‘My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here’: Daniel Radcliffe fondly recalls growing up on the Harry Potter set – as he joins cast for first full look at reunion special

• Harry Potter fans are eagerly-awaiting the franchise’s 20th Anniversary reunion, which will see the megastars of the movies meet up for a one-off special
• The new special ‘will share new details on the production through in-depth interviews and cast conversations’
• Harry Potter author JK Rowling will not be joining the special amid much controversy surrounding her over the past few years after she tweeted about biological sex leading to backlash from the trans community
• Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is set to debut on January 1, 2022 on HBO Max 
• UK viewers will be able to watch the TV special on Sky and streaming service NOW from New Year’s Day

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is set to debut on January 1, 2022 on HBO Max as well as on Sky and streaming service NOW in the UK.

And, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled first kisses, horrible haircuts and growing up on the ‘greatest playground in the world’ as they joined their former co-stars in heartwarming scenes released ahead of the reunion special. 

Three short videos show the stars, who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, chatting about spending their formative years on the set of the iconic film series, and speaking fondly of the ‘strong bond’ which they’ll always have.   

Reunited: Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint recalled growing up on the ‘greatest playground in the world’ in scenes released ahead of the reunion special

In the first clip, Emma, who was the tender age of 11 when the debut film was released, admits: ‘It feels like no time has passed — and loads of time has passed.’ 

Rupert adds: ‘I feel like this is the perfect time to sit down with everyone and reminisce.’

Speaking of the Wizarding World, Daniel admits: ‘I’ll always be happy to talk about it. I think people expect me not to want to talk about it. But that’s like somebody never talking about their childhood or teenage years.

‘Every part of my life is connected to Potter and to Leavesden. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here… everything I can think of is that related right now. It all spirals out from the Potter set somewhere.

Looking back: The main man himself confessed: ‘Every part of my life is connected to Potter. My first kiss is connected to someone here, my first girlfriends were here…’

Back together: The Harry Potter cast reunites in the Great Hall for a Christmas get together

Bizarre: ‘We did our growing up privately still, we just did it on a film set, and we did it with each other, and that’s bizarre’ explains Daniel

‘Everyone also says things like “you grew up on screen”. Well yes and know. We did our growing up privately still, we just did it on a film set, and we did it with each other, and that’s bizarre.’

Elsewhere, Daniel can be heard saying: ‘The thing that scared me most was the invitation. But there’s something so joyous about seeing everyone.’ 

In another teaser clip, Daniel looks back on the overgrown hair which he and Rupert often sported in the Harry Potter films.

He asserts: ‘My one bone to pick with Mike Newell, is that every year when we left for the film, we finished a film, they said “don’t cut your hair over the summer, we’ll cut it when you get back, and we’ll decide what they want to do.”

The time is right: ‘I feel like this is the perfect time to sit down with everyone and reminisce’ says Rupert

Fuming! In another teaser clip, Daniel looks back on the overgrown hair which he and Rupert often sported in the Harry Potter films

‘And me and Rupert both dutifully grew our hair for months, and then came in and he was like: “Great!”

‘And we went: “No, no no no no. You’re not leaving us like this? We’re supposed to be becoming teenagers and dating girls in this film. Like, you can’t? That’s not what it’s gonna be is it?”

‘So I think we were pretty devastated as we realised that it was. But still, I still love the man!’

Nerves: Emma admits she was nervous ahead of the reunion, saying: ‘I felt quite overwhelmed this morning and then I’ve just been really pleasantly surprised by just getting to relive it all’

Joyful: ‘You know, some of us haven’t seen each other for years, and so it’s just been a joy, an unexpected joy’ gushes Emma

In the third video ahead of Return To Hogwarts, Helena Bonham Carter, who played Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter, recalls one of her favourite scenes.

She says: ‘One of the highlights of my part was when I had to pretend to be Hermione pretending to be Bellatrix. I’ve still got the teeth. I’ll put them in actually!’ 

Elsewhere, Emma admits she was nervous ahead of the reunion, saying: ‘You know, some of us haven’t seen each other for years, and so it’s just been a joy, an unexpected joy.

‘I really didn’t know how it would feel. I felt quite overwhelmed this morning and then I’ve just been really pleasantly surprised by just getting to relive it all.’

Joker! In the third video ahead of Return To Hogwarts, Helena Bonham Carter, who played Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter, recalls one of her favourite scenes

‘You’ve got to do it!’ In another short clip, Ralph Fiennes remembers how he decided to accept the role of Voldemort in Harry Potter

In another short clip, Ralph Fiennes remembers how he decided to accept the role of Voldemort in Harry Potter.

The actor explains: ‘My sister has children who were then around 10, 11, 12. And I said: “Martha I don’t know about this Voldemort.”

“What, you’re being asked to play Voldemort? You’ve got to do it!” exclaimed the actor, mimicking his sister’s reaction.

Elsewhere, Daniel emotionally confesses: ‘I wouldn’t be the person I am without so many people here.’

Rupert adds: ‘It’s very overwhelming to think that I’ve watched you grow up and I’ve seen every stage of your life.’

Emotional: Rupert tells Emma: ‘There’s a strong bond that we’ll always have,’ before they sharing a hug

One of the film’s directors then gushes: ‘Oh god, every day was a memorable moment because every day – as a director you’re on these incredible sets.

‘So you walk into the Great Hall one day, you walk into the Chamber Of Secrets. As a director it’s the greatest playground in the world.’

Finally, Emma speaks sincerely as she asserts: ‘When times get dark and things get really hard, there’s something about Harry Potter that makes life richer.’ 

Rupert tells Emma: ‘There’s a strong bond that we’ll always have,’ before they share a hug and are joined by Daniel.

Sitting in the Gryffindor common room as the iconic trio, Rupert tells his former co-stars: ‘We’re family. We’ll always be part of each others’ lives.’ 

Family: Sitting in the Gryffindor common room as the iconic trio, Rupert tells his former co-stars: ‘We’re family. We’ll always be part of each others’ lives’

The Return To Hogwarts special will also feature other stars from the franchise, including Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) and Bonnie Wright (Ginnie Weasley). 

Filmmakers Chris Columbus, David Heyman, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell and David Yates will also appear.

Despite the star-studded turn out, the author behind the stratospherically successful franchise, JK Rowling, was not in attendance at the reunion special.

Harry Potter author JK Rowling will not be joining the special amid much controversy surrounding her over the past few years after she tweeted about biological sex leading to backlash from the trans community.  

No show: Harry Potter author JK Rowling will not be joining the special amid much controversy surrounding her over the past few years after she tweeted about biological sex leading to backlash from the trans community (pictured in 2018)

 Backlash: The 56-year-old British writer, who has been heavily criticised for her views on transgender people, will however appear via archival footage

Earlier this month, the first official poster for the Harry Potter reunion special has been released, featuring Daniel, Emma and Rupert front and centre ahead of filming Return to Hogwarts.

Fans of the franchise will no doubt be delighted to see Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley together once again alongside a host of their wizarding friends.  

Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), James Phelps and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley), Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), and Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) also appear on the photograph, which is set in Hogwarts’ Great Hall.     

One person not included in the poster, however, was Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has been kept away from the special amid an ongoing transphobia row that has seen her get cancelled.

Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is set to debut on January 1, 2022 on HBO Max 

One to watch! This comes as the the first official poster for the Harry Potter reunion special has been released, featuring the stars front and centre ahead of filming Return to Hogwarts

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