National treasure Miriam Margolyes revealed earlier this year that she “doesn’t have long to live” following the heart surgery she underwent in 2023.
The actress, who turned 84 on May 18, said in an interview in May that she expects to die “within the next five or six years”. She added that she wants to keep acting, but might not be able to do so for much longer.
Now (August 22), Miriam has spoken about her health again, this time in excerpts from her new memoir, The Little Book of Miriam…
‘I’m not strong enough’
Miriam, known for roles in the likes of Harry Potter and Call the Midwife, told The Times back in May: “When you know that you haven’t got long to live – and I’m probably going to die within the next five or six years, if not before – I’m loath to leave behind performing. It’s such a joy.
“I yearn to play roles that don’t confine me to wheelchairs, but I’m just not strong enough.”
‘I’ve got a cow’s heart now’
In 2023, Miriam had an aortic valve that was no longer functioning properly replaced with a valve from a cow. This saved her from more invasive open heart surgery.
On Jessie and Lennie Ware’s Table Manners podcast last year, she shared: “I’ve got a cow’s heart now – well, not the whole heart. I’ve had an aortic valve replaced by a cow’s aortic valve.
“I don’t know how common it is. I’d never heard of that operation. But it saves you from having open heart surgery, which would be infinitely more invasive.”
Miriam worries about running out of money to pay for carers
Miriam is registered as disabled and uses walking sticks and a mobility scooter – she’s had spinal stenosis, arthritis and rheumatism over the years.
Writing in her memoir, Miriam blamed herself for her health issues as she shared: “I’ve let my body down. I haven’t taken care of it. I have to walk with a walker now. I wish I’d done exercise. It’s the most ghastly waste of time, except that it keeps you going. So, I’m foolish.”
In the book – out on September 11 – she also addresses the prospect of assisted dying. And it’s something she would definitely consider, if the circumstances were right, she said.
“I don’t want to go through a slowly diminishing period of pain and embarrassment. If a stroke meant I couldn’t speak, or I was doubly incontinent, or I lost my mind completely, I would ask to be put down. That’s because I want to be who I am. I don’t want to be less than I can be,” she shared.
‘Silly to live apart’
Last year, she told the Radio Times that she was concerned she may run out of money to pay for carers, explaining: “I’m worried that I won’t have enough money for carers when I finally get paralysed or whatever it is that’s going to happen to me. I’m saving up cash so that I can pay people to look after me and my partner.
“We don’t have children, so I need to make sure I’m going to be looked after in the way that I’ve become accustomed.”
In 2023, she revealed that she was moving in with her partner of over 50 years for the first time.
She and Heather Sutherland had never lived together. However, Miriam said on The Graham Norton Show: “We are together, but we live apart. She is in Amsterdam, and I am in London, but now we want to live together. I really do want to live with her because we are old, and we haven’t got much time left. It is silly to live apart.”
Miriam Margolyes Discovers New Zealand is on BBC Two tonight (August 22) at 9pm.
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