*Miriam Margolyes says she never meant to embarrass or hurt Andi Peters during their controversial live-TV exchange about his race.
The 85-year-old actress addressed the controversy during a Sept. 6 event promoting her book “Miriam’s Full English” in Southend, England, after her appearance on ITV’s “This Morning” sparked accusations of racism.
“I didn’t want to embarrass or hurt Andi because he seems very nice,” Margolyes said, according to the Daily Mail.
The controversy began when Margolyes questioned Peters about his background during the Sept. 3 broadcast. She assumed he had a Black father and white mother, prompting Peters to correct her.
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“Both my parents are Black,” he said.
Margolyes then used “high yalla,” an outdated and offensive term historically used to describe lighter-skinned Black people, while discussing Peters’ complexion.
As producers apparently expressed concern through Peters’ earpiece, he told viewers, “They’re getting nervous now.”
The exchange was later edited out of the episode available on ITVX.
Margolyes Says She Wanted to Discuss Identity
Margolyes now says her questions came from curiosity about how people experience their identities and how others perceive them.
“I’d never met him before; I didn’t know who he was and I didn’t know he was Black until I saw him,” she explained.
But her next attempt to make that point generated another controversy.
“How do Black people feel? How do brown people feel? How do cripples feel? How do fat people feel?” Margolyes said.
The disability term is widely considered derogatory and ableist.
Margolyes continued by explaining that she is “fascinated by other people” and interested in what shapes people’s lives and identities.
Peters, meanwhile, has responded without publicly attacking Margolyes. After broadcaster Jeremy Vine praised him for handling the uncomfortable live exchange, Peters replied that television presenters have to be “ready for ANYTHING!!!”
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