Ofcom receives 241 complaints after Miriam Margolyes said she ‘wanted Boris Johnson to die’ from coronavirus during her appearance on Channel 4’s The Last Leg
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Ofcom has received 241 complaints after Miriam Margolyes said she had wanted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to die from coronavirus.
Miriam made the outrageous statement on Channel 4 show, The Last Leg last month when she was asked how she felt the Government had handled the virus crisis so far.
A spokersperson for Ofcom confirmed the figure to MailOnline on Monday and the media watchdog have been urged to investigate Channel 4.
Complaints: Ofcom receives 241 complaints after Miriam Margolyes said she ‘wanted Boris Johnson to die from coronavirus’ during her appearance on Channel 4’s The Last Leg
One Tory MP previously said Ofcom should investigate and ‘demand an apology’ from Channel 4.
Another Conservative MP expressed disbelief at how ‘Left-wing luvvies’ felt this type of remark was acceptable.
The row was sparked when presenter of the show Adam Hills asked Miss Margolyes how she felt the Government had handled the virus crisis so far.
Shocking: Boris left St Thomas’s hospital in central London last month after a week-long stay due to the coronavirus and spent some time in intensive care – he could have lost his life
Speaking from her home through a video link, the actress, 78, replied: ‘Appallingly, of course, appallingly. It’s a disgrace, it’s a scandal. I had difficulty not wanting Boris Johnson to die. I wanted him to die.
‘Then I thought that will reflect badly on me… so then I wanted him to get better.’
There were concerns yesterday at the way the presenters – Mr Hills, Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker – had failed to step in during the conversation with the Harry Potter actress.
When asked if it would be apologising to Mr Johnson, a Channel 4 spokesman said the programme was live and ‘unexpected comments can happen’.
It added that the actress had gone on to say she wanted Mr Johnson to get better.
But there was fury from the Conservatives about the comments from the long-time Labour supporter.
Bill Cash, the Tory MP for Stone, said: ‘It is an outrageous comment to make and completely in flagrant breach of the broadcasting act. I believe Ofcom should look into it and demand an apology.’
And fellow Tory MP Andrew Bridgen added: ‘You really have to wonder what world these Left-wing luvvies inhabit and who they talk to that they think these sorts of comments are acceptable.’
Worrying time: Boris and Carrie Symonds anounced they had welcomed their first son together on Instagram on May 1
Carrie’s tribute to NHS heroes who ‘saved Boris’s life’
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds have named their son Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, in a tribute to their grandfathers and the doctors who helped save the Prime Minister’s life.
The third name is a reference to Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart, who Ms Symonds referred to as ‘the two doctors that saved Boris’ life last month’.
Nicholas Price graduated from University of Birmingham’s medical school in 1991.
He has specialist training in infectious diseases, general medicine tuberculosis, tropical medicine and infection prevention and control.
He was previously awarded a MRC Clinical Training Fellowship for research into tuberculosis at The Hammersmith Hospital.
Dr Price became a consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ in 2005.
In 2009, he was promoted to the Trust’s Director of Infection and joint Director of Infection Prevention and Control.
Nicholas Hart graduated from University of London’s medical school in 1993.
His area of expertise include weaning, rehabilitation and home mechanical ventilation in patients with chronic respiratory failure.
He has been awarded nine Local Clinical Excellence Award points.
Dr Hart became the director of the Lane Fox Respiratory Service, the largest rehabilitation and home ventilation service in the UK, in 2012.
He is also a Professor at King’s College London and Director of Research and Development Delivery at Guy’s and St Thomas’.
Source: NHS
Channel 4 has already suffered difficult relations with the Conservatives after a series of incidents including its decision to replace Mr Johnson on a debate with an ice sculpture.
And the broadcaster’s former news and current affairs chief described him as a ‘known liar’.
Boris left St Thomas’s hospital in central London last month after a week-long stay due to the coronavirus and spent some time in intensive care.
He later revealed that doctors prepared to announce his death in case he lost his coronavirus battle, admitting he was ‘a lucky man’.
As his chances of survival balanced on a knife-edge, he said he was given ‘litres and litres’ of oxygen as medics fought to keep him alive in intensive care.
In his first interview since recovering from Covid-19 – and the birth of his son Wilfred – the PM recalled his frustration that he could not seem to shake the virus.
But Mr Johnson described how the sobering experience allowed him to see the ‘fantastic’ care offered by the NHS, his voice cracking as he reflected on the rollercoaster past few weeks.
‘I realised it was getting pretty serious’, he told the Sun on Sunday,
‘And I remember saying to myself, ”How am I going to get out of this?”’
He added: ‘To be honest, the doctors had all sorts of plans for what to do if things went badly wrong.
‘I was not in particularly brilliant shape because the oxygen levels in my blood kept going down.
‘But it was thanks to some wonderful, wonderful nursing that I made it. They really did it and they made a huge difference.’
Mr Johnson’s personal rollercoaster month saw him bed-ridden with coronavirus before a dramatic recovery and return to work, and then rushing back to hospital as fiancee Carrie Symonds, 32, gave birth to his son.
Wilfred Johnson was unveiled to the world by his mother in a social media photo on May 1.
Lifesavers: St Thomas’s Hospital where Prime Minister Boris Johnson was treated
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