BBCi:
Potter party for COS DVD launch

As fans across the world eagerly await news of the latest Potter film The Prisoner of Azkaban, at least it's been possible to once again enjoy Harry's adventures at Hogwarts in The Chamber Of Secrets.

Chris Rankin told BBCi's Martin Barber, the launch of the DVD and video saw something of a party at the Leavesden Studios in Watford — the studio where all the Harry Potter films to date have been made.

"They held the party in the studios this year which I thought was a brave move letting the world's media into the top secret studio location that we have. Basically they stuck a big marquee at the end of what is now Privet Drive and filled it full of bits of set, animatronic spiders and the like and let us play for a few hours.

"We all turned up and they started the evening with the media calls. They flew Harry, Ron and Hermione onto the stage in the flying car, then they brought out the cast in principal order. The we all moved on and did the media line-ups and then we were let loose to party."

Who did you hob-knob with?
Lizo was there from Newsround and he's actually on the DVD doing an interview with JK Rowling. Ulrika Johnson was there too. I don't think I was particularly polite to her, but I was a bit drunk by then.

Judi Dench was my favourite. She came with a couple of her grandchildren and was absolutely adorable about it all, I spent about 10 minutes chatting to her.

Turning back to The Prisoner Of Azkaban, there's been plenty of upset fans that Sean Biggerstaff won't be in the new movie.
Yeah, it's very sad. I found out slightly before everybody else in the world did so I was slightly prepared when people rang me shouting "he's been cut, he's been cut". It's shame because Sean played the Quidditch Captain very, very well. He's a lovely guy and it'll be odd not having him around.

In the book, Oliver Wood doesn't do anything particular. He's there and he has some very funny bits, but they don't relate in any direct way to the story line. If we start going off in tangents in the film to what should be happening, everybody who hasn't read the books won't have a clue to what's going on. It's just a shame it's Oliver Wood's part that doesn't have anything to do with the script.

I know you're enjoy a little bit of a break from filming at the moment, but when are you back at Hogwarts?
The next block of filming for me is in July when the principals get back from Scotland, but I'm not sure exactly what we're doing. It's a Great Hall scene I think.

What's coming up in the immediate future for you?
I think it's time for Chris to have a holiday as he hasn't had one for three years. I'm just going to see my mates whilst they're back from uni over the summer and then I hope it's back to panto again at Christmas. I'm also doing a bit of house hunting in London.

Finally, spill the gossip from the set.
To be honest, there's not much gossip going around, it's all a bit quiet sadly.

I think the most embarrassing moment so far was on Emma Watson's birthday. There was an apparent power cut in the middle of a huge piece of her dialogue during a Great Hall scene. We all thought what's going on and then 700 people burst into singing Happy Birthday. It was all very nice but I think she got embarrassed by it all.