Miriam Margolyes says she 'didn't want to hurt' Andi Peters while addressing the backlash over her This Morning appearance14:39, 07 Sep 2026Updated 16:42, 07 Sep 2026This Morning: Miriam Margolyes asks Andi about his heritageMiriam Margolyes has spoken out to address her comments to This Morning's Andi Peters which sparked huge outrage. The actress, 85, was met with fury after using an offensive and outdated term to describe Andi's skin colour during a live chat in the studio.‌The clip was quickly taken down from ITVX by producers but it has since gone viral across social media, with many hitting out at Miriam and her choice of words in the chat.‌Harry Potter actress Miriam was asked about the incident during an audience event to promote her new memoir, Miriam’s Full English, at Cliffs Pavilion in Southend on Sunday.‌Speaking to a crowd, Miriam said: "I didn't want to embarrass or hurt Andi because he seems very nice. 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. I wanted to know what he thought about it because that's what interests me."‌She went on to use another offensive term, this time in regards to disabled people, after saying: "How do black people feel? How do brown people feel? How do fat people feel?"Miriam added: "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 was quickly cut off by the host on the evening, who interjected: "In other words you wanted to discuss his identity with him."Miriam agreed, continuing: "They are the people that interest me, not the celebrities so much. It's everybody. What their story is, what made them who they are, why you are the way you are."‌The actress was promoting her book on daytime show This Morning when she used an offensive term to describe a black person with a light complexion when speaking to host Andi.It began when Miriam asked: "What accent would be normal for you? What are you?” Andi replied: "What am I? I’m me,” to which the she actress said: “Well, you’re a mix, aren’t you? So you’ve got a Black daddy and a white mummy.”‌He told Miriam - who played Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter movies - that both of his parents are Black, following which she used an outdated phrase.When the host said that he “didn’t know there were shades,” she said: “There are shades.”‌Andi then gestured to his earpiece referring to This Morning's producers saying: “They’re getting nervous now," Miriam replied: "Don’t be nervous. We welcome everybody, and that’s what I want to write about in my book.”The clip quickly went viral online, with one person writing on social media that it was "just about the cringiest thing I’ve ever seen" and likening it to a scene from The Office.Presenter Jeremy Vine reshared the clip and called the moment "seriously nerve-wracking" while also praising how Andi dealt with the situation.‌The Channel 5 broadcaster wrote: "This is seriously nerve-wracking. No filter. @andipeters dealt with it brilliantly but note at the end – 'they're getting nervous.'"Andi responded to Jeremy's comment, saying: "Thanks JV. As you know we have to be ready for ANYTHING!!!" And he was also praised for his professionalism by online users.One said: "You’re wonderful and so polite.! I’ve actually seen you at WhiteCity House before.. and you have a lovely aura." Another wrote: "I literally cried. So not okay. I am an immigrant and I came to London early 90s.Article continues below"You Mr Peters are one of the people on TV who always brought a sunshine to my life on gloomy days. I learned English by watching you on TV and I still do. I am rooting for you and forever Andi’s Team! You handled it with more than grace."Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.