Emma Watson fuelled speculation she was back with her ex-boyfriend Brendan Wallace after the former couple were spotted in the crowd at Taylor Swift’s Las Vegas concert.

The 32-year-old Harry Potter actress was previously linked to the entrepreneur in 2018 when they were snapped locking lips during a Mexican getaway.

Pictures of the potential couple circulated social media and showed Emma and Brendan smiling away as they bopped to the pop princess’s famous hits.

Brendan is a co-founder and managing partner of a venture capital fund called Fifth Wall Ventures according to his LinkedIn page and focuses ‘on technologies for the global real estate industry, including those which decarbonize the sector’.

In images shared on Twitter, the British star was seen wearing an oversized beige shearling jacket over the top of a black round neck sweater.

She donned minimal makeup and let her short tresses hang loose around her shoulders.

Her suspected lover kept it casual in a blue dress shirt which he wore unbuttoned over the top of a turquoise t-shirt and black jeans.

Emma has previously been linked to co-star and fellow actor Tom Felton, 35.

The star regularly praised the new author of Beyond the Wand: The Magic & Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard and admitted he was ‘one of the purest loves’.

She wrote in the introduction to Tom’s book release: ‘When we first met, I was a moody and probably rather annoying nine-year-old girl who followed him round like a puppy, desperate for his attention.

‘But, as he has written so eloquently, beautifully, and generously in this book, our friendship didn’t end there. Thank goodness it blossomed and endured.

‘Like Tom, I always struggle to explain to people the nature of our connection and relationship. For more than twenty years now, we’ve loved each other in a special way.

‘It’s one of the purest loves I can think of. We’re soulmates, and we’ve always had each other’s backs. I know we always will. It makes me emotional to think about it’.

Emma and Tom were both part of the wizard franchise written by JK Rowling and starred in the much-loved films from the very beginning.

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Emma Watson is notoriously private when it comes to her personal life and very rarely posts on social media.

But that all changed on Saturday, when the Harry Potter star shared what might be her most personal life update yet on Instagram to mark her 33^rd birthday.

Emma explained that she’d ‘stepped away from life’ over the past couple of years and went into great detail about what she’d been up to.

From learning to surf to adopting a dog and even ripping off a fingernail, the A-lister gave fans a no holds barred peek into her life.

Alongside a striking black and white image of herself, Emma wrote: ‘This is 33. Holy moly. Before 29 I hadn’t even heard of a Saturn Return as a concept.’

The Little Women star went on: ‘Let’s just say that now I am well acquainted. I stepped away from my life – I learned to surf (badly), I rode some horses (that went better), I did a lot of therapy (YESS therapy!).

‘My brother and I figured out how to make a gin using recycled wine grapes!?  (@renaisspirits) I adopted Sofia in Mexico, who seems to be an angel not a dog.’

Emma added: ‘We filmed a Harry Potter reunion. I said goodbye to my Grandma and Grandpa. I retraced my steps. I started a women’s environmental investment fund.

‘I played Pickleball with @sugarrayleonard and I even played golf and then tried to make all of my girlfriends learn too.

‘I cut my thumb nail off on both hands trying to cook for myself and then was only able to do things one handed for months.

‘I felt really sad and really pissed off about a lot of things. I learned more about love and being a woman.’

She concluded: ‘It took me three years but I have finally figured out a daily practice and can actually keep it for more than a few days in a row. I burned some things down. I eat green things now!

‘I got obsessed with making Squarespace websites. I directed my first commercial.

‘These pictures were actually taken on my birthday last year, but I wasn’t ready to come out of my Covid Cocoon. Today I feel [butterfly emoji].’

Needless to say, her 70.5million followers were delighted that she’d shared such a personal update with them, and even Emma’s famous followers were quick to celebrate her return to the social media platform.

Vanessa Hudgens wrote: ‘What a goddess,’ beneath Emma’s post, while Nicola Adams added: ‘Life is a journey,’ and Karlie Kloss left a slew of fun emojis.

Glad to have you back, Emma!

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It’s just a matter of days until the 2023 British LGBT Awards ceremony kicks off in London.

The eagerly-anticipated event will honour the celebrities, campaigners and community activists who have helped advance the fight for LGBT+ rights during the past 12 months. 

Rebel Wilson, Kit Connor, Emma Corrin, Yasmin Finney, Joe Lycett and Becky Hill are among the nominees.

Hosted by TV personality Sue Perkins, the awards – sponsored by Macquarie – will bring together some of the biggest names from media and entertainment.

It will also gather some of the country’s biggest businesses for a major night celebrating  LGBT+ achievements. 

‘The British LGBT Awards just gets bigger every year,’ said founder Sarah Garrett MBE. 

‘It really has become a staple event for the LGBT+ community and gives us an opportunity to celebrate the many successes and achievements within our community but most importantly this event shows young people who may be struggling with their sexuality that being lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender is not a barrier to success.

‘The British LGBT Award involves the public on a huge scale, the public decides the nominees and the winners.

‘It is incredible that so many people get involved. Friday’s event is set to be really special – Sue Perkins is returning as host and there are going to be some fantastic moments.

‘We’re really looking forward to it.’

To see the full list of nominations and cast your vote, click here.

Ahead of the event on Friday, which is being supported by Metro, here are six things to expect: 

1. LGBT+ celebrities out in force

Organisers are promising a night packed with celebrity guests.

Not only is Sue Perkins hosting but stars including musician Olly Alexander, comedian Julian Clary, TV presenter Rylan Clark, Britain’s Got Talent judge Bruno Tonioli, boxing legend Nicola Adams and music icons Holly Johnson and Andy Bell are all expected to be in attendance. 

2. Tribute to Paul O’Grady

The untimely passing of TV royalty Paul O’Grady earlier this year sent shockwaves through the LGBT+ community and beyond.

The broadcaster and Lily Savage star was a trailblazer of the LGBT+ community.

O’Grady was known for support of a number of charitable campaigns including those which help people living with HIV and AIDS.

The British LGBT Awards is planning a special tribute to the man himself. 

3. LGBT+ allies showing support

The British LGBT Awards annually celebrates allies of the community with a special award.

Michelle Visage, Harry Styles, Alison Hammond, Emma Watson and Katherine Ryan are all in the running for the Celebrity Ally of the Year gong.

Celebs such as Lorraine Kelly, Denise Welch, Roman Kemp and Shirley Ballas are also expected to attend and show their support.

4. Brand and businesses will be recognised

Some of the country’s best-loved brands and businesses are also in the running for awards for demonstrating their commitment to inclusivity and the LGBT+ community.

BOOTS, Gymshark, Virgin Atltanic and The AA are amongst those vying for in the Brand or Marketing Campaign category.

The hotly contested prize is decided by the British LGBT Awards expert judging panel which includes distinguished names from business and the media. 

5. Big name winners

HRH Prince William, former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, pop queen Kylie Minogue, Caitlyn Jenner and Ru Paul are just some of the big name winners to bag a British LGBT Award in recent years.

Organisers are tight lipped on this year’s recipients but it is expected that there will be some surprise star guests taking home accolades on the night. 

6. Show-stopping after party

There have been big name DJ performances and celebrities partying into the small honours at the legendary British LGBT Awards after party over the years and it is set to be no different on Friday.

With the event taking place in the middle of Pride month, expect camp classics and a packed dance floor as nominees and winners celebrate their success ‘at Britain’s own gay Oscars’.

To find out more about the ceremony, taking place this Friday, head over to the official website.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

EastEnders fans have been left shocked after spotting Ben Champniss, who plays Shrimpy in the BBC One soap, in one of the Harry Potter films!

The hugely popular series has been put on Netflix, meaning new and old Harry Potter fans could flock to the streaming platform to watch them.

The first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, aired in 2001 and follows a young Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) as they arrive at Hogwarts ready to learn how to become the best wizard they can be.

The finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 – was released in 2011 and sees the trio and their pals defeat the Death Eaters and remaining Horcruxes, leading to an intense showdown between Harry Potter and evil Lord Voldemort.

Once Lord Voldemort has been killed (spoilers!), Harry, Hermoine and Ron are left wondering what the future may hold at their beloved school – which is where this surprising link to EastEnders comes in.

As the film draws to a close, an older version of the trio are seen at King’s Cross Station, waving off their children as they board the train ready to leave for Hogwarts.

Moment before the credits roll, we see Harry, Hermoine and Ron for one final time – but many looked behind the characters and spotted Ben aka Shrimpy from EastEnders!

The actor shared a tweet recently, confirming he hasn’t been a Muggle his entire life: ‘Since Netflix started streaming Harry Potter, I’ve received quite a few messages regarding this last scene…Always lovely to hear from you all, and yes, I can confirm….I was a wizard in a former life!’.

Many EastEnders fans commented on Ben’s tweet, with some admitting that they’ve seen that scene so many times, and still failed to spot him!

Ben has played market stall owner Shrimpy since 2014. He is often seen running more than one stall, however, as he’s usually asked to keep an eye on someone else’s when they’re forced to run off, too involved in Albert Square drama!

Shrimpy was the focus of an interesting scene recently, as Eve (Heather Peace) admitted that she had a sex dream about him once and well…he kept his hat on the entire time.

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Emma Watson is showing it’s never too late to start learning something new, as the 33-year-old has gone back to university!

The Harry Potter actress already has a bachelor’s degree under her belt, having graduated in 2014.

But, in true Hermione Granger style, she has now enrolled in a part-time Master’s degree at Oxford.

A source said: ‘The course is for older adults and can be done on a part-time basis, which is perfect for Emma’s schedule.

‘She only has to be on-site for four or five days a year because she can do the rest of the course online from home.’

And, Emma – who has taken a step back from acting in recent years – is expected to have a security team with her when she does attend the university, because she has suffered some safety scares recently.

The insider added to The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: ‘Because she’s a famous actress, she’ll have a security team looking after her whenever she has classes to go to.

‘There have been a few incidents recently and she is taking every precaution necessary to ensure her safety.’

A man was arrested during a Ralph Lauren fashion show in New York this month on suspicion of attempting to gain access to her dressing room and Emma has been feeling concerned.

The source added: ‘She flew to Milan with a specialist team from the UK, and Prada provided another security detail to guard her room overnight.

‘There were lots of famous models and celebrities staying at the Palazzo Parigi where Emma stayed.’

Emma was said to have been ‘worried’ that the people who had been messaging her could have disguised themselves outside among fans.

The man has denied criminal trespass and disorderly conduct and will return to court next month.

Emma graduated from Brown University, located in Rhode Island, USA, after studying English literature nine years ago.

Proving herself to be the very definition of a girl boss, Emma was studying there just weeks before part 2 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hit cinemas, which brought her time as Hermione to an end after 10 years in the role.

And when she returns to her studies at Oxford, she’ll be in familiar territory.

She’s actually already been in the uni grounds, as many scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed in and around them.

For example, the Christ Church College, Cloisters became instantly recognisable when they were used for corridor scenes in the wizarding franchise.

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Stars including Jeremy Clarkson, Piers Morgan and Harry Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have paid tribute to Sir Michael Gambon following the news of his death aged 82.

On Thursday it was revealed that distinguished actor Sir Michael, best known for playing the role of Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter films from 2004 to 2011, had died peacefully in hospital with his cause of death being pneumonia.

He is also known for playing French detective Jules Maigret in ITV series Maigret, and for his 1986 role as Philip Marlow in Dennis Potter’s The Singing Detective.

The news of his death was met with an outpouring of grief from fans and fellow celebrities.

Daniel Radcliffe hailed him as ‘one of the most brilliant, effortless actors’ he ever worked with as he paid tribute.

‘With the loss of Michael Gambon the world just became considerably less fun,’ 34-year-old Radcliffe said in a statement.

‘Michael Gambon was one of the most brilliant, effortless actors I’ve ever had the privilege of working with, but despite his immense talent, the thing I will remember most about him is how much fun he had doing his job.’

He described Sir Michael as ‘silly, irreverent and hilarious’, as well as ‘an incredible story and joke teller’.

‘His habit of blurring the lines of fact and fiction when talking to journalists meant that he was also one of the most entertaining people with whom you could ever wish to do a press junket,’ Radcliffe added.

‘The sixth film was where I got to spend the most time working with Michael and he made the hours spent in front of a green screen together more memorable and joyous than they had any right to be. I’m so sad to hear he has passed, but I am so grateful for the fact that I am one of the lucky people who got to work with him.’

Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films, expressed his sorrow over losing a ‘personal role model’ in Sir Michael.

‘So sad to hear about Michael.’ he began. ‘He brought so much warmth and mischief to every day on set. He captivated me as a kid and became a personal role model of mine for finding the fun and eccentricities in life. Sending all my love to his family, Rupert.’

Meanwhile, Hermione star Watson wrote on her Instagram stories: ‘Kind kind kind Michael Gambon.

‘You never took it too seriously but somehow delivered the most serious moments with all the gravitas.

‘Thank you for showing us what it looks like to wear greatness lightly. We will miss you.’

Former Top Gear host Clarkson also paid tribute to the legendary actor on X, formerly known as Twitter.

‘I’m so sad to hear that Michael Gambon has died. He was hugely amusing, and such a tremendous guest, we even named a corner after him,’ he said, referencingan iconic episode of Top Gear where the actor was the ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’.

The episode saw Sir Michael nearly flip over a Suzuki Liana at the final corner, and it has been named Gambon Corner ever since.

Morgan also recalled a hilarious exchange he once had with the late star.

His tweet read: ‘RIP Michael Gambon, 82. A true acting great. He once told me: “All I’ve ever wanted to do was act – but these modern celebrities want a quick buck with no talent or hard work required. It’s awful.”

‘”What would you call this type of person?” I asked. “I’d call them a cretin”.’

Fred Weasley actor James Phelps emotionally recalled a time Sir Michael helped him recite lines for a project.

Afshan Azad, who played Padma Patil in Harry Potter, called Sir Michael an ‘icon’ and ‘legend’ writing: ‘What an absolute honour to say I shared the same room and screen as you for many years.’

Percy Weasley actor Chris Rankin added: ‘Sad to hear we’ve lost the great Michael Gambon.’

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling also took to X to pay tribute, writing: ‘I’ve just heard the awful news about Michael Gambon.

‘The first time I ever laid eyes on him was in King Lear, in 1982, and if you’d told me then that brilliant actor would appear in anything I’d written, I’d have thought you were insane.

‘Michael was a wonderful man in additional to being an outstanding actor, and I absolutely loved working with him, not only on Potter but also The Casual Vacancy.

‘My deepest condolences go to Michael’s family and everyone who loved him.’

Jason Isaacs, who played villain Lucius Malfoy in the wizarding franchise also paid his respects.

‘Magnificent Michael Gambon has died,’ he wrote on X.

‘I learned what acting could be from Michael in The Singing Detective – complex, vulnerable and utterly human. The greatest thrill of being in the Potter films was that he knew my name and shared his fearless, filthy sense of fun with me.’

Sir Michael took over the role of Dumbledore from Richard Harris, who died after the second film. Now, Harris’ son Jared Harris, who is also an actor, has also paid tribute.

‘A brilliant actor,’ he wrote. ‘I saw him on stage several times, and he lives unforgettably in my memory. He took over Dumbledore from my father, which was fitting as he over took Brando as my father’s favourite actor.’

Fiona Shaw, who played Harry Potter’s aunt Petunia Dursley in the films, told Radio 4: ‘I will remember him because he was also a gun maker – he could make guns, he always said he could fool the V&A (Museum) into believing that they were 18th century guns. 

‘So I will think of him as a trickster, just brilliant, magnificent trickster, but with text, there was nothing like him – he could do anything.’

‘He took over from Richard Harris (as Albus Dumbledore) and of course, he began to mimic Richard Harris, who had recently died, and he would do his accent, the slight Irish accent.

‘Which of course he always loved having an excuse to do because his family had come from Ireland, and gone to live in Camden. 

‘He just loved the precariousness of reality and unreality and, of course, that made him a very great actor. 

‘He did once say to me in a car, “I know I go on a lot about this and that, but actually in the end, there is only acting.”

‘I think he was always pretending that he didn’t take it seriously, but he took it profoundly seriously, I think.’

Comedian David Baddiel tweeted: ‘First time I ever went to see any Theatre with a capital T it was Michael Gambon in Brecht’s Life Of Galileo at The National in 1980. It’s still the best stage acting I’ve ever seen. RIP.’

A message shared on Doctor Who’s official Twitter page read: ‘We’re sad to report the passing of Sir Michael Gambon, who appeared in A Christmas Carol in 2010.’

Singer Katherine Jenkins – who starred alongside Sir Michael in A Christmas Carol –also remembered the legendary actor, as she posted a picture of them together.

‘My dear Kazran! My first acting role was opposite Sir Michael Gambon in the Doctor Who Christmas Special,’ she wrote.

‘He couldn’t have been kinder, calmer and more supportive. Today we have lost the loveliest of legends.’

Withnail and I actor Richard E Grant also took to social media to share what looked to be a personal photo he took of the late actor, and wrote: ‘Sir Michael Gambon – THE GREAT GAMBON.’

Born in Dublin before moving to London as a child with his family, Sir Michael first qualified as an engineering technician before switching his focus to a career on the stage.

Starting his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre, over his six-decade-long career Sir Michael received three Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four Bafta Awards.

In 1999, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama.

A statement issued on behalf of his widow Lady Gambon and son Fergus Gambon confirmed the news of his death earlier today.

‘We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon,’ it read. ‘Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia.’

Sir Michael leaves behind partner Phillipa Hart, as well as three children.

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JK Rowling has declared celebrities who have spoken out in support of transgender people can ‘save their apologies’ — including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.

The Harry Potter author has been at the centre of Britain’s gender row, and recently boldly daring Scottish police to arrest her as the Hate Crime Act came into force.

Days after garnering backlash for a long thread misgendering transwomen, she has given her thoughts on the long-awaited Cass Review.

Rowling praised the findings of the report commissioned by NHS England in 2020 and looked at gender identity services for under-18s.

The overarching findings of the 388-page report conducted by Dr Hilary Cass stated that children had been ‘let down’ thus far by a failure to base gender care on evidence-based research.

While tweeting her approval of Cass’ findings, Rowling responded to someone asking her if she could ever ‘forgive’ the former Harry Potter stars who have spoken in support of trans rights.

‘Just waiting for Dan and Emma to give you a very public apology … safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them …’ wrote X user Adam Harris, who describes himself as a ‘Far Right Hooligan’.

‘Not safe, I’m afraid,’ quipped the 58-year-old author in response amid a thread praising the review and calling the trans rights movement a ‘scandal’.

She continued: ‘Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces.’

Harry Potter’s leading man Radcliffe, 34, has worked extensively with the Trevor Project in recent years, supporting trans youths, and in his own words is ‘learning to be a better ally’.

He rarely addresses Rowling’s comments but in 2020, the Miracle Workers star made his feelings incredibly clear as he wrote: ‘Transgender women are women.

‘Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.’

Meanwhile, shortly after Radcliffe’s statement was shared, Hermione Granger actress Watson also tweeted her support for trans rights.

‘Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are,’ she wrote.

The Beauty and the Beast star continued: ‘I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.’

Neither actor has publicly said anything against Rowling herself or criticised her directly. In fact, Radcliffe previously acknowledged that the writer is ‘unquestionably responsible’ for the course of his life.

The Weird Al actor added: ‘If you found anything in [Harry Potter] that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred.

‘In my opinion nobody can touch that. It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that too much.’

Many LGBTQ+ fans of the franchise have turned their back on the franchise which shaped much of millennials and Gen Zs’ childhood.

Radcliffe and Watson last starred in Harry Potter in 2011 with final film The Deathly Hallows Part 2 and have distanced from the franchise since.

They both returned for the 20th anniversary documentary along with other stars. However, Rowling was not present.

Metro.co.uk has reached out to Radcliffe and Watson’s reps for comment.

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Tom Felton – who is best known for playing Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise – has released a new song, and fans are less than impressed. 

Tom, 36, is a beloved and well-known actor, who has been making music for several years, releasing his latest album Orange (stylised as ORaNgE) just last week.

One of the singer’s new songs, Holding On (stylised as hOLDing On) has been met with criticism from fans who were surprised to hear his vocals and interesting choice of lyrics in this piece. 

The song, which was released on April 28, has now gone viral on TikTok as fans have rushed to social media to share their reactions.

@eehyunseo defended the musician but couldn’t defend his song, commenting: ‘I’m a fan of tom felton, but WTF is this😭😭.’

Another fan, @sophsexton2, added: ‘I LOVE Tom Felton but this is painful.’

In the song, Tom, 36, could be heard calling himself ‘just a boy on a skateboard’ and saying: ‘I’ll still make your heart skip now like you were 17,’ leading some to believe that he could be referencing Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in Harry Potter.

@idnyag speculated: ‘I find that line interesting because Emma Watson describes him like that when she talks about when they were younger and she had a crush on him.’

The pair have never romantically linked but Emma has spoken about ‘falling in love’ with Tom when they were children, when she considered him a ‘bad boy’ because he had a skateboard.

Fans mocked the actor’s choice of lyrics as he chose to say ‘fudge’ instead of the word ‘f**k’.

La.lxxe commented: ‘I” will fudge this thing up” 😭😭 I had to rewind to see if I was hearing that correctly.’

@walmart_hawkeye also commented: ‘”I will fudge this thing up” HOW DOES IT KEEP GETTING WORSE.’

@tierneyyy commented: ‘Fudge.. is he 12 years old.’

Although the majority of fan reviews weren’t exactly positive, many were loyal and defended the Rise of the Planet of the Apes actor.

‘No actually I wont take tom felton music slander have u HEARD hawaii, blue skies and we belong😭 slaps every time idc,’ commented @starrytarry444. 

@Katt.noir chipped in to add: ‘The thing is he knows he isn’t the best but he does it anyway simply because he enjoys it. and that’s what we should be doing in life, even if you aren’t good at something don’t let it discourage you.’

Since Harry Potter concluded in 2011, the actor has notably appeared in Ophelia and The Forgotten Battle.

He also appeared on stage in 2:22 A Ghost Story in 2022 and in the same year he released his memoir: Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard.

The star has released several songs over the years, including Hawaii in 2011 and Father of Mine in 2009, which were hits with die-hard fans.

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I don’t know what’s worse: a young actress revealing the extent of sexualisation she’s become an increasingly larger victim of, or that I’m no longer surprised by such revelations.

Am I a monster, or am I exhausted?

The public, and the media – no two ways about it – has been pretty creepy towards young female stars for eons now and while I don’t have the answers as to how we make it stop (even as someone who’s a member of aforementioned media), I can at least use this platform to try to call out how insidious this kind of attitude towards young women is and how it threatens all of us – not just the famous.

And yes, before you ‘what about’ me on the subject, people are also dodgy towards young men in the public eye. We only need to see previous treatment of Millie Bobby Brown’s Stranger Things co-star Finn Woldhard to know that is definitely a thing. 

But there is a systemic issue in the treatment of young women – with women in minority communities, as well as those in the LGBT community subjected to this on top of bigoted discrimination and prejudice – and that is why I’ve gathered you here today.

After being sexualised as a young teen rising to fame in the evidently seedy world of showbusiness, and previously opening up about it when she turned 16, Millie this week spoke about how much worse the interest got when she recently turned 18.

‘[It’s] really overwhelming. I have definitely been dealing with that more in the last couple weeks of turning 18,’ she said on the Guilty Feminist podcast.

‘[I’m] definitely seeing a difference between the way people act and the way the press and social media react to me coming of age. It’s gross.’

Long before she turned 18, the star – who was cast as Eleven in Stranger Things in 2016 at the age of 12 – was being sexualised online, with comments lobbed her way, such as those from armchair critics who suggested she was dressing ‘too grown up’.

Then, the forums began to pop up. 

One such included an 18+ Reddit chat that counted down to the star’s birthday, was teased as ‘NSFW’ and was to ‘unlock’ only when she reached the milestone age. I s**t you not.

Disgustingly, a description of the page, shared in another forum, read: ‘[It’s] to post sexual pictures of her the day she turns 18. It’s a sub solely dedicated to sexual pictures of Millie, who is currently a minor, until next week but they have a sub prepared already with thousands of subscribers.’

Yes, there were people actually waiting until it was ‘legal’ for them to post sexual pictures of her. This is apparently a thing that happens to female stars when they turn 18, with similar websites popping up ahead of the Olsen twins’ birthday back in the day.

Millie’s not the first to speak about this level of crude sexualisation, with former child star Mara Wilson revealing before she was out of middle school, she was ‘featured on foot fetish websites, photoshopped into child porn, and received all kinds of letters and messages online from grown men’.

Emma Watson was also a victim of this, after upskirting shots of her were published in mainstream media the day she turned 18, which would have been illegal only 24 hours prior.

It’s a sad reflection on society when these sorts of revelations, which *should* raise all sorts of alarm bells that lead to meaningful change, just don’t shock me anymore. 

Is it because, as a young female myself, I’ve been exposed to this sort of thing, be it directly to me, or in my general sphere, for nearly two decades now? As a woman, am I both horrified but also, wildly desensitised? Has society got me so down I’ve simply given up?

God, I hope not.

We’ve probably all subconsciously shared sentiments about stars like Millie such as ‘wow, she’s so grown up now’, which, at the time, might not intend to come from a predatory place, but when you think about the fact we’re still commenting on a teenage girl’s body, or what she’s wearing, it’s pretty bloody creepy, isn’t it? So while you may think I’m bleating on about something that you don’t see as a problem, it really is.

Even under a story of the star’s remarks about being sexualised, I saw a comment remarking how Millie’s ‘kid-teen’ looks were ‘long gone’. We just can’t help ourselves, can we?

Again for the cheap seats at the back, whether it’s positive, or from a place of support, just because these women are famous does not make their bodies public domain. If they’re not yet 18, it *really* bloody doesn’t make their bodies public domain. Keep comments to self, people.

Heard of the Lolita Effect? It’s a term coined in a 2008 book by Meenakshi Gigi Durham, derived from Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita, which is all about a middle-aged professor becoming obsessed with a 12-year-old girl, and refers to the media sexualisation of girls, as well as the blame that can be put on them for their part in abuse or harassment that girls face.

Lolita was published in 1955, remember. So we’ve clearly not learned any lessons here, and the internet, a haven of gross, is just giving this Lolita energy a place to expand.

Plus, to rub salt into the wounds, even when their bodies are not treated as theirs – when they’re objectified, when older men in boardrooms make decisions about the ‘image’ they’re going to publicly portray, when they’re hacked and nude photos of them are leaked online, it’s still seen as their fault. How many female stars have been forced to apologise for the sexualisation of their own bodies that they did not consent to. Isn’t that wild? 

Perhaps it’s because we’ve seen what happens when these young stars don’t bend to the whim of the powers that be – they’re cast aside. The ol’ adage of sex sells has never rung more true, it matters not to the executives whether the starlet is of age, and that mentality is clearly passed own to the consumers and baying fans.

But if we continue to allow this sort of behaviour and conversation fester in the comments of Instagram posts and remain unchecked in Reddit forums, we’re only allowing that weed to grow when discussing non-famous women. 

By shrugging off Millie’s comments as ‘what you get for being famous’ it’s merely justifying that rhetoric to be weaponised against ourselves. And huns, we’re not about that life.

Well look at that, I’m not feeling so exhausted any more: let’s rage.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

Share your views in the comments below.

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You’ll never guess what – the cast of Harry Potter only have a WhatsApp group chat.

And it’s not just any chat as, according to Draco Malfoy actor Tom Felton, they use it to share ‘geeky’ wizard jokes. Honestly, we’d expect nothing less.

The 35-year-old actor delighted Potterheads by confirming that he is still ‘very close friends’ with the other stars of the films, despite it being over 10 years since the last movie in the franchise was released.

And although they don’t get to see one another very often, the stars like to stay in contact via messages.

He told Capital Breakfast: ‘We’re obviously very close friends, all of us. It sounds sort of like a cheesy line to say that we’re all family. We don’t often see each other, all of us together in the same room as much as we’d like to.

‘But yeah, there is a cheeky WhatsApp group going, and we still make lots of really geeky Potter jokes. Like I will only refer to them as the Gryffindorks.’

Tom assured that ‘the banter is still there’ and while the cast – including the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint – shall remain ‘linked forever’ by the Harry Potter phenomenon, they are genuinely good mates.

The actor also admitted he that he ‘blagged’ his audition for the movies because, unlike most of the children trying out, he’d never read any of JK Rowling’s books.

But, he ultimately thinks that worked in his favour, although he reckons it ‘probably would’ve been a good idea’ to do his homework beforehand.

‘Quite ironically, I blagged it. I think because in the original audition stages, basically they invited everyone in the UK who was a fan of the book,’ he explained.

‘So there were thousands of children lining up who knew all about Hogwarts and Gringotts and I had no idea about any of it.’

Tom confessed that he ‘definitely lied’ in his audition by telling casting directors that he thought the best-selling novels were ‘brilliant.’

‘And I’m pretty sure Chris Columbus, the director, saw that as probably a perfect Malfoy candidate so in a way not reading the books helped get me the part,’ he laughed.

Despite not being the biggest Harry Potter bookworm back in the day, Tom recently praised its author’s contribution to literature.

Following numerous allegations of transphobia against Rowling over recent years, Tom insisted he ‘doesn’t like to pick sides.’

He said he feels ‘no-one has single-handedly done more for bringing joy to so many different generations’ than the writer.

Speaking to The Times’ T2 magazine, the child star said: ‘I couldn’t speak for what others have said or what she said, to be completely honest, but I’m often reminded, attending Comic Cons in particular, that no-one has single-handedly done more for bringing joy to so many different generations and walks of life.

‘I’m constantly reminded of her positive work in that field and as a person. I’ve only had a handful of meetings with her but she has always been lovely. So I’m very grateful for that.’

Tune into Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp, weekdays from 6am-10am

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Now, it’s no secret that Harry Potter is a mega money franchise, but the amount Tom Felton was paid for his role in the films is truly eye-watering.

Tom, now 35, was just 13-years-old when he hit the big time by scoring the role of Draco Malfoy in the movie adaptations of JK Rowling’s bestselling books.

But despite fans (aka Potterheads) knowing him as one of the franchise’s most iconic characters, Tom actually only had 31 minutes and 45 seconds of screen time across the entire eight films.

And even though he was on the big screen for just over half an hour, the British actor still reportedly eared a whopping £14million – that will have bought him a wand or two!

Naturally, the likes of Daniel Radcliffe (titular star Harry), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) had more screen time as the leads, as broken down by IMDB.

The online database shows that Daniel had 539 minutes of screen time, Emma had 205 minutes, and Rupert had 211 minutes.

Tom’s total screen time was slightly less than Ralph Fiennes, who played terrifying villain Lord Voldermort for a total of 37 minutes and 15 seconds across all the films.

Harry’s school foe Draco also appeared for less time than the late Robbie Coltrane, who played beloved Rubeus Hagrid.

The star – who died on October 14 of this year – was on camera for 45 minutes and 45 seconds as the half human, half giant.

As far as salaries go, according to The Mirror, Tom reportedly made £451,613 per minute of screen time – not bad for a teenager, eh?

Although, according to the Express, the child star revealed to the Daily Mail in 2010 that he ran into financial trouble after he ‘wasted’ his cash.

Tom is said to have splashed out on luxury cars, mostly BMWs, despite his mother warning him that he would lose money on them.

‘There was a scary two years where it was madness because I was really in trouble with the taxman. I had been working for eight years and all I had to show for it was this horrible debt,’ he said.

‘At one point we had the bailiff at the door.’

Thankfully, Tom said he ‘managed to get out of the situation’ and is now back on his feet, but confessed it was a result of him ‘burying his head in the sand.’

‘I’ve spent the past year and a half with an accountant, trying to understand VAT, DVD residuals and things like that,’ he added at the time.

‘I’ve had to really grow up.’

Oh, and we know you now wanna know how much the rest of the cast eared, so don’t say we never give you anything…

Rupert as Ron is said to have earned £37million (and actually bought an ice cream van with his millions), whereas Emma reportedly earned a very nice £62million.

However, she was, in true Hermione style, extremely sensible with her money.

She previously revealed that her father never told her how much she was earning from the films, and she lived on an allowance of £50 a week until she was 18.

‘When I was 18 my father sat me down for a money conversation,’ she explained.

‘By the fourth film the money was starting to get serious. I had no idea. I felt sick, very emotional.’

As for Daniel, he reportedly earned £84million as the leading man… yes, we’re now begging for someone to invent a time machine so we can go back and become child actors too.

But, like Emma, he hasn’t always been a big spender.

‘I don’t do a huge amount with my money,’ he told James O’Brien’s podcast Full Disclosure.

‘I’m not particularly extravagant. There are moments where I think, “Man, I’m really bad at being famous”.’

Don’t worry, Dan, we could always help you out…

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Emma Watson shared a heartfelt message to an inspirational autistic fan, who is a huge fan of Harry Potter.

The Hermione Granger actor appeared on Friday’s The Late Late Toy Show, the annual special of the long-running chat show, which showcases the popular toys of the year, on RTE via a video link to speak to Caitriona Kalogeraki, 10.

Caitriona, who raises awareness of autism, was completely taken aback when the Little Women star popped up while testing out Hogwarts-themed games.

Sat in front of some jazzy curtains in the clip, Emma, 32, said: ‘I wanted to send you a message to thank you for all you do to spread awareness around Autism and for speaking about it so eloquently and in a way that empowers and educates other young people.’

‘Thank you for picking me as your favourite Harry Potter character.

‘You seem like such an amazing and special young woman. I’ve heard that you can solve a Rubik’s cube in a crazy amount of time. I am sending all the best and a warm hello from London.’

Caitriona, whose jaw dropped, looked absolutely thrilled to be receiving the message from The Perks of Being a Wallflower performer.

After the message, Caitriona shared: ‘So I have this thing called autism, I don’t think of it as superpower.

‘I think of it as an ability. It’s actually classified as a disability but I think it’s more of an ability.

‘I get emotional, I cry a lot at school but it’s also really cool because I get really happy and I love being Autistic.

‘I just want to say a message for kids out there, if you are neurodivergent and just feel different, I just want to say that you are so so special and you are amazing.’

Heartstopper star Bradley Riches, who has autism, recently spoke to Metro.co.uk about portraying the condition on screen.

‘Acting is an escapism for me. I feel free and understood when playing characters when, most of the time, I felt misunderstood as Bradley. I am so happy that I can show autistic people that they aren’t alone and that they aren’t invisible – they are beautiful and magical,’ Bradley said.

His character James isn’t autistic – or at least, it hasn’t been publicly revealed yet – but as Bradley says, there’s certainly scope for it to happen.

The Late Late Show airs Fridays at 9.35pm on RTE One.

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Emma Watson fuelled speculation she was back with her ex-boyfriend Brendan Wallace after the former couple were spotted in the crowd at Taylor Swift’s Las Vegas concert.

The 32-year-old Harry Potter actress was previously linked to the entrepreneur in 2018 when they were snapped locking lips during a Mexican getaway.

Pictures of the potential couple circulated social media and showed Emma and Brendan smiling away as they bopped to the pop princess’s famous hits.

Brendan is a co-founder and managing partner of a venture capital fund called Fifth Wall Ventures according to his LinkedIn page and focuses ‘on technologies for the global real estate industry, including those which decarbonize the sector’.

In images shared on Twitter, the British star was seen wearing an oversized beige shearling jacket over the top of a black round neck sweater.

She donned minimal makeup and let her short tresses hang loose around her shoulders.

Her suspected lover kept it casual in a blue dress shirt which he wore unbuttoned over the top of a turquoise t-shirt and black jeans.

Emma has previously been linked to co-star and fellow actor Tom Felton, 35.

The star regularly praised the new author of Beyond the Wand: The Magic & Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard and admitted he was ‘one of the purest loves’.

She wrote in the introduction to Tom’s book release: ‘When we first met, I was a moody and probably rather annoying nine-year-old girl who followed him round like a puppy, desperate for his attention.

‘But, as he has written so eloquently, beautifully, and generously in this book, our friendship didn’t end there. Thank goodness it blossomed and endured.

‘Like Tom, I always struggle to explain to people the nature of our connection and relationship. For more than twenty years now, we’ve loved each other in a special way.

‘It’s one of the purest loves I can think of. We’re soulmates, and we’ve always had each other’s backs. I know we always will. It makes me emotional to think about it’.

Emma and Tom were both part of the wizard franchise written by JK Rowling and starred in the much-loved films from the very beginning.

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Emma Watson is notoriously private when it comes to her personal life and very rarely posts on social media.

But that all changed on Saturday, when the Harry Potter star shared what might be her most personal life update yet on Instagram to mark her 33^rd birthday.

Emma explained that she’d ‘stepped away from life’ over the past couple of years and went into great detail about what she’d been up to.

From learning to surf to adopting a dog and even ripping off a fingernail, the A-lister gave fans a no holds barred peek into her life.

Alongside a striking black and white image of herself, Emma wrote: ‘This is 33. Holy moly. Before 29 I hadn’t even heard of a Saturn Return as a concept.’

The Little Women star went on: ‘Let’s just say that now I am well acquainted. I stepped away from my life – I learned to surf (badly), I rode some horses (that went better), I did a lot of therapy (YESS therapy!).

‘My brother and I figured out how to make a gin using recycled wine grapes!?  (@renaisspirits) I adopted Sofia in Mexico, who seems to be an angel not a dog.’

Emma added: ‘We filmed a Harry Potter reunion. I said goodbye to my Grandma and Grandpa. I retraced my steps. I started a women’s environmental investment fund.

‘I played Pickleball with @sugarrayleonard and I even played golf and then tried to make all of my girlfriends learn too.

‘I cut my thumb nail off on both hands trying to cook for myself and then was only able to do things one handed for months.

‘I felt really sad and really pissed off about a lot of things. I learned more about love and being a woman.’

She concluded: ‘It took me three years but I have finally figured out a daily practice and can actually keep it for more than a few days in a row. I burned some things down. I eat green things now!

‘I got obsessed with making Squarespace websites. I directed my first commercial.

‘These pictures were actually taken on my birthday last year, but I wasn’t ready to come out of my Covid Cocoon. Today I feel [butterfly emoji].’

Needless to say, her 70.5million followers were delighted that she’d shared such a personal update with them, and even Emma’s famous followers were quick to celebrate her return to the social media platform.

Vanessa Hudgens wrote: ‘What a goddess,’ beneath Emma’s post, while Nicola Adams added: ‘Life is a journey,’ and Karlie Kloss left a slew of fun emojis.

Glad to have you back, Emma!

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It’s just a matter of days until the 2023 British LGBT Awards ceremony kicks off in London.

The eagerly-anticipated event will honour the celebrities, campaigners and community activists who have helped advance the fight for LGBT+ rights during the past 12 months. 

Rebel Wilson, Kit Connor, Emma Corrin, Yasmin Finney, Joe Lycett and Becky Hill are among the nominees.

Hosted by TV personality Sue Perkins, the awards – sponsored by Macquarie – will bring together some of the biggest names from media and entertainment.

It will also gather some of the country’s biggest businesses for a major night celebrating  LGBT+ achievements. 

‘The British LGBT Awards just gets bigger every year,’ said founder Sarah Garrett MBE. 

‘It really has become a staple event for the LGBT+ community and gives us an opportunity to celebrate the many successes and achievements within our community but most importantly this event shows young people who may be struggling with their sexuality that being lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender is not a barrier to success.

‘The British LGBT Award involves the public on a huge scale, the public decides the nominees and the winners.

‘It is incredible that so many people get involved. Friday’s event is set to be really special – Sue Perkins is returning as host and there are going to be some fantastic moments.

‘We’re really looking forward to it.’

To see the full list of nominations and cast your vote, click here.

Ahead of the event on Friday, which is being supported by Metro, here are six things to expect: 

1. LGBT+ celebrities out in force

Organisers are promising a night packed with celebrity guests.

Not only is Sue Perkins hosting but stars including musician Olly Alexander, comedian Julian Clary, TV presenter Rylan Clark, Britain’s Got Talent judge Bruno Tonioli, boxing legend Nicola Adams and music icons Holly Johnson and Andy Bell are all expected to be in attendance. 

2. Tribute to Paul O’Grady

The untimely passing of TV royalty Paul O’Grady earlier this year sent shockwaves through the LGBT+ community and beyond.

The broadcaster and Lily Savage star was a trailblazer of the LGBT+ community.

O’Grady was known for support of a number of charitable campaigns including those which help people living with HIV and AIDS.

The British LGBT Awards is planning a special tribute to the man himself. 

3. LGBT+ allies showing support

The British LGBT Awards annually celebrates allies of the community with a special award.

Michelle Visage, Harry Styles, Alison Hammond, Emma Watson and Katherine Ryan are all in the running for the Celebrity Ally of the Year gong.

Celebs such as Lorraine Kelly, Denise Welch, Roman Kemp and Shirley Ballas are also expected to attend and show their support.

4. Brand and businesses will be recognised

Some of the country’s best-loved brands and businesses are also in the running for awards for demonstrating their commitment to inclusivity and the LGBT+ community.

BOOTS, Gymshark, Virgin Atltanic and The AA are amongst those vying for in the Brand or Marketing Campaign category.

The hotly contested prize is decided by the British LGBT Awards expert judging panel which includes distinguished names from business and the media. 

5. Big name winners

HRH Prince William, former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, pop queen Kylie Minogue, Caitlyn Jenner and Ru Paul are just some of the big name winners to bag a British LGBT Award in recent years.

Organisers are tight lipped on this year’s recipients but it is expected that there will be some surprise star guests taking home accolades on the night. 

6. Show-stopping after party

There have been big name DJ performances and celebrities partying into the small honours at the legendary British LGBT Awards after party over the years and it is set to be no different on Friday.

With the event taking place in the middle of Pride month, expect camp classics and a packed dance floor as nominees and winners celebrate their success ‘at Britain’s own gay Oscars’.

To find out more about the ceremony, taking place this Friday, head over to the official website.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

EastEnders fans have been left shocked after spotting Ben Champniss, who plays Shrimpy in the BBC One soap, in one of the Harry Potter films!

The hugely popular series has been put on Netflix, meaning new and old Harry Potter fans could flock to the streaming platform to watch them.

The first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, aired in 2001 and follows a young Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) as they arrive at Hogwarts ready to learn how to become the best wizard they can be.

The finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 – was released in 2011 and sees the trio and their pals defeat the Death Eaters and remaining Horcruxes, leading to an intense showdown between Harry Potter and evil Lord Voldemort.

Once Lord Voldemort has been killed (spoilers!), Harry, Hermoine and Ron are left wondering what the future may hold at their beloved school – which is where this surprising link to EastEnders comes in.

As the film draws to a close, an older version of the trio are seen at King’s Cross Station, waving off their children as they board the train ready to leave for Hogwarts.

Moment before the credits roll, we see Harry, Hermoine and Ron for one final time – but many looked behind the characters and spotted Ben aka Shrimpy from EastEnders!

The actor shared a tweet recently, confirming he hasn’t been a Muggle his entire life: ‘Since Netflix started streaming Harry Potter, I’ve received quite a few messages regarding this last scene…Always lovely to hear from you all, and yes, I can confirm….I was a wizard in a former life!’.

Many EastEnders fans commented on Ben’s tweet, with some admitting that they’ve seen that scene so many times, and still failed to spot him!

Ben has played market stall owner Shrimpy since 2014. He is often seen running more than one stall, however, as he’s usually asked to keep an eye on someone else’s when they’re forced to run off, too involved in Albert Square drama!

Shrimpy was the focus of an interesting scene recently, as Eve (Heather Peace) admitted that she had a sex dream about him once and well…he kept his hat on the entire time.

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Emma Watson is showing it’s never too late to start learning something new, as the 33-year-old has gone back to university!

The Harry Potter actress already has a bachelor’s degree under her belt, having graduated in 2014.

But, in true Hermione Granger style, she has now enrolled in a part-time Master’s degree at Oxford.

A source said: ‘The course is for older adults and can be done on a part-time basis, which is perfect for Emma’s schedule.

‘She only has to be on-site for four or five days a year because she can do the rest of the course online from home.’

And, Emma – who has taken a step back from acting in recent years – is expected to have a security team with her when she does attend the university, because she has suffered some safety scares recently.

The insider added to The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: ‘Because she’s a famous actress, she’ll have a security team looking after her whenever she has classes to go to.

‘There have been a few incidents recently and she is taking every precaution necessary to ensure her safety.’

A man was arrested during a Ralph Lauren fashion show in New York this month on suspicion of attempting to gain access to her dressing room and Emma has been feeling concerned.

The source added: ‘She flew to Milan with a specialist team from the UK, and Prada provided another security detail to guard her room overnight.

‘There were lots of famous models and celebrities staying at the Palazzo Parigi where Emma stayed.’

Emma was said to have been ‘worried’ that the people who had been messaging her could have disguised themselves outside among fans.

The man has denied criminal trespass and disorderly conduct and will return to court next month.

Emma graduated from Brown University, located in Rhode Island, USA, after studying English literature nine years ago.

Proving herself to be the very definition of a girl boss, Emma was studying there just weeks before part 2 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hit cinemas, which brought her time as Hermione to an end after 10 years in the role.

And when she returns to her studies at Oxford, she’ll be in familiar territory.

She’s actually already been in the uni grounds, as many scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed in and around them.

For example, the Christ Church College, Cloisters became instantly recognisable when they were used for corridor scenes in the wizarding franchise.

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Stars including Jeremy Clarkson, Piers Morgan and Harry Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson have paid tribute to Sir Michael Gambon following the news of his death aged 82.

On Thursday it was revealed that distinguished actor Sir Michael, best known for playing the role of Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter films from 2004 to 2011, had died peacefully in hospital with his cause of death being pneumonia.

He is also known for playing French detective Jules Maigret in ITV series Maigret, and for his 1986 role as Philip Marlow in Dennis Potter’s The Singing Detective.

The news of his death was met with an outpouring of grief from fans and fellow celebrities.

Daniel Radcliffe hailed him as ‘one of the most brilliant, effortless actors’ he ever worked with as he paid tribute.

‘With the loss of Michael Gambon the world just became considerably less fun,’ 34-year-old Radcliffe said in a statement.

‘Michael Gambon was one of the most brilliant, effortless actors I’ve ever had the privilege of working with, but despite his immense talent, the thing I will remember most about him is how much fun he had doing his job.’

He described Sir Michael as ‘silly, irreverent and hilarious’, as well as ‘an incredible story and joke teller’.

‘His habit of blurring the lines of fact and fiction when talking to journalists meant that he was also one of the most entertaining people with whom you could ever wish to do a press junket,’ Radcliffe added.

‘The sixth film was where I got to spend the most time working with Michael and he made the hours spent in front of a green screen together more memorable and joyous than they had any right to be. I’m so sad to hear he has passed, but I am so grateful for the fact that I am one of the lucky people who got to work with him.’

Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films, expressed his sorrow over losing a ‘personal role model’ in Sir Michael.

‘So sad to hear about Michael.’ he began. ‘He brought so much warmth and mischief to every day on set. He captivated me as a kid and became a personal role model of mine for finding the fun and eccentricities in life. Sending all my love to his family, Rupert.’

Meanwhile, Hermione star Watson wrote on her Instagram stories: ‘Kind kind kind Michael Gambon.

‘You never took it too seriously but somehow delivered the most serious moments with all the gravitas.

‘Thank you for showing us what it looks like to wear greatness lightly. We will miss you.’

Former Top Gear host Clarkson also paid tribute to the legendary actor on X, formerly known as Twitter.

‘I’m so sad to hear that Michael Gambon has died. He was hugely amusing, and such a tremendous guest, we even named a corner after him,’ he said, referencingan iconic episode of Top Gear where the actor was the ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’.

The episode saw Sir Michael nearly flip over a Suzuki Liana at the final corner, and it has been named Gambon Corner ever since.

Morgan also recalled a hilarious exchange he once had with the late star.

His tweet read: ‘RIP Michael Gambon, 82. A true acting great. He once told me: “All I’ve ever wanted to do was act – but these modern celebrities want a quick buck with no talent or hard work required. It’s awful.”

‘”What would you call this type of person?” I asked. “I’d call them a cretin”.’

Fred Weasley actor James Phelps emotionally recalled a time Sir Michael helped him recite lines for a project.

Afshan Azad, who played Padma Patil in Harry Potter, called Sir Michael an ‘icon’ and ‘legend’ writing: ‘What an absolute honour to say I shared the same room and screen as you for many years.’

Percy Weasley actor Chris Rankin added: ‘Sad to hear we’ve lost the great Michael Gambon.’

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling also took to X to pay tribute, writing: ‘I’ve just heard the awful news about Michael Gambon.

‘The first time I ever laid eyes on him was in King Lear, in 1982, and if you’d told me then that brilliant actor would appear in anything I’d written, I’d have thought you were insane.

‘Michael was a wonderful man in additional to being an outstanding actor, and I absolutely loved working with him, not only on Potter but also The Casual Vacancy.

‘My deepest condolences go to Michael’s family and everyone who loved him.’

Jason Isaacs, who played villain Lucius Malfoy in the wizarding franchise also paid his respects.

‘Magnificent Michael Gambon has died,’ he wrote on X.

‘I learned what acting could be from Michael in The Singing Detective – complex, vulnerable and utterly human. The greatest thrill of being in the Potter films was that he knew my name and shared his fearless, filthy sense of fun with me.’

Sir Michael took over the role of Dumbledore from Richard Harris, who died after the second film. Now, Harris’ son Jared Harris, who is also an actor, has also paid tribute.

‘A brilliant actor,’ he wrote. ‘I saw him on stage several times, and he lives unforgettably in my memory. He took over Dumbledore from my father, which was fitting as he over took Brando as my father’s favourite actor.’

Fiona Shaw, who played Harry Potter’s aunt Petunia Dursley in the films, told Radio 4: ‘I will remember him because he was also a gun maker – he could make guns, he always said he could fool the V&A (Museum) into believing that they were 18th century guns. 

‘So I will think of him as a trickster, just brilliant, magnificent trickster, but with text, there was nothing like him – he could do anything.’

‘He took over from Richard Harris (as Albus Dumbledore) and of course, he began to mimic Richard Harris, who had recently died, and he would do his accent, the slight Irish accent.

‘Which of course he always loved having an excuse to do because his family had come from Ireland, and gone to live in Camden. 

‘He just loved the precariousness of reality and unreality and, of course, that made him a very great actor. 

‘He did once say to me in a car, “I know I go on a lot about this and that, but actually in the end, there is only acting.”

‘I think he was always pretending that he didn’t take it seriously, but he took it profoundly seriously, I think.’

Comedian David Baddiel tweeted: ‘First time I ever went to see any Theatre with a capital T it was Michael Gambon in Brecht’s Life Of Galileo at The National in 1980. It’s still the best stage acting I’ve ever seen. RIP.’

A message shared on Doctor Who’s official Twitter page read: ‘We’re sad to report the passing of Sir Michael Gambon, who appeared in A Christmas Carol in 2010.’

Singer Katherine Jenkins – who starred alongside Sir Michael in A Christmas Carol –also remembered the legendary actor, as she posted a picture of them together.

‘My dear Kazran! My first acting role was opposite Sir Michael Gambon in the Doctor Who Christmas Special,’ she wrote.

‘He couldn’t have been kinder, calmer and more supportive. Today we have lost the loveliest of legends.’

Withnail and I actor Richard E Grant also took to social media to share what looked to be a personal photo he took of the late actor, and wrote: ‘Sir Michael Gambon – THE GREAT GAMBON.’

Born in Dublin before moving to London as a child with his family, Sir Michael first qualified as an engineering technician before switching his focus to a career on the stage.

Starting his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre, over his six-decade-long career Sir Michael received three Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four Bafta Awards.

In 1999, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama.

A statement issued on behalf of his widow Lady Gambon and son Fergus Gambon confirmed the news of his death earlier today.

‘We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon,’ it read. ‘Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia.’

Sir Michael leaves behind partner Phillipa Hart, as well as three children.

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JK Rowling has declared celebrities who have spoken out in support of transgender people can ‘save their apologies’ — including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.

The Harry Potter author has been at the centre of Britain’s gender row, and recently boldly daring Scottish police to arrest her as the Hate Crime Act came into force.

Days after garnering backlash for a long thread misgendering transwomen, she has given her thoughts on the long-awaited Cass Review.

Rowling praised the findings of the report commissioned by NHS England in 2020 and looked at gender identity services for under-18s.

The overarching findings of the 388-page report conducted by Dr Hilary Cass stated that children had been ‘let down’ thus far by a failure to base gender care on evidence-based research.

While tweeting her approval of Cass’ findings, Rowling responded to someone asking her if she could ever ‘forgive’ the former Harry Potter stars who have spoken in support of trans rights.

‘Just waiting for Dan and Emma to give you a very public apology … safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them …’ wrote X user Adam Harris, who describes himself as a ‘Far Right Hooligan’.

‘Not safe, I’m afraid,’ quipped the 58-year-old author in response amid a thread praising the review and calling the trans rights movement a ‘scandal’.

She continued: ‘Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces.’

Harry Potter’s leading man Radcliffe, 34, has worked extensively with the Trevor Project in recent years, supporting trans youths, and in his own words is ‘learning to be a better ally’.

He rarely addresses Rowling’s comments but in 2020, the Miracle Workers star made his feelings incredibly clear as he wrote: ‘Transgender women are women.

‘Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.’

Meanwhile, shortly after Radcliffe’s statement was shared, Hermione Granger actress Watson also tweeted her support for trans rights.

‘Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are,’ she wrote.

The Beauty and the Beast star continued: ‘I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.’

Neither actor has publicly said anything against Rowling herself or criticised her directly. In fact, Radcliffe previously acknowledged that the writer is ‘unquestionably responsible’ for the course of his life.

The Weird Al actor added: ‘If you found anything in [Harry Potter] that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred.

‘In my opinion nobody can touch that. It means to you what it means to you and I hope that these comments will not taint that too much.’

Many LGBTQ+ fans of the franchise have turned their back on the franchise which shaped much of millennials and Gen Zs’ childhood.

Radcliffe and Watson last starred in Harry Potter in 2011 with final film The Deathly Hallows Part 2 and have distanced from the franchise since.

They both returned for the 20th anniversary documentary along with other stars. However, Rowling was not present.

Metro.co.uk has reached out to Radcliffe and Watson’s reps for comment.

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Tom Felton – who is best known for playing Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise – has released a new song, and fans are less than impressed. 

Tom, 36, is a beloved and well-known actor, who has been making music for several years, releasing his latest album Orange (stylised as ORaNgE) just last week.

One of the singer’s new songs, Holding On (stylised as hOLDing On) has been met with criticism from fans who were surprised to hear his vocals and interesting choice of lyrics in this piece. 

The song, which was released on April 28, has now gone viral on TikTok as fans have rushed to social media to share their reactions.

@eehyunseo defended the musician but couldn’t defend his song, commenting: ‘I’m a fan of tom felton, but WTF is this😭😭.’

Another fan, @sophsexton2, added: ‘I LOVE Tom Felton but this is painful.’

In the song, Tom, 36, could be heard calling himself ‘just a boy on a skateboard’ and saying: ‘I’ll still make your heart skip now like you were 17,’ leading some to believe that he could be referencing Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in Harry Potter.

@idnyag speculated: ‘I find that line interesting because Emma Watson describes him like that when she talks about when they were younger and she had a crush on him.’

The pair have never romantically linked but Emma has spoken about ‘falling in love’ with Tom when they were children, when she considered him a ‘bad boy’ because he had a skateboard.

Fans mocked the actor’s choice of lyrics as he chose to say ‘fudge’ instead of the word ‘f**k’.

La.lxxe commented: ‘I” will fudge this thing up” 😭😭 I had to rewind to see if I was hearing that correctly.’

@walmart_hawkeye also commented: ‘”I will fudge this thing up” HOW DOES IT KEEP GETTING WORSE.’

@tierneyyy commented: ‘Fudge.. is he 12 years old.’

Although the majority of fan reviews weren’t exactly positive, many were loyal and defended the Rise of the Planet of the Apes actor.

‘No actually I wont take tom felton music slander have u HEARD hawaii, blue skies and we belong😭 slaps every time idc,’ commented @starrytarry444. 

@Katt.noir chipped in to add: ‘The thing is he knows he isn’t the best but he does it anyway simply because he enjoys it. and that’s what we should be doing in life, even if you aren’t good at something don’t let it discourage you.’

Since Harry Potter concluded in 2011, the actor has notably appeared in Ophelia and The Forgotten Battle.

He also appeared on stage in 2:22 A Ghost Story in 2022 and in the same year he released his memoir: Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard.

The star has released several songs over the years, including Hawaii in 2011 and Father of Mine in 2009, which were hits with die-hard fans.

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