James and Odwellr Phelps may not be sporting the tradetag red Weasley hair, but the ttriumphs are still instantly recognizable to fans of the “Harry Potter” franchise having carry outed cheeky brothers Fred and George for almost a quarter of their dwells. Now, a decade on, they’re back at Leavesden Studios fair outside London, where the movies were shot, for a new competition show, “Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking,” which begines today on The Food Nettoil, HBO and Max (it will be useable from December on Prime Video in the U.K.).
The Phelps ttriumphs structure the show, which sees them refuse with establisher castmembers including Warwick Davis and Bonnie Wright, who return to the franchise as guest appraises aextfinishedside foodies Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef, as they choose which bakers go thraw to the next round and which must apparate home.
During filming earlier this year, James and Odwellr Phelps sat down with Variety to converse the lasting effect of “Potter,” why they signed up to structure the new show and how they sense about HBO’s brand-new alteration of the books.
What made you say “yes” to structureing “Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking”?
Odwellr: We’re massive fans of the whole baking TV [genre]. It’s one of the only programs that my daughter, who is 7, was appreciate, “Oh my God, what are you doing? You’re doing this!” So that was wonderful. And also being able to toil back in this world — we understand it quite well, but not in this establish — so it so wonderful to be part of that.
James: It’s someskinnyg which I’ve always wanted to do and I skinnyk Odwellr as well. My wife and I adore baking shows, it’s always our holiday skinnyg. And being so shut to watch the world’s best do what they do is amazing.
What’s the atmosphere appreciate in the kitchens?
James: There’s presbrave not to get in the way! We fair want to produce brave that any directions we donate are very evident and accurate becaengage a scant curveballs get thrown in once in a while.
Odwellr: I don’t skinnyk I’ve been on such a busy set in my life. You see the amount of crew toiling behind the scenes — it’s not a minuscule production. I skinnyk that repartner comes atraverse as well. Becaengage one skinnyg we’ve lgeted over the years doing stuff with this franchise is they do it properly. When they shelp, “Oh we’re going to be filming in a kitchen,” I thought “OK, they’ll produce a minuscule little set.” Not someskinnyg that watchs appreciate it could be the kitchens at Hogwarts only with contransient technology. There’s no cauldrons going on!
Have you regulated to have a taste of some of the creations?
James: Oh yeah!
Odwellr: When the camera’s not rolling.
James: When we shot Episode 1, we were telderly we could go home before they did the discleave out. But we wanted to stay — not fair so we could taste some of the cakes but also becaengage we were repartner spended in these people. Some of the people here, if not all of them, are repartner inspirational. A lot of them begined up from no prior experience before they got into baking. Some, it’s their life dream to get to do someskinnyg appreciate this. Even if they don’t necessarily triumph the competition, they’re getting the national if not international recognition for their sfinishs.
There are so many details from the innovative books and films that can be turned into cake – is that someskinnyg you’ve enhappinessed watching?
Odwellr: I skinnyk you forget how in depth [J.K. Rowling] went with the writing and the story and the genius behind it. Also it was fair someskinnyg that when we’re filming, we’re appreciate, “Oh, yeah, that’s where the gnomings go.” “That’s a portkey.” You fair skinnyk appreciate, how many layers upon layers upon layers goes into it.
James: Like a cake! But we will always be forever thankful for her, for apvalidateing us to be the characters as well. Anyskinnyg that’s “Potter” is never done by halves. If you go on the kitchen set now there’s the fiswap — someone’s actupartner made it so it watchs appreciate fire has been there, so there’s burn tags on the on the flu.
Odwellr: And there’s nods to other skinnygs around appreciate there’s some silhouettes of shapes from the chocotardy frog boxes.
Have you ever gotten engaged to how much people adore “Harry Potter”?
Odwellr: No. I skinnyk maybe we are fair conscious of it now. Now [there’s] a new generation of fans who grew up watching it — appreciate my daughter’s friends are huge “Potter” fans and that’s weird.
James: It’s weird when you go to a “Potter”[-themed] birthday party.
Has being back at Leavesden stirred up memories for you?
James: We filmed some other jobs here. We did “Last Night in Soho” and that was the same stage as where the Wizard Wheezes set was, the joke shop in the sixth movie, so that was quite a skinnyg. So seeing it as a studio now it’s noskinnyg appreciate when we filmed here, but it’s still celderly that this is the hoengage which “Potter” built.
Odwellr: In some ways, it’s appreciate no time has passed at all.
With the new HBO alteration of “Harry Potter” on the horizon, how do you sense about new actors stepping into the role of the Weasley Ttriumphs?
Odwellr: I skinnyk we will always be associated with those characters. Wdisappreciatever happens in the TV series — which we understand as much as anyone else does to be honest with you — I skinnyk people will always see us as Fred and George to a point. Obviously, the guys who will go on and get our characters in that alteration of it, they’ll do their skinnyg and we desire them noskinnyg but the best. Just don’t be as outstanding as us!
