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Open UK casting call for new Harry Potter TV series announced

Freshen up on your spells… It's leviOsa, not levioSA!

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia - 10th September 2024

It may have been just over a year since rumours of the show had been confirmed, but now the search is officially on.

Harry Potter is one of the most successful and cherished franchises on screen, paper, and stage, and the book series by JK Rowling is the world’s number one best-selling in history, with over 600 million copies distributed across the globe. 

The new original series adaptation will be produced by the American television network, HBO, known for its involvement in huge dramas like Game Of Thrones and Euphoria.

Currently, the show is looking for UK actors to audition for one of the three wizarding friends.

These roles were originally played by the now Hollywood-greats, Daniel Radcliffe, who starred as Harry Potter, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley.

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Recently, Francesca Gardiner – known for her work on Killing Eve and Succession, was announced as the showrunner, and she will oversee all the writing and producing of the show, with full creative control.

In the description for these leading roles, a statement reads: “We are committed to inclusive, diverse casting. For every role please submit qualified performers, without any regard to ethnicity, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other basis protected by law unless otherwise specifically indicated.”

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Although the statement pulled from the casting call is open to all actors, with no concern over their protected characteristics, this new original series may be affected by controversy surrounding the author, JK Rowling.

She has previously been criticised for her opinions on gender identity, especially in her condemnation of transgender people and the LGBTQ+ community.

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Currently, producers are only considering children who are between the ages of 9-11 in April 2025, and the only way to officially apply is through the CastIt website here.

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Applications must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian.

Featured Image – Warner Bros.

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Morrissey: Johnny Marr now has ‘100%’ of The Smiths rights to tour without him – and one potential replacement is trending

Danny Jones Danny Jones Morrissey says Johnny Marr now has 100% of the rights to The Smiths trademark and can tour without him

Morrissey has come out to claim that former bandmate Johnny Marr now holds all the rights to The Smiths and their music, even stating that he can now go on and tour without him – and there’s already a very big name being floating around for his replacement.

Yes, as per Mr ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’ himself, the co-songwriter and lead guitarist recently acquired “100% trademark rights/intellectual property” despite Morrisey himself having coined the “musical unit name ‘The Smiths’ in May 1982.”

It is said that this application was secured without any consultation from the former frontman or any chance to object on the 65-year-old’s part.

Although the fellow Manc music legend himself is yet to come out and comment on the reports made on the official Morrissey Central website, fans are already speculating whether Marr is gearing up to head out on tour, the internet was quick to drum up what many are calling the ideal stand-in for a singer.

Though it might have seemed a slightly mad suggestion a few years ago, there are literally tonnes of accounts and music fans from all over calling for Rick Astley to be called in as a replacement frontman should Marr actually end up taking The Smiths back out on tour.

The ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ singer and Lancashire-born 80s pop star has been enjoying what we’ve affectionately referred to as the ‘Rick-naissance’ over the past few years, playing main stage slots at the likes of Glastonbury, Kendal Calling, Bestival and continuing to release new music.

However, the reason the suggestion of him replacing Morrissey as the lead singer on a would-be tour is actually quite plausible is because he’s already played a number of shows where he performed The Smiths song with Stockport indie band, Blossoms.

Going on to not only become friends with the group but reiterate what an incredible singer he is – covering classics such as ‘There Is a Light That Never Goes Out’, ‘This Charming Man’ and even the likes of ACDC to tens of thousands on the Pyramid Stage – he’s quietly become one the UK’s favourite all-round performers once again.

That being said, it’s safe to say some people have other thoughts on the suggestion; many believe Marr wouldn’t be interested in doing it, others were aghast at the suggestion or some offered a much easier alternative that’s already proven to be a more than viable option…

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Nevertheless, there seem to be many more people in the pro-Astley camp than there are in the anti, with one user writing, “Johnny Marr, Rick Astley is waiting by the phone!”, and another in America adding: “If Marr tours Smiths songs with Rick Astley in the US, I’m going to every date in the south.”

As explained in the full post entitled, ‘The Plot Thickens’, Morrissey and his representation said that not only can Marr “now tour as The Smiths using the vocalist of his choice” but doing so will also “also prohibit Morrissey from using the name whilst also denying [him] considerable financial livelihood.”

In fact, according to a previous statement shared at the end of last month, he and Marr were presented with a “lucrative offer” to tour together in June by AEG Entertainment Group throughout 2025 and while he said yes, his counterpart “ignored the offer.”

The plot thickens indeed but, for now, there’s nothing concrete to any of this talk beyond what Morrissey has claimed regarding trademark rights and what a lot of fans would clearly love to see: some kind of The Smiths’ comeback tour featuring Marr and the mighty Rick Astley.

Hey, who knows? We’ve finally got an Oasis reunion and much stranger things have happened – and we’re talking just this week alone…

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Man Alive!/Julio Enriquez/Raph_PH (via Flickr)

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BBC to revive beloved children’s TV show Balamory for ‘a whole new generation’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

One of the most beloved children’s TV shows of the noughties is set to be revived for “a whole new generation”.

What’s the story in Balamory? It’s set to return to our TV screens, that’s the story.

That’s right, in what is a proper piece of nostalgic news for the children who grew up with the pastel-hued fictional town being a part of their lives, the BBC has announced today that Balamory is set to be revived for “a whole new generation” and will be returning for two new series on CBeebies in 2026 onwards.

The original show was produced between 2002 until 2005, but now it’s about to be revamped more than two decades later.

Producers are hoping the reboot nostalgic – which is set to be inspired by the original family favourite show – will be a hit with both parents who grew up watching the show themselves, as well as with their little ones.

Exact details of the show’s revival are expected to be announced very soon, but the BBC has revealed that it will, once again, be set in the picturesque village of Balamory with stories centred around a nursery school and their teacher, and there’s likely to be some of the original characters included in the series, alongside a host of new faces to get to know.

The reboot will be filmed up in Scotland just like the original, either in the famous location of Tobermory, or in another equally-colourful Scottish location such as Rothesay.

The BBC is reviving beloved children’s show Balamory for ‘a whole new generation’ / Credit: Richard Szwejkowski (via Flickr)

“A whole new generation will discover and enjoy Balamory,” commented Kate Morton, who is the Head of Commissioning for BBC Children’s and Education.

“It will be a real treat for parents who grew up with the show to now introduce their little ones to the brightly-coloured world, getting to know a host of old and new characters together.”

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Further information and cast details will be announced soon, the BBC confirmed.

Featured Image – BBC

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