BBC pulls Miriam Margoyles Dickens comment from radio: ‘It should have been challenged at the time’

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Miriam Margolyes has outraged audiences by calling a popular Charles Dickens character “Jewish and vile” during an interview with the BBC. Jewish and vile,” to which the audience laughed and she added: “I didn’t know Jews like that then – sadly, I do now.” Fagin is one of the antagonists in Dickens’s 1838 novel Oliver Twist. “Goes to show being Jewish doesn’t make you immune from perpetuating antisemitism.” Miriam Margolyes called a Charles Dickens character ‘Jewish and vile’ during an at the Edinburgh Fringe Meanwhile, other users defended Margolyes comments, with one person writing: “She’s talking about Dickens and Fagin. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Confirming the audio has been pulled from the broadcaster’s streaming platforms, the BBC added: “We have taken swift action to remove it from the programme and it is no longer available.” Back in April, Margolyes – who recently released a new travelogue Miriam Margolyes: A New Australian Adventure with BBC Two – filmed a video, shared by The Jewish Council of Australia, condemning the Israel-Gaza war.