Harry Potter fans were left disappointed after turning up at King’s Cross station for nothing as the annual Hogwarts announcement was axed.
Footage shows hundreds of fans aiming their phones at the station departure board as they expected the Hogwarts Express train to appear along with an announcement.
The hoards of fans were left visibly disappointed as loud booing rang through the station hall after there was no fictional announcement for the departure from platform 9 and three-quarters at 11am as happens in JK Rowling’s books.
It has become a tradition for Potter fans to gather at the station for the start of the academic year at Hogwarts Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
In previous years, the station staff have played along by making an announcement on the tannoy along with the Harry Potter theme song.
But ahead of Sunday, the owner of the Harry Potter franchise – Warner Bros Discovery – said fans should not travel to the station.
They could watch a YouTube programme hosted by I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! winner Sam Thompson.
It said: ‘Come 1st September, fans are strongly discouraged from travelling to Kings Cross as there will be no event, departure board or countdown at the station.
‘Instead, everyone is invited to tune in and join proud Hufflepuff and King of the Jungle, Sam Thompson, in a specially recorded online programme made in celebration of Back to Hogwarts.’
Network Rail, who manages the station, said having thousands of people attending the event last year was ‘challenging.’
A spokesperson for Network Rail told Metro: ‘While our station concourses are sometimes used for commercial events, our priority must always be passengers who are trying to make their journeys on the railway.
‘Having begun as a small number of fans waving off the departure of the Hogwarts Express, celebrations have grown significantly in popularity and last year’s event saw thousands of people at King’s Cross, which made it challenging for us as station operator.
‘This year there is no in person event but there are online celebrations which can be enjoyed by people right across the country.’
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