If it’s one thing you could never accuse Miriam Margolyes of being, it’s dishonest.
The Harry Potter star has given a refreshingly – yet completely characteristically – candid answer after being asked why it has taken until now for her to write an autobiography.
Miriam appears on Friday’s episode of The Graham Norton Show to discuss her new book This Much is True, and tells the host: “The spur was that I was paid an enormous amount of money!
“I am glad to see it is selling – I didn’t expect it to!”
Of her motivations to write it, Miriam also explained people might have had the wrong impression of her after her numerous hilarious appearances on Graham’s famous red sofa over the years.
“I am not a writer; I am an actress but because I have said some rude things on this show people know who I am. I don’t want just to be a mouth that says dirty things – I am more than that,” she says.
“I am a serious, thinking person and I care about the world and the people in it, and I wanted that in the book, so you get the whole person.”
She added: “Looking back on my life made me sad but mostly it was glorious because I was remembering my life which has been lovely, and I have been very lucky. It was good to do and Covid made it possible.”
Miriam appears alongside Paul Rudd, Halle Berry, Ron Howard, Stephen Fry and music guest Gregory Porter on Friday’s The Graham Norton Show, airing at 10.35pm on BBC One.