Miriam Margolyes insists she will do Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, after 'absurd' health claims

A national newspaper on Tuesday published an interview with Ms Margolyes, in which she talked about her declining health and warned she may not be able to perform at the next Fringe festival.

In the interview, Ms Margolyes, 84, warned she may “not have long to live”, saying she may only have another “five or six years”.

However, the actress today said the quotes were out of date, having been taken from an interview she did a number of years ago, which is understood to have been carried out around the time she had had heart surgery. She branded the story “absurd”.

Ms Margolyes said she had now “recovered fully” and was fully fit to carry out her coming tour, including Fringe dates at the Pleasance in August. The actress is due to reprise her Charles Dickens-themed show, discussing classic Dickens characters and “fascinating stories about the man behind the classics”.

She told The Scotsman: “Three years ago, I had a heart procedure called a Tavi at the hands of dedicated medical professionals. I recovered fully and continue to thrive, work, make money and cause trouble.

“Just in the last few months I travelled from London, to Italy, to Australia and I have a full book tour upcoming, including a show, by the way, at the Edinburgh Fringe.”

Margolyes and Dickens: More Best Bits will be performed at Pentland Theatre at Pleasance at the EICC from August 9 to 24.