Miriam Margolyes OBE has revealed which “unfriendly” celebrity she didn’t like sitting with on Graham Norton’s famous red sofa.
The actress is a frequent guest on the show and on Saturday she spoke about one of the least favorable experiences she has had.
During the Hay Festival, author Philippe Sands asked Miriam, who has been interviewed by Graham Norton alongside the likes of Stanley Tucci and Matthew Perry, which celebrities she doesn’t like.
On a 2014 episode of BBC’s The Graham Norton Show, Miriam, 83, was a guest alongside Dominic Cooper and Lily Allen, 39.
However, Miriam clashed with Lily, with the actress explaining: “When I was on the show, I thought it was all about her.”
Miriam Margolyes, 83, has revealed which celebrity she didn’t like sitting with on Graham Norton’s famous red sofa
During Saturday’s Hay Festival, Miriam was asked which celebrities she didn’t like and she revealed that of all the celebrities she met at Graham Norton, she only disliked Lily Allen.
Miriam explained: ‘When I was on the show, I thought it was all about her’ (pictured in 2014 with third guest Dominic Cooper)
Miriam continued: ‘She thought, “Who is this woman? Miriam who?” She wasn’t friendly and I didn’t like that, so I showed my displeasure, which wasn’t very nice of me because she was much younger than me and I should have taught her how to behave.’
Miriam also credited The Graham Norton Show for helping her make “a huge amount of money” on personalized video app Cameo.
MailOnline has contacted Lily’s representative for comment.
Lily isn’t the only celebrity getting on Miriam’s bad side.
Miriam also told Philippe that Monty Python star John Cleese “has become a jerk”, while The Goodies’ Bill Oddie is “not a good man”.
Last year, Miriam said “poisonous” John had “turned bitter and is irrelevant” while speaking in an interview.
The comedian reflected on her time at Cambridge University with the Fawlty Towers star and scathingly branded him a “little person and a tadpole”.
It came after John revealed why he could never be cancelled, despite coming under attack after criticizing political correctness.
Speaking ahead of her book, Oh Miriam!: Stories from an Extraordinary Life, Miriam said The Guardian how John and her Monty Python co-star Graham Chapman treated her with contempt while she was at university.
In the early 1960s she performed as part of the student sketch group Cambridge Footlights, but was “ignored” as the only woman in the group.
She recalls: “I think they thought I was too stuck up because in those days women literally weren’t allowed to join the club. Graham Chapman and John Cleese were poisonous.
‘John was a brilliant comedian in his time, but something has changed. Like milk, he has turned bitter. It’s irrelevant… Cleese is a weak tadpole.
Miriam criticized famous comedian Steve Martin in 2023 after starring in a film with him in the 1980s.
The Harry Potter star worked with Martin on the 1986 film Little Shop of Horrors, and claims the experience was “vile” and described her American co-star as “discourteous.”
‘I just thought it was pretty horrible. “I was here, that’s all I can tell you,” she alleged in an interview with News.com.
Miriam explained that she had to share a scene with Martín, now 78 years old, in which he played the dentist and she played the receptionist.
Miriam also told Philippe that Monty Python star John Cleese “has become a jerk”, while The Goodies’ Bill Oddie is “not a good man” (John pictured in Fawlty Towers)
Miriam criticized famous comedian Steve Martin in 2023 after starring with him in the 1986 film Little Shop of Horrors, claiming the experience was “vile.”
Earlier this year, Miriam angered adult Harry Potter fans by claiming that they should have “finished” the book by now as it is “for children.”
The actress, who played Professor Sprout in the acclaimed film series, admitted: “I worry about Harry Potter fans.”
In the scene, her character is “beaten up” by Martin and she explained that it took several takes before the comedian was satisfied.
Miriam described the Father of the Bride star, 78, as a “brilliant perfectionist” but felt left out of the process.
“I didn’t enjoy it and at the end of the day I had a terrible headache,” he said. “(Steve Martin) was incredibly hostile because he was a perfectionist.”
However, he had some nice words for Martin, calling him very “gifted” and his scene in the film ending with him “very good.”
Earlier this year, Miriam angered adult Harry Potter fans by claiming that they should have “finished” the book by now as it is “for children.”
The actress and national treasure played Professor Sprout in the acclaimed film series, based on the books by JK Rowling.
Despite insisting it was “wonderful” and that she was “very grateful” to the franchise, the BAFTA-winning actress said adult fans should be “over that” by now.
In an interview with New Zealand television station 1News, Miriam admitted: ‘I’m worried about Harry Potter fans.
She continued: ‘They should be over that by now. It was 25 years ago and it’s for kids. I think it’s for children.
“But they get caught up in that and I do cameos and people say ‘Oh, we’re having a Harry Potter-themed wedding’ and I think ‘God, what’s their first night of fun going to be?’ I can’t even think about that.
“Harry Potter is wonderful, I’m very grateful for it, it’s over.”
The Harry Potter actress is famous for her blunt manner and unabashedly speaking her mind.
In December, Miriam was caught in a rare moment of mortification in an appearance on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch while tuning in from Italy.
Steph, 41, brought up the last time Miriam was on the show in 2021, in which the actress made some uncomplimentary comments about her appearance, telling her to her face that she doesn’t think she’s “beautiful.”
When Miriam told her she “looked good” and complimented her “shiny top,” Steph said, “Thank you, because I remember the last time you were there.” You told me she wasn’t pretty, which started a whole thing.
In December, Miriam was caught in a rare moment of mortification in an appearance on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch while tuning in from Italy.
Miriam had made uncomplimentary comments to Steph (pictured) in a November 2021 interview.
‘I know you didn’t mean it as an insult, you were just saying that I might have other things to offer instead of appearances!’
Luckily, Steph saw the funny side of the blunt comment while the rest of the studio roared with laughter.
But Miriam, who clearly did not remember the previous conversation, blushed and admitted that it had been “horrible.”
He was quick to apologize to Steph and said: ‘How nerveless of me! Oh my god, I’m sorry I said that. How rude!’
