don’t have to watch it!
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 