BREAKING: Andi Peters responds after Miriam Margolyes uses racist term to describe him

Andi Peters Breaks Silence After Awkward Miriam Margolyes Exchange Sparks Backlash

Andi Peters has broken his silence after an uncomfortable live television exchange with Miriam Margolyes sparked widespread backlash and was later removed from the ITVX version of This Morning.

The 56-year-old presenter found himself navigating an increasingly awkward conversation when Margolyes, 85, began questioning his background before using an outdated and offensive expression to describe his skin tone.

Footage of the moment quickly spread across social media, where viewers praised Peters for remaining calm while others criticized Margolyes’ choice of words.

Now Peters has briefly addressed what happened after broadcaster Jeremy Vine shared the clip and applauded the way he handled the situation.

“This is seriously nerve-wracking. No filter,” Vine wrote.

He added: “@andipeters dealt with it brilliantly but note at the end – ‘they’re getting nervous’ [the producers].”

Peters responded: “Thanks JV. As you know we have to be ready for ANYTHING!!!”

Conversation Took an Unexpected Turn

Margolyes had appeared on This Morning alongside Peters and Christine Lampard to promote her new book, Miriam’s Full English: A Grand Tour of All Our Best Bits.

Toward the end of the interview, however, she began questioning her hosts.

After imitating Lampard’s Northern Irish accent, Margolyes turned to Peters and asked: “But what accent would be normal for you?”

“This is normal. This is what I am,” Peters replied.

Margolyes then made an assumption about his family background, telling him: “Oh, you’re a mix, aren’t you? You’ve got a black daddy and a white mummy.”

Peters immediately corrected her, explaining that both of his parents are Black.

Attempting to make light of the moment, he joked about whether his makeup had made him appear “a lighter shade than normal.”

Margolyes nevertheless continued and used the expression “high yalla,” explaining that she understood it as an American term referring to a Black person with a lighter complexion.

The expression, also written as “high yellow” or “high yaller,” is historically regarded as derogatory.

Peters responded that he “didn’t even know there were shades.”

“There are shades,” Margolyes replied.

Producers Appeared to Become Concerned

As the exchange continued, Peters appeared to receive instructions through his earpiece.

“Oh, okay. They’re getting nervous now,” he said on air. “They’re getting nervous now.”

Margolyes responded: “Don’t be nervous. We welcome everybody.”

She then linked the discussion to the themes of her book, adding: “That’s what I want to write about in my book. It’s about inclusion.”

The interaction was subsequently removed from the version of Thursday’s episode available on ITVX.

ITV has not publicly explained why the section was edited out.

Viewers React to Viral Moment

The original footage continued circulating online despite its removal from the streaming version.

Some viewers described the exchange as deeply uncomfortable and criticized both the questioning of Peters’ ethnicity and the terminology Margolyes used.

One viewer called it “very uncomfortable viewing,” while others pointed out that the expression was not considered normal contemporary American language.

However, not everyone believed Margolyes had intended to cause offense.

Some viewers argued that her comments reflected ignorance or outdated language rather than deliberate racism.

Peters himself has not offered a lengthy assessment of Margolyes’ comments.

Instead, his response to Vine focused on the unpredictability of live television and the need for presenters to remain prepared for whatever happens.

That brief message appears consistent with how Peters handled the original exchange: calmly, with humor and without allowing the conversation to derail the programme.

While debate over Margolyes’ comments continues, Peters’ handling of the moment has become one of the central talking points, with many viewers praising how he kept control of an unexpectedly difficult live interview.