Harry Potter said she was not interested in the opportunity
Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes has claimed she turned down the opportunity to appear in the current series of Celebrity Traitors (Isabel Infantes/PA)(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes has revealed that she declined an offer to appear in the current series of Celebrity Traitors. The 84-year-said that she had never watched the show and had no interest in participating.
“Well, I can tell you the answer to that. No,” said Margolyes. “Because I was offered this job. No. Just recently and I can’t think of anything I’d rather less do. No, I’m not into that. I’ve never watched it, I don’t intend to watch it. There are some jolly good people doing it.
“And if they want to do it for money, well, that’s fair enough but you won’t get me on it.”
Among the celebrities competing for a charity prize pot on the BBC One spin-off programme are comedian Alan Carr, broadcaster Jonathan Ross, actor Celia Imrie and singer Charlotte Church.
Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, the competitors, known as the faithfuls, are tasked with identifying and eliminating the traitorous members of the group while completing challenges to win cash for the charity prize pot.
Margolyes was speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival to promote her latest book, The Little Book Of Miriam, which is a collection of her thought-provoking wisdom and stories from her extensive career.
During the event, which was peppered with expletives, she spoke warmly about her friends Dame Maggie Smith, with whom she starred in the Harry Potter films, and Dame Judi Dench.
Margolyes also “wanted to put the record straight” to claim the title of the first person to say the f-word on TV in 1963 during an episode of University Challenge.
“Well, if you get a question wrong… I mean, of course you say, oh, f***,” she said.
“I did get a question wrong, and it was clearly my face saying what I just said.
“But the sound was bleeped out, so nobody actually heard it, but I did say it.
“It’s not something I’m proud of but it did happen.
“So (theatre critic) Ken Tynan was waltzing about saying that he was the first person, he wasn’t.
“He may have said it many times but not the first time.”
Margolyes also branded US President Donald Trump the “orange turd over the water” and spoke fondly of the King and Camilla.
“It’s a difficult subject at the moment. Families are complicated and that family is a complicated family,” she said.
“It is jolly tough, I would imagine, being the King at the moment. He is, as I have met him and I like him very, very much and Camilla.
“I would never thought in all my life I would ever sit at the same table and talk with the royal family, the King and the Queen.
“I just wish mummy and daddy could have known that happened, as they wouldn’t have believed it either, and would have been so thrilled, as I am.
“He’s an absolute sweetheart, a real darling.”
Margolyes expressed her delight at being awarded an OBE for services to drama, while also addressing those who wish to see her stripped of the honour due to her support for Palestine.
“Now people want me to give it back because certain areas of North London want me to give it back because of my support for the Palestinians,” said the actor, who is herself Jewish.
“I just think, f*** it, I’m not giving it back. It is something which is very divisive at the moment.
“I can’t change my mind about this. I feel deeply shocked at the way people are accepting, seemingly accepting, what’s going on in Palestine.
“I support the Palestinians unreservedly and I feel terrible distress at what’s happening.
“I’m not giving back my OBE, so yah boo sucks.”
