Miriam Margolyes reads a letter from a disgruntled care home resident

Miriam Margolyes reads a 1982 thank you letter with a difference, from 97-year-old nursing home resident Mary Grant from County Down, Ireland.
Originally read at Letters Live at the Freemasons Hall, London.

[@chrisnewton7413]

love this lady. God bless you Miriam and may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.

[@rm6763]

I suspect she will live forever cause god and the devil will argue about who gets her

[@MelissaThompson432]

@@rm6763 ...and we will be all the better for it!

[@seanthebluesheep]

I won't lie, I almost shat myself reading the first half of this sentence.

[@PADS62]

@Chris Newton BRILLIANT COMMENT! 😂🤣

[@Elwaves2925]

You can see roughly where it's going once the other radio breaks but Miriam still delivers the punchline perfectly. Of course she does, she's Miriam.

[@attackpatterndelta8949]

“Fuck off” sounds so much more powerful when said in an Ulster accent. Especially when you consider that it’s coming from a woman who is nearly a century old.

[@xr6lad]

Once met Miriam here in Melbourne at the end of our street sitting eating dinner at a cafe. We were walking our 2 little dogs and she asked about them as we walked by. Lovely lady. So much personality.

[@ArianneAvalon]

Really? A woman who wishes others dead with such venom as she spits. You have been fooled.

[@bazmac26]

Brilliant woman. I guessed what was coming but the delivery and timing were perfection.

[@shadowjack8]

Knowing what the punchline is and still laughing, that is what makes a comedy skit a classic.

[@EdnaCloud]

Miriam is a delight to listen to, the letter was brilliantly read

[@Mewvision]

My father loved this story so much many many years ago. Well read Ms Margolyes!

[@michaelmurphy07]

I could listen to Miriam all night. She’s an absolute LEGEND!!

[@edielynch7819]

Right to the point! When you're that old..tell it like it is! Love this!

[@sjinzaar]

I've listened to this so many times... I know the coming punchline, yet I still laugh out loud. Thanks, Ms Miriam!

[@audspod1]

I just love Miriam and she got our Northern Ireland accent spot on!

[@beardedchimp]

I was immediately taken aback, never heard an impression from outside our wee country that totally nails the mannerisms and intonations. My south down accent doesn't sound anything like that, but I grew up decades ago meeting many people who did.

[@twillett100]

Miriam, you are truly a gift that keeps in giving!! Live long and happy! 💚

[@user-cj6yw5fu4l]

Thanks Miriam,that reading was smashing👍

[@SharonGitau]

Gold! And perfectly read by the inimitable Miram Margolyes.

[@queenbeekeeper]

Oh, Miriam! What a treasure you are!

[@liagugushvili3017]

Miriam is absolutely brilliant 👏

[@bernaakgul3992]

Nothing gives me more pleasure , listening to these letters from these masters.

[@tylerryan713]

This is now my new favorite moment that has happened in the whole universe.

[@rosemorris7912]

I adore Miriam Margolyes.

[@markroberts171]

I have in my hand my newly acquired autobiography of MM "This Much Is True" and there below the title is Stephen Fry's statement 'There is no one on earth quite so wonderful'

[@traceya9615]

I can safely say you'll find it very entertaining!!😁👍

[@helenlizzystewart4908]

are you enjoying the book?

[@iwasglad122]

@@traceya9615 I've just finished her book and absolutely loved it! My only issue was Miriam's insistence that all English people hate Jews. She has said so in interviews and does so in the book. This Much Is Not True - to paraphrase her book title.

[@traceya9615]

@@iwasglad122 Yes, she could do with reassessing things as it's neither true nor wise to state that. Sometimes she goes too far in what she says about people.

[@georgiewalker1069]

This is just brilliant and gave me a good laugh. I truly love Miriam and find her hilarious. What a colourful life she has led. I agree Nathan0311, she IS indeed a national treasure. Best regards to you from South Africa 🇿🇦

[@tonyrichardson9600]

Love this actress she says it how it is . I have watched her interviews on many programs and she is so funny

[@bk1147]

A genuine national treasure with talent and class in all she does

[@PomegranateStaindGrn]

Miriam is my happy place. ❤️❤️❤️

[@rayjennings3637]

A real, totally spontaneous, laugh out loud moment!

[@vivienziv6239]

Totally !🤣

[@gracedchip6498]

"Jesus, Miriam" lolol, hilarious as always.

[@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494]

Is she perhaps the only person alive capable of actually shocking Stephen Fry? :-D

[@Matthew-ut6ed]

I remember my step-father, who was a GP, showing me a "copy" of this letter back in the 1980's. There are several different versions of it on the web and even a reference dating back to 1967, so it may not be genuine. But who cares? It's a great story and perfectly delivered for a belly laugh by Miriam...

[@zacmumblethunder7466]

There were a few of these letters going around at one time: The reply from the mayor of a small German village to an English woman who wanted to know if the cottage she was about to rent had a WC. The mayor mistook the abbreviation to mean Wesleyan Chapel, and informed her that there was one a mile from the cottage, it had fine acoustics and he would reserve her a seat next to him. The Bricklayer's Lament, a detailed account of the injuries sustained by a builder using a pulley to take surplus bricks back down to the group. There's something special about these letters that circulated on folded and crumpled pieces of paper before the internet, before easy means of duplication and certainly before any means of verification.

[@Matthew-ut6ed]

@@zacmumblethunder7466 😀

[@bahoonies]

@Matthew Were you young enough to be in trouble for using such language when you were shown that letter? If so, I just can't help liking your stepfather 😊😊

[@Matthew-ut6ed]

@@bahoonies No, mate, I was in my twenties! But even if I had been younger, so what? Everyone knows the word fuck!

[@bahoonies]

Er... yes. I think you missunderstood the tone of my comment.

[@dryfesands1367]

Utterly brilliant

[@jamjarr8808]

Miriam is a legend. Simply put

[@jimkreider9997]

I Love Miriam. She is great on Graham Norton show

[@lukeevans729]

Love her. She's amazing.

[@nathan-sb5iw]

Miriam Margolyes is a national treasure💛

[@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494]

As she's now an Aussie, we get the added joy of claiming her as one too

[@floatinglotuswomenswellness]

Can we just agree that Miriam is an international treasure? (Beth in California)

[@satyr1349]

A wonderful person who deigned us all with the gift of her performances & comedy :)

[@yolandanieves9067]

@@floatinglotuswomenswellness Yes!

[@claymore2k1T10]

@@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494 You're more than welcome to her.

[@luvhart]

Give this woman a Damehood for Christ sakes!!

[@iwasglad122]

Can you just imagine her investiture in front of a member of the Royal Family?! One of Their Royal Highnesses pins the DBE on her ample bosom and she responds with, "About f*****g time too!" You just know she would!!! LOL!!!!

[@davidvarley1812]

Suspect she's declined one.

[@kimsherlock8969]

What a great Irish story 👌 Read with passion by Miriam. Forken Great 👍

[@superrubble7117]

Miriam Margolyes is such an incredible actor. After watching these videos and her many interviews on Graham Norton, I watched her in The Age of Innocence. Miriam is absolutely correct. She was superb and was wrongly overlooked by the Academy for an Oscar nomination.

[@jackirichards8789]

Absolutely brilliant! That made my morning!! XX

[@ianwebb3496]

There was a version of this in the Letters sections of VIZ a few years back. In that version, the room-mate's radio "went wrong" which, for reasons that I can't explain, I found absolutely hilarious.

[@scrapbagstudios]

wonderfully performed! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you Miriam.

[@kimmykimak3737]

All this one was lovely just awesome. Made me crack right up

[@echognomecal6742]

The world over, many of us can respond with, "Yup," in solidarity with anyone who's been refused a simple kindness & then asked by that person to do the same or more.

[@tonyjones2308]

Superb as usual!

[@lekoman]

Of *course* Miriam is the one they'd get to read this one.

[@robertrockwell7581]

Holy cow she delivered this to perfection. so funny.

[@judeirwin2222]

Brilliant.

[@mikehughes4969]

Miriam Margoyles is a national treasure. What nation you ask? All of them.

[@angelawishart8745]

So funny! I didn't see the ending coming, but the letter was all the richer for the sentiment!

[@sue5980]

Absolutely brilliant. Thank you Miriam 😊

[@carinfoce9641]

Brilliant!

[@Jackspiring]

My nan was from belfast and this accent miriam’s doing is not half bad at all

[@irisn.garcia5883]

🤣LOVE THIS LADY!!!

[@kuukeli]

Miriam Margolyes is tah best

[@razagan1343]

I have not laughed this true in a while, amazing.

[@shorelineboy]

Oh absolutely brilliant

[@MrCodgod666]

Oh my goodness love that x

[@robynguinn8941]

Not expecting that full on belly laugh....great delivery!

[@englishrose4388]

So well read.

[@jeanhawken4482]

Love it

[@cadicorniche]

This woman is a golden treasure!

[@zlatahume3134]

Lovely

[@Tridhos]

Best laugh I have had in a long time.

[@darlene8130]

So fitting for her

[@juliehoffman6292]

Brilliant

[@weatherwitchandfelinefamiliars]

Oh my stars this was brilliant! 🤣 I found this channel by sheer fluke and subscribed straight after this 😮❤️❤️

[@MARYANNE269]

I just found it from Matt Lucas's Twitter.. 🤭

[@weatherwitchandfelinefamiliars]

@@MARYANNE269 well I hope you get to enjoy it as much as I am 😊

[@MARYANNE269]

@@weatherwitchandfelinefamiliars yes very cool, check out caitlin Moran if you haven't already I'm now following her 😂 all the best x

[@AMBIOSIS]

A beautiful Vegemite moment

[@ghw7192]

Dame Maggie Smith is correct in that it is impossible to be down when you are with Mirian.

[@thelmabadenhorst7270]

I just love and admire Miriam so much, she is in a class of her own.

[@boboften9952]

An Outstanding Class Of Her Own . Legendary Just Legendary .

[@Donna-cc1kt]

Love that actress! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@nickinax]

LEGEND

[@khaley37781]

Legend!

[@davidcollier2184]

The best .

[@djacroama]

wrote a letter purely to flex that they'd told someone to F off. I love it

[@tinawhynot8893]

Love it❣️

[@lindaj171]

Miriam, you never disappoint! ❤️ and admiration from 🇨🇦

[@Zenobiadream]

She's amazing

[@mludsladiesgentlemen1774]

No there are two campaigns with great merit and would most certainly have my signature. Dame Miriam Margolyes AND Lord Stephen John Fry. Quite Splendid.

[@theoztreecrasher2647]

Don't you mean Lord Miriam Margolyes and Dame Stephen John Fry?😉

[@mludsladiesgentlemen1774]

@@theoztreecrasher2647 Hmmmm - does work both ways doesn't it.

[@theoztreecrasher2647]

@@mludsladiesgentlemen1774 Yours may , mine doesn't! But to each their own - as long as they don't do it in the street and frighten the horses. 😉

[@mludsladiesgentlemen1774]

@@theoztreecrasher2647 Who said Benny Hill was dead?

[@trefod]

Shots fired in the petty war of the retirement home.

[@mortalclown3812]

Best letter yet. 😂

[@louiserose2609]

I love her! ❤

[@zaziki.21]

"If it is good sex... i'd rather have sex. If it was bad sex... i'd rather have a raddish." -Miriam Margolyes

[@Dunwyche]

lol. Love Miriam

[@brianrodney712]

This tale has got whiskers on it, still it was well-told by Miriam Margolyes for all that.

[@tedsmith6137]

That joke is decades old but I can imagine some older people who might have been the person in the mind of its writer.

[@akaiseigo]

I thought it was very serious until the last minute. Caught me there,really caught me there. 😂🤣😂🤣

[@drew8958]

I was getting ready to well up and then BAM ! 🤣 But then Miriam was reading it, so it had to be outrageous !! What an amazing actress !

[@helenmoat6456]

She was doing so well. Started off with a pretty good Northern Irish accent then she slipped over the 'border' halfway through.

[@reb0118]

I noticed that too. 😃

[@EMMYK1916]

Spot on.. I'm from South of our Country, she was on Irish TV promoting her book, anyway she was bang on with our side of the country accent.

[@Ater_Draco]

Well done Mary Grant 👏😂

[@dsm4462]

I want to be her when I grow up.

[@dsm4462]

@Richy J Movies what a pathetic, unkind, rude comment. I feel sorry for you.

[@dsm4462]

@Richy J Movies© sure, then why did you remove your comment?

[@mypetcrow9873]

What a wonderful compliment!

[@dsm4462]

@@mypetcrow9873 I love how fearless she is. Truly a talented storyteller and lovely lady!every time I see her I think these words To thy own self be true, Miriam embodies this!

[@mohamedeusoff65]

,How could you but not laugh !!

[@charliebryer2802]

I don’t believe this for a moment. But it’s still funny

[@rossshiell2670]

do you not think you're setting your bar for disbelief a bit low? I've met old folk...

[@charliebryer2802]

@@rossshiell2670 never! I AM old. In fact: Old enough to have heard this tale quite a few times.

[@kellydalstok8900]

Apparently there’s a lot of bullying going on in old people’s homes, so the story may be true. The lady probably would not have written FO or said it back in the eighties.

[@josephmarkey9096]

This is in Billy Connollys book "Gullibles Travels"

[@flamencoprof]

I'm only a 1/4 century younger than that. I hope I am as killer in another 1/4 century. I will certainly try.

[@markiliff]

"Miriam Margolyes reads a letter from a disgruntled care home resident" ↑ Listen again: that's one gruntled lady.

[@boboften9952]

"I Like Her Straight Forward Honesty" Brilliant Lady I Tip My Hat To Her . Honours Ma'am . Watch An TV Program About Her Becoming An Australian Citizen . Excellent . Excellent Interviews . Decent Views Of Australian People . " Almost Australian " " Miriam Magolyes " ABC TV Australia Legendary Lady . Just Legendary .

[@kbroscoe]

Miriam is everything I aspire to be 😂

[@BN1960]

Funny and well delivered but this has been doing the rounds as a psuedo vintage letter picture for literally years

[@moecopiak9168]

If I could not be Canadian I would love to be Irish.

[@kimdodd6677]

😂😂❤

[@errcoche]

Not that I don't like Miriam but the star is the old dear who wrote the letter - it wasn't very hard to get a laugh with that punchline.

[@ingridredfern5065]

Hilarious as always.Go Mirriam.

[@annettewalter2273]

👏😀👏😀