Miriam Margolyes eats large ice cream on This Morning interview

Actress Miriam Margolyes has told how she wished she was “more elegant” after bringing a large ice cream with her to a TV interview.

The Bafta-winning star appeared on ITV’s This Morning on Tuesday with her summery snack in hand as she spoke of her current role as the glamorous cosmetics entrepreneur Helena Rubinstein in London’s Madame Rubinstein production.

But as she described the role as “terrifying,” presenter Holly Willoughby pointed out that she had got some ice cream on her lip.

“It is (the most terrifying thing I’ve done),” the 75-year-old said.

“She is an elegant woman and it’s difficult for me to be elegant. I wish I were, I would love to be, it just didn’t work out that way.

“My relatives whenever they see me they always say, ‘Miriam why do you look like this? What happened to you that you can let yourself be like that?’ But you are what you are.”

After previously saying she would love to be cast in BBC period drama Call The Midwife, Margolyes joked that the creators would “certainly” avoid her after spotting her food faux pas on the chat show.

She also admitted that losing weight has become her most important personal goal.

“Losing weight probably would be a good thing to do, I think that comes first, because I look like a bucket at the moment,” she said.

“I would like to learn Italian properly and I would like to go to Palestine again and try to do some good among the people who are having a rotten time.

“It’s very difficult when you are Jewish – and I’m Jewish – I feel guilty about what’s going on there.”

But viewers of the ITV morning show forgave all of the actresses self-proclaimed flaws, heading to Twitter to share how much they appreciated her interview.

Cal wrote: “Miriam Margolyes interviewed while eating ice cream. What a woman. #ThisMorning,” while Fran commented: “Miriam Margolyes on this morning eating an ice cream has made my morning.”

“Just watched Miriam Margolyes chomping through her ice cream ….that’s the joy of aging …no inhibitions ….soo funny …” said Susan Cohen.

Katy G added: “@thismorning omg I love Miriam Margoyles she’s got me in stitches and I could murder an ice cream now #thismorning.”