BBC Radio 4 presenter apologises as Miriam Margolyes swears live on air discussing new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt

The 81-year-old actress, who has a reputation of being forthright during interviews, said she had wished Mr Hunt luck in his new job, but added that she actually wanted to swear at him.

Margolyes appeared on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme to pay tribute to the late actor Robbie Coltrane, who died in a hospital in Falkirk on Friday. However, the subject of the new Chancellor came up at the end of the interview, when she told presenters Martha Kearney and Justin Webb that she had just met Mr Hunt, who had been interviewed on the programme before her.

She said: "When I saw him there I just said 'you've got a hell of a job, the best of luck'. What I really wanted to say (was) 'f*** you, you bastard' but you can't say that."

Presenter Justin Webb sounded shocked, and quickly apologised for the inappropriate language, adding: "Oh, no, no, no, you mustn't say that. No, you can't say that!"

Mr Hunt’s appearance on the radio programme was one of his first media interviews since he replaced Kwasi Kwarteng as Chancellor on Friday. He is set to meet with Treasury officials today and with Prime Minister Liz Truss on Sunday.

The new Chancellor, who ran for the Tory leadership election but was eliminated early on in the contest, is expected to overturn the Prime Minister's entire economic strategy.