Mobility scooter

Miriam Margolyes opened up about the health problems she lives with and issued a warning to others on how one of them could be prevented

Miriam Margolyes has shared an update on a health problem she has lived with for more than 40 years. The 84-year-old revealed she suffers from a long-term shoulder injury that means she is unable to put on a bra by herself.

Reflecting on being filmed in her bra for her latest documentary Miriam Margolyes Made Me Me, she said on The Romesh Ranganathan Show: “I did have that new bra on and it did me the world of good.

I need several people to put it on for me and I’m on my own at the moment.

“The problem is, I’ve got a bad shoulder, I’ve had it for a long time actually because I didn’t know how to fall and I had to fall in a play for six months about 40 years and the rotator cuff doesn’t quite cuff or rotate, whatever it should do.

“So, I can’t put my hands behind my back. I can manage with an apron because it’s lower down, but with a bra it’s a little bit [more difficult] and you have to sort of arrange your t**s into it.

“And I need help basically, so my lodgers do bra duty, but I haven’t got them with me today so I had to do it myself,” the actress shared.

In the same podcast, the Harry Potter star opened up about what she considers the “worst bit” of being in her eighties.

Asked for advice by Romesh’s mother, she said: “The worst bit about being 80 is my weak pelvic floor. I p**s myself all the time and everywhere I go I always take spare knickers because you never know.

“And that’s honestly the truth and I don’t like it and I don’t say it to be funny, I say it because it’s true and it’s a bl***y nuisance,” Miriam added.

“But if I done pelvic floor exercises maybe I wouldn’t be so p***y. So do your pelvic floor exercises,” she warned.

On a more positive note, the actress said the “best thing” about turning 80 is the confidence she now feels when meeting new people.

“The best thing about being 80 and I’m going to be 85 [soon], is not being afraid to meet people, not being afraid to go into a room and just be.

“Sometimes, that’s because people know who I am and they’re sort of starstruck because they think I’m a star, but it gives me confidence.

“I feel more empowered to be and go into a room and talk to people,” she added.

Miriam has faced a number of other health challenges over the years, including undergoing an aortic valve replacement in 2023. She also lives with Spinal stenosis, which has affected her mobility.

She previously told Closer Magazine: “I can’t walk very well, and I’m registered disabled. I use all kinds of assistance. I’ve got two sticks and a walker and they’re such a bore, but I’ve just got a mobility scooter, which is a lot of fun.”

Disabled mum Carol Hutchins was left ‘very upset’ after missing her TUI holiday to Fuerteventura from Manchester Airport

A disabled woman has been left “very upset” after missing her holiday to the Canary Islands due to issues with her mobility scooter battery.

Carol Hutchins had been eagerly anticipating a sunny getaway at the TUI Magic Life Hotel in Fuerteventura with her daughter, Layla, scheduled for late October. However, the mother-and-daughter pair’s dream holiday came to an abrupt end at Manchester Airport, where staff informed them Carol’s scooter couldn’t be loaded onto the aircraft.

Carol has been left “very upset” by the cancelled holiday and the fact she’s more than £1,000 out of pocket. There is no indication that TUI failed to follow protocol. However, Carol and Layla’s experience acts as a cautionary tale for Brits travelling abroad with a mobility scooter.

A TUI spokesperson said: “We’re sorry that Ms Hutchins wasn’t able to travel on her holiday, and we recognise how upsetting that must have been for her. This was due to them not having the required documentation and battery identification information for their electric mobility aid, which meant it couldn’t be cleared to fly under safety guidance. The TUI airport team supported her on the day and explored alternative options, which she chose not to accept.”

Carol arranged her holiday to the sun-drenched Canary Islands at the TUI Doncaster branch on 23 October 2025. As the reservation was made within a fortnight of departure, the travel agent contacted the welfare team while Carol was in the shop, to ensure the mobility scooter was included in the booking. When a mobility aid is included in a holiday booking, customers are sent the Conditions of Carriage, which contain crucial instructions passengers must adhere to before their flight, reports the Mirror.

They specify: “The battery or batteries should clearly be labelled showing the type and the watt-hour (Wh) rating. Failure to show this can lead to refusal of battery or batteries. Please carry the manufacturer’s operating instructions with you, which will help you and the airport staff to block the vehicle’s electric circuits and remove the battery if necessary.”

According to TUI, the Conditions of Carriage were sent to Ms Hutchins four times via email as her booking was amended, and provided twice more alongside ticket documentation.

When Carol and Layla arrived at Manchester Airport on October 29, her battery lacked any visible identification label, meaning airport personnel could not lawfully approve it under safety regulations.

An on-site duty manager liaised with the resort team in Fuerteventura to locate an alternative mobility scooter she could utilise during her holiday.

However, according to Layla, Carol did not feel at ease travelling without her own scooter or with the prospect that she might be without one for a time once at her destination.

According to TUI, Carol and Layla declined the offer of two alternative flights and goodwill vouchers.

TUI’s website features a section that outlines what customers using mobility scooters need to know and do before they travel.

Before flying with your electric mobility aid, you’ll need to:

• Check your battery type and specifications
• Provide battery details to TUI in advance
• Bring manufacturer documentation to the airport

TUI accepts these battery types:

• Non-spillable batteries (like AGM, Gel Cell, SLA)
• Lithium batteries with specific watt-hour limits:
• Single battery: maximum 300Wh
• Two batteries: maximum 160Wh each
• However, wet cell (spillable) batteries are not permitted on TUI flights.

Important pre-flight steps:

• Share your device’s battery details with TUI as early as possible
• Bring manufacturer documentation showing battery specifications
• If documentation is unavailable, check the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) website or contact your device manufacturer
• Remember that spare or removable batteries must be carried in the cabin