Andi Peters breaks silence on Miriam Margolyes' 'nerve-wracking' and ‘racist’ comments during This Morning
Andi Peters has commented for the first time after Miriam Margolyes used a racial slur while talking to him on ITV's This Morning on Thursday.
Harry Potter star Margolyes, 85, is infamous for being outspoken and lived up to the reputation when she was a guest on the morning show to promote her book.
Yet, she somehow managed to take the conversation in an awkward direction when she asked about Peters' heritage and 'normal' accent.
Margolyes then used an historical racial slur to describe Peters' skin colour.
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ITV subsequently removed the exchange from catch-up versions of the programme on ITVX, but that didn't stop it going viral on social media and causing a backlash against the comments.
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine was one such person to share his outrage over Margolyes' remarks.
He shared the clip on Instagram and praised how Peters, 56, handled the situation in the caption, writing: "This is seriously nerve-wracking.
"No filter. @andipeters dealt with it brilliantly but note at the end - "they're getting nervous" [the producers]."
Breaking his silence on the odreal, Peters replied to Vine's post, writing: "Thanks JV.
"As you know we have to be ready for ANYTHING!!!"
What Mirim Margolyes said to Andi Peters on This Morning
Margolyes appeared towards the end of This Morning on September 3 to plug her book, Miriam's Full English: A Grand Tour of All Our Best Bits, which released on the same day and "explores Britain's identity, examining fairness, free speech, and what unites Scotland, Wales, England, and Ireland," according to its description.
Speaking in a Northern Irish accent, the clip starts with Margolyes asking Peters: "What accent would be normal for you?"
As the well-known British TV presenter tried to say he was already speaking in his 'normal' accent, Margolyes then asked: "What are you?"
A visibly surprised Peters said: "I'm me."
Margolyes replied: “Well, you’re a mix, aren’t you?" and as Peters struggled to get his words out, she stormed on: "So you’ve got a Black daddy and a white mummy.”
An exacerbated Peters cut in to say: "No, both my parents are black."
He then moved to joke, speaking to the makeup department, and said: "What did you put on me? Am I a lighter shade than normal?"
Margolyes then used a racial slur considered to be dated and very offensive to describe Peters' skin tone.
Peters asked what the term meant, and Margolyes explained.
At this point, Peters again attempted to diffuse the situation, putting his finger to his ear as if talking to the producers and said: "They're getting nervous now. They're getting nervous now."
But Margolyes was not deterred and said: "Don't be nervous. We welcome everybody and that's what I want to write about in my book, it's about inclusion.
"Not that there are people who need to be pushed out. And I'm not going to say who they are.
"You've got to read the book to find out.”
Peters managed to maintain a jovial atmosphere, concluding with: "There we go! What a way to... and that’s how we will end this. On a short plug for the book.”
LADbible Group has approached representatives of Miriam Margolyes and ITV for comment.
Daniel Murphy