Graham Norton has claimed that even he has no idea what Miriam Margolyes is going to say when she appears on his talk show.
Over the years, the Bafta winner has appeared on The Graham Norton Show a total of nine times, and never fails to provide an outrageous moment or two, whether that’s insulting her fellow guests, saying exactly what she thinks of politicians or making some rather X-rated admissions.
During a new interview with Attitude magazine, the Irish presenter claimed that Miriam “looks wilder than she is”.
“She’s actually very canny,” Graham explained. “She sort of self-produces.
“Going into [an interview], we’ll know that there’s kind of a wild story we want from her – but often, during the show, she’ll change her mind and say, ‘no, that’s not the story I’m going to tell’, and she’ll drop a bombshell on us.
“But it’s always timed very well, and she allows the other guests to have their moment. She’s clever, is Miriam.”
Miriam last appeared on Graham Norton’s show last year, where she made headlines thanks to a subtle fashion statement, spoke up in solidarity with the trans community and had a few choice words for former health secretary Matt Hancock.
She also shared during her interview that her latest memoir was “not quite as rude as the first one”, noting: “ I wanted to talk about the more serious part of my life, so people don’t just think I am a maniac. I am a real person.”
Watch a selection of Miriam’s Graham Norton highlights below: