My beautiful Oz
With an Australian home, partner and citizenship, Miriam Margolyes considers herself to be ‘almost Australian’.
This week, the irrepressible Call the Midwife star is on a mission to find out more about life Down Under as she hits the road in a new three-part travelogue for BBC2. Here, Miriam, 79, tells TV Times all about her adventure…
What was the motivation behind your 10,000km journey?
I wanted to find out more about the places of Australia that
I didn’t know, and the people outside the showbiz bubble.
How did you find driving a motorhome for your trip?
It was scary at first, as I drive a little Ford Fiesta in England! But I insisted on having a toilet on board, and that made it necessary to have a larger vehicle.
What’s the Australian dream?
To have your own little patch of ground, with your own house and a swimming pool. There’s also the assumption that everybody lives together in some sort of Neighbours world. There are places like that, but I wouldn’t want to live in them!
Does Australia deserve its nickname of ‘the lucky country’?
It is certainly lucky in that it is an incredibly beautiful country that has fantastic weather and, because of the diversity of the people who live there, there is a richness of culture and food.
What did you learn about indigenous Australians? The first thing I became aware of was my ignorance about them, and that is true of most Australians. They have a fantastic culture that outdates ours by thousands of years, so for us to be looking down on them is just rubbish.
What are the best things about life in Australia?
There’s a free and easy approach to life, and they are the most hospitable and friendly people.
And the worst? The modern, domestic architecture. The worst examples are at places like Surfers Paradise along the Gold Coast.
What did you make of
Australia’s ‘grey nomads’, over-55s who tour around for weeks at a time?
I’m spoilt and I like my home comforts, so it doesn’t appeal to me!
Were you concerned you’d be labelled a ‘whingeing Pom’ if you made any criticisms?
I was accused of that [when the series was shown in Australia]. The negative things were made a lot of, but that’s how newspapers operate.
You say in the series that you don’t want to be part of a ‘tribe’. Why is that?
In England, Jews have always been ‘the other’, but I’m perfectly happy not to fit in. The idea of living in a place that is all lesbians or all fat people, I wouldn’t really enjoy that, as I don’t follow the herd!
You also talk about coming out to your family as a lesbian. What was that like?
My father went to fetch the Bible, and made me swear that I would never sleep with a woman again. And he was a decent, educated man and a doctor. I need hardly say that I broke my vow!
Did you ever want to be a doctor like your father?
At one point. He was against me going into acting, because it was financially precarious and there was a slur attached to being an actress. But my mother was right behind me.
You’re in demand as a voice artist. When did you discover you had that talent?
When I was a little girl walking to school, I would often entertain myself with little plays, and play all the parts!
You’ve often been described as ‘outrageous’. Does that ever bother you?
I tend to shoot my mouth off, that’s just the way I am! But I like to find the hidden depths in people.
Will you be returning as Mother Mildred in BBC1’S hit period drama Call the Midwife?
I hope she’ll be there for some time! She’s a wonderful character, and I’m terribly honoured and proud to be part of such an iconic TV experience.
What’s the best thing about being in the show?
I love all the people in it. Jenny Agutter [who plays Sister Julienne] is the real mother
of the group.
She always welcomes the new people and finds out when their birthdays are and what they like.
You turn 80 next year. How do you feel about getting older?
I don’t think it’s got anything to recommend it! Your world starts to shrink, and that’s the thing I’m really fed up about.
What plans do you have to celebrate your milestone birthday?
I have a house in Italy, so we could have a party with a marquee in the garden – and lots of chopped liver!