Miriam Margolyes blasted for 'disgusting' comments about Andi Peters' skin colour on This Morning

The notoriously outspoken actor, 83, appeared on the ITV morning show on Thursday to promote her new book, Miriam’s Full English: A Grand Tour of All Our Best Bits. Towards the end of the interview, the Black Adder star interrogated Peters’ about his heritage, prompting the visibly shocking presenter to joke that the producers were “getting nervous”.Margolyes - who is known for her shocking anecdotes - said host Christine Lampard was “more interesting” than she was, before impersonating her Northern Irish accent. She then asked Peters: “What accent would be normal for you?” to which he replied: “Well, this is my normal accent.”Miriam Margolyes was blasted for her comments to Andi Peters ITV“What are you?” she asked, to which he responded, looking baffled: “What am I? I’m me.”She went on: “Well, you’re a mix, aren’t you? So you’ve got a Black daddy and a white mummy.”Looking speechless, Peters explained that both his parents are Black. Margolyes replied: “I think you’re what I would call high…”Peters tried to diffuse the situation with a joke, asking if his makeup artist had used a “lighter shade than normal”.However, Margolyes resumed her line of questioning, insisting with a laugh: “I think you’re high yella. That’s what they call it in America. When someone isn’t deeply Black.”Peters said, “I didn’t know there were shades,” to which the Harry Potter star insisted: “There are shades. And this is what we...”Peters tried to interject with another quip, pressing a finger to his earpiece and joking: “The producers are getting nervous now!” Peters looked bemused over the remarks ITV“Don't be nervous, we welcome everybody,” Margolyes responded. “That's what I want to write about in my book. It's about inclusion.Read More“Not that there are people who need to be pushed out. And I'm not going to say who they are. You've got to read the book to find out.”Peters maintained his jovial demeanour, saying: “There we go! What a way to... and that’s how we will end this. On a short plug for the book.”The book “explores Britain's identity, examining fairness, free speech, and what unites Scotland, Wales, England, and Ireland”, according to its description.Viewers flooded social media with their outrage over Margolyes’ comments. “Miriam Margolyes being her usual rude self on This Morning on ITV. Even the gallery started panicking and said something in Andy Peters’ earpiece. What a vile and disgusting woman she is; why do they ever give her airtime?” one raged.“Utter cringe fest. ‘What are you???’ How dreadfully rude of Miriam Margoyle. Questioning Andi Peters’ skin colour too. Damn cheek,” another added.“Andi Peters did well to hold it together being spoken to like this. What an absolute scumbag Miriam Margolyes is,” a third posted.Margolyes previously asked Australian presenter Waleed Aly about his heritage GettySomeone else commented: “Disappointing from Miriam (I usually really enjoy her interviews). That was really uncomfortable to watch/listen to; Andi did well but looked understandably shaken by it.”Others claimed the term “high yella” is offensive as it suggests a hierarchy within the Black community, where those with lighter skin have social privileges denied to those with a darker complexion. The Standard has contacted Margolyes’ representative for comment.This isn’t the first time the Little Dorrit and Babe actor - who last year shared plans to move to Italy - has sparked outcry with her comments about people’s race. In 2024, she was blasted for asking Australian presenter Waleed Aly about his skin colour during an appearance on the panel show, The Project.Margolyes is known for her outspoken views and shocking anecdotes AFP/GettyShe then turned to host Aly and asked: “What are you by the way? You’re sort of brown.”While the question prompted gasps from some of the audience, Aly said: “This is a really interesting question actually. I’ve thought about this a lot. I’m not joking about that… I’m Egyptian.”“Oh really,” Margolyes replied.“Which is in Africa. So, what do you want to call that?” he asked.“Well, lucky I think,” responded Margolyes. “Because I like the Egyptian people. I’m on the side of the Palestinians.”The writer is infamous for her startling stories during television interviews and for sharing her outspoken opinions about people.Last year, she said on The Graham Norton Show that she was once told off for running out of a sauna naked and rubbing herself with snow while at a health farm.