Harry Potter

Daniel Radcliffe smokes 20-a-day

27 Mar 2008

JK Rowling may have just been added to the Forbes Celebrity Billionaires list, but the star of the Harry Potter adaptations is having less luck. Daniel Radcliffe’s co-stars are currently trying to wean him off his 20-a-day cigarette habit…

Emma Watson's Borrell ban

Celebrity Gossip

19 Feb 2008

Emma Watson's parents have banned her from seeing Johnny Borrell, it has been claimed. The 'Harry Potter' star's mother and father "went mad" after finding out their 17-year-old daughter had been partying with the Razorlight frontman last week, and…

Emma Watson's Bloom date

Celebrity Gossip

16 Feb 2008

'Harry Potter' star Emma Watson wants to date Orlando Bloom. The 17-year-old actress - who plays schoolgirl Hermione Granger in the hit movie franchise about a teen wizard - was recently linked to Razorlight frontman Johnny Borrell but would rather…

Emma Watson's Borrell party

Celebrity Gossip

13 Feb 2008

'Harry Potter' star Emma Watson has been partying with Razorlight star Johnny Borrell. The 17-year-old actress - who plays schoolgirl Hermione Granger in the hit movie franchise about a teen wizard - was seen laughing and joking with the rocker at a…

Harry Potter hopefuls lose out to experienced actress

15 Nov 2007

Thousands of hopefuls who auditioned for a part in the new Harry Potter film have been cast aside in favour of an experienced actress. The role of Lavender Brown in The Half Blood Prince went to Jessie Cave - who can boast appearing alongside Helen…

Harry Potter tops poll of UK’s most re-read books

9 Nov 2007

The Harry Potter novels have topped a list of the most re-read books, according to a poll conducted to mark the 2007 Costa Book Awards. JK Rowling fended off competition from JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice…

Rowling completes Harry Potter fairytales

1 Nov 2007

JK Rowling has completed a set of handwritten fairytales mentioned in her last book – but is not planning to have them published. The Edinburgh-based author has written just seven of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which was a book left to Hermione by…

Rowling defends decision to ‘out’ Dumbledore

24 Oct 2007

JK Rowling has spoken about the furore surrounding her decision to ‘out’ Harry Potter’s head teacher Albus Dumbledore. The author told reporters at a news conference in Toronto that she had not made the revelations earlier because she had never…

JK Rowling signs 1,600 books to launch US tour

16 Oct 2007

JK Rowling kicked off a tour of the US yesterday, as she sat down to sign 1,600 books for schoolchildren in Los Angeles. The Edinburgh-based author said the event, which included a reading from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was an ‘amazing…

Signed Harry Potter books raise thousands for charity

1 Oct 2007

A collection of Harry Potter books signed by JK Rowling has raised almost £20,000 for charity after an internet auction. Considered one of just a few complete signed sets in the world, the seven books were kept under lock and key in an Aberdeenshire…

Harry Potter and the endless casting of British screen legends

20 Sep 2007

The Harry Potter big tent of British character actors we all know and love has increased its capacity to the tune of one. Which is an appallingly self-indulgent way of saying that Jim Broadbent has been cast in the next Harry Potter movie, which by…

Rare collection of Potter books to be auctioned

18 Sep 2007

A rare collection of signed Harry Potter books is to be auctioned to raise cash for a charity that supplies books to children around the world. The collection is thought to be the only of its kind in the world and is being kept under lock and key at…

Sex scenes no problem for Harry Potter

12 Sep 2007

Daniel Radcliffe has talked about taking on risqué roles in a bid to shed his Harry Potter boy wizard image. The 18-year-old filmed his first love scene when he was 16 for the film December Boys. The film, which was his first major role since joining…

Scottish screen roles prove a hit with tourists

28 Aug 2007

People flocking to the site of their favourite film or TV programme are providing a huge boost to the UK economy. A report, compiled by various film and tourism agencies, claims the phenomenon is worth as much as £2.9 billion to the UK economy, with…

News round-up

23 Aug 2007

Sir Sean Connery has topped a poll as the celebrity most people would want to hear reading their emails and text messages. The survey was launched by Avaya Inc, a company which creates software to combat the dangers of listening to voicemails while…

Chinese translations of Harry Potter already available

16 Aug 2007

Chinese state media have revealed that translations of the latest installment of the Harry Potter series are already available, despite the official release date being late October. However Chinese students managed to translate Harry Potter and the…

Potted Potter

Allan Radcliffe

9 Aug 2007

Judging by the feverish excitement rippling around the auditorium of Pleasance One, even the flimsiest association with the Harry Potter phenomenon can virtually guarantee a successful Fringe show. The task facing performers Dan and Jeff is to…

Naomi Watts to play Draco in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

27 Jul 2007

Obligatory Harry Potter news Naomi Watts has signed on to the latest big screen outing for the boy wizard, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. The King Kong actress is to play Draco Malfoy’s mother Narcissa in the penultimate movie in the series.

Not the end of Potter, says Rowling

27 Jul 2007

JK Rowling has offered a glimmer of hope to Harry Potter fans downcast after the final boy wizard book was published last week, with plans to write more material. The Edinburgh-based author said a new encyclopedia would include more information about…