British-Australian actor Miriam Margolyes has revealed she is recovering from a frightening health scare that kept her in hospital for days.

Margolyes, known for roles as Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter film series and in Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, has told fans she developed a chest infection after a minimally invasive heart procedure at a British hospital last Friday.

“Can’t come home yet: I have a chest infection. Probably tomorrow. But at least I’m resting. Love to all. Thankyou for your lovely messages,” she wrote on her Facebook page on Monday (British time).

The 81-year-old, who lives between Britain, Italy and a home in the NSW Southern Highlands, said she was recovering at The Royal Brompton Hospital in London.

Margolyes, who also starred in Call the Midwife and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, said she’d had a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedure. The Heart Foundation describes that as common treatment for a faulty heart valve, where the damaged valve is removed and replaced with a mechanical valve or one made from cow, pig or human heart tissue.

“Thanks to my precious friends who thought of me on TAVI DAY,” she wrote on Facebook on Sunday.

“I did survive and am still in The Royal Brompton Hospital certainly till Sunday. I am growing energy but it’s still not quite me. I am putting this so you know how grateful I am for lovely messages.”

On Monday, she posted to tell her “beloved chums” on Facebook that she expected to go home later that day. That all changed with the chest infection.

Margolyes also has a long career in theatre productions, as well as documentaries. Despite this week’s health setback, she said she was keen to get back to work.