Miriam Margolyes says she's going to 'spank' herself for saying Steph McGovern was 'not beautiful'

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Miriam Margolyes has said sorry to Steph McGovern for suggesting she was "not beautiful", admitting she had "a cheek" and joking that she was going to "spank" herself.

The Harry Potter star made the comments to McGovern when she appeared on her television show Steph's Packed Lunch in 2021, telling the TV star: “You’re not beautiful but you’ve got something that makes people want to watch you.”

And it came up when she made another appearance on the Channel 4 programme this week.

What, how, and why?

Margolyes was on the show via video link and told McGovern that she looked nice in her sparkly black top. The TV presenter looked flattered but took the opportunity to bring up the remarks Margolyes made two years ago.

"I remember the last time you were on, and you said to me about not being pretty," she said.

The actor looked taken aback and rushed to apologise to McGovern. “What a cheek of me!” she said. “I am sorry I said that. That's rude."

However, McGovern said she had understood what Margolyes was saying. “I know you weren’t saying it as an insult, you were just saying that potentially I have other things I might offer rather than looks,” she said.

“I tell the truth but I don't think I should just say what pops into my head because it might hurt someone and it's rude," Margolyes said. “And that sounds as if I was saying you're not pretty or something like that which is awful. I should never say that!"

"I think I am going to spank myself several times," she added.

What did Miriam Margolyes say about Steph McGovern?

Margolyes sparked a backlash when she made the comments to McGovern during a conversation about her own appearance in 2021, with viewers at the time saying on social media that it was unkind of her.

The star had said: "I've been very very lucky because I'm not pretty, I'm short and fat and I have got no neck... but I have managed to make a living and I think that's great credit to me."

She then said of McGovern: "You’re not beautiful but you’ve got something that makes people want to watch you and I've got the same, we are lucky."

McGovern agreed: "I think you are onto something because I think being beautiful is a hindrance. So I am glad I am not the beautiful one because I think then there is too many expectations on you."

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