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Miriam Margolyes clarifies controversial remarks about ‘greedy’ Australians

She sparked complaints earlier this month with Boris Johnson comments

Actress Miriam Margolyes has clarified recent comments she made about Australians.

The Harry Potter star, 79, holds both British and Australian citizenship and spends much of her time down under.

But the outspoken performer has backtracked on comments attributed to her in which she is alleged to have described Oz as “brutal”.

It has also been claimed she described Australians as “greedy”.

Miriam Margolyes does not hold back with her comments (Credit: SplashNews.com)

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However, Miriam clarified on Monday that she wasn’t referring to all Aussies.

She also claimed during an appearance on news programme Today Extra that she had been misquoted.

I’m not going to keep my mouth shut. Because that’s not what who I am!

“I was quoted [by the media] as saying: ‘I think Australia is greedy and brutal.’ Well, that’s just not what I said,” Miriam said.

“I said: ‘I think some Australians are greedy and brutal. And particularly I think the architecture is awful in places like Surfers Paradise,'” she continued.

Miriam Margolyes doesn’t have much time for the PM (Credit: SplashNews.com)

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Miriam also complained that the tall buildings in the area on Queensland’s Gold Coast are so tall they block out the sun.

She added: “That, to me, is horrible and not what Australia should be like.”

Defiant Miriam

A defiant Miriam also admitted she had no intention of ‘keeping her mouth shut’ for fear of offending people.

“People get very antsy, very quickly,” she said.

“I’m not going to change! I’m not going to keep my mouth shut. Because that’s not what who I am!”

Earlier this month Miriam sparked over 200 complaints to Ofcom after saying she wanted ‘Boris Johnson to die’.

The Prime Minister battled the deadly virus in intensive care last month.

Asked how she thought the UK government was handling the coronavirus pandemic, she let rip on The Last Leg.

“Appallingly, of course, appallingly,” Miriam replied.

“It’s a disgrace, it’s a scandal. It’s a public scandal.

“I had difficulty not wanting Boris Johnson to die. I wanted him to die.”

She continued: “Then I thought that will reflect badly on me and I don’t want to be the sort of person that wants people to die.

“So then I wanted him to get better, which he did do, he did get better. But he didn’t get better as a human being.

“And I really would prefer that.”

Poster

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer