How to watch Harry Potter reunion show in the UK
Harry Potter fans better cancel their New Year’s Day plans.
It is finally here.
It has been two decades since Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint first cast a spell on audiences with the very first Harry Potter film, The Philosopher’s Stone (or The Sorcerer's Stone in the US).
Now fans will be delighted to know that the Harry Potter 20th anniversary: Return to Hogwarts reunion special is now finally available to watch.
UK fans initially had many sleepless nights worrying how they were going to watch the reunion, given that HBO Max is yet to be made available on our shores.
However, British fans of the Wizarding World were delighted with the news that the hotly-anticipated reunion has finally found a home in the UK – and it landed at the same time as the US!.
Sky TV and its streaming service NOW are currently showing the reunion special and from the same day as HBO Max in the US.
Ahead of the reunion special, Hermione Grainger actress Emma Watson shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, writing: “I am proud not just of what we as group contributed as actors to the franchise but also as the children that became young adults that walked that path.
“I look at my fellow cast members now and I am just so proud of who everyone has become as people.
"I am proud we were kind to each other that we supported one another and that we held up something meaningful.”
Fans had already been treated to a first look at the reunion, showing Radcliffe, Watson and Grint chatting together just like old times in the Gryffindor common room at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.
Well, now we no longer have to wait, but how does one watch the reunion special?
See the details below, while if you want to know how to watch the Harry Potter films in order, see our guide.
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How to watch the Harry Potter reunion in the UK
Harry Potter 20th anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is out now in the UK on Sky Max and NOW.
The special has been released on the same day as the release in the US on HBO Max.
If you want to watch the reunion on NOW, you’ll need an Entertainment Pass, which costs £9.99 per month – but there’s also a seven-day free trial if you’re a new subscriber.
The trailer for the event is available to watch below.
The official synopsis from Sky notes: "Old memories shared. New memories made.
"Come celebrate the magic when Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: #ReturnToHogwarts arrives on New Year’s Day, on Sky Max.
"Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and more."
And that’s not all.
Sky & NOW have also aired the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses from the 29th December 2021.
The special four-part event, hosted by Dame Helen Mirren, sees Wizarding World fans have their Harry Potter knowledge put to the test in an attempt to be named House Cup Champion.
In addition, Sky and NOW are also the exclusive home of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, which have joined the full collection of the Harry Potter Movie Series on a Wizarding World 20th Anniversary pop-up channel set to go live on 19th December 2021.
Zai Bennett, Sky MD of Content UK and Ireland, said: “20 years ago we welcomed a little bit of cinema magic into the world as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone had its big screen debut.”
“It’s a franchise like no other, enchanting generations of children and adults alike. We’re marking the occasion by adding every film in the Wizarding World film series to our cinema line-up this festive season and we’re thrilled to be the exclusive home of the next piece of Hogwarts history.”
It’s not unusual for HBO titles to air in the UK on Sky and streaming service NOW on the same day they release on HBO Max.
This was the case with Friends: The Reunion special which was released in May earlier this year, and is also planned for the upcoming Sex and the City sequel series, And Just Like That…, which premiered on the 9th December 202
Is HBO Max available to watch in the UK?
Unfortunately, HBO Max is not currently available for viewers in the UK, so you will need to find content from Warner Media elsewhere.
But fans need not fear for, as detailed above, following in the footsteps of HBO’s Friends: The Reunion, the Harry Potter special will air in the UK on Sky Max via Sky TV.
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts is available now on Sky Max and NOW in the UK, while the special is available in the US on HBO Max.
Looking for something to watch? Check out our TV Guide.
Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
