Harry Potter star admits he loves being a heartthrob

Daniel Radcliffe admitted he relishes his heartthrob status as dozens of young girls braved the rain outside the European premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Hundreds of fans, mainly young girls, crammed into London’s Leicester Square in torrential rain last night to chant “Harry, Harry, Harry” – drowning out the occasional crack of thunder.

Some waved home made banners. One read: “Show us your wand, Harry baby.”

Speaking about the female attention he attracts, 17-year-old Radcliffe said: “I can’t complain. It’s rather wonderful, really.”

The film features his first on-screen clinch with Katie Leung, who plays Cho Chang.

He said: “She’s a very good kisser.”

Responding to the rumour that the on-screen kiss took 30 takes, Rupert Grint, who plays Harry’s close friend Ron Weasley, said with a smile: “That’s what I heard.”

Grint said Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was darker than previous films.

He added: “I think everyone’s grown up in this one.”

Asked how he felt about the film’s franchise coming to an end, he said: “It’s been a big part of my life. A really cool experience.”

JK Rowling made a rare public appearance at the premiere and spoke of writing the final book in the series.

“Finishing it was very, very emotional. It was a combination of relief and sadness really,” she said.

The publicity-shy writer said seeing the crowd in Leicester Square was “fantastic” but she was shocked to hear that some fans had camped overnight.

She said fans in the crowd had asked lots of questions about the final book but she refused to answer.

“They’ve only got two weeks to wait now so I’m not being too mean,” she said.

She said the final book would be the last Harry Potter story and she was not tempted to change her mind, adding: “It is really what it was always planned to be.”

Asked what plans she had for the near future Rowling said: “I’m looking forward to going on holiday.”

Rowling, who is a supporter of new Prime Minister Gordon Brown, was asked if she would ever consider going into government but laughed and said: “Absolutely not.”

Also at last night’s premiere were Leung; Emma Watson, who plays Harry’s friend Hermione Granger; Imelda Staunton, who plays Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Dolores Umbridge; and Helena Bonham Carter, who plays Lord Voldemort devotee Bellatrix Lestrange, with her partner, director Tim Burton.

Fans who braved the rain included Vicky Martini, 24, and Deborah Silva, 19, who held a banner reading: “We came from Brazil for extra potion classes.”

Among the celebrities who turned out despite the rain were models Sophie Dahl and Jodie Kidd, singer Lily Allen and Dr Who actor David Tennant.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix sees Harry return to Hogwarts for his fifth year, but his integrity is called into question when some of the wizard community doubt the truth of the story of the teenager’s recent encounter with Lord Voldemort.

The world premiere took place in Tokyo and broke box office records.

Critics have given the film mixed reviews.

The seventh and last book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released on July 21.

Internet retailer Amazon.com said nearly 1.6 million people worldwide had pre-ordered the book.

That beats the 1.5 million advance orders which the website took for the sixth book Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.