Miriam Margolyes stuns Radio 4 Today presenters by dropping the F-bomb while discussing Jeremy Hunt 

‘What I wanted to say to him was ‘F*** you, you b*****d!”: Miriam Margolyes stuns Radio 4 Today presenters by dropping the F-bomb live on air while discussing Jeremy Hunt

  • Actor Miriam Margolyes shocked BBC Radio 4 listeners and hosts this morning
  • She told presenters what she ‘really wanted to say’ to the new Chancellor 
  • Jeremy Hunt was interviewed before Margolyes about his plans for the economy
  • Anchor Justin Webb had to apologise for the exchange which stunned listeners 

Comedian and actor Miriam Margolyes shocked BBC Radio 4 listeners this morning by telling presenters what she had ‘really wanted to say’ to the new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

Hunt had been interviewed by journalist Justin Webb about his plans for the government’s new economic strategy on the Today Programme, in the slot before Margolyes.

The 81-year-old comedian had been on the show to speak about the passing of Harry Potter actor Robbie Coltrane, who died yesterday.

Comedian and actor Miriam Margolyes shocked BBC Radio 4 listeners this morning by telling presenters what she had ‘really wanted to say’ to the new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt

But Margolyes went slightly off-piste and decided to make her views about the new Chancellor known.

‘I never thought I’d be sitting in the seat… [that Jeremy Hunt was sat in]’ she told Webb. 

‘When I saw him there I just said “you’ve got a hell of a job, the best of luck”, and what I really wanted to say was “f*** you, you b*****d!” But you can’t say that.’

Webb tried to interrupt the comedian when he realised where the conversation was going, saying: ‘Oh no no no, you can’t say that.

‘We’ll have to have you out the studio now.’

Hunt had been interviewed by Justin Webb about his plans for the government's new economic strategy on the Today Programme, in the slot before Margolyes

Hunt had been interviewed by Justin Webb about his plans for the government’s new economic strategy on the Today Programme, in the slot before Margolyes

The show quickly moved onto the sports segment. 

Before discussing the Rugby League World Cup, presenter Claire Balding said: ‘I am just slightly recovering from Miriam Margolyes’ 

Webb had to issue an apology shortly after the faux pas, telling listeners after the world cup was discussed: ‘When I watched the Rugby on BT Sport they always apologised when you heard words that you possibly shouldn’t have heard when they put it on BT Sport in the scrum. 

‘Well, we apologise to you if you heard a word that you shouldn’t have heard earlier on. The rest of Miriam Margolyes interview was wonderful though…’ 

Webb signed off the programme describing it as a ‘very eventful morning’. 

Hunt was conducting his first round of media interviews since he replaced Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor yesterday.

He has said he will meet with Treasury officials later on Saturday and with Prime Minister Liz Truss on Sunday.

Social media was awash with reaction to Margolyes’ cheeky comment. 

Ex-BBC journalist Jon Sopel had no words for the exchange, just reacting with shocked and laughing emojis.

 Author Michael Rosen simply said: ‘Miriam Margolyes! She’s done it again.’

Former BBC producer Dino Sofos described it as ‘possibly the greatest moment in the Today Programme’s history courtesy of Miriam Margolyes.’

Margolyes is no stranger to swearing in live broadcasts, and may have even been one of the first people to use the F-word on British television.

The TV personality claims to have used the word in frustration while appearing on University Challenge in 1963, in which she led Cambridge University team Newnham College. 

In January 2018 she surprised journalist Robert Peston with the F-bomb during his ITV Sunday morning show, despite warning the presenter that she was about to use ‘a bad word’. 

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