Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes, 84, who is best known for playing Professor Sprout in the film franchise, has opened up about her health and admitted she doesn’t have long left to live
A Harry Potter acting legend has given a poignant update on her health, confessing she fears she may not have long left.
Miriam Margolyes, 84, famed for playing Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter saga, spoke candidly about her health woes in a chat with The Times.
She disclosed: “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. I yearn to play roles that don’t confine me to wheelchairs, but I’m just not strong enough.”
The Oxford-born talent has battled a series of health setbacks over the years, including spinal stenosis, arthritis, and rheumatism. In 2023, she underwent aortic valve replacement surgery, which she claims spared her from more drastic procedures.
“I’ve got a cow’s heart now,” she quipped on Jessie and Lennie Ware’s Table Manners podcast. “Well, not the whole heart. I’ve had an aortic valve replaced by a cow’s aortic valve. 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.”
Despite the success of the surgery, the beloved actress acknowledged that she often suffers pain and feels physically constrained. Margolyes has previously mentioned that she is officially registered as disabled and depends on sticks, a walker, and a mobility scooter for getting around, reports the Express.
Miriam opened up about her struggles with her health, revealing that she is registered disabled and relies on various forms of assistance to get around. Speaking to Closer magazine, she shared: “I can’t walk very well, and I’m registered disabled. I use all kinds of assistance. I’ve got two sticks and a walker and they’re such a bore, but I’ve just got a mobility scooter, which is a lot of fun.”
The actress has been candid about her health concerns in the past, admitting that she may have performed at the Edinburgh Fringe for the last time due to her ongoing pain and mobility issues. In an emotional interview with the Metro, she confessed: “I’m often in pain… bodily conditions make life difficult, so it’s unlikely I will do it again. But I love connecting with an audience, and I love sharing my knowledge and love of Dickens.”
Margolyes has also expressed her fears about requiring more intensive care in the future, telling Radio Times that she worries about not having enough money to pay for carers when her health deteriorates. During an appearance on Loose Women, she added: “One day I will need carers. I want to be comfortable and I want them to be properly paid for. It is really because I want to make money though and they pay me to do it.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
