Hormonal Harry looks forward to life after Hogwarts

Actor Daniel Radcliffe proved today that he has done a lot of growing up since shooting to fame as the young bespectacled Harry Potter. He now has a taste for French novelists, grungy music festivals and glamorous Hollywood beauties.

The 16-year-old was in central London with his co-stars to promote the fourth film in the Potter franchise, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Radcliffe, who was just 11 when he first played the role, said it was good not to be “just a child actor”.

He said he could now voice his opinion about his scenes on set.

The latest instalment sees the characters mature into adolescence with Harry falling for fellow Hogwarts pupil Cho Chang.

He told a packed press conference: “It’s been an odd five years but it’s been great.”

Asked what he wanted to do when the child wizard role came to an end he said: “We’ve got a while before the films end.

“I’m not absolutely confident that I’m doing them all. I’m definitely doing the fifth, but after that who knows?

“It makes it easier to play Harry because I’ve been going through all the hormone stuff like Harry has relatively recently so it’s fresh in my mind, in fact it continues.”

Asked who his ideal date would be at the Hogwarts Yule Ball, Daniel named Hollywood beauties Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson.

The actor, who when he first signed up as Harry Potter was into the World Wrestling Federation, is now more into French heavyweight novelist Emile Zola, according to producer David Heyman.

Far from practising magic tricks, the London-born star said the highlight of his year had been the Reading Music Festival.