TV bosses ask Londoners to star in upcoming Harry Potter series with filming to start at end of month in London
THE upcoming Harry Potter TV series is about to start shooting in the capital – but it’s not just the stars who will be involved in filming.
We’ve been told Network Rail staff have been approached to appear as extras when the HBO show starts filming scenes featuring the Hogwarts Express locomotive.
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The scenes will be shot from August 23 to 25, with staff receiving chances to get their five minutes of fame on screen in the series.
A source said: “The magic of Harry Potter is alive in London and bosses want to help people’s dreams come true. They’ve called out for Network Rail staff to appear as extras in scenes which will be filmed at a station later this month.
“It’s been really successful and they have had loads of interest from people who work as conductors and controllers who are keen to get their faces on screen.
“This telly series is a surefire mega-hit so it’s not surprising their call-out has proved massively popular.
“Bosses at HBO know there’s nothing better than having real people in on the action as it will all look totally natural.”
And if they are going for this realistic look, I’ll be expecting the Hogwarts Express to be delayed on the first day of filming because the wrong kind of summer heat has ruined the train tracks.
Oh and the air-conditioning definitely won’t be working.
A last-minute alteration on platform 9¾ wouldn’t appear too much of a stretch either.
Show makers HBO previously confirmed they will use an old steam train that was rescued from a scrap heap in Barry Island in Wales as the magical locomotive.
The train is currently green, but bosses are staying tight-lipped about whether they will repaint it to match the locomotive seen in the hit Noughties films, which are based on JK Rowling’s best-selling books.
The first series is expected to run for eight episodes and has been scripted from the first book, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone.
Rising star
JK’s debut novel was originally released in 1997, while the blockbuster film came out four years later in 2001.
The films turned Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint into household names thanks to their portrayals of young wizard Harry and his pals Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
This time around rising star Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry, Alastair Stout is taking on Ron and Arabella Stanton is in place as Hermione.
Give it a year or so and they will be some of the most recognised young stars in the country.
OZZY WAS MY BLUD BROTHER
YUNGBLUD has opened up about the death of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne.
The pair became close pals over the past few years, with the rapper – real name Dominic Harrison – doing a cameo at Ozzy and Black Sabbath’s Back To The Beginning show at Villa Park in Birmingham last month, days before the rock legend passed.
Yungblud, who coverd Black Sabbath’s Changes at the gig, said: “I thought Ozzy had another five albums in him. And then he did the show and then he died.
“I just love him and right till the end he supported me. He taught me self-belief and I’m going to take his spirit and make sure everybody knows who Ozzy was.”
NELLY FURTADO looked to have taken inspiration from her Noughties hit I’m Like A Bird when she took to the stage at Boardmasters in green winged sleeves.
The American star performed some of her best-loved hits, including Say It Right and Maneater, at the festival headlined by The Prodigy.
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Raye, Central Cee and Rizzle Kicks were also on the bill at the surfing and event, which takes place across the gorgeous Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach in Cornwall.
Katy B was a surprise guest for Nelly at the show and the pair’s duet of I’m Like A Bird went down a storm with fans at the festival.
Nelly certainly didn’t need those wings to rise any higher.
Perrie’s fringe festival
PERRIE EDWARDS strikes gold with her fans by hitting the stage in a shiny tassled outfit.
The former Little Mix singer played Ascot Racecourse, where she blasted out songs for the adoring crowd.
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The audience seemed to love her performance as much as I love the cool black number, adorned with gold tassels.
She sang tunes including her former band’s classic 2016 single Shout Out To My Ex.
After her brilliant show, Perrie wrote on Instagram yesterday: “Last night was magic.”
Her Little Mix bandmate Leigh-Anne Pinnock also performed this weekend with a set at Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall.
Perrie, who is engaged to former Liverpool footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, released her first solo tunes last year, and is set to release her debut album this year.
She has also landed a £300,000 deal with beauty giant L’Oreal’s skincare brand CeraVe.
Things are certainly looking pretty for Perrie.
KYLIE TO GET MORE A-TENSION
KYLIE MINOGUE is on the cusp of releasing a new album . . . but there’s a twist.
Rather than it being her third studio release in three years, the new record will be a live collection – which was made during her Tension world tour, which ends on August 26 in Mexico.
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It will mark the end of this era of Kylie’s music, which has seen her finally crack America with mega-hit Padam Padam and dominate the airwaves with hit after hit.
A source said: “Kylie has quietly recorded her Tension Tour for a live album.
“The record will be announced in the coming weeks and mark the end of the Tension era.”
The insider added: “The album and Tension II both surpassed all expectations for Kylie. She is on top of the world.”
THE White Isle comes to the Cotswolds this weekend with Reserve by Warner Hotels bringing back its famous Ibiza Sunsets Weekend.
The event at Heythrop Park will have sets from Take That’s Howard Donald, along with DJ Danny Rampling.
Warner’s epic Ibiza In Symphony also returns.
See warnerhotels.co.uk/reserve.
MODEL ROMANCE FOR CAIT
CAITY BASER has revealed she has secretly fallen in love with a male model after meeting him on a video shoot.
The Friendly Sex singer revealed she is head over heels for the mystery man and teased that they have discussed marriage.
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Cait said: “I fell in love with a man who is so safe and so secure.
“I met him on a video shoot. My first opinion of him was, wow, gorgeous, terrifying also because he is so gorgeous.
“We live together. He’s my best friend. I love him.”
And Caity, whose romance has inspired her EP There, I Said It, out on August 22, explained that settling down with him has calmed her down.
She told the We Need To Talk podcast: “For my whole life, I feel like I’ve just been on this treadmill of fight or flight emotionally. And then I met my boyfriend and I just feel so at peace. I feel so calm.”
DEMI POPS UP
DEMI LOVATO is going back to her dance pop roots for her upcoming ninth studio album.
I can exclusively reveal her as-yet-untitled record, her first since 2022’s Holy Fvck, will be out in October.
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The album’s lead single Fast was released earlier this month but I’m told it has a more electronic sound than a lot of the record.
A source said: “Demi’s album comes out in October and it’s really good – she’s excelled herself.
“Demi is in such a good place right now and it really shows in her art. Fast is more EDM than the rest of the album.
“Of course there are a few experimental elements but there is also Demi’s classic pop sound in there too. One track called Kiss is basically Fast’s racy sister. It goes hard.”
My insider added: “The music is worlds away from her last album. The rock era was fun but it’s over.”
It’s been an amazing year so far for Demi, who married her boyfriend, singer Jordan Lutes, back in May.
And now it’s only getting more exciting for her.
We can’t wait to hear the album.
The week in bizness
WEDNESDAY: STACEY DOOLEY and Kevin Clifton star at the press night for 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Manchester Opera House ahead of the show’s UK tour.
THURSDAY: TOM GRENNAN signs copies of his new album Everywhere I Went Led Me To Where I Didn’t Want To Be at HMV Oxford Street in London, ahead of its release on Friday.
FRIDAY: BLACKPINK bring their reunion tour to Wembley Stadium, following the success of members Rose, Jisoo, Jennie and Lisa’s solo ventures.
SATURDAY: SAM FENDER rocks out to fans at his sold-out show at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester, supported by Olivia Dean.
