Miriam Margolyes has admitted feeling “deeply ashamed” when she once hit her mum when she was paralysed.
The 80-year-old opened up about the incident during an appearance on BBC’s Imagine.
Miriam spoke about caring for her mum Ruth, who died in 1974 after her health declined following a stroke.
Miriam Margolyes on BBC
The star told presenter Alan Yentob that she had left the moment out of her autobiography, which was published last year.
Read more: Miriam Margolyes brands national treasure ‘nastiest’ person she’s ever worked with
She said: “I didn’t mention something that I should have mentioned. And that was that I hit my mother when she was paralysed.
“Anybody who’s been a carer will know how frustrating and difficult it is and I let that happen, I’m deeply ashamed of it.”
Becoming emotional, Miriam added: “The thing that really gets to me is that my mother forgave me.
“I hit her when she was paralysed and she forgave me.”
Miriam previously opened up about her mother’s stroke in her book, This Much is True.
She said she always believed that her coming out as lesbian caused her mother’s stroke.
She wrote: “I always believed that my coming out in some way caused it.
“I had caused the person I loved most in the world a pain she could not bear.
“It was a horrendous time and I was very unhappy. I knew I couldn’t change what I was; I should not have told them.”
The thing that really gets to me is that my mother forgave me.
Read more: Alfie Boe’s marriage – who was his wife and what happened?
She also said: “She and my father insisted I come into the drawing room and swear on the Torah never to have relations with a woman again.
“I did as they asked, but I broke my promise.”
Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.