Comedian Gina Yashere has publicly criticized television presenter Andi Peters' response to actress Miriam Margolyes' use of a racial slur during a recent appearance on the ITV program This Morning. Yashere called Peters' reaction "on brand" and suggested he has a long-standing discomfort with acknowledging his Black identity.
Margolyes, 85, used the term "high yalla" while questioning Peters, 56, about his ethnicity and skin color. The phrase is an offensive, dated American expression historically used to describe a Black person with a light complexion. During the exchange, Peters corrected Margolyes, stating that both his parents are Black, and joked about his lighter complexion.
Yashere, 51, described Peters' passive response as "appalling." In an online video, she stated, "I don't think he's known that he's black for at least the last 35 years." Yashere also recounted a past experience at ITV studios where she claimed Peters appeared to avoid a group of Black individuals, including her friends and family.
"I was on a talent show… I was walking down the hallway of the ITV studios with my black friends and family. We saw Andi Peters walking towards us and we are all big fans [of Peters] … I don't think he could have run away from this group of black people faster… I never forgot that," Yashere said.
The exchange between Margolyes and Peters, which occurred while Margolyes was promoting her new memoir, Miriam's Full English, was reportedly edited out of the ITVX version of the interview. Social media clips of the interaction circulated widely, leading to a public backlash.
Following the controversy, Margolyes addressed the incident at a memoir event, stating that she had not intended to embarrass or hurt Peters. She explained her interest in people's identities and how they perceive themselves, saying, "How do black people feel? How do brown people feel? How do cripples feel? How do fat people feel?" The presenter hosting the event clarified that Margolyes had been interested in discussing Peters' identity with him, to which she agreed.
A representative for Peters has been contacted for comment.