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Daniel Radcliffe to read first Harry Potter book for Spotify recording

Daniel Radcliffe has delighted Harry Potter fans with his latest career move, as he rejoins the wizarding world for a special quarantine treat.

Daniel Radcliffe reads Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Chapter 1 from his sofa

Harry Potter fans, rejoice.

Daniel Radcliffe, Eddie Redmayne, Dakota Fanning and more celebs are lending their voices for a very good cause.

The actors are reading a chapter each from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the first in J.K. Rowling’s best-selling fantasy series, while at home in quarantine.

RELATED: Radcliffe says pressure of ‘being Harry Potter’ turned him to alcohol

RELATED: Harry Potter author JK Rowling reveals coronavirus symptoms

Radcliffe, who played the titular character in all eight films, kicked off the event by reading Chapter One, titled “The Boy Who Lived," in which baby Harry is left on the doorstep of his aunt and uncle's home.

“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much," he reads.

Every week, a new chapter will be available on Spotify and the Harry Potter at Home website, which was launched by J.K. Rowling last month to entertain kids in lockdown.

“Parents, teachers and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we’re on lockdown might need a bit of magic, so I’m delighted to launch Harry Potter at Home,” Rowling announced on Twitter.

“I hope these initiatives will give children and even adults a happy distraction during their enforced stay-at-home time,” she added.

Fans were thrilled by the news on social media.

"Thank you, @wizardingworld! This is one of the best things related to Harry Potter that I ever saw. It was really emotional to see Dan on it. This is truly amazing!" a user wrote.

"Daniel reading Harry Potter is like the ultimate HP fangirl moment loved it so much, thank you! Can't wait to listen to the rest!" another said.

"Harry Potter reading Harry Potter … YES!" exclaimed an excited commenter.

Other readers include David Beckham, Stephen Fry, Claudia Kim and Noma Dumezweni.

The book’s author, J.K. Rowling, recently revealed she suffered from coronavirus-type symptoms for a fortnight, adding she had managed to “fully recover”.

The Harry Potter author, 54, who is married to a GP and lives in Edinburgh in the UK, posted on Twitter she had suffered from symptoms but had not been tested.

Rowling, who earned $92 million in 2019, eased fans' worries by confirming she had fully recovered with the help of a breathing exercise she shared in her tweet.

This month, Rowling revealed she is donating $1.94 million to help the homeless and those affected by domestic abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Radcliffe, the Harry Potter throwback is his first job related to the franchise since he blamed the iconic role for contributing to his struggles with alcohol.

In March this year, he told the BBC that his doubts and uncertainty about what to do with his life after the Harry Potter series was a major driver of his one-time drinking problem.

Radcliffe will read the first chapter of the series' premiere novel, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers' Stone" for cooped up fantasy fans isolating at home. Picture: AFP.
Radcliffe will read the first chapter of the series' premiere novel, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers' Stone" for cooped up fantasy fans isolating at home. Picture: AFP.

He’s been sober since 2013 after initially trying to swear off the booze in 2010.

Radcliffe said that playing the boy wizard “carried some kind of interest for people and also a slightly mocking interest”, adding: “It’s inherently funny for people.”

“If I went out and if I got drunk, I’d suddenly be aware of there being interest in that because it’s not just a drunk guy. It’s ‘Oh, Harry Potter’s getting drunk in the bar’.

  “A lot of drinking that happened towards the end of Potter and for a little bit after it finished, it was panic, a little bit not knowing what to do next – not being comfortable enough in who I was to remain sober.”

The actor previously said that he attempted to stop drinking multiple times and eventually did so with the help of friends.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/books-magazines/books/daniel-radcliffe-to-read-first-harry-potter-book-for-spotify-recording/news-story/1957c262b9dfab8532513257ae1fc328