Miriam Margolyes sits firmly in the realm of national treasure status. Best known for her acting roles in Harry Potter and Call The Midwife, she is also celebrated for her cheeky sense of humour, which has even caused the Queen to giggle on occasion.
The 84-year-old actress has enjoyed a long and varied career, and one of her latest projects, the 2025 short film A Friend of Dorothy, even earned an Oscar nomination.
In her latest TV appearance, Miriam Margolyes: Made Me Me, the actress sets out to create a podcast with director Simon Draper. However, he soon becomes sidetracked and is drawn “deeper into her orbit”, as the project evolves into a chaotic yet joyful road trip.
While you may know all about Miriam’s professional career, her living situation is far from conventional. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know…
Miriam Margolyes’ unconventional living situation
The actress is known to split her time between two locations: Clapham in South London and the Southern Highlands in New South Wales, Australia.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesMiriam first purchased her home in Australia around 1993 and rented the property out on Airbnb until recently, when she reportedly put it up for sale with a price guide of between $3.95 million and $4.2 million.
Miriam Margolyes’ lodgers
Back in London, Miriam lives in the basement of her Clapham home, which she moved into in 1975. She lives there with two lodgers, Emily and George.
Speaking to The i about their movie star housemate, Emily said that a friend who works as an audio drama director put her in contact with Miriam, who was looking for “tidy and quiet” lodgers. After a “rigorous grilling”, Emily moved in and quickly formed a close bond with George, an actor and voice artist, completing the trio.
“My family and friends think it’s hilarious and ridiculous that I live with Miriam. I do too,” said Emily. “But this unusual domestic setup has become my new norm and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Miriam has had lodgers for decades – I think she thrives on having intergenerational company at home – and it’s a privilege to be part of the latest line up.”
Meanwhile, George added: “We’re like a family: we eat together, work together and most of all love one another deeply, despite it sometimes feeling like the three of us couldn’t be more different.”
Miriam’s future living plans
While Miriam lives harmoniously with her younger lodgers, she has expressed plans to move to Italy with her partner of 58 years, Heather Sutherland.
In an interview with The Observer, Miriam revealed that she wants to move to Tuscany with Heather, who currently lives in Amsterdam.
© Getty Images“The world around us has lost its charm. And we just want each other in a beautiful place which we know,” said Miriam. “We can toddle along and laugh and just quietly subside into old age. But together.”
While they have both been busy in their respective careers, Miriam said now is the time she wants them to live together. “We are definitely going to. We were both very involved with our careers, we were both professional women, she was a professor at a university, teaching and writing and I was an actress and now I make television programmes, as a documentary maker.
“But, we are old and we won’t have much longer, it’s important to be together to relish the joy of each other’s company.”
Miriam Margolyes: Made Me Me lands on BBC Two at 9pm on Monday.
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