Miriam Margolyes: 'I wanted Boris Johnson to die'

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief

Published: May 9 2020 | 12:49

Last updated: May 10 2020 | 11:48

Miriam Margolyes reveals that she 'wanted Boris Johnson to die' when his coronavirus symptoms took a turn for the worse last month.

Miriam Margolyes has courted controversy by claiming that she wanted Prime Minister Boris Johnson "to die" of coronavirus.

The PM spent three nights in intensive care last month with the deadly disease and now, having recovered, has admitted that it was touch and go whether he would survive his ordeal.

Harry Potter actress Margolyes, 78, is known for her outspoken views and failed to hold back when she was asked how she thought the government have handled the crisis during an appearance on The Last Leg.

"Appallingly, of course, appallingly. It's a disgrace, it's a scandal. It's a public scandal," she replied.

"I mean, I had difficulty not wanting Boris Johnson to die. I wanted him to die. 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. So, we're in the shit, basically, here."

More than 276,000 people worldwide have now been killed by COVID-19, including over 31,000 in the UK.