In a remarkably frank and humorous revelation, acclaimed actress Miriam Margolyes has shared the solitary instance where she exercised personal restraint during her long and colourful career: holding in flatulence while meeting the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace.
A Career Defined by Candour
Miriam Margolyes boasts one of the most diverse and celebrated careers in British entertainment history. Her achievements span from winning a BAFTA for her dramatic performances to voicing the iconic Cadbury's Caramel bunny, and even narrating an erotic audiobook. In 2002, Queen Elizabeth II personally presented her with an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) at Buckingham Palace, honouring her Services to Drama.
Beyond her professional accolades, Margolyes has become renowned for her utterly unfiltered and candid personality, making her a beloved and frequent guest on television chat shows. She is widely believed to be the first person—and certainly the first woman—to utter the expletive "f***" on British television during a 1963 appearance on University Challenge.
The One Exception to Her Rule
True to her uninhibited character, Margolyes maintains a lifelong policy of following her natural bodily urges without hesitation, regardless of company or setting. "We did it at home," she explained to interviewer Grace Dent on the Comfort Eating podcast. "Mummy farted, Daddy farted. I farted... we just did."
However, she disclosed that there has been precisely one occasion where she deliberately exercised control. "When I was at Buckingham Palace, I held it in," she confessed. Elaborating with characteristic wit, she added, "It's not fair. You can't put the Royals through that."
Vitality Amid Health Challenges
Now 84 years old, Miriam Margolyes shows little sign of slowing down professionally, despite confronting significant health issues. Her recent work includes the poignant short film Friend of Dorothy, which earned an Academy Award nomination this year, though it did not ultimately win the Oscar.
She has also fronted television travel documentaries, exploring locations such as Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. The actress battles spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis, conditions that have considerably limited her physical mobility. In a 2023 cardiac surgery, she opted for a bovine heart valve over a porcine one, adhering to her religious customs.
Pride in Heritage and Unusual Requests
Margolyes takes great pride in her Jewish heritage and continues to observe certain dietary restrictions, notably abstaining from pork products. "I'll eat anything, darling, except from the pig," she told Grace Dent. "When I had a new valve in my heart, they offered me a pig's or a cow's. And I said, no, it has to be a cow. I'm sorry."
Professionally, she remains highly active, enjoying the flexibility of occasionally working from home. She frequently creates personalised videos via the celebrity platform Cameo, and often receives peculiar requests. "Very often they want me to fart," she disclosed. "I have to try and explain that I haven't got them stored, you know, if they're there, they're there and I'm happy to share. But otherwise, tough s***, you know."
Miriam Margolyes continues to captivate audiences with her unique blend of talent, honesty, and irreverent humour, proving that even at 84, her spirit and career are as vibrant as ever.
