Miriam Margolyes talks BBC Two travel series, A New Australian Adventure
The actress sits down with Radio Times as she discusses her new series.
As an actor, 83-year-old Miriam Margolyes is probably best known for her roles as Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, Mother Mildred in Call the Midwife and her BAFTA-winning role in Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence. But her talents don't stop there — she's also the author of three books, with her memoir This Much Is True selling more than three million copies. In recent years she's become renowned for her outrageous tell-all appearances on chat shows, as well as her work presenting documentaries. Her latest is a three-part BBC travel series Miriam Margolyes: A New Australian Adventure.
So, Miriam, what inspired you to make this new series about Australia?
I’ve been going to Australia since 1980 and it has changed a lot. I wanted to make a series about belonging, to find out what tribes people feel they belong to – I hope viewers find it to be truthful, revealing and entertaining.
Over three episodes you meet a lot of ordinary Aussies — do you find talking to strangers easy?
I love to meet people. I love to ask questions. If I see a park bench that’s empty, I go to the other one where there’s somebody sitting. My gift is that when people meet me they are unafraid, and that is a very big part of why I can get people to talk to me.
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In the series you’re filmed travelling around on a mobility scooter — how do you feel about being a role model for older people?
When I started kind of failing physically, I remember saying to directors and producers, please don’t show me clambering out of a car or climbing upstairs on my hands and knees. I didn’t want people to see that because I was embarrassed to see myself looking so pathetic. But, subsequently, I’ve met loads of people who have said I gave them the courage to do things that they never thought they could. So I’m very pleased about that.
You’ve had a long career in acting but in recent times have become as well-known for chat show appearances, writing books and making documentaries. Why do you think you’re having such an extraordinary second act?
I find it puzzling and very gratifying. I can’t totally explain it, but I do credit Graham Norton with a great deal of my success. I was always told that I would come into my own when I was older – I just didn’t know I would have to be this old for it to happen.
You have a lucrative side business filming video messages for fans on the website Cameo, and you recently revealed you had earned £365,000 from that since Covid. What’s the most common thing you’re asked to say?
It’s usually to celebrate someone’s birthday, wedding anniversary or marriage. I’ve got 30 of them to do today…
You often talk about how much making money matters — you said you did this new series for the money and were paid £250,000 for your recent memoir. Have you got a gigantic gambling addiction we don’t know about?
No, I don’t gamble at all! I’m worried that I won’t have enough money for carers when I finally get paralysed or whatever it is that’s going to happen to me. I’m saving up cash so that I can pay people to look after me and my partner. We don’t have children, so I need to make sure I’m going to be looked after in the way that I’ve become accustomed.
You had a recent heart procedure — how did that influence how you felt about death and mortality?
I’m always quoting William Saroyan, who says: “I know that everyone has to die, but I thought an exception might be made in my case.” I know now that is definitely not true. What do I think happens after death? My therapist used to say there may be a party. I honestly don’t think there’s anything, I think you just stop, but it would be nice if there’s a party.
You seem utterly fearless about talking about sex, religion, death and politics. Are you an open book — or is there some stuff that you hold back?
I’m a completely open book, which is a bit sad. It would be good to say I think there’s something that’s being held back, but I don’t think there is. Really, what you see is what you get. I’m just Miriam Margolyes doing my best.
Can you tell me something about you that might surprise people who think they know you?
I suppose it would be that I want to be taken seriously. That is something that people might not expect of me. They might think I like rolling around, making people laugh and I do – genuinely I do love that – but I do also want to be taken seriously.
And finally… is it really true that you always keep a raw onion in your bag at all times?
Yes! I like the taste of onion and nearly everything is a bit peely-wally these days. There isn’t a lot of sharpness about flavour and I like to have a strong flavour. So I really love onion. But I think I may shift to garlic because it’s easier to carry.
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Miriam Margolyes: A New Australian Adventure airs on Friday 2nd August on BBC Two at 9pm.
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