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Miriam Margolyes Sparks Backlash After This Morning Interview Is Edited Following Controversial Remark to Andi Peters

Miriam Margolyes found herself at the center of a backlash after an appearance on This Morning took an uncomfortable turn during a conversation with presenter Andi Peters.

The 85-year-old actress, best known around the world for playing Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, appeared on the ITV daytime show alongside Peters and Christine Lampard to discuss her new book, Miriam’s Full English.

But the interview quickly became controversial after Margolyes made comments about Peters’ background before using an outdated racial term, prompting producers to intervene from behind the scenes.

The exchange was later removed from the ITVX version of the interview.

The conversation began with a discussion about accents

Margolyes had been chatting with Peters and Lampard when the conversation turned to the presenters’ accents.

After impersonating Lampard’s Northern Irish accent, the actress directed her attention toward Peters.

She asked him what accent would be considered “normal” for him.

Peters replied: “This is normal, this is what I am.”

Margolyes then suggested he was “a mix” and referred to him as having “a black daddy and a white mummy.”

Peters immediately corrected her.

“No, no, no. Both my parents are black,” he said.

He then tried to lighten the moment by joking: “What have they put on me, am I a lighter shade than normal?”

Producers appeared to step in after controversial remark

The exchange became more uncomfortable when Margolyes then used an archaic racial term originating in the United States.

The exact word was not reproduced in the report, but it was described as a slur.

Production staff appeared to react immediately.

Peters, who was wearing an earpiece, said: “Oh, okay. They’re getting nervous now. They’re getting nervous now.”

Margolyes responded by insisting there was no need for concern.

“Don’t be nervous. We welcome everybody,” she said.

“That’s what I want to write about in my book. It’s about inclusion.”

Despite that explanation, the controversial section of the conversation was subsequently removed from the version of the interview available on ITVX.

Viewers reacted strongly online

The moment quickly attracted criticism from viewers who had watched the original broadcast.

Several took to X to describe the exchange as uncomfortable and inappropriate.

One viewer said it went beyond ordinary prejudice and compared the language to “19th century American racism.”

Another wrote that Margolyes “just sounds like a run-of-the-mill racist here,” adding that the interview was uncomfortable to watch.

A third criticized the language directly, pointing out that the term is no longer considered acceptable because of its racist history.

The reactions transformed what had begun as a promotional interview for Margolyes’ book into a debate over language, race and the boundaries of live television.

Andi Peters attempted to keep the conversation moving

Peters’ response during the broadcast remained relatively light in tone.

After correcting Margolyes about his parents, he joked about whether his appearance on screen had somehow been altered.

When producers then appeared to communicate with him through his earpiece, his comment that they were “getting nervous” acknowledged the tension without immediately bringing the interview to a halt.

Margolyes also attempted to steer the conversation back toward the themes of her book by stressing that it was intended to be about inclusion.

However, that did little to prevent the clip from attracting criticism after the broadcast.

The interview was promoting Miriam’s Full English

Margolyes had appeared on the program to discuss Miriam’s Full English.

The conversation around the book was intended to explore identity and inclusion, making the controversy surrounding her remarks particularly striking.

Margolyes has built a long career around an outspoken public persona and is known for making unpredictable comments during interviews.

Her willingness to speak without much of a filter has frequently made her a memorable television guest.

This appearance, however, generated a very different kind of reaction.

A familiar face to Harry Potter audiences

Although Margolyes has enjoyed a long career across film, television and theatre, many viewers know her primarily as Professor Pomona Sprout from the Harry Potter franchise.

Her character served as Hogwarts’ Herbology professor and appeared in several films in the series.

Away from Harry Potter, Margolyes has also become a prominent television personality through documentaries, interviews and panel appearances, often gaining attention for her candid and sometimes provocative remarks.

That reputation has made her a regular source of headlines, but the reaction to her latest interview was considerably more serious.

ITVX version no longer includes the exchange

The most notable response from the broadcaster came after the show had aired.

The controversial section was removed from the ITVX version of the interview, meaning viewers watching the segment later would not see the full exchange that had appeared live.

The report did not include a formal statement from ITV explaining the edit.

Margolyes also did not offer a separate apology in the material provided.

Instead, her immediate response during the interview was to insist that her message was one of inclusion.

That explanation has not stopped the criticism.

For some viewers, the wording she used overshadowed the intended discussion about her book entirely, turning a routine This Morning appearance into one of the most controversial moments of the broadcast.