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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Verity Sulway

Harry Potter deleted scenes - raunchy carriage antics and character cut for being too funny

The Harry Potter films have been adored by generations since the franchise began in 2001.

Many kids already knew and loved the books, written by JK Rowling, four of which had been published by the time the first film was released.

So many viewers had the same question when they left the cinema after watching Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - as one character was notably missing.

Where was Peeves the Poltergeist?

While ghosts including Nearly Headless Nick were indeed present from the get-go, vandal and overall trouble-maker Peeves, who wore Jester's clothes, was the only apparition to be completely missing from the films.

But that wasn't the original plan.

Comedian and actor Rik Mayall played Peeves the Poltergeist but was cut (Warner Bros. Pictures)

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Comedian Rik Mayall was actually cast in the mischievous role, and even filmed all of his scenes before he was unceremoniously cut.

Mayall had starred in shows including The Young Ones, Blackadder, Bottom, and Drop Dead Fred.

He died from a heart attack in 2014, aged just 56.

The star previously revealed to InternetGore.com that he spent three weeks filming his scenes before they were chopped without his knowledge - and he branded the final cut of the film "s**t".

Rik Mayall died in 2014 (Mirrorpix)

In fact, his children didn't even realise his role had been cut when they watched the film in the cinema, he said, and they mistakenly thought he played Hagrid.

While he never found out the reason why he was left on the cutting room floor, Mayall did reveal he distracted the other actors with his jokes - rather like his cheeky character.

He reminisced about how he would make the child actors break character because they found him so hilarious.

Harry walks past a couple of students who are snogging (Warner Bros)

"I did it, I went and f***ing did it. I played the part of Peeves in Harry Potter," he said,

"I went home, and I got the money – significant. Then a month later they said, 'Rik, sorry about this, you’re not in the film.'

"But I still got the money. So that was the most exciting film I ever did, because I got the oodle and I wasn’t in it. Fantastic."

Devon Murray, who played Seamus Finnigan, told Cosmopolitan Mayall was "absolutely hilarious" to film with.

The young wizard then walks past a carriage that's rocking as those inside get amorous (Warner Bros)

"I think that’s why he got cut out the movie – because nobody, the cast or crew, could keep a straight face around him," he said.

"It just didn’t work when there are so many kids there trying to look scared."

While the exact reason Peeves was cut was never publicly revealed, fans have suggested it was due to time constraints in the already lengthy films, as the character was relatively inconsequential to the overall plot.

This wasn't the only part of the film that was cut - director David Yates revealed Viktor Krum was originally intended to return in the later Deathly Hallows film.

There was meant to be a love triangle scene between he and former flame Hermione, who was starting to develop romantic feelings for Ron Weasley.

Stanislav Ianevski, who played Viktor, said it was a divert from the book's plot but that it would add tension to the blossoming love between Hermione and Ron.

"We did a new dance scene, I sort of stole [Hermione] from Ron," he said.

"She remembered our old times, Viktor was acting like a gentleman again, happy to see her, she was happy to see him. Ron was sitting on the side, was jealous, and then Viktor took her to the dance floor."

But the scene never made it into the film, for unknown reasons.

And another was also chopped out because it was deemed too raunchy for young audiences, but it appears in the extended footage.

During the Triwizard Ball in the Goblet of Fire, Harry leaves the Great Hall and bumps into a couple who are canoodling up against a wall.

He then peeks inside a rocking carriage which has the implication its inhabitants are getting up to some steamy antics - though nothing graphic was shown.

Dudley shook hands with Harry in a tender moment that was chopped (Youtube)

Other scenes that didn't make it into the final cut of the films provided rather touching redemption arcs for some of the nastiest characters.

One showed Harry's Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw) speaking with emotion about his mother Lily, who she always professed to despise.

"You didn't just lose a mother that night in Godric's Hollow, you know. I lost a sister," she tells Harry as they discussed the night Lily died.

In another clip, Dudley Dursley (Harry Melling) mellows towards his hated cousin, who he bullied his whole life.

As his Uncle Vernon brands Harry a "waste of space" in the Deathly Hallows, Dudley softens as he walks over.

"I don't think you're a waste of space," he tells Harry, and shakes his hand.

Harry looks stunned, and eventually replies: "Thanks."

Dudley smiles at Harry, before waving as he ambles over to his dad and gets into the car.

"See you, big D," Harry says quietly.

On New Year's Day, the Harry Potter cast will reunite for a special which will air on Sky Max and NOW.

The legendary cast members are all finally back together as megastars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint can be seen in the spine-tingling trailer.

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