Actress Miriam Margolyes has revealed she feared her outspoken views on Brexit could damage her career. The 80-year-old, best known for playing Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, made the admission during a recent interview.
Margolyes, a vocal critic of the UK's departure from the European Union, described Brexit as 'b*******' and 'based on ignorance' in a 2019 Australian TV interview. She also criticised former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, saying politicians 'didn't tell the truth'.
The actress, who is a Labour Party member, has been a longstanding political activist. She comes from a 'always Tory voting… very middle-class Jewish background' and is a member of the ENOUGH! coalition, which advocates for a boycott of Israel.
Margolyes has faced backlash for her comments, including 494 Ofcom complaints after a 2020 appearance on Channel 4's The Last Leg, though she was cleared. She later apologised for saying she had 'difficulty not wanting Boris Johnson to die' after his hospitalisation with COVID-19.
Despite the controversies, Margolyes continues to work, recently appearing on ITV's This Morning and in the Channel 4 series 'Miriam and Alan: Lost in Scotland'. She is set to reprise her role as Mother Mildred in the Call the Midwife Christmas special.
