Miriam Margolyes breaks silence on Andi Peters ‘racism row’ and admits she ‘didn’t want to hurt’ This Morning star

MIRIAM Margolyes has broken her silence on the Andi Peters ‘racism row’ and has admitted that she ‘didn’t want to hurt’ the This Morning star. The writer, 85, appeared on the ITV show last Thursday to talk about her new book Miriam’s Full English when she used a slur while being interviewed. Miriam Margolyes has broken her silence on the Andi Peters ‘racism row’ Credit: ITV The author was chatting to Andi Peters on This Morning when she used a slur Credit: ITV Host Andi, 56, has since out the situation, and now Miriam has too, after she was asked about it while she was at an event in Southend promoting her new novel. Miriam said: “I didn’t want to embarrass or hurt Andi because he seems very nice. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! “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. “When you see someone, of course you know they’re black. Miriam made the comment when she was being interviewed by Andi and co-host Christine Lampard Credit: ITV Andi confessed that being on the show means that they have to be “ready for anything” Credit: ITV “I wanted to know what he thought about it because that’s what interests me. “How do black people feel? How do brown people feel? How do c******s feel? How do fat people feel? “You see what I mean? All of us feel something about who we are and how people see us, what they think of us.” She added: “I am fascinated by other people. They are the people that interest me, not the celebrities so much. Most read in TV “It’s everybody. What their story is, what made them who they are, why you are the way you are.” Days after the live interview, Andi, who was standing in as a presenter on the ITV daytime series, told how he had to be “ready for anything” while on air. Harry Potter star Miriam, who is known for being outspoken, went on to make a distasteful comment about Andi’s skin colour. The ITV favourite opened up on the incident during an online exchange with BBC Radio 2 anchor Jeremy Vine, 61. Jeremy wrote on X: “This is seriously nerve-wracking. No filter. “@andipeters dealt with it brilliantly but note at the end — ‘they’re getting nervous’ [the producers]”. Andi then replied: “Thanks JV. As you know we have to be ready for ANYTHING!!!” After doing an impression of host Christine’s Northern Irish accent, she asked Andi: “But what accent would be normal for you?” Andi responded: “This is normal, this is what I am”, while Miriam said: “Oh, you’re a mix, aren’t you? “You’ve got a black daddy and a white mummy”. To which Andi corrected: “No, no, no. Both my parents are black”, before joking: “What have they put on me, am I a lighter shade than normal?” Miriam then used an archaic slur originating from the US – before producers intervened off-screen. They are believed to have communicated with Andi via his ear piece, as he said out loud: “Oh, okay. They’re getting nervous now. They’re getting nervous now.” Miriam said: “Don’t be nervous. We welcome everybody. “That’s what I want to write about in my book. It’s about inclusion”. The moment has been removed from ITVX. Comment now