Miriam Margolyes, 84, admits she ‘doesn’t have long to live’ after heart operation

Miriam Margolyes has said she ‘doesn’t have long to live and will probably die in the next five years’.

The 84-year-old actress is best known for starring in Blackadder, the Harry Potter film franchise and Call the Midwife. In recent years she’s also appeared in Gossip Girl and Doctor Who.

But when speaking about her desire to continue acting, Miriam said she won’t be able to do so for much longer after undergoing a major heart operation.

In 2023 Miriam had surgery that saw an aortic valve that was no longer functioning properly replaced with a valve from a pig, an operation that avoided her undergoing open heart surgery.

But she’s now said she likely won’t make it into her 90s.

Speaking about her love of performing, Miriam said she didn’t want to give it up but was facing increasing difficulties with her health.

‘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,’ she told The Times.

‘I yearn to play roles that don’t confine me to wheelchairs, but I’m just not strong enough.’

In an interview on Jessie and Lennie Ware’s Table Manners podcast last year, Miriam shared details of her heart surgery.

‘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,’ she said.

‘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.’

Over the years Miriam has suffered from spinal stenosis, arthritis and rheumatism.

She is registered disabled and now has to use walking sticks and a mobility scooter.

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